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K-pop stars BTS make history as first Korean group to play at Wembley

The boy band's popularity has AG百家乐在线官网rocketed in the last year and they are now selling out stadiums in the UK and US.

Monday 3 June 2019 11:23, UK

BTS perform at Wembley
Image: BTS are performing two sell-out dates at Wembley
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Boy band BTS have become the first Korean act to play at Wembley after selling out their first night in 90 minutes.

The seven-member K-pop group played to a packed stadium of 60,000 fans on Saturday night as part of their LOVE YOURSELF: SPEAK YOURSELF stadium world tour.

Performing hits including Not Today, IDOL, and FAKE LOVE, the concert was streamed live across the globe, as well as beamed to theatres all across Japan.

BTS' first night at Wembley sold out in 90 minutes
Image: BTS' first night at Wembley sold out in 90 minutes

On Friday, fans also flocked to Piccadilly Circus just to see an advertisement by the band for Hyundai on the famous LED screens.

Part of the secret to their popularity is fans' admiration for the band self-producing their music and their dedication to breaking down taboos around mental health and helping young people.

60,000 saw BTS perform at Wembley on Saturday night
Image: 60,000 people saw BTS perform at Wembley on Saturday night
Fans flocked from across Europe to attend the concert
Image: Fans flocked from across Europe to attend the concert

Their pop sound is a contrast to much of their lyrics, which deal with topics including suicide.

The group, who have more than 13.3 million followers on Instagram, spoke at the UN last year to launch a project to help empower young people get into quality work and education.

From BTS to Blackpink: How K-pop took over the world
From BTS to Blackpink: How K-pop took over the world

As Korean pop music continues to break record after record, Sky News takes a look at the genre's meteoric rise.

Their Love Myself project, with UNICEF, campaigned to end youth violence.

Sky News spoke to fans queuing up to get into the Wembley Arena on Saturday night.

One fan credits BTS with saving her life
Image: One fan credits BTS with saving her life

One girl, who travelled from Yorkshire with a friend, said she credits BTS with helping to save her life during a period of poor mental health and issues at home.

"I've really liked them since 2016 because they helped me through a whole lot. I don't think I'd be here.

"We've travelled from Yorkshire to be here just because they really helped me through so much I want to be able to experience that [them live].

"I found them at the point I was giving up."

A fan attending with her mother said BTS were her 'idols'
Image: A fan attending with her mother says BTS are her 'idols'

Another fan, attending the concert with her mum, said: "They are just so dedicated to their fans… They are so inspiring. They are such idols for me."

Earlier this year, the K-pop group became the first Korean act to get to number one in the UK album chart, going straight in at the top after 26,500 sales of Map of The Soul: Persona.

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Despite being active since 2013, in the last few months, BTS - short for Bangtan Boys - have taken the world by storm and are now one of the most popular groups in the world.

Early in 2018, the band, who mostly sing in Korean, became the first from South Korea to achieve a gold sales certification in the US.

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