BTS’s ARMY: Is there an official fan club you can join?

One of the most defining parts of any pop-culture icon – whether it’s a musician, a writer, or an actor – is the fans they attract. From Taylor Swift’s Swifties to Beyonce’s Beyhive, the love of a cultural icon can bring together fans unlike anything else. Having said that, if we had an award for the best fandom, BTS ARMY would be on the top of the running. 

In the recent months, BTS has become one of the most influential boy bands in the world, breaking records one after another. Their first English single Dynamite came out earlier this year and was received with an enormously encouraging response – the music video has been watched over 450 million times, making it the fastest video by a Korean outfit to reach this milestone. 

There’s little surprise in this record, because the loyal fanbase of the K-Pop boy band made sure that the video crossed its first 100 million views within 24 hours of its release, defeating Blackpink who held the record previously. Spotify also reported that the single raked in 7.77 million streams on its debut day. None of these records would have been made possible without the unflinching support of the ARMY.

What is the BTS ARMY?

Short for “Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth”, the phrase was coined by the company behind the band itself – Big Hit Entertainment – in an effort to promote the band at a time when social media seemed like the only way to make a mark and go viral. The fans soon organised themselves into a large, amorphous group that has been nothing but supportive of the boy band

Not only have they managed to make the BTS videos & music go viral, they’ve also made many opportunities possible for the band, including the time they tweeted to Billboard persistently until BTS was invited to attend the Billboard Music Awards as a nominee for Top Social Media Artist. The boy band members, too, have reciprocated time & again with love for their fans.

The boy band members – RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V & Jungkook – have all taken to stage or social media to thank their fans. Jungkook & Jimin recently also shared a message of massive gratitude towards their fans for helping them get back on the first position on the Billboard Hot 100. 

How does one join the ARMY?

Generally, all you need is to be a fan of the band and you’re in. But for those who love the perks that come with being an official fan, here’s some news. There is, in fact, a very official club that you can be a part of. Last year in June, the band launched its own fan community Weverse. It gives fans access to exclusive content & behind-the-scenes material from BTS. Here’s everything you need to know about joining the BTS Global Official Fanclub. 

Qualifications & entry requirements

Your unrelenting love for the band is a prerequisite. Add to the list an account on the Weverse app and Weverse Shop, a Paypal account, and the cost of membership. This is a wide range because the actual cost of your membership will depend on the tier or package you choose. Last month, the memberships split into two tiers. 

The basic membership gives you a mobile membership card, opportunity to pre-book concerts, raffles, members-exclusive content, perks in the form of early release price and opportunity to purchase BTS membership kit.  

The superior tier is differentiated on the basis of one addition, the merch boxes. Four merch boxes are included as a part of the membership. For reference, the first one contains an Outbox, an ARMY Blanket, a fabric poster, & a photo.

Membership Kit, over & above

Membership on any of the tiers also gives you an opportunity to buy a membership kit, which is an optional product you get to purchase separately. We surmise it’ll consist of things like a book lamp, a physical membership card, a book marker, photo cards, pouch, and the like. There’s no such thing as too much BTS merch.