BTS Nominated For Order Of Cultural Merit From Government

BTS has been nominated to receive an Order of Cultural Merit!

It was recently announced by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism that BTS is one of 12 nominees for an Order of Cultural Merit this year, which will be given out at the 2018 Korean Popular Culture & Arts Awards.

The Order of Cultural Merit has five grades, and is described as being “awarded to a person who has rendered outstanding meritorious services in the fields of culture and art in the interest of promoting the national culture and national development.”

The nominations for the order note BTS’s achievements both in Korea and in foreign markets including Japan and the United States, as well as their contributions to the Korean Wave. They list some of their accomplishments including coming in No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with their album “Love Yourself: Tear.”

BTS previously received a commendation from the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism during the 2016 Korean Popular Culture & Arts Awards. The Order of Cultural Merit is a higher honor than the ceremony’s commendations from the president, prime minister, and minister.

While BTS and many other artists including BIGBANG, EXO, Girls’ Generation, SHINee, 2NE1, TWICE, BTOB, CNBLUE, and more have received commendations, there has not yet been an idol group who has been awarded an Order of Cultural Merit. Singer PSY received a fourth-grade Order of Cultural Merit in 2012 following the achievements of his track “Gangnam Style,” which reached No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.

The winners of the 2018 Korean Popular Culture & Arts Awards will be announced in October, with the ceremony planned for October 31.

BTS is currently preparing to make a comeback on August 24 with their repackaged album “Love Yourself: Answer,” and will then be embarking on a world tour that will include their first ever stadium concert in the United States.

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