BTS’ ‘SNL’ Performance Marks Historic Moment for Korean Music Group (WATCH)
BTS made their historic Saturday Night Live debut April 13, delighting viewers with a performance of their latest single, "Boy With Luv," off their new album Map of the Soul: Persona, as well as fan favorite "MIC Drop."
Dressed in sharp black suits and with some members wearing their hair in shades of various candy colors, members RM, Jin, V, Jungkook, Jimin, Suga and J-Hope treated viewers to a smooth performance of their YouTube record-shattering hit "Boy With Luv," bringing their signature sleek choreography and joyful, contagious energy to the stage.
Returning to the stage later in the evening, the group — dressed in more casual, colorful ensembles — performed their 2017 single "MIC Drop," bringing an even more fiery energy to the stage for the aggressive dance/hip-hop banger.
Watch their performances, below:
Marking her fourth time hosting the long-running NBL skit comedy show, actress Emma Stone nodded to the excitement surrounding BTS' performance during her opening monologue. "Before we get started, I just wanted to test the sound levels... BTS is here," she announced, drawing a roaring thunder from the audience.
Aside from making their own SNL stage debut, BTS' performance also notably marked the first Saturday Night Live performance from a Korean act — an important milestone for both K-pop and global music in general.
Before, during and after the show's airing, #BTSxSNL trended on Twitter, with Armys (a.k.a. BTS fans, for the uninitiated) celebrating both the group's performance as well as the significance of their stint as musical guest. See some of the reactions to BTS on SNL, below.
Excitement for BTS' game-changing SNL performance has been high since they were announced as the musical guest for April 13 via Twitter back in March. Some fans even camped outside the NBC studio in Manhattan for days ahead of the group's appearance.