Beyond the Story: 10-Year Record of BTS

BTS · Myeongseok Kang

Jul 2023 · Sold by Flatiron Books

About this ebook

THE FIRST EVER OFFICIAL BOOK—
Published in celebration of BTS’s 10th Anniversary, stories that go beyond what you already know about BTS, including unreleased photos and all album information.

After taking their first step into the world on June 13, 2013, BTS will celebrate the 10th anniversary of their debut in June 2023. They have risen to the peak as an iconic global artist and during this meaningful time, they look back on their footsteps in the first official book. In doing so, BTS nurtures the power to build brighter days and they choose to take another step on a road that no one has gone before.

BTS shares personal, behind-the-scenes stories of their journey so far through interviews and more than three years of in-depth coverage by Myeongseok Kang, who has written about K-pop and other Korean pop culture in various media. Presented chronologically in seven chapters from before the debut of BTS to the present, their vivid voices and opinions harmonize to tell a sincere, lively, and deep story. In individual interviews that have been conducted without a camera or makeup, they illuminate their musical journey from multiple angles and discuss its significance.

In addition, portrait photos that show BTS as individuals and artists open the book, and throughout there are concept photos, tracklists of all previous albums, and over 330 links to videos. As digital artists, BTS has been communicating with the world through the internet and this book allows readers to immediately access trailers, music videos, and more online to have a rich understanding of all the key moments in BTS history. Complete with a timeline of all major milestones, BEYOND THE STORY is a remarkable archive—truly everything about BTS in one volume.

Ratings and reviews

I have really enjoyed Beyond the Story. It relies heavily on the interviews the author did with each member. It's at turns uplifting, sad, thought-provoking, funny and touching. I really appreciate that the author gave all members equal importance, and used many quotes from each of them, instead of paraphrasing. The people who translated the book into English have explained their process, also, and they emphasized how hard they worked to keep the sense of the member's comments. I have been a fan of BTS for many years now, and have watched/read/listened to a possibly unhealthy (!) amount of BTS content. Even though I was already familiar with a lot of their history, I still found the perspective the book gives to be valuable. The way it is organized makes it really easy to follow and I know I will refer back to it in the future. I recommend it.

I am fully invested in this book! I love how the narrative is unfolding, the stories being laid out with album releases. The translations feel well thought out and considered. I'm enjoying the path the book is leading me down, and getting a more intimate view of not just the members views of things, but the explanations of the choices the company and the team made together is fascinating!!

Wonderfully written story of the legends that are BTS. I've been their fan for 6 years now and experienced these events with them, but hearing the other side and the insight s that they've decided to hide from us for their and our sake was very touching. a great read for any ARMY who want to know BTS's story 1st had from them, or any person who is a sucker for a good underdog story 💜

About the author

BTS, an acronym of “Bangtan Sonyeondan” or “Beyond the Scene,” is a boy band from South Korea that debuted on June 13, 2013. The members of BTS are RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook. They have been embraced the world over, transcending nations, races, languages, gender, and generations for their music, their passionate performances, and their close connections to their fans. They are always seeking new ways to repay the love they receive through their music.

Myeongseok Kang is a longtime critic and former editor in chief for many media outlets whose writing focuses on Korean pop culture, including K-pop. Currently, he is working on Weverse Magazine.