The new BTS x TIME collaboration isn’t generating the positive buzz as expected.
Earlier this week, TIME opened pre-orders for “TIME BTS: The K-Pop Band that Conquered the World” in partnership with the publisher Meredith. The issue ran into trouble as soon as it was announced because of the group photo. The photo was criticized for being badly edited so much so that some fans legitimately believed that the cover was fake, but it turned out to be true when the official account confirmed the partnership to be real and that it will be released later this month.
Aside from the issue with the cover, fans found another issue and it’s with the content of it. Jimin was called Suga at one point and an entire section was dedicated to Jin’s upcoming military enlistment, and probably the most infuriating part, TIME claiming that Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC “paved the way for BTS” as part of the Amazon pre-order description. According to Insider, a spokesperson for the Meredith Corporation which is publishing the bookazine said,
“The page previously featured language that was not meant to be the final description from TIME and the publisher, Meredith Corporation.”
Due to severe backlash, TIME re-edited the bookazine to correct the errors and deleted the sentence mentioning that Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC paved the way for BTS.
BTS previously graced the cover of TIME magazine as “Next Generation Leaders” in 2018. Fans are disappointed with the lack of attention paid to this particular collaboration.
What do you think of this?
My Personal Thoughts
Let’s start with the point regarding Jin’s enlistment. I don’t think there is anything wrong with bringing this up or discussing how much of an impact it’ll have on BTS because it’s a huge deal. This is why Big Hit has been acquiring labels left and right and working hard to debut groups in such a short time, its business.
Big Hit has long promoted BTS as one unit and it’s about to affected due to military enlistment. I am one of those people who are curious about how much this will affect the way Big Hit handles the group. I personally believe they should’ve started focusing on solo promotions a lot sooner, a group this big and yet, not one sign of proper solo promotion for any of the members. Besides, this collaboration was approved by Big Hit, so I am assuming they had no issues with this part and allowed it to be included. If you know otherwise feel free to correct me in the comment section.
Onto the Jimin-Suga mishap… You’d think TIME has the money and the power to research things better but… I can’t believe this happened. If you’re doing something with BTS, take time to learn about the members. When I saw the cover, I was shocked and even believed it was fake, I couldn’t believe a huge magazine like TIME would come out with this; it looks like a quick cash grab.
Regarding the most puzzling part, I don’t know how on fucking earth did Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC pave the way for BTS. This sentence hurt my brain and I plan to sue (joking!!). Why do you have to relate two drastically different things to this? How did they do anything that in any way shape or form help out BTS? Make it make sense. oH WHEN i THINK OF bts, i CAN’T HELP BUT THANK bACKSTREET bOYS… as if…
Nothing about the progress of those two boy groups has anything to do with BTS. The boy group formula has been around since forever, to claim that a bunch of white boys from the 90s just miraculously made things better for BTS is ridiculous on so many levels I don’t even know where to begin to explain how and why this statement is so ridiculous. Can’t you talk about an Asian group accomplishments without trying to make it look like a white group had something to do with it?
Do better next time, TIME!!!
