A new BTS era is coming: Look at the concept shots of the new album ‘BE’

Bangtan Boys are back. Popularly known as BTS, the famous K-pop boy band is riding on a steady diet of success this year. They were still reeling in the success of their previous album Map of the Soul: 7, followed by a massively successful tour. That album sold around 4.02 million in pre-orders alone, becoming the most pre-ordered South Korean album of all time. As if the pre-release sales weren’t good enough alone, the album went on to dethrone Eminem for the record of the biggest debut for an album. Now, the South Korean boy band comprising of RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, is all set to break even more records with its upcoming album BE. BE comes close on the heels of the boy band’s digital single “Dynamite”, which has broken all sorts of records, too. The music video for the song crossed 100 million views within the first 24 hours of its release. The record is well-deserved, too. The video manages to cheer you up even as we have a pandemic running our lives.

On to the next one

Their week-long special performance at The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon brought in record social media attention, their two-day performance Map of the Soul ON:E reportedly brought in 993,000 viewers, and the music video for the song crossed 450 million views in the meantime, becoming the fastest video by any Korean outfit to reach this milestone. Since the release of “Dynamite”, the band members haven’t sat still for a single day. The news of their record label going public, gifting them shares, and in the process, making them millionaires followed soon after. It’s no surprise that their popularity – and net worth – has soared exponentially since. In September, Big Hit Entertainment announced that the new BTS album BE will come out on November 20 this year. The boys sure are working hard. We’re not just saying this, we’ve got receipts. Dynamite video now over 2.1 billion views. ON:E drew 993,000 paid viewers and $44 million gross. Big Hit IPO October 2020 valued company at $8.38 billion; members received shares.

The big reveal

The album is being positioned as a symbol of hope in the times of crisis, with the message that “even in the face of this new normality, our life goes on.” It fits right into the message that BTS members have always stood by: empathy, compassion, and an understanding of what it means to be human, to have emotions. It’s what endears them to their steady fanbase, the BTS ARMY. What makes this album special is the fact that each of the band members has been very actively participative in the process, frequently taking to social media to talk about the process of the album. The members have stayed personally involved in the conception, composition, design, and production of the album. Treating their ARMY to little glimpses of their much-awaited album, they’ve often talked about how this album reflects the thoughts & emotions of the group. For those interested in the musical talent, the band has promised a richer experience in terms of the spectrum of songs BE offers. Released November 20, 2020; No. 1 Billboard 200 debut. Over 2.2 million first-week sales in South Korea; triple million certification later.

The BTS (behind-the-scenes) from BTS

On October 19, Big Hit Entertainment released the first concept photo for the album. What a way to tease the ARMY. There’s a lot to unravel here: a collection of musical instruments and the members dressed subtly, yet seductively. Against the backdrop of a very minimalistic blue wall adorned with a painting, the band members are all brooding – much in line with the promised reflective nature of the album – dressed in what’s best described as very BTS-ish formal, but bizarre outfits. The band has kept the ARMY on their toes as they shared snippets of the creative process every now & then throughout these past months. Pre-orders for the album are open till November 19, but if the inventory runs out, the fans might lose the chance to own the limited-edition, first-run only album. Individual and group concept photos released starting October 19, 2020. Members actively shared process on social media. Strong first-week sales confirmed pre-order demand.

Commercial Success and Legacy

BE debuted at No. 1 on Billboard 200 with 242,000 units and over 2.2 million first-week sales in South Korea. The project went on to sell approximately 4 million pure copies and 14.8 million equivalent units worldwide. Those numbers turned a pandemic-era release into one of the decade’s defining commercial runs. Long-term data now places the album among the most streamed and purchased K-pop titles on record.

From BE to ARIRANG: BTS Through the Years

BE marked the last full studio album before the members began mandatory military service. The group reunited in 2025 and released ARIRANG on March 20, 2026, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard 200. That timeline shows how the reflective tone of BE carried the band through a long pause and into a new chapter.

Dynamite's Enduring Impact

The music video for “Dynamite” has now surpassed 2.1 billion YouTube views. It remains the fastest K-pop video to reach multiple major view milestones. The single’s upbeat energy gave fans a bright spot during lockdown and kept racking up numbers long after the initial release cycle.

Member-Driven Creation Process

BE stands as the first self-directed BTS album, with members involved in conception, composition, design, and production. Their social media updates during the recording period showed how the track list reflected group thoughts and emotions during the pandemic. That hands-on approach gave the project an intimate feel that fans still cite when discussing its lasting appeal.