The pandemonium surrounding K-pop crossover group BTS shows no signs of slowing down. The seven-piece band continue to sell out arenas around the world and like generations of popstars before them, they’re now being cemented in toy history with new mini dolls available through Mattel. Good luck getting one before they sell out.Mattel announced the mini dolls this week, revealing that all seven members will get their own doll dressed in one of their outfits from the “Idol (방탄소년단)”
music video. Since being released in August 2018, the video has racked up 562 million views. We have a feeling a few of their fans will recognize the outfits.There’s mini
RM in an oversized cardigan; Mini
Joon with his bleached hair and a yellow tie; Mini
Jimin sporting a casual red baseball cap; Mini
SUGA looking happy with his apple sweatshirt; Mini
j-hope looking studious in his yellow glasses; Mini
V has his trademark two-toned hair and of course, mini
Jungkook striking a pose.The 3-inch mini dolls are selling for $13 Canadian, but like most BTS merch, price isn’t an obstacle— access is, with the band’s items often selling out in seconds. Mattel is already selling Barbie-sized dolls of the band, with the figures also wearing outfits from the same music video. Plus, you can buy a deck of UNO cards with BTS branding because why not.The Bangtan Boys have taken the world by storm with their earworm tunes and synchronized dance moves, bringing K-pop to the masses. Their single “
Boy With Luv” featuring Halsey holds the record for most-viewed YouTube video in 24 hours and the band has earned three
Guinness World Records, including first K-pop band to reach number one on the US album charts with their albums
Love Yourself: Tear and
Map of the Soul: Persona, and fastest time to reach one million follows on TikTok.
But that doesn’t mean BTS have forgotten about their hometown. The group opened
House of BTS, their first pop-up shop in Seoul’s Gangnam neighborhood earlier this month, with members of their fan ARMY lining up for hours before the store opened. House of BTS features new cartoon versions of the band on merch, with the Mattel mini-dolls matching the aesthetic of the animated ‘cutest boy band in the world.’
According to
CNN, merchandise based on the band’s biggest songs, including "Idol," "DNA," "Mic Drop," "Fake Love" and more will be introduced every week. In addition to items like notebooks and bags, fans can also experience interactive displays that put them in the band’s music videos and take pictures with life-sized replicas of the group. The three-story pop-up store is expected to be open until January 2020, with pop-up stores in Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka, Japan opening in November.Unrelated: anyone want to plan a trip to Seoul?
