3 minutes of readingHyderabadFebruary 8, 2026 06:06 pm IST
bts continues to rewrite the rules of global stardom, achieving two major milestones this week that underline its unrivaled position in the music industry.
The septet won the Global Popular Artist award at the Hanteo Music Awards 2025, a data-driven recognition that reflects their sustained international impact. Simultaneously, their official Instagram account surpassed 78 million followers, making BTS the first and only musical group to achieve this number on the platform.
These achievements come at a perfect time, with the group reunited after completing military service and a return planned for March 2026.
The Hanteo Music Awards determine winners through hard numbers, album sales, streaming data, and verified fan engagement collected through Hanteo Chart. The Global Popular Artist category specifically measures how artists perform in international markets, not just in their home country.
BTS receiving this award demonstrates the strength of their existing catalog and global fan base. Their albums continue to sell. His songs continue to be broadcast. The international presence they built over the last decade remained active even during their period of military service.
Unlike popularity contests that rely on voting campaigns, Hanteo’s methodology tracks actual consumption. This makes the win a genuine reflection of current market performance rather than a nostalgic recognition.
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78 million people
The Instagram milestone came just days after Hanteo’s announcement, reinforcing the narrative that BTS operates on a different level. His official account has 78 million followers; no other musical group has reached this threshold.
The number represents more than casual fans browsing feeds. These are people who actively choose to follow the group’s updates. Each post continues to generate millions of likes and comments within hours, showing that engagement has only intensified as the return approaches.
For comparison, most groups see follower numbers level off during breaks. BTS’s account continued to grow steadily during their hiatus, adding followers even before big comeback announcements.
How BTS stayed relevant
Several factors kept BTS in the cultural conversation during their military service period. Members’ solo projects leave a flow of content. Members who completed service at different times maintained visibility. Archive content and throwback posts kept the community engaged.
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ARMY, the group’s dedicated fan base, played a crucial role. They organized streaming events for previous releases, created trending hashtags for members’ birthdays, and maintained active communities across all platforms. This grassroots activity kept BTS visible in ways that traditional marketing couldn’t replicate.
The Instagram account serves as a central meeting point for this activity. It’s where official updates arrive, where members post personal content, and where fans gather to interact. The 78 million followers are not passive observers, they are active participants in keeping BTS relevant.