To all the ARMYs who've been holding their breath for the past few weeks (or five years), it's time to exhale, finally. After an incredible, historic year for South Korean group BTS, the septet can celebrate another huge milestone: earning their first Grammy recognition.
It was announced this morning that BTS' Love Yourself: Tear album has earned a nomination at the 61st Grammy Awards for best recording package. Nominated alongside the album is Seoul-based branding company HuskyFox, who is credited for the album's artwork.
The nomination makes total sense. Besides the fact that Love Yourself: Tear is one of the group's most sonically daring and lyrically compelling works in recent years, it also earned the No.1 seat on the Billboard 200 chart (unprecedented for a South Korean group) in May. But as BTS rapper Suga said himself in an interview at the Grammy Museum, the group's genre of music extends way beyond sound. "K-pop includes not just music, but clothes, makeup, choreography," Suga said. "All of these elements amalgamate together in a visual and auditory content package that sets it apart from other music or other genres."
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Love Yourself: Tear's packaging is beautiful, keeping in tradition with artistry and care that goes into the making of the physical copies of South Korean albums. This one of the reasons why album sales in South Korea are still very strong today, despite the availability of streaming platforms. The three-part concept of the Love Yourself series as a whole has been one of BTS' most graceful yet, with each album coming in four separate versions that boast different intricate photoshoots, collectible cards, liner notes and more. Love Yourself: Tear is the darkest concept of the trio, presented with black and greys, and is decorated with a delicately drawn flower whose tendrils connect if all four versions of the album are placed side-by-side.
Some might have liked to see the group nominated for a higher profile category, but hey — it's a Grammy and a fantastic honor. And this is likely just the beginning — Big Hit Entertainment, the band's label, extended BTS' contract for another seven years, through 2026. That was big news, given that many male groups go on hiatus when the members enter mandatory military service for at least two years. The maximum age of enlistment is 28, and BTS’ hyung (oldest member) Jin just turned 26.
Most importantly, this is a major testament to the group's hard work over the past five years, especially since the Recording Academy is known to be notoriously conservative, as well as success for getting South Korean music (pop, hip-hop and beyond) the kind of global recognition it deserves.
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The congratulations from fans have been pouring out.
HER: I'm @BTS_twt break out album in the US and got them for US award performance. I paved the way.
— Skye (@bangtanism89) December 7, 2018
ANSWER: I outsold all y'all. Best selling Korean album this century beaches!!!
TEAR: Which one of y'all got a Grammy nomination I'll wait pic.twitter.com/Ooi31egHDc
BTS ARE GRAMMY NOMINATED ARTISTS DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE WORDS COMING OUT MY MOUTH DO YOU HEAR ME pic.twitter.com/01Ik5q4EKf
— alysse: is in FED because of jungkook (@honiedjeon) December 7, 2018
WHAT YOONGI WANTS YOONGI GETS pic.twitter.com/ehBHXJjCM2
— 마니아태태 ? (@VANTESKIM) December 7, 2018
Love Yourself: Tear was nominated for Best Recording Package which goes to the album cover creator aka HuskyFox but this is still a big step for us and we have 8 more years to get a higher nomination omg this is actually happening #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/1ZUEFmuOdM
— sally|???????????? (@strawbearysal) December 7, 2018