It's finally official. BTS x Samsung is true. After a week of speculations on what it could be, Samsung has officially confirmed its partnership with global sensation BTS.
The buzz about the partnership of the two giants of South Korea started when a photo of BTS member Kim Taehyung, a.k.a V, appeared on Samsung's annual unpacked event last week in San Francisco, California. K-pop fans and BTS ARMY alike speculated that the "Black Swan'' singers and Samsung are teaming up on a project.
Some speculate that BTS could be the new brand ambassador of Samsung. The tech company, however, dismissed it and instead stressed that their partnership with the "Boy With Luv" singers is not a simple model contract.
Samsung confirmed on Wednesday its partnership with BTS is through the group's global project, Connect BTS. The company said they hope that through this partnership that they would be able to utilize the strong fanbase of the world-renowned group and their young image to target the millennial around the world.
Connect BTS is a global art project that is currently taking place in five major cities around the world. It involved several artists who believe in BTS's message of diversity and love.
The contemporary art initiative kicked off last month in London, then in Berlin, Buenos Aires, Seoul, and New York. Connect BTS will run through March.
According to Samsung, they will be providing a tool called Augmented Reality Docent that can be downloaded to Galaxy phones. It will allow Galaxy phone users to experience Connect BTS exhibits through VR.
It added that BTS members RM, Jin, and Jungkook will also appear in AR to explain the instructions for using the tool. Users may also take photos with the members that appear in the AR. Moreover, the exhibitions in Seoul and New York have media facades that are made from Galaxy phones.
Samsung said aside from Connect BTS, they are currently in talks with the group for more partnerships in the future. Tech experts are expecting that it could include the possibility of a Galaxy x BTS special edition phone.
Meanwhile, BTS is set to drop their new album, Map of the Soul: 7, on February 21. The group has released the tracklist of the album and it has a total of 20 songs.
The lead single for Map of the Soul: 7 is titled "On." It will also have a digital-only version featuring Australian singer Sia. Singer/actor Troye Sivan also confirmed that co-wrote "Louder Than Bombs," one of the songs in the new LP.
Sia and Sivan now joined the list of BTS's high-profile collaborators. The record-breaking group has previously worked with Ed Sheeran, Halsey, Nicki Minaj, Lauv, The Chainsmokers, Desiigner, and Steve Aoki.