K-pop boy band of the moment BTS revealed Wednesday (July 5) that they’re looking toward the future with a new brand identity: “Beyond the Scene.”
The group unveiled the new terminology in a short video that also showed a new logo for both BTS and their fandom ARMY, in yet another nod of thanks to their dedicated fans for propelling their global success. The video begins with the ambiguous phrase “See you there” before unveiling the two new logos. It ends with frontman Rap Monster saying, “Beyond the scene, BTS.”
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The group took to Twitter to express their happiness over the new video.
“We really like the new BI [Brand Identity],” they wrote in Korean. “We were really looking forward to it and were eager to show it to everyone even a day sooner [than we did]. More than anything, it shows that ARMY and we, BTS, are connected as one and are filled with meaning that makes us feel good.”
The tweet was written in first person but not credited to any single member of the band. It also featured two emojis: one a beaming smiley face and the other a set of hearts.
??? BI? ?? ??? ???. ? ?? ???? ???? ???? ?? ????? ????. ???? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???? ?? ??? ?? ??? ????!! —-
— ????? (@BTS_twt) July 5, 2017
BigHit Entertainment, BTS’ agency, told Korean media that the new door-inspired logo and branding “symbolizes youth who don’t settle for their current reality and instead open the door and go forward to achieve growth,” reports Soompi. However, social media users and several news outlets, including Time, interpreted “Beyond the Scene” less as a slogan and more as a name change.
.@BTS_twt is still ????? & BTS, but it’s English name is now Beyond The Scene, for the youth who grew up, ARMY is reflecting BTS’ youth pic.twitter.com/EJvxco8za3
— ????? ?? (@BTS_ARMY_I) July 5, 2017
me: but bulletproof boys scouts was meaningful a-
bts: beyond the scene means ‘youth who open the door & move forward’ & we love it
me: same— c a t a (@mynephilim) July 5, 2017
Fans took to social media to express their belief that Rap Monster’s words refer to the band changing the English meaning of their name from “Bulletproof Boyscouts,” the translation of the group’s Korean name Bangtan Sonyeondan (?????), to “Beyond the Scene.”
Even Wale, who collaborated with BTS’ Rap Monster this year, also tweeted about the branding.
beyond the scene
— Wale (@Wale) July 5, 2017
Billboard reached out to BTS’ representative for clarification.
Update July 7, 2017: In a press release, BTS confirmed that “they were adding to the definition of their name with a new brand identity” and that their English name remains “BTS.”
Update Oct. 3, 2018: Big Hit Entertainment has confirmed to Billboard that “Beyond the Scene” is the English meaning of BTS’ acronym.