KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 — K-pop superstars BTS have just been named ‘next generation leaders’ by Time Magazine.

Hailing from South Korea, the seven-piece boyband — made up of Jimin, Jin, Jungkook, J-Hope, RM, V and Suga — continue to stamp their chart presence in the West, as can be seen with their twice sold out concert at London’s O2 Arena this week.

 

 

Time yesterday released a video interview of the band along with the magazine cover featuring the septet, which will reportedly appear on the global edition of the magazine.

“As a Korean, we love our country and we’re proud of our country so much,” RM was recorded saying in the video.

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“And it’s even just an honour to be called an ambassador of Korean K-pop.”

Time quoted Steve Aoki — a US DJ who has collaborated with the group — as saying their achievements in the global arena were even more proof that music “doesn’t have to be English to be a global phenomenon.” 

 

 

Band leader RM last month gave his ‘Speak Yourself’ speech in front of the United Nations during a launch of a new Unicef programme.

In May, BTS became the first K-pop performers to have a no.1 album on the Billboard 200 with Love Yourself: Tear and they made UK chart history soon after by becoming the first K-pop group to have a Top 40 single in the British charts.

Besides BTS, others named as ‘next generation leaders’ by Time magazine are Kylian Mbappe (French World Cup-winning football player), Ariana Grande and British model Adwoa Aboah.

Previous honourees on Time’s next generation leaders list include Dua Lipa, John Boyega and Simone Biles.