Recently, TIME magazine revealed the collector's edition magazine cover that features BTS in full color. While many are happy for BTS for bagging another TIME magazine cover, many ended up disappointed because of the alleged poor quality of the cover, slamming TIME for making the group look bad.
According to fans, the saturation of the images is too strong, making them look like cartoon characters rather than real people. Fans also noticed how they took different photos for each member, which makes the photo look awkward. Many wondered why they didn't use a photo of BTS as a group and grabbed random individual images to create a group cover. Some fans have even been able to pinpoint where each photo was from.
Some ARMYs had wondered if the photos were unofficial. Many hoped TIME would release a new cover instead of the current one.
Many compared the 2020 cover to BTS's first-ever TIME Magazine cover in 2018. The photo was a group photo of the boys, showing them staring down at the camera with the bright blue sky as the background. The boys are all donned in classy suits. Fans loved the cover for making the boys look dashing and professional, and showcased how they were taking over the music industry.
The 2020 cover, on the other hand, made them look like caricatures.
The special edition cover is being sold for 27,000 won in Korea, and many are saying the price is too high for such poor quality.
Check out netizen's comments here:
"In the past, their cover for TIME Magazine was so nice. What is this?"
"The ratio looks so bad. What happened to the photographer?"
"It looks like the cover for comic books."
"No, what are you doing to our kids????"
"Seriously, it looks like a cartoon movie poster."
"27,000 won... I ordered the magazine in advance, but looking at the cover, I'm thinking of canceling it."
"They make the members look so short... I don't like it."
What do you think of the cover?
BTS debuted in 2013 under Big Hit Entertainment is known for co-writing and producing their music. They touched the hearts of their fans with their lyrics, which usually tackles personal and social commentaries, mental illness, troubles of adolescence, loving and being oneself.
With "Wings" being BTS's first album to sell one million copies in Korea, the seven-member group was able to bring their music to the West, leading K-pop in the US and breaking records. They are the first Korean boy band to receive certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. They are also the first Korean act to top the Billboard 200 with "Love Yourself: Tear" and hit the top of the US charts countless times.
BTS is the fastest group since the Beatles to earn four number one albums in less than two years.
Furthermore, BTS is the best-selling artist in Korean history and was the second best-selling artist in 2018. Media organizations dubbed then as the "Princes of Pop" and were listed in Time's 100 most influential people in the world back in 2019.
They are the youngest recipients of the Order of Cultural Merit from the President of South Korea.
The group is composed of RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook.
