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Big Hit to cast young actors for new BTS drama series, while members on extended vacation
Big Hit Entertainment is announcing the production of a new drama on the early days of BTS.
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Boy band BTS arrive for the 61st Annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 10, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AFP/Valerie Macon)
T
he musical scene this year has been dominated by many household names, from Taylor Swift to the Jonas Brothers. Yet, BTS, the septet from South Korea, has taken the world by storm. This year alone, the seven guys were able to break a 23-year-old record held by the Beatles, which they did by scoring three No. 1 albums in less than a year.
Aug. 21 might be one of the most whirlwind days that the BTS fandom, ARMY, has experienced. From the announcement of a new game based on the BTS musical universe to a new ticketing system based on the raffle, the fans were greeted with so much exciting news.
The production of a new drama was also announced in a Big Hit Entertainment briefing on the firm’s corporate vision, as reported by The Korea Herald.
"With a view to launch it in the second half of 2020, [we] are preparing a drama series based on BTS' universe [BU],” Bang Si-hyuk, CEO of Big Hit Entertainment, said in the briefing.
Unlike what many fans may have hoped, Big Hit would cast young actors rather than the BTS members themselves to act in this drama. The series goes back in time to the moment when the seven BTS members first met in the BU.
The BU is a shared universe that is centered on a series of music videos, independently produced by Big Hit. The franchise has expanded to include short films, short stories, books and webtoons. Now, it will also include a drama series and game.
"Going forward, the scope of Bit Hit's brand intellectual property business will not stay only on the music front but will expand to other sectors like licenses, character businesses, games, publications, pop-up stores in order to reach out to more fans," the CEO noted, suggesting that more BTS-inspired goods are to hit the market.
Read also: K-pop superstars BTS to take 'long-term break'
Big Hit has seen an amazing business growth for the past few years. The CEO shared that for the first half of 2019, the sales of BTS concert tickets earned a staggering 200.1 billion won (US$166.5 million), a figure that is on par with the firm's annual sales in 2018.
It is also announced that BTS members are taking a well-deserved break.
Bang Si-hyuk who is now a Professional Member of the Grammy Academy, explained BTS' ongoing summer vacation. "BTS recently went on an extended vacation in order to plan their future as creators and artists, design their vision and have time of their own," said the CEO. (ran/mut)
