KUALA LUMPUR: K-pop lords BTS have just released their highly-anticipated memoir in South Korea, marking their 10th anniversary as a group.
AFP reported yesterday that Beyond The Story: 10-Year Record Of BTS is the boyband's first official book, and contains a chronological summary of their musical career as well as hints at their future endeavours, according to their agency Bighit Music.
As soon as the book hit bookstores in the country yesterday, heavy rain poured but nevertheless many diehard fans gathered in front of the Kyobo bookstore in Gwanghwamun, one of the biggest in Seoul, to purchase their copies.
A Sri Lankan fan Lakshi said that if her excitement were measured on a "one to 10 scale, then it would be a million".
Aqilah, a fan from Malaysia, gushed: "I came here since 9am and I finally got this book!"
The book, which is also being released in the United States, shot to the top of the Amazon and Barnes and Noble bestseller lists in May on the strength of its pre-orders.
It was co-written by South Korean journalist Kang Myeong-seok and members of the band, according to its US publisher Flatiron Books.
The release date of the memoir, July 9, is the day the megastars' loyal international fan base, known as ARMY, first came into being 10 years ago.
The band is currently on a "hiatus", with members pursuing solo projects while two members are completing South Korea's mandatory military service.
All able-bodied men in South Korea must serve at least 18 months in the military and Jin, the oldest member of the group, enlisted last year.
His bandmate J-Hope started his mandatory service in April.
BTS has bagged six Number 1 hits on the Hot 100 and all seven members of the boyband have reached the top songs chart with solo tracks.