Back in 2014, when the seven members of Korean superstar group BTS had only been together for a year, they once walked around Los Angeles asking strangers to come see them perform a free concert.
The band was so excited to have people show up that it took a photo with them all to remember the moment, blissfully unaware of how much bigger the crowd behind them would one day become.
BTS Official Daum Cafe
Big Hit Entertainment, BTS' original label before it was rebranded as HYBE, was also a no-name that no one in the K-pop industry knew or respected.
It's hard to imagine, considering the prestige and worldwide stardom both the band and its parent company enjoy today. BTS' arena concerts around the world sell out across multiple dates regularly, and it seems like there's no end to the fans that flock to their sides.
BTS' social media following is also enormous, with more than 45 million followers on Twitter. Its devoted followers continue to spend major money on everything from seeing the band live to official merchandise, not to mention all they make from sponsorships with Samsung, Hyundai, and Louis Vuitton (to name a few).
HYBE reported earnings of $1.1 billion in 2021, heavily driven by BTS' massive success. Much more than just a "boy band," the band's popularity has also driven up South Korea's tourism industry, bringing in an estimated $5 billion in 2021, NPR reports.
BTS just performed four sold out dates in Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium, also bringing a welcome boost to that city's tourism revenue. And the conclusion of the residency also came with a major announcement BTS' fans are very excited about.
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BTS Has A New Album Coming
The BTS official Twitter account on April 17 posted a teaser video called "We are Bulletproof" showcasing imagery from the past nine years of BTS' releases. The title references a song of the same title from the 2013 album "2 Cool 4 Skool."
The ending of the video teases the date of BTS' new album as June 10, 2022, and people are clearly excited. More than 674,000 people have liked the post as of the time of this writing.
Band leader RM also mentioned new things were in the works a few days prior during a livestream on the Korean website V Live, saying that he was "collaborating with various people in a new and unexpected way."
Can I Invest in BTS?
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As BTS' popularity continues its meteoric ascent with new music on the horizon, there's never been a better time to invest in its parent company HYBE.
The smaller company that originally founded BTS, called Big Hit Entertainment, went public on Oct. 18, 2020, opening at 270,000 KRW ($218.74 U.S.) a share, later being renamed HYBE Co., Ltd.
However, since the stock is only publicly traded via The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), international fans can't invest in it as easily as South Korean residents can. However, it is still possible to invest.
To do so, you'll need to open a brokerage account (or if you already have one, you're already halfway there). Contact your broker and submit an order for the shares. Be aware you will have to pay additional transaction fees, which will vary from broker to broker.
HYBE's stock has had some up and downs since its IPO, but continues to grow in value as of today. Shares are 279,500 Korean Won ($226.31 U.S.) BTS members Jin, RM, and J-Hope sold a total of 32,000 of their shares back in December 2021, which brought them $8.4 million.
