Even BTS´ wouldn't exist without Covid's #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 "Dynamite" for the first time.
South Korean supergroup BTS returned to the stage in Seoul to play for their home fans for the first time since 2019 on Thursday after tickets for three-night stadium concerts were sold out within minutes.
While Covid-19 evacuated arenas and closed clubs around the world, the K-pop septet thrived during the pandemic - scoring a string of number one hits, expanding its global fanbase, and garnering record profits.
Despite most bands catching the virus, trailblazing musicians barely beat a beat as the world shuts down It was, analysts say.
"Oddly enough, I think the pandemic may have helped BTS increase its worldwide fame," said Cederbaugh Seiji, a "K-pop professor" at Pusan National University.
"A lot of people who were stuck at home and desperate to try something new fell down the rabbit hole of BTS," Saeji told AFP.
The group's feel-good songs were a "perfect" antidote to the Covid blues, she said, and their digital country fans, well used to livestreaming gigs and social media engagement, naturally led to virtual concerts. Were prepared.
1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 "Dynamite" wouldn't exist without BTS' first hit COVID: "We were trying to give our fans a message of healing and comfort," bandmember Jin told Esquire. told.
The floppy-haired musician, all in their 20s and often sporting earrings and lipstick, appeals to a generation comfortable with gender fluidity.
He is credited with generating billions for the South Korean economy, and his label HYBE enjoyed increased profits despite holding fewer concerts during the pandemic.
The global music industry saw performance revenue decline as venues closed, but recorded music revenue grew significantly, thanks largely to subscription streaming services, industry data showed.