“LOVE MYSELF” – BTS and UNICEF Team Up for Anti-Violence Campaign
From UNICEF’s website.
December 6, 2017
NOVEMBER 3RD, 2017- South Korean boy band BTS (a.k.a. Bangtan Sonyeondan, Beyond the Scene) teamed up with UNICEF in their campaign against violence.
According to the campaign’s official website, the project, titled “Love Myself”, seeks to “to stage campaigns against violence toward children and teens around the world, with the hope of making the world a better place through music.” BTS will donate all proceeds from the sale of official goods from the campaign, as well as 3% of sales from their record-breaking album series, Love Yourself.
“The LOVE MYSELF #ENDViolence campaign corresponds to BTS’ lyrical messages,” reports Tamar Herman from Billboard, “with a number of the band’s songs addressing societal ills.”
The seven-member boy band rose to international prominence last year for winning Billboard’s “Top Social Artist” award, becoming the first K-Pop group to ever do so. Their music ranges in a variety of artistic influences in R&B and hip-hop and is noted for its tackling on difficult topics such as mental health and societal norms.
Before the official release of the “LOVE MYSELF” website, each member posted selfies of themselves on their Twitter, with the hashtag, #BTSLoveMyself. Along with UNICEF, BTS released “LOVE MYSELF” social media accounts shortly after the campaign was announced. BTS then released the official campaign video, which was warmly received through the comments.
“BTS truly are the best people to look up to,” YouTube user Golden Sugakookie wrote. “They’re always using their platform and success to try and make a difference in this world. Addressing anti-violence and actually doing something against it is something not many celebrities and idols alike do. They don’t just preach about loving yourself, but they also are taking action because words don’t define the person that you are, action does. They give hope and inspiration to many youths of this generation and I couldn’t be more proud of how far they’ve come because they definitely deserve all the success and recognition that they get.”