K-pop superstars BTS announce UK tour dates

South Korean boy band BTS have announced a mammoth world tour which includes two UK dates.

The seven-member group will perform at the O2 Arena in London on 9 and 10 October.

The tour, called Love Yourself, will start in their native South Korea before also heading to Canada, the Netherlands and Germany.

BTS have become global stars and are one of the genre's most established acts.

Since forming in 2013, the K-pop stars have been a sensation around the world and amassed a global following.

Tour organisers, Big Hit Entertainment said: "BTS will launch a brand-new tour this year, titled Love Yourself, following last year's success of the Trilogy Episode begun in 2014."

So far, only confirmed venues and dates have been announced but more will follow.

The band will release their third studio album on 18 May and will premiere new single We Are So Excited at the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas in May.

Their success was recently the subject of BBC Radio 1 iPlayer documentary.

The group announced their arrival on the international music scene when they became the first K-pop group to win a prestigious Billboard Music Award.

In 2017 they beat Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande and Shawn Mendes in the Top Social Artist, voted for by fans.

The win marked a breakthrough for the K-pop genre, which has long tried to crack Western markets.

Speaking at the time the band said: "We still cannot believe that we are standing here on this stage at the Billboard Music Awards.

"It's so great to see all the artists we admire. To be in this category with such great artists, we are just really honoured."

The band - made up of members Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Rap Monster, Jimin, V and Jungkook - later tweeted that the win was a "dream come true".

The group use hip hop and R&B styles to sing about issues including bullying and mental health. They have released albums in Korean and Japanese and have more than 10 million followers on social media.

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