Earlier this week, Billboard confirmed that BTS’s smash hit “Butter” is #1 again on the Hot 100; it’s been seven straight weeks. The song debuted at #1 and has stayed there – and now what we’re waiting to see next is whether or not they can dethrone themselves with their new song, “Permission to Dance”, that just dropped last Friday. Which is totally possible, given the dedication of their ARMY and also their commitment to promotion. As always, RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook have all the energy in the world x 7 when it comes to showcasing their work. 

 

They were on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon twice this week, first with an interview and performing “Permission to Dance” on Tuesday, and then back again last night with “Butter” which…

Let me set this up. Because a performance like this deserves a proper, equally dramatic, super extra introduction. Not that anything I’m about to write can come close to what BTS delivered but you have to put in the attempt. Like, this band, seriously. They’re the biggest band in the world and obviously that means they have all the resources and the access but even still, it’s not simply about flexing their money, it’s also about … consideration. 

Being that they can’t travel to the west and show up in person for these appearances, they continue to go out of their way, literally, to make sure that their virtual performances provide maximum entertainment, which benefits them, naturally, in the marketing of their music, and the audience tuning in, but also the programmes that have booked them, in this case the American ones who by now know how f-cking reliable they are, how they can always count on BTS to bring it. 

Last year when BTS was on The Tonight Show, they took over an entire week and did several songs from Korean national monuments and other visually spectacular settings that very likely astounded American producers. So how do you top that? 

 

Well, you christen a bridge. 

The World Cup Bridge in Seoul crosses the Han River. IT IS NOT OPEN YET. It opens next month. Look at this!!!

As you can see, it’s not a janky ass production either. They did all the choreography, with live audio, and rigged up a f-cking light show that was coordinated with the song. And! And! And! 

 

PUT UP A TONIGHT SHOW SIGN!!! Look at it on the left side of the image below? 

BTS's Tonight Show sign in Seoul 

Look, Jimmy and The Tonight Show are just grateful for the BTS, never mind the bridge. The bridge is a mega bonus. Nobody here was expecting signage. But this is the consideration I’m talking about. It’s the value add-add-add-add-add that BTS comes through with every single time. 

Jimmy Fallon and his show just got their names on a major architectural construction in Seoul that hasn’t even opened yet, if that’s not the ultimate gift, I don’t know what is. 

 

That’s what happens with BTS – they always try hard. They try SO hard. Trying hard is a good thing, and when they try hard, everybody wins: they win, their fans win, their media partners win, and even their city wins because as ambassadors of Seoul tourism, these sights are being seen, and people will want to visit them, when safe and possible. It’s definitely on my list for 2022.