BTS Army Day 2023: Popular K-pop band marks 10 years of fandom with release of first book ‘Beyond the Story’

Popular Korean band BTS marked 10 years of their ever-growing fandom on Sunday with the launch of a new book - Beyond the Story. The hitherto anonymous, untitled project had previously sparked buzz among Taylor Swift fans (more on that later) and is now available on Amazon. The development coincided with Army Day 2023 (the fandom was formed and its name announced exactly 10 years ago). The seven-member group is currently on a temporary hiatus with singers taking turns releasing solo material while the others begin to serve their mandatory military duties. 

“Beyond the Story is the first ever official book of BTS, which contains a chronological summary of BTS’ music career from their pre-debut days to the present as well as anticipations for their future endeavors. We hope Beyond the Story will become a ‘candid record shared’ between BTS and ARMY,” explained a press note from BigHit Music.

Structured like an oral history about the K-Pop boy band the book “shares personal, behind-the-scenes stories of their journey so far through interviews and more than three years of in-depth coverage”. It also contains photos, tracklists of all previous albums, and over 330 QR codes - to access trailers, music videos, and more online. The name also appears to be a play on the group's abbreviated moniker.

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According to the details made available by the publishers (and the Amazon listing) the 544 page long book was written by the journalist Myeongseok Kang. It has been translated into English by Anton Hur, in collaboration with Clare Richards and Slin Jung.

Early details about the mysterious book had sparked buzz about a Taylor Swift creation. Excited fans soon went into overdrive reading extensively into the scant details shared online and flagging the singer's penchant for easter eggs in songs and music videos. The details however also coincided with BTS trivia.

The author and subject were to be revealed June 13, a favorite number of Swift's, but also the 10th anniversary of BTS' first single, “No More Dream.” The page count numbers — 5-4-4 — also add up to 13. The publication date, July 9, is close to the release date of Swift's album “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)," but it's also ARMY day, the 10th anniversary of the founding of BTS' ARMY fan base.

The South Korean band has become a global sensation over the past few years and recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. While they have continued to perform and release music as individuals, BTS' activities as a full group are currently on hold as the artists begin to serve in the military. 

Two BTS singers – Jin and J-Hope – have already started their compulsory 18-month service and other members are to follow in coming months, which likely means the group will reconvene around 2025.

(With inputs from agencies)