The Big Book of BTS: The Deluxe Unofficial Bangtan Book

by Katy Sprinkel

THE HOTTEST GROUP IN THE WORLD!

Already K-pop’s hugest artist, the members of BTS are looking to make 2020 their most successful year ever! Between selling out arenas, dropping mixtapes, and filming a surprise concert documentary, BTS has still found time to release wildly popular hits like “Boy with Luv” and “Idol.” For these icons, the best may still be yet to come.

The Big Book of BTS is the biggest and most complete guide to all things Bangtan. Including more than 100 fullcolor photographs, you’ll get an in-depth look at the lives of RM, J-Hope, Suga, Jimin, V, Jin, and Jungkook. It also explores their meteoric rise, musical influences, unbeatable style, far-reaching activism, and bond with fans.

The Big Book of BTS is a must-have for ARMYs as well as new K-pop fans everywhere!

Genres: Nonfiction

192 pages, Hardcover

Published October 1, 2019

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is like reading a book that was actually a high-school senior’s research paper. I don’t know if the author is a fan of BTS or not. At times it’s like hearing from another fan, then other times it’s like hearing from a well-researched reporter. They know the basic facts but depth is missing.

It’s not that the facts are wrong, it’s just that there is a ton of glossing over or skipping of details that army often consider crucial. It’s very US-focused, often highlighting BTS’s achievements in the US. Space that could have been used to talk more about BTS was instead used to ramble about Kpop in general and make recommendations for other groups. This was in the first fourth of the book.

The information given is also very basic. I would only recommend this to the newest army. That said, lots of research obviously went into this, especially with the number of quotes from various articles. For that, I commend the author.

[cc · Rating 2 out of 5]

How can you write a book about BTS and put a photo of V under Jungkook's profile? How did this person manage to find bad photos of Jin and JHope? How dare she list Jimin's nicknames and not include "Mochi"?

Apparently, I'm a ginormous ARMY and I had no idea, because I knew way more than the author who wrote a book about these boys.

[Eliza · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would love to see where the author got some of the information on the BTS members. Some of the information seemed out of nowhere or at least I have no idea where she got it from. Also on page 108 under Suga's profile there is a picture of Jimin.

[Katy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't recommend this to anyone wanting to know more about BTS. As someone who has been into them since 2013, this frustrated me that there were pictures of the wrong members. Whilst the info was okay - if someone is trying to learn who is who, having a picture of Jimin under Suga's section will be highly confusing! I wish an editor had looked more closely at this because it had the potential to be a decent informational book about BTS.

[Jamie (TheRebelliousReader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars. Don't judge me. I've been into k-pop for damn near a decade now and it's just a black hole that I can't get out of. Anyways, this was okay. The pictures weren't the best quality and it seemed very sloppily thrown together with some glaring mistakes thrown in. If you're super new into BTS you'll probably get a kick out of this, but otherwise you're not missing much.

[Joy Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked how it focused so much on the history of entertainment in Korea.

[Wendelle]

This book is not just a sugarcoated, gushy fanzine, rather it peers deeper to provide an analysis of the perfect storm of circumstances that led to BTS' rousing success. A lot of this success can be attributed to BTS' grit, dedication, uncompromising practice, and inherent charms. At the same time, their international success can be traced back to: confessional and raw or honest lyrics that sought to reflect youths' anxieties, struggles and fears, which was rather sorely lacking in Kpop's slick, glossy idols and personas; their manager's savvy and willingness to capitalize on the Internet, to launch BTS on a digital platform with global reach instead of just a localized phenomenon; their emphasis on nurturing close relationships with their fans, through round-the-clock videos and informational sharing that allows artist and audience to touch bases, and crafts an image of BTS as an approachable source of solace and kinship; symbiotically, their fanbase ARMY are highly energized to mobilize on their behalf in all forms of support, from online polls, to word-of-mouth introductions, to concert attendances and merch collections. In this way, this book also functions as an interesting window into youth culture.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

My bestie gifted me this for Christmas since I have become a full blown BTS/k-pop/Korea stan in the last year I was super excited! This is a little dated because it doesn't have anything from when they really peaked in the US (Dynamite/Butter/PTD era) and of course all that has happened with Covid and their military enlistment/solo era, so that's the drop in a star.
I really enjoyed learning more about the history of k-pop and how they formed, life as a trainee, the highlights of each member, Hitman Bang's support for them, and Namjoon's United Nations speech.

BTS are literally living legends and I think they resonate with people because they are nothing but positivity and self love, they step outside so many norms and break barriers, they encourage up and coming groups and are so grateful for everything they have not to mention every song slaps, their choreo is god tier, their charisma, they just have unmatched magic! Once you're in, you're in. Ten years together really shows in their performances and interactions with each other, no other group will ever compare IMO - Bangtan for life!

[moriah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty basic, also I’m not sure if all of the information is correct. But the biggest thing is the pictures. What is with the horrible pictures?! There’s like a billion pictures of them out there and THOSE are the ones the author chose? She even put some of the wrong pictures under some of the profiles. I can’t give it less than three stars though because it’s BTS

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is good, but I wouldn't call it great. Some of the pictures are not the best quality inside. However I did still enjoy reading about them and the small bit of history of Kpop as a whole.
I love that it is hardcover and it looks great on my bookshelf.

[✨Avinamiyy✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG😎😍

[Margotd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think the theme and the main purpose of this book is never give up on your dreams because you can do anything you put your mind to. Always Love yourself and do not be afraid to speak yourself. I like all the information in this book. This had some new facts. I think this book is for people that do not know that much Korean music. After this book other people might be interested in K-pop. Please join BTS´s ARMY. We mean everything to them.

[Gaby · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was different than what I had anticipated reading. The reason I picked up this book was that BTS appeared on my social media. I will say they sound and represented by this writer as positive musicians and individuals. Maybe it's just me, but I noticed a strong liking for this group by this writer. I would have liked the information to be written in a way where I could make my judgment on this group. It was not a bad book. It could have been better if it was in a non-bias way. Again the reason I chose to read the BTS book was to get to know them more without being told that they are good. I would have liked to read the information written for someone who is for the first time learning about this group. Either way, I will give another book a shot.

Side Note: If I did not make it clear, I am new to learning about BTS and their success. I am not a fan or supporter, I was just intrigued by the hype and their fanbase. I am astonished by the fact "Army"- BTS fans, have supported them through a very long and difficult journey and still the fandom/ supports continues to grow today.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

this would really only be ideal for a super new bts fan, as there isnt anything in it that most fans of ~1 year+ wouldnt know. the multiple errors tell that it could have used better editing, or just an author that knows what theyre talking about more.

[Amy Gideon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not sure who the intended audience is for this book. At times it reads like it’s for the casual KPOP listener and at other times it reads like a fellow Army. The problem is that for actual BTS fans it has no depth. There’s glaring oversights in the history and impact of BTS and some “facts” that aren’t really backed up by evidence. They also have some issues with picture quality and placement. One of the worst sections in my opinion, and really calls into question the author’s authenticity, is the member profiles.

I did appreciate the research that went into finding quotes from interviews, but just when something would get interesting the author would gloss over it and move to a different section. It’s quite shallow and missing important elements that should have been included. I also think they needed to cite their sources and include a pronunciation guide with their glossary.

[Lana Kang DeTomaso · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good info for fans new fans/ fans new to kpop and the hallyu wave. Includes a decent amount of background info, accomplishment info, and is one of the better published books on BTS. But I'd refer new ARMY to the higher-quality YT introduction videos instead.

Why are the pictures so low-quality/grainy? They chose some of the worst group photos (with member's eyes closed/weird expressions) and there was not a single good picture of J-Hope in the book. Wish they had given a bit more content for each member's profile. Also, they used a picture of Jimin under Suga's profile page and left out Mochi as a nickname for Jimin smh.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

These books were so indispensable when I was a kid, omg. My favorite was one for B*Witched. I spent HOURS poring over it, as I’m sure lots of baby ARMYs will do with this book. I personally feel a little jaded toward stuff like this these days, but it was still fun. The internet has made it so that it’s so easy to get all this information from BTS themselves and it’s hard not to take issue when someone else does it, no matter how good their intentions. All in all, I think this was a reasonable effort.

[Emma · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

You don't expect a book like this to be groundbreaking but I noped out when I hit the second large factual error. Like, one you could fact check in 5 seconds with Google. (They said hobi is the middle age-wise. He isn't, RM is. They said boy with luv is on skool luv affair. It isn't, boy in luv is.)

I'd say it's a good starter book for a young kid but it's honestly not because basic fact checking.

[Emily Saunders · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is nothing really ground breaking about this book. Mostly everything it talks about are things fans know and have learned through following them on the internet. I think it is also important to point out the mistakes:
Pg. 92- picture of Jungkook when it should be Jin
Pg. 108 - picture of Jimin when it should be SUGA

[Zeynab H · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently became Army, and even I know that some of the information here is inaccurate. And there are some mistakes in photos as well. However I enjoyed reading more about the phenomenon that is BTS. if you want to read it do it but double check some infos.
RM's famous UN speech made me cry like a baby.💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

[Jaz♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were a couple of facts and pictures of specific members that were wrong. For example: on Suga's specific page, there was a photo of Jimin instead of him. But other than that it was okay I guess.

[Emily Mcleod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great intro to BTS and the hallyu world. Good selection of informative text for my students to use in future activities. Large print and good for vocab building activities- see glossary.

Also includes RMs UN Address which is valuable.

[Kelly E · Rating 1 out of 5]

How does this book have such a high rating? The pictures are pretty bad, like they didn’t want to pay for the good photos. The descriptions are pretty basic. Glad I didn’t buy it.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

"As BTS continues to spread their message of love, the whole world, it seems, is tuned in."

Interesting and thoughtful look at the phenomenon that is BTS. I love them, so I loved this book!

[Mallika Mahidhar · Rating 3 out of 5]

As

[Andrea Almendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

It give lot's of inf0rmation about each bts member

[Makena Barnett · Rating 1 out of 5]

Left out alot of information about bts and I was pretty disappointed also the pictures she chose where not it!

[Lindsay]

💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

[Nishka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good

[Bendykang]

10/10