The popular K-pop group has recently announced the title of their upcoming memoir, “Beyond the Story: 10-Year Record of BTS,” which will be written by journalist Myeongseok Kang.
ARMYs rejoice, as BTS is planning to release their very own memoir in South Korea and the United States by July 9. The book will be written by Myeongseok Kang, a pop culture and music critic who’s written many pieces on BTS’ work over the years. Its English translation was done by Anton Hur, with the help of Clare Richards and Slin Jung.
The U.S. edition of the memoir will be published by Flatiron Books, while its Korea release will be managed by Big Hit Music.
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An Early Bestseller
Rumors concerning the book were already circulating throughout the internet, with fans initially speculating that it was a Taylor Swift memoir. This may be because the unnamed book was set for release on June 13, with a page count of 544—whose digits add up to 13, which is Swift’s favorite number. As such, both Swifties and Armies placed pre-orders for the book on Amazon, as well as Barnes & Nobles’ websites.
However, the recent announcement from the K-pop group has put these rumors to rest, finally confirming that the book is indeed theirs.
Given the impressive strength and size of BTS’ fanbase—referred to collectively as “ARMY” (short for Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth)—it’s no surprise that the unreleased memoir has already reached the top of bestseller lists from Amazon and Barnes & Nobles.
Achieving Worldwide Success
The beloved K-pop group has taken the world by storm, contributing around $3.5 billion dollars to South Korea’s economy annually. Composed of members Jung Kook, V, Jimin, SUGA, Jin, RM, and J-Hope, the talented band of musicians has released nine albums and six EPs.
BTS also has a total of six songs that reached Billboard’s Hot 100 list, making them the first K-pop group to get a No.1 spot on the US Billboard album chart with the hit Love Yourself: Tear in 2018. Each of them also launched successful solo careers, as all seven members had individual hits featured in Billboard’s Hot 100.
The popular group announced that they would be going on hiatus just last June. The reason behind the break being their desire to focus on solo projects and recover from the exhaustion of their decade-long career.
That said, this doesn’t mean that it’s the end. A reunion is on the horizon and might happen in 2025, after the boys do what they need to do at the moment. Besides resting and pursuing personal work, all seven members of BTS will engage in the 18-month mandatory military service for their home country. Jin began his term in December 2022, while J-Hope started his service this April.
Banner photo via Instagram @bts.bighitofficial.