BTS’ ‘On’ Video Smashes YouTube Premieres Record
The K-pop superstar's latest video became the biggest premiere of all-time of YouTube.
Another day, another record smashed by BTS. The K-pop superstars set a new high-water mark with the second video for their single “ON.” According to an announcement from YouTube, the dramatic clip scored the biggest YT premiere of all-time when the visual racked up 1.54 million concurrent viewers tuning in for Thursday’s debut on YouTube Premieres.
Just a few days after the release of the dance-oriented “Kinetic Minfesto Film” for “ON,” from their new album Map of the Soul: 7, BTS dropped the second video for the track, with a cinematic storyline that finds the members symbolically breaking free of their past while they climb to new heights amid allusions to Noah’s Ark, Jesus’ crown of thorns, The Lion King, The Maze Runner and Lord of the Flies.
Amid the exciting news, the group announced on Thursday that it has been forced to cancel several concerts in Korea due to the global coronavirus outbreak.
According to a press release from BTS’ company Big Hit Entertainment, the second version of “ON” serves as “a symbolic representation of ‘ON’ to highlight a different charm of the multifaceted band.” The first version was viewed 46.5 million times in its first 24 hours on YouTube, making it the fifth biggest music debut in YouTube’s history. It is one of three BTS music videos, along with “Boy with Luv” (No. 1) and “IDOL” (No. 6) to rank as the site’s top 10 biggest 24 hour music debuts.
Watch “ON” below.