K-pop sensation Bangtan Boys -- or BTS -- added another impressive feat to its resume as Time magazine included it in the annual list of most influential people on the internet.

According to the magazine, it looked into the candidate‘s global impact on social media and their overall ability to drive news in drawing up the 25-member list.

“Overtaking Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez to spend 27 consecutive weeks atop Billboard’s “Social 50” chart, which tracks popularity across different platforms, would be an impressive feat for any artist,” the magazine wrote, referring to the band’s huge popularity online.

“It’s especially so for BTS, a Korean boy band ? the full name, Bangtan Sonyeondan, loosely translates to ’bulletproof boy scouts‘ in English ? whose seven members have managed to cultivate a virtual fanbase that could give the Beyhive a run for its money.” Beyhive refers to the fanbase of pop megastar Beyonce.

Among others on the list are world-renowned figures such as US President Donald Trump, British writer J.K. Rowling, pop star Katy Perry, and TV personality Kim Kardashian.

BTS made a mark in Korean music history last month by becoming the first K-pop group to win a prize at the Billboard Music Awards. It was named the top social artist, edging out pop sensations such as Justin Bieber and Arianna Grande.



By Yoon Min-sik (minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)