BTS Just Made History As The Top Paid K-Pop Band *Ever*
By now, BTS breaking records and setting new ones is old news. The K-pop phenomenon has taken the music industry by storm and landed themselves as some of the highest-paid celebrities this year. Yup, they're right up there with your girls Kylie Jenner and Taylor Swift. BTS made history on Forbes 100 highest-paid celebrities list thanks to their undying enthusiasm, unmatched work ethic, and their ability to transcend language and culture boundaries. Together, J-Hope, Jimin, Jin, Jungkook, RM, Suga, and V raked in a reported $57 million income pretax this past year, making them the highest-paid boy band in the world in 2019 and the highest-paid K-Pop act to make the list... ever.
According to Forbes, this number makes them the world's highest-paid boy band and K-pop group. While they aren't the first K-Pop band to make the list (Bigbang did that when they hit No. 54 on the list in 2016 with earnings of $44 million), their No. 43 spot makes them the highest-paid K-pop act ever to make the list.
While they may only be No. 43 on the rich-celebs list, they're No. 1 in ARMYs' hearts. Part of this staggering financial sum is thanks to their ability to monopolize whatever industry they please. From fashion to gaming and feature films to YouTube, if it's consumable, then BTS has a hand in it.
Notably, this past year saw a profit from the group's Love Yourself world tour, the Love Yourself: Speak Yourself stadium tour extension, and their Love Yourself album trilogy. More often than not, BTS found themselves adding more concert dates to their already packed touring schedule. According to Billboard Boxscore, BTS' first six U.S. performances grossed $44 million. That's just over $7 million a night.
*Let's out a low whistle*
Of course, there are also those BTS films that had fans losing it in the movie theaters. Burn The Stage: The Movie, which was released in 2018, brought in $18.5 million globally. BTS World Tour: Love Yourself In Seoul followed that up by making $11.7 million worldwide, not including Korea. As with their concerts, both films called for additional showings and extended runs at local theaters.
Now, let's not forget all of those kickass BTS endorsement deals and product collaborations, too. BTS recently became the face of Hyundai Palisade bringing car lovers some emotional and sweet commercials to eat up. They've also partnered up with Coco-Cola and Lotte Duty Free, Asia's top Duty Free store.
Forbes notes that the boys also just launched an interactive game called BTS World which quickly became the number one app everywhere. The game allows users to take on the role of BTS' manager, working with the virtual BTS members beginning as far back as 2012 before they became super successful. However, the game launched after the final 2019 tally was accounted for, which means BTS is in a position to sit even higher on the celeb rich list next year.
Through it all, the gang stays humble. Even if you're someone like me — a fringe ARMY who just got on board the BTS love train, you know one thing is clear: BTS loves their fans. While some could argue a lot of celebrities get into the fame game for the money, ARMYs know that BTS is in it for their fans.
So they deserve all the sweet, sweet success they've accomplished!
