Sensational K-pop boy band BTS are well-known for their active ARMY fanbase. So it came as a surprise to no one that the group snagged the Top Social Artist Award at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards on Sunday night (May 20), overtaking superstars like Justin Bieber and Demi Lovato to win the honor for the second year in a row.
Excited shrieks from fans were near-deafening as all seven BTS members took to the stage to accept, with a sincere speech thanking fans around the globe for their undying support — both in English and Korean.
By the night’s end, BTS will become the first-ever Korean act to perform at the Billboard Music Awards; they’ll be performing their new single “Fake Love” for the first time on television later in the program.
The Top Social Artist award honors an act that perennially occupies the top slots on Billboard‘s Social 50 chart, a ranking driven by fan engagement on social platforms.