2016 was the year BTS stopped being “the group that was growing” and became one of the biggest names in K-pop. It brought the end of the HYYH era with The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever and “FIRE”, their first travel reality show, Bon Voyage, SUGA’s Agust D mixtape, the short films and the album WINGS with “Blood Sweat & Tears” and, at the end of the year, the first two daesangs of their career.
Here is the whole year, month by month: each month has the main highlights and, under “Read all”, every detail, video and link. Whenever possible, the links go to the official videos (BANGTANTV, Weverse or the TV channels).
BTS timeline
2016
The year of WINGS and the first daesangs
In this article
The 2016 timeline, month by month
January 2016
- 01/08 Fifth win for “RUN”, on Music Bank
- Bonsang at the 25th Seoul Music Awards and the 30th Golden Disc Awards
- PUMA’s #BLAZE_TIME campaign
Read all of January
MUSIC AND STAGES
“RUN” and “Butterfly” on Music Core and Inkigayo
The year began still in the HYYH pt.2 era. On January 2 and 3, BTS performed “RUN” and “Butterfly” on Music Core and Inkigayo with six members on stage: RM didn’t take part in those two shows.
Fifth win for “RUN” on Music Bank
On the 8th, “RUN” won on Music Bank, the song’s fifth music show win, and the group did the encore stage right there.
BANGTAN BOMB: the 5th win on the last day of “RUN”
This Bangtan Bomb shows the boys celebrating on the last day of “RUN” promotions, with the fifth win still fresh.
AWARDS
Bonsang at the 25th Seoul Music Awards
On the 14th, BTS took home a Bonsang at the 25th Seoul Music Awards, one of the main prizes of the night.
Disc Bonsang at the 30th Golden Disc Awards
On the 21st came the Disc Bonsang at the 30th Golden Disc Awards, for the album The Most Beautiful Moment in Life pt.1. The group also sent a thank-you video to fans.
RUN BTS! AND EPISODE
Run BTS! – Episode 10
Episode 10 of Run BTS! came out on the 5th, with a special behind-the-scenes mission.
EPISODE: HYYH pt.2 photobook shoot
Behind the scenes of the photobook shoot for The Most Beautiful Moment in Life pt.2, with the boys posing in several sets.
EPISODE: “RUN” MV shoot
Behind the scenes of the “RUN” music video, one of the most memorable MVs of the HYYH era.
EPISODE: Behind the PUMA ad
BTS became PUMA models and, at the end of the month, the behind-the-scenes of the campaign shoot came out.
TV AND INTERVIEWS
Star King with j-hope and V
On the 12th, SBS’s Star King aired with j-hope and V, recorded at the start of the month.
TTV Red and White, in Taipei
On the 9th, the group flew to Taiwan and recorded the “TTV Red and White” special, which aired in February.
Gala show in Vietnam
On the 19th, BTS performed at a gala show in Vietnam and flew back to Korea the next day.
LIVES AND LOGS
Jimin’s log
On the 7th, Jimin recorded a log, those videos where one member talks alone to the camera about how life is going.
BTS live in Vietnam
During the trip to Vietnam, the boys did a live for the fans there.
j-hope live: Hope on the Street
On the 26th, j-hope did another “Hope on the Street”, the series where he dances and talks about dance in a practice studio (the series had started in August 2015).
Jimin and V live: “95 Mandaggo”
On the last day of the month, the two 95-liners did a live together, full of jokes.
BANGTAN BOMBS
BANGTAN BOMB: Hide-and-seek with Jimin, V and JK
The three youngest playing hide-and-seek, in two parts. One of the funniest Bangtan Bombs of early 2016.
BANGTAN BOMB: Behind the 2015 KBS Song Festival
Behind the scenes of KBS’s year-end festival, released in January.
BANGTAN BOMB: Jung Kook and Zion.T on stage
Behind the scenes of Jung Kook’s collaboration with singer Zion.T on a special stage.
BANGTAN BOMB: Jimin draws a piano for SUGA
A cute moment: Jimin draws a piano for SUGA to “play”.
EVENTS AND FANS
2nd Muster: Zip Code 22920
On the 24th came the 2nd Muster, the official fan meeting with the A.R.M.Y fan club, themed “Zip Code 22920”, at Hwajung Gymnasium in Seoul.
I NEED U (Japanese version) events in Osaka and Tokyo
On the 30th and 31st, the group held “hi-touch” events with Japanese fans for the Japanese single “I NEED U”.
PUMA’s #BLAZE_TIME campaign
From the 25th to the end of the month, PUMA showed one member a day in the #BLAZE_TIME campaign, and the campaign video came out on the 31st.
February 2016
- Lunar New Year specials: ISAC, The Boss Is Watching and National Idol Singing Contest
- V on Celebrity Bromance
- j-hope’s birthday (02/18)
Read all of February
TV AND INTERVIEWS
Celebrity Bromance: V and Kim Min-jae
V starred in Celebrity Bromance with actor Kim Min-jae. The episodes aired throughout February and show the friendship between the two.
The Boss Is Watching
SBS’s Lunar New Year special in which idols were watched by the heads of their agencies.
National Idol Singing Contest
KBS’s Lunar New Year special with a singing competition between idols.
ISAC 2016 (Idol Star Athletics Championships) – Episode 1
BTS at the idol Olympics, aired on the 9th and 10th in MBC’s Lunar New Year special.
BTS on TV Asahi
An appearance on Japanese TV, recorded in February and aired in March.
BANGTAN BOMBS
BANGTAN BOMB: 400 m relay at ISAC 2016
Behind the scenes of the relay race at ISAC.
BANGTAN BOMB: SUGA and Jimin become archers
The pair’s new challenge at ISAC: archery.
BANGTAN BOMB: RM on the “Bucku Bucku” special stage
Behind the scenes of RM on the “Bucku Bucku” special stage, with BTS joining in.
BANGTAN BOMB: Dessert time
The boys getting together for dessert, a short, light Bangtan Bomb.
BANGTAN BOMB: SUGA trying to put in contact lenses
SUGA’s battle with contact lenses, with the other members as the audience.
BANGTAN BOMB: Jimin sings “Butterfly” and j-hope sings “RUN” into a speaker
Two Bangtan Bombs from the same day: Jimin singing “Butterfly” and j-hope singing “RUN” into a speaker.
BANGTAN BOMB: “Jung Kook is still a baby…”
The hyungs spoiling the maknae, who was 18 at the time.
LIVES AND LOGS
j-hope’s birthday live
On the 17th, the day before his birthday, j-hope did a live to celebrate with ARMY.
j-hope and Jimin live: “Let’s play with Hope”
On his birthday, 02/18, j-hope did a live in two parts, the second one with Jimin.
Eat Jin with SUGA
Jin’s food show, this time with SUGA keeping him company.
Jin’s log
On the 10th, Jin recorded a log; the same day, a video of him at his uncle’s strawberry farm came out.
MUSIC AND STAGES
Jung Kook sings “Nothing Like Us”
On the 15th, Jung Kook posted his cover of Justin Bieber’s “Nothing Like Us” on BTS’s SoundCloud.
Show at the K-POP Festival in Sapporo
On the 6th, the group performed at the 8th K-POP Festival, at Zepp Sapporo, in Japan. The day before, the boys visited a children’s institution in the city.
AWARDS
K-Pop World Hallyu Star at the Gaon Chart Awards
On the 17th, BTS received the K-Pop World Hallyu Star award at the Gaon Chart K-Pop Awards.
Billboard record and Soompi awards
In February, BTS broke K-pop records on Billboard’s World Albums chart and won three categories at the 2015 Soompi Awards: Breakout Artist, Best Stage Outfit and Best Choreography (the last two for “Dope”).
EVENTS AND FANS
PUMA and SK Telecom
The PUMA campaign continued with the making film on the 12th, and the group also became SK Telecom endorsers.
March 2016
- 03/08 1,000 days since debut, with a special video for ARMY
- SUGA’s birthday (03/09)
- “RUN” in Japanese and the HYYH On Stage Japan Edition shows in Kobe
- KCON in Abu Dhabi
Read all of March
SPECIAL DATES
EPISODE: BTS and ARMY – 1,000 days
On March 8, BTS reached 1,000 days since debut and released a special video dedicated to ARMY.
Congrats on 2 million followers
On the 10th, the boys did a live to thank fans for 2 million followers on their V LIVE channel.
LIVES AND LOGS
SUGA and j-hope in “Hwagae Market” – Episode 1
On the 2nd, SUGA and j-hope premiered “Hwagae Market”, a live of the two that became an ARMY favorite.
Mini radio with SUGA
On the 8th, the day before his birthday, SUGA did a radio-style live, chatting and picking songs.
j-hope’s log
On the 25th, j-hope recorded a log.
V and Jimin lives in Kobe
During the shows in Japan, V did a solo live on the 22nd and, on the 23rd, one with Jimin.
Eat Jin
On the last day of the month, another Eat Jin.
MUSIC AND STAGES
“RUN” MV (Japanese version)
On the 11th, the Japanese “RUN” music video came out, and the single was released on the 15th.
HYYH On Stage Japan Edition in Kobe
On the 22nd and 23rd, BTS played the HYYH On Stage shows at Kobe World Hall. On the 15th, the DVD of the 2015 Yokohama show was also released.
KCON 2016 in Abu Dhabi
On the 25th, BTS went to the Middle East and performed at KCON in Abu Dhabi, with “Dope”, “Butterfly” and “Boyz with Fun”, plus a fan meeting. On the same trip, they recorded the 2016 Summer Package.
“RUN” on KBS Open Concert
On the 15th, the group recorded “RUN” for KBS’s Open Concert.
TV AND INTERVIEWS
Close-Up Observation Diary of an Idol
BTS on the show “Close-Up Observation Diary of an Idol: Try to Find Me”.
j-hope on Same Bed, Different Dreams
j-hope took part in the SBS show, which aired on the 28th.
BTS on TV Asahi
The special interview on TV Asahi, recorded in February, aired on the 12th.
KBS World interview before KCON
Before going to Abu Dhabi, BTS gave an interview to KBS World in Arabic.
BANGTAN BOMBS
BANGTAN BOMB: VIP premiere of the movie “Pure Love” with Jin
Jin went to the premiere of the movie “Pure Love”, and this Bangtan Bomb shows the moment.
BANGTAN BOMB: “Show Me Your BBA SAE!?”
A Bangtan Bomb recorded during NOW 3, in July 2015, with the boys showing off their “bba sae”, each one’s coolest look.
BANGTAN BOMB: BTS at the 30th Golden Disc Awards
Behind the scenes of January’s Golden Disc Awards, when the group won the Disc Bonsang.
EVENTS AND FANS
NOW 3 preview
On the 15th, the preview of NOW 3 came out, the photobook with videos filmed in Chicago in July 2015.
Women’s basketball league awards
On the 7th, BTS attended the awards ceremony of the Korean women’s basketball league.
SK Telecom commercials
SK Telecom released the commercials with BTS and singer Jessi, plus individual cuts of each member throughout the month.
April 2016 – EPILOGUE: Young Forever
- 04/19 “EPILOGUE: Young Forever” MV
- Global fan meeting in Seoul and Music Core’s 500th episode
- BBQ Chicken and PUMA commercials
Read all of April
MUSIC AND STAGES
“EPILOGUE: Young Forever” MV
On the 19th, the music video for “EPILOGUE: Young Forever” came out, the song that closes the HYYH era and previewed the special album The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever. Throughout the month, Big Hit released posters, motion posters, concept photos and the tracklist.
Showcase in Japan: behind the scenes in Tokyo and Osaka
On the 1st, the behind-the-scenes of the showcases at Zepp Tokyo and Osaka came out.
M Super Concert
On the 2nd, Mnet’s M Super Concert aired, with “RUN” and “Dope”.
K-POP Festival in Sapporo
On the 30th, the group performed at the K-POP Festival 2016 in Japan. On the 24th, they also took part in Power of K, a Korean TV festival in Japan.
TV AND INTERVIEWS
BTS on The Show
On the 12th, BTS appeared on The Show.
Star King with RM, Jimin and j-hope
The three recorded Star King on the 18th, and the show aired on the 26th.
Music Core’s 500th episode
BTS recorded and sent a message for Music Core’s 500th episode, which aired on the 16th.
LIVES AND LOGS
Hope on the Street
On the 13th, another episode of j-hope’s dance live.
Jimin’s log
On the 24th, Jimin recorded another log.
BANGTAN BOMBS
BANGTAN BOMB: Actor Kim with PD Kook
Jung Kook becomes “PD Kook” and directs “actor Kim”, in a Bangtan Bomb full of laughs.
BANGTAN BOMB: Jung Kook goes shopping
The maknae out shopping.
BANGTAN BOMB: Snowball fight (Jimin’s camera)
A snowball fight filmed by Jimin himself.
BANGTAN BOMB: j-hope trying to put in contact lenses
After SUGA in February, it was j-hope’s turn to struggle with the lenses.
EVENTS AND FANS
Global fan meeting in Seoul
On the 16th, BTS held a fan meeting at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul. On the 8th, the welcome videos for the 3rd generation of the A.R.M.Y fan club also came out.
BBQ Chicken and PUMA commercials
In April, the group became BBQ Chicken endorsers and released new videos with PUMA.
May 2016 – FIRE
- 05/02 The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever is out, with the “FIRE” MV
- 05/07 and 05/08 HYYH On Stage: Epilogue shows in Seoul
- “FIRE” wins on M Countdown, Music Bank and Inkigayo
- 05/16 “Save ME” MV
- Bon Voyage filming in Europe
Read all of May
MUSIC AND STAGES
“FIRE (불타오르네)” MV
On May 2, The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever came out, the special album that closes the HYYH era, in two versions (day and night). The title track is “FIRE”, with a high-energy MV and one of the group’s most famous choreographies.
“Burning BTS!” countdown live
Before the release, the boys did a countdown live for the premiere of “FIRE”.
“FIRE” dance practice
On the 13th, the “FIRE” dance practice came out, showing just how hard the choreography is.
“Save ME” MV
On the 16th came the “Save ME” MV, the album’s second single.
Comeback stages
The comeback started on M Countdown (the 12th), with “FIRE” and “Save ME”, and continued on Music Bank, Music Core and Inkigayo.
HYYH On Stage: Epilogue in Seoul
On the 7th and 8th, BTS played the “HYYH On Stage: Epilogue” shows in Seoul, the start of the Epilogue tour across Asia.
Lives after the Epilogue show
After the first show, Jin, Jimin and Jung Kook, and then the whole group, did lives to celebrate with ARMY.
AWARDS
First win for “FIRE” on M Countdown
On the 12th, “FIRE” won for the first time, on M Countdown. The EPISODE shows the boys’ reaction.
Wins on Music Bank and Inkigayo
“FIRE” also won on Music Bank (the 13th) and Inkigayo (the 15th). In the Inkigayo Bangtan Bomb, Jin and RM also appear as special MCs.
RUN BTS! AND EPISODE
EPISODE: “FIRE” MV shoot
Behind the scenes of the “FIRE” music video.
EPISODE: Young Forever jacket shoot
The cover and photobook shoot for the special album.
TV AND INTERVIEWS
BTS on Running Man
BTS recorded SBS’s Running Man on the 8th, and the episode aired on the 22nd.
Jung Kook as a special MC on Music Core
On the 14th, Jung Kook hosted Music Core as a special MC. The Bangtan Bomb shows the behind the scenes.
V and Jung Kook at karaoke
On M2’s “Burning Karaoke”, V and Jung Kook sang BIGBANG songs like “Bang Bang Bang” and “If You”.
Celebrity Bromance: special edition
On the 26th, a special edition of Celebrity Bromance aired.
LIVES AND LOGS
SUGA live
On the 6th, the day before the show, SUGA did a live.
Lives in Finland and Sweden
While filming Bon Voyage, the boys did lives from Finland and Sweden, like j-hope’s with Jimin on the 22nd.
BANGTAN BOMBS
BANGTAN BOMB: “Hand In Hand” at ISAC 2016
More ISAC behind the scenes, released in May.
Other May Bangtan Bombs
The month also brought the ssireum (Korean wrestling) challenge, Jimin scared of a toy snake and the behind the scenes of the Gaon Chart Awards.
EVENTS AND FANS
BTS and GFRIEND for Smart School Uniform
BTS and the group GFRIEND recorded the song and MV “Family Song” together for the school uniform brand Smart.
A.R.M.Y 3rd generation kit
The videos of the photo shoot for the A.R.M.Y 3rd generation kit came out.
June 2016 – 3 years of BTS
- 06/13 3rd anniversary and BTS FESTA 2016
- KCON in Paris and New York
- Epilogue tour in New Taipei and Macau
- 06/22 Bon Voyage premieres (episode 0)
Read all of June
BTS FESTA 2016
BTS FESTA 2016: the schedule
From June 1 to 13, BTS FESTA celebrated 3 years since debut with a surprise a day: family photo, profiles written by the members, a special choreography, a special Bangtan Bomb collection, the BHC radio “BTS 꿀 FM 06.13” and the “Happy BTS Day Party” on the 13th.
“Baepsae” dance practice (cheerful version)
For FESTA, a fun version of the “Baepsae” dance practice came out.
EPISODE: FESTA real family photo
Behind the scenes of the 2016 family photo shoot.
Eat Jin: “Happy birthday, BTS!”
On the 11th, Jin did a special Eat Jin for the group’s anniversary.
j-hope dance practice (Begins Concert)
An old video of j-hope rehearsing for the “BTS Begins” concert, released during FESTA.
Special Bangtan Bomb collection
Several unreleased Bangtan Bombs came out at once, like Jimin’s self-cam with V, RM’s solo recording, SUGA’s and the dubbing of Big Hit’s Christmas song.
MUSIC AND STAGES
KCON 2016 in Paris
On the 2nd, BTS performed at KCON France and did a live in Paris. The opening, with an “Arirang” medley, aired on M Countdown on the 14th.
Epilogue tour in New Taipei and Macau
The “HYYH On Stage: Epilogue” tour went to New Taipei, Taiwan (the 9th), and Macau (the 18th). In Macau, V did a live after the show.
KCON 2016 in New York
On the 25th, BTS was at KCON New York, with RM as one of the hosts.
BON VOYAGE
Bon Voyage – Episode 0
On the 22nd, Bon Voyage premiered, the seven’s travel reality show, filmed in May in Norway, Sweden and Finland.
TV AND INTERVIEWS
Jung Kook on Flower Crew
Jung Kook took part in SBS’s travel reality show Flower Crew.
Celebrity Bromance: Jung Kook and Minwoo
After V, it was Jung Kook’s turn on Celebrity Bromance, with Shinhwa’s Minwoo, starting on the 28th.
RM on Duet Song Festival
RM recorded MBC’s Duet Song Festival, where he sang with a member of the public.
Interviews in Taipei and Hong Kong
For the tour, the group gave interviews to several channels in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
LIVES AND LOGS
Hwagae Market – Episode 1.5 (penalty)
On the 21st, SUGA and j-hope came back with “episode 1.5” of Hwagae Market, the penalty one.
Eat Jin with Jung Kook
On the 24th, Jin shared Eat Jin with Jung Kook.
BANGTAN BOMBS
BANGTAN BOMB: The Amazing Spider-Kook
Jung Kook showing off his “spider-man” skills.
BANGTAN BOMB: “Free gesture time” at the “FIRE” shoot
An improvised moment during the “FIRE” MV shoot.
BANGTAN BOMB: Dancing with the rain
The boys dancing in the rain.
RUN BTS! AND EPISODE
EPISODE: “EPILOGUE: Young Forever” MV shoot
Behind the scenes of the MV that closes the HYYH era.
EVENTS AND FANS
Memories of 2015 DVD
On the 21st, the Memories of 2015 DVD came out, with the behind the scenes of the “I NEED U”, “Dope” and “RUN” MVs, the HYYH album shoots, The Red Bullet Tour and the BTS Begins concert.
July 2016 – Bon Voyage
- Bon Voyage on air every week, with its behind the scenes
- Epilogue tour in Japan (Osaka and Nagoya), China (Nanjing and Beijing) and the Philippines
- KCON in Los Angeles
Read all of July
BON VOYAGE
Bon Voyage – Episode 1: Surprise party
On the 5th, the first episode aired, with a surprise party. The boys watched it together in a commentary live, without V, who was filming the drama Hwarang.
Bon Voyage – Episode 2: What happened in Bergen?
On the 12th, the second episode, with V’s adventure in Bergen, Norway.
Bon Voyage – Episode 3: A trip through mountains and sea
On the 19th, the third episode, with the group’s trip through the mountains and the sea.
Bon Voyage – Episode 4: BTS’s lucky day
On the 26th, the fourth episode.
MUSIC AND STAGES
Epilogue tour in Nanjing and Beijing
The “HYYH On Stage: Epilogue” tour reached China: Nanjing on the 2nd (with a press conference on the 1st) and Beijing on the 23rd. On the 30th, it was the Philippines’ turn, in Pasay, in the Manila area.
HYYH On Stage: Epilogue Japan Edition in Osaka and Nagoya
On the 12th and 13th, the shows in Osaka, with lives after each one: V with Jung Kook, and a “Mandakko + Eat Jin”. On the 15th and 16th, the shows were in Nagoya.
Lives in Osaka: V and Jung Kook
V and Jung Kook’s live after the first show in Osaka.
KCON 2016 in Los Angeles
On the 31st, BTS performed at KCON Los Angeles and walked the red carpet.
Ulsan summer festival
On the 30th, Music Core aired the Ulsan Summer Festival, featuring BTS.
TV AND INTERVIEWS
Celebrity Bromance: Jung Kook and Minwoo
Jung Kook and Minwoo’s episodes continued in July (the 5th, 13th and 19th).
RM on Duet Song Festival
On the 1st, RM’s appearance on Duet Song Festival aired.
Jung Kook on Flower Crew
The episode with Jung Kook aired on the 15th.
LIVES AND LOGS
j-hope’s vlog
On the 15th, a j-hope vlog recorded in March came out.
BANGTAN BOMBS
BANGTAN BOMB: At the 5th Gaon Chart K-Pop Awards
Behind the scenes of February’s awards, when the group won the K-Pop World Hallyu Star award.
EVENTS AND FANS
3 years of the A.R.M.Y name
In July, the official fan club name, A.R.M.Y, announced on July 9, 2013, turned 3.
Dubai Summer Package announcement
On the 19th, Big Hit announced the 2016 Summer Package, filmed in Dubai in March.
Tracklist of the Japanese album YOUTH
The tracklist of the second Japanese album, YOUTH, released in September, came out.
August 2016 – Agust D
- 08/16 SUGA releases the Agust D mixtape
- 08/18 “give it to me” MV
- Bon Voyage ends and the Dubai Summer Package
- Epilogue shows in Bangkok and Tokyo and A-Nation
Read all of August
MUSIC AND STAGES
“Agust D” MV
On the 16th, SUGA released the Agust D mixtape, with very personal songs. Billboard highlighted that he talks about depression and the price of fame.
“give it to me” MV
On the 18th, the mixtape’s second music video, “give it to me”, came out.
HYYH On Stage: Epilogue Japan Edition in Tokyo
On the 13th and 14th, the shows in Tokyo, with a live by j-hope and Jimin.
RM live in Tokyo
On the 27th, the day before A-Nation, RM did a solo live in Tokyo.
Epilogue tour in Bangkok
On the 6th, the Epilogue show was in Bangkok, Thailand. Before it, the group visited a local news program.
A-Nation in Tokyo
On the 28th, BTS performed at A-Nation Stadium Fes. in Japan, with “Dope”, “FIRE”, “Save ME”, “I NEED U” and more.
“Own It” dance practice: Jung Kook and Jimin
On the 13th, the two showed a Brian Puspos choreography to “Own It”.
BON VOYAGE
Bon Voyage – Episodes 5 to 8
The last episodes aired in August: the cruise party (the 2nd), the motorhome (the 9th), arriving in Finland (the 16th) and “Christmas in summer” (the 23rd). On the 30th, a memories film of the trip came out.
TV AND INTERVIEWS
Jung Kook on King of Mask Singer
On the 14th, Jung Kook was revealed as “Fencing Man” on King of Mask Singer.
j-hope and Jimin on God’s Workplace
On the 1st, the two’s appearance on the SBS show aired.
Interviews for the FIRE era
The group gave interviews to “Idol Has Come”, and SUGA spoke to Marie Claire about the mixtape.
BANGTAN BOMBS
BANGTAN BOMB: Professional photographer “Kim Daily”
One of the members becomes a “professional photographer” backstage.
BANGTAN BOMB: “3:33” (BTS version)
After Jimin’s “3:33” in May, the version with the whole group came out.
EVENTS AND FANS
2016 Summer Package in Dubai
On the 12th, the Summer Package filmed in Dubai came out.
ISAC recording
On the 29th, the group recorded another edition of ISAC, without V. Jin got hurt during the events.
September 2016 – The WINGS short films
- From 09/05 to 09/13: the 7 WINGS short films, one for each member
- 09/07 YOUTH, the 2nd Japanese album, is out
- 09/26 “Boy Meets Evil” comeback trailer, with j-hope
- Jung Kook’s (09/01) and RM’s (09/12) birthdays
Read all of September
WINGS
WINGS Short Film 1: “Begin” (Jung Kook)
On the 5th, the WINGS short film series began, one for each member, with his solo song. The first was Jung Kook’s “Begin”.
WINGS Short Film 2: “Lie” (Jimin)
The second short film, with Jimin’s “Lie”.
WINGS Short Film 3: “Stigma” (V)
The third, with V’s “Stigma”.
WINGS Short Film 4: “First Love” (SUGA)
The fourth, with SUGA’s “First Love”.
WINGS Short Film 5: “Reflection” (RM)
The fifth, with RM’s “Reflection”.
WINGS Short Film 6: “MAMA” (j-hope)
The sixth, with j-hope’s “MAMA”.
WINGS Short Film 7: “Awake” (Jin)
The last short film, with Jin’s “Awake”, closed the series on the 13th.
Comeback trailer: “Boy Meets Evil” (j-hope)
On the 26th, the comeback trailer came out, with j-hope dancing to “Boy Meets Evil”. Two days later, WINGS pre-orders opened, and the first concept photos arrived at the end of the month.
EPISODE: “Save ME” MV shoot
On the 16th, the behind the scenes of the “Save ME” music video came out.
MUSIC AND STAGES
YOUTH, the 2nd Japanese album
On the 7th, YOUTH came out, BTS’s second studio album in Japan, with the behind the scenes of the photo shoot and the Japanese MVs.
Show Champion in Manila
On the 3rd, BTS sang “Save ME” on the 200th Show Champion, recorded in Manila, Philippines.
Pyeongchang Winter Games concert
On the 7th, the group performed at the concert for the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics, with “FIRE”, “Dope” and “Save ME”.
TV AND INTERVIEWS
Jin on Idol King of Cooking
In MBC’s Chuseok special, Jin took part in a cooking competition between idols.
RM on Gura-Chacha: Time Slip – New Boy
RM took part in KBS’s New Boy, which aired from the 15th.
Chuseok ISAC
On the 15th, the Chuseok ISAC aired. The Bangtan Bomb shows the relay race.
LIVES AND LOGS
Chuseok live
On the 13th, the group did a live to wish everyone a happy Chuseok, Korea’s harvest holiday.
Congrats on 3 million followers
On the 22nd, a live to celebrate 3 million followers on V LIVE.
j-hope’s log
On the 25th, another j-hope log.
BANGTAN BOMBS
BANGTAN BOMB: Free dance with Jimin and V
The two dancing freely backstage.
BANGTAN BOMB: j-hope and V as Inkigayo special MCs
Behind the scenes of the two hosting Inkigayo.
BANGTAN BOMB: “SOPE-ME” vocal duet
Behind the scenes of SUGA and j-hope’s duet on a special stage.
BANGTAN BOMB: V’s dream – the “Cypher pt.3” solo
V fulfills his dream of doing the solo part of “Cypher pt.3” on stage.
More September Bangtan Bombs
The month also brought RM (Moni) and Jimin (Mini) in matching outfits, Jin and Jung Kook’s massage, Jung Kook’s talks (“BTS band” and “my baggy pants”) and the stretching before the dance in the “FIRE” MV.
“Coming of Age Ceremony” dance cover: Jimin and Jung Kook
The two did a dance cover, and RM and Jin showed the behind the scenes of their dance at the BTS Day Party.
SPECIAL DATES
Jung Kook’s birthday: “Purpose” cover
On his birthday, September 1, Jung Kook posted a cover of Justin Bieber’s “Purpose” on SoundCloud as a gift for ARMY.
EVENTS AND FANS
PUMA: BOG SOCK x BTS
During September, PUMA released a series of videos with the members for the BOG SOCK sneaker.
October 2016 – WINGS
- 10/10 WINGS is out, with the “Blood Sweat & Tears” MV
- Six music show wins for “Blood Sweat & Tears”
- Jimin’s birthday (10/13)
- Minister of Culture award at the Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards
Read all of October
MUSIC AND STAGES
“Blood Sweat & Tears” MV
On the 10th, WINGS came out, the second studio album, with solos by every member, and the “Blood Sweat & Tears” MV, one of the most iconic music videos of BTS’s career. The same day, the group held a press conference.
Special comeback live: WINGS
On the album’s release, BTS did a special comeback live.
“Blood Sweat & Tears” dance practice
On the 18th, the dance practice came out.
Comeback stages
The group performed “Blood Sweat & Tears”, “Am I Wrong” and “21st Century Girl” on the music shows.
“21st Century Girl” dance practice (Halloween)
At the end of the month, a costumed version of the “21st Century Girl” practice, for Halloween.
Busan One Asia Festival
BTS sang at the opening (the 1st) and closing (the 23rd) of the Busan One Asia Festival.
AWARDS
The “Blood Sweat & Tears” wins
“Blood Sweat & Tears” won on Show Champion (19), M Countdown (20), Music Bank (21), Inkigayo (23), The Show (25) and Music Bank again (28). The EPISODE shows the celebrations.
Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards
On the 27th, BTS received the Minister of Culture award at the Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards and sang “Blood Sweat & Tears” and “21st Century Girl”.
RUN BTS! AND EPISODE
EPISODE: “Blood Sweat & Tears” MV shoot
Behind the scenes of the music video.
TV AND INTERVIEWS
BTS on Ask in a Box
On the 15th, the group answered the questions in “Ask in a Box” and performed “Blood Sweat & Tears”.
LIVES AND LOGS
V LIVE: Behind the WINGS album with RM
On the 20th, RM did a live talking about the making of WINGS.
“1st anniversary gift” live
On the 10th, a live called “1st anniversary gift”.
RM’s log
On the 5th, RM recorded a log.
BANGTAN BOMBS
BANGTAN BOMB: Reaction to the “Blood Sweat & Tears” MV
The boys reacting to the music video.
BANGTAN BOMB: Jimin’s birthday at M Countdown
On the 13th, Jimin celebrated his birthday backstage at M Countdown. On the 25th, a Bangtan Bomb with the members singing happy birthday to him also came out.
BANGTAN BOMB: V’s message for A.R.M.Y
A sweet message from V to the fans.
BANGTAN BOMB: Jin and Jung Kook’s cute talk
The two chatting backstage.
BANGTAN BOMB: Heart performance to “Blood Sweat & Tears”
On the last day of the month, the boys making little hearts to “Blood Sweat & Tears”.
EVENTS AND FANS
PUMA winter campaign
At the end of the month, PUMA’s winter campaign with the group came out.
November 2016 – The first daesang
- 11/12 and 11/13 3rd Muster: ARMY.ZIP+, at Gocheok Sky Dome
- 11/19 Album of the Year at the Melon Music Awards, the first daesang
- Awards at the Asia Artist Awards
- Japan Official Fanmeeting Vol.3
Read all of November
AWARDS
Album of the Year daesang at the Melon Music Awards
On the 19th, BTS won the first daesang (grand prize) of their career: Album of the Year at the Melon Music Awards, for The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever, plus a Top 10 award. The EPISODE shows the behind the scenes of the night.
“Daesang Boy Scouts” live
Right after the ceremony, the boys did a live, emotional about the award.
Asia Artist Awards
On the 16th, the group received the Best Artist and Best Icon awards at the Asia Artist Awards and sang “FIRE” and “Blood Sweat & Tears”.
EVENTS AND FANS
3rd Muster: ARMY.ZIP+
On the 12th and 13th came the 3rd Muster, at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. On the second day, ARMY did the purple ocean project, and the boys’ reaction became one of the most emotional moments of the year.
Japan Official Fanmeeting Vol.3
The third official fan meeting in Japan started in Fukuoka (the 9th) and went to Tokyo (28 to 30).
Message for exam takers
On the 17th, the group sent a message of support to the ARMYs taking the Korean college entrance exam (the Suneung).
V in the drama Hwarang
On the 1st, the official poster for “Hwarang” came out, V’s first drama, which premiered in December.
WINGS
WINGS short film specials
From the 15th to the 21st, one Bangtan Bomb a day came out with the behind the scenes of the WINGS short films: Jin lip-syncing “Awake”, j-hope acting in “MAMA”, RM in “Reflection”, SUGA playing piano in “First Love”, V as camera director in “Stigma” and Jung Kook in “Begin”. Jimin got the video of his “Lie” solo dance.
“Lie” solo dance (Jimin)
On the 20th, the video of Jimin’s solo choreography for “Lie”.
TV AND INTERVIEWS
BTS on Star Show 360
On the 7th, BTS’s episode of MBC’s Star Show 360 aired.
SUGA and Jimin as Music Core MCs
On the 5th, SUGA and Jimin hosted Music Core as special MCs.
LIVES AND LOGS
Hope on the Street 2016
On the 24th, j-hope came back with Hope on the Street.
Coloring with Jimin
On the 26th, Jimin did a live coloring in a coloring book.
V live with Jimin
On the 27th, V did lives, one of them with Jimin.
RM and SOPE lives
At the end of the month, there was a live by RM (the 28th) and one by SUGA with j-hope (the 30th).
Jimin and SUGA logs
Jimin recorded logs on the 13th and 20th, and SUGA on the 20th.
BANGTAN BOMBS
BANGTAN BOMB: Jimin’s self-cam during an interview
Jimin filming the members during an interview.
BANGTAN BOMB: How V warms up his voice
V’s way of warming up his voice before singing.
BANGTAN BOMB: Reading the interview script at Inkigayo
The boys going over the script after the camera rehearsal.
BANGTAN BOMB: Archery at ISAC
The practice and the archery events at ISAC.
December 2016 – Artist of the Year
- 12/02 Artist of the Year at MAMA, in Hong Kong
- Jin’s (12/04) and V’s (12/30) birthdays
- 12/19 Hwarang premieres, V’s first drama
- Year-end festivals: SAF, KBS and MBC
Read all of December
AWARDS
Artist of the Year daesang at MAMA
On the 2nd, in Hong Kong, BTS won the Artist of the Year daesang at MAMA, plus Best Dance Performance (Male Group) for “Blood Sweat & Tears”. The group performed “Boy Meets Evil”, “Blood Sweat & Tears” and “FIRE”.
EPISODE: BTS at MAMA 2016
Behind the scenes of the night in Hong Kong.
BANGTAN BOMB: The 2nd Music Bank win for “Blood Sweat & Tears”
Behind the scenes of the October celebration, which only came out in December.
TV AND INTERVIEWS
Hwarang: V’s first drama
On the 19th, “Hwarang” premiered, a KBS drama with V in the cast.
Year-end festivals
BTS took part in the SAF Gayo Daejun (the 26th), the KBS Song Festival (the 29th) and the MBC Gayo Daejejun (the 31st), with special stages.
SPECIAL DATES
Jin’s birthday
On the 4th, Jin posted a Christmas version of “Awake” on SoundCloud and did a birthday live. On the 1st, he had already done an Eat Jin.
Christmas live: gift party
On Christmas Eve, the group did a live with a gift exchange.
V’s birthday
On the 30th, V turned 21 (international age). He also got a happy birthday backstage at the KBS Song Festival.
LIVES AND LOGS
V live: “I came because I wanted to see you!”
On the 13th, V did a surprise live.
RM live
On the 14th, RM did a live in Osaka.
Eat Jin with Chimchim and Kook
On the 16th, Jin shared Eat Jin with Jimin and Jung Kook.
Jung Kook’s log
On the 6th, Jung Kook recorded a log.
BANGTAN BOMBS
BANGTAN BOMB: Eat Jin
An Eat Jin in Bangtan Bomb format.
BANGTAN BOMB: S-O-P-E debut rehearsal
SUGA and j-hope rehearsing the duo’s “debut stage”.
BANGTAN BOMB: Special MCs
Jin and Jimin on M Countdown (the 17th) and j-hope and Jung Kook on Music Core (the 18th).
BANGTAN BOMB: Mission: make Jung Kook laugh
The members trying everything to make the maknae laugh.
BANGTAN BOMB: V’s new game (with a water bottle)
V invents a game with a water bottle.
RUN BTS! AND EPISODE
EPISODE: WINGS photobook shoot
Behind the scenes of the WINGS photos.
EVENTS AND FANS
Japan Official Fanmeeting Vol.3 in Nagoya and Osaka
The fan meeting in Japan wrapped up in Nagoya (6 and 7) and Osaka (14 and 15).
Season’s Greetings 2017
On the 9th, the 2017 Season’s Greetings came out.
BTS’s 2016 releases
The Japanese version of “RUN”.
Discography
The end of the HYYH era, with “FIRE”, “Save ME” and “EPILOGUE: Young Forever”.
Discography
SUGA’s first mixtape, with “Agust D” and “give it to me”.
Discography
Their second studio album in Japan.
Discography
The second studio album, with “Blood Sweat & Tears” and solos by all 7.
Discography2016 awards and records
2016 was the year of the first daesangs, the grand prizes of Korean award shows. Here are the main ones (the full list is on our BTS awards page):
- 01/14 Bonsang at the 25th Seoul Music Awards
- 01/21 Disc Bonsang at the 30th Golden Disc Awards, for The Most Beautiful Moment in Life pt.1
- 02/17 K-Pop World Hallyu Star at the Gaon Chart K-Pop Awards
- Music show wins: “RUN” (Music Bank, 01/08), “FIRE” (M Countdown, Music Bank and Inkigayo, in May) and “Blood Sweat & Tears” (six wins in October)
- 10/27 Minister of Culture award at the Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards
- 11/16 Best Artist and Best Icon at the Asia Artist Awards
- 11/19 Album of the Year at the Melon Music Awards, BTS’s first daesang, for Young Forever
- 12/02 Artist of the Year at MAMA, the second daesang, and Best Dance Performance (Male Group) for “Blood Sweat & Tears”
The 7 in 2016
RM
Jin
SUGA
j-hope
Jimin
V
JungkookEssential videos from 2016
BTS’s 2016 concerts and tours
BTS spent 2016 on the road. In March, the HYYH On Stage Japan Edition shows in Kobe (rescheduled from December 2015). In May, the HYYH On Stage: Epilogue tour began in Seoul, going through New Taipei, Macau, Nanjing, Beijing, Pasay (Manila) and Bangkok, with a Japanese edition in Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo, until August. The group also performed at KCON Abu Dhabi, Paris, New York and Los Angeles and at A-Nation in Japan.
With fans, there was the 2nd Muster (Zip Code 22920) in January, the 3rd anniversary BTS FESTA in June, the 3rd Muster (ARMY.ZIP+) at Gocheok Sky Dome in November, with ARMY’s purple ocean, and the Japan Official Fanmeeting Vol.3, from November to December.
Performances, shows and behind the scenes of 2016
2016 was packed with content: Bon Voyage, the year-end specials, ISAC, V’s and Jung Kook’s Celebrity Bromance, Flower Crew, SOPE’s “Hwagae Market”, “Hope on the Street”, “Eat Jin”, the WINGS short films and dozens of BANGTAN BOMBs and lives. It’s content to binge for days, and much of it is on the official BANGTANTV channel and on Weverse.
Wrapping up BTS in 2016
If 2015 was the year everything changed, 2016 was the year BTS showed they were here to stay. From the “FIRE” that set stages ablaze to the new aesthetic of “Blood Sweat & Tears”, through the laughs of Bon Voyage and the emotion of the 3rd Muster, it was a year of growth for the seven and for ARMY.
And the best part: the two daesangs at the end of the year were only the beginning. 2017 brought “Spring Day”, “DNA” and their first performance on American TV, at the American Music Awards. What’s your favorite 2016 moment? Tell us in the comments! 💜
Frequently asked questions about BTS in 2016
What was BTS’s first daesang?
Album of the Year at the Melon Music Awards, on November 19, 2016, for The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever. Two weeks later, on December 2, came the second: Artist of the Year at MAMA.
What albums did BTS release in 2016?
The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever (May 2) and WINGS (October 10). In Japan, the Japanese single “RUN” (March 15) and the album YOUTH (September 7). SUGA released the Agust D mixtape (August 16).
When did Bon Voyage premiere?
Episode 0 came out on June 22, 2016, and the eight episodes aired between July and August. The first season was filmed in Norway, Sweden and Finland.
What are the WINGS short films?
Seven short films released from September 5 to 13, 2016, one for each member, with his solo song on the album WINGS: “Begin” (Jung Kook), “Lie” (Jimin), “Stigma” (V), “First Love” (SUGA), “Reflection” (RM), “MAMA” (j-hope) and “Awake” (Jin).
