BTS becomes the first K-Pop boy-band to perform in Saudi Arabia; gig to take place on 11 October

Noted K-pop band BTS recently announced that they will extend their Love Yourself: Speak Yourself world tour to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, reports The National. This will be their musical debut in the Middle East where they are scheduled to perform at the King Fadh International Stadium on 11 October.

The band is yet to reveal further details about ticket sales among others. BTS has achieved a cult status, especially in the last couple of years. The seven-member band created history becoming the first Korean group to top the Billboard 200 chart – not once, but thrice. "It's the first No 1 for the seven-member group, and the first K-pop album to lead the tally," Billboard wrote in its online report detailing the latest chart ranking.

Check out BTS' announcement of their Riyadh show

Known for boyish good looks, floppy haircuts and meticulously choreographed dance moves, the septet has become one of South Korea's best known and most lucrative musical exports.

While plenty of older music listeners in the West might be asking "who?", it is hard to underestimate the popularity of BTS and their seven stars Suga, J-Hope, Rap Monster, Jimin, V, Jungkook and Jin.

According to one data analysis, they were the most talked about phenomenon on Twitter in 2017, with nearly double the number of mentions on the social media platform than US President Donald Trump and Canadian bad-boy heartthrob Justin Bieber combined.

Their new album Love Yourself: Tear toppled Beerpong and Bentleys by rising hip-hop star Post Malone, whose facial tattoos are the very antithesis of BTS' wholesome, meticulously manicured image.

While BTS sing in Korean, their style successfully fuses the catchy earworms of K-Pop with hip-hop and R'n'B.

(With inputs from agencies)