2010-2014: Debut and Moderate Success
Auditions for a possible boy band were held in 2010 and 2011 by Big Hit Entertainment, and the lineup went through several changes before it was finalized with Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jungkook in 2012. Six months prior to their debut, they began to gain attention for thir prescence on various social media websites, as well as song covers on Youtube and SoundCloud.
The group's debut single 2 Cool 4 Skool, the first installment in their "school trilogy" series was released simultaeneously with its lead single "No More Dream" on June 12, 2013. While the album peaked at number 5 on the Gaon Album Chart and sold over 105, 000 copies. "No More Dream" and the subsequent single "We are Bulletproof Pt. 2" were not major hits. Expanding their endeavors into Japan "No More Dream" was later re-recorded in Japanese and released on June 4, 2014.
The second part to the "school trilogy" was extended play O!RUL8,2? released on September 11, 2013, along with "N.O" as its single. The EP sold over 120,000 copies to date and peaked at number four. That same month, BTS starred in their own variety show, SBS MTV's Rookie King Channel Bangtan, based on a fake broadcast station, "Channel Bangtan", through which members parodied variety shows such as VJ Special Forces and MasterChef Korea. At the end of the year, BTS was recognized with several New Artist of the Year awards, including the 2013 Melon Music Awards and Golden Disc Awards and the 2014 Seoul Music Awards.
The last act to their "school trilogy", Skool Luv Affair (2014) topped the Gaon Chart and sold over 200,000 copies. It also peaked at number three on Billboard's World Albums Chart, marking the BTS' first release on the chart. The album was supported by the singles "Boy in Luv" and "Just One Day" That June, BTS participated as judges for a K-pop cover dance competition in the Bridge to Korea festival in Russia, an event that aimed to promote tourism between the two countries, where they also performed on stage. In August, the group also attended KCON in Los Angeles. That same month, they released their first Korean studio album, Dark & Wild, which peaked at number two on the Gaon Chart and sold over 200,000 copies. It was supported by two singles: "Danger" and "War of Hormone"
Their Japanese studio album, Wake Up (2014), released that December, peaking at number three on the weekly Oricon Albums Chart and selling 28,000 copies. Along with re-recorded Japanese versions of older songs, it also contained the original tracks "Wake Up" and "The Stars".Their first concert tour, 2014 BTS Live Trilogy – Episode II: The Red Bullet, was held from October to December.
2015-2016: Mainstream breakthrough and commercial success
At the beginning of 2015, BTS toured Japan for the first time with their Wake Up: Open Your Eyes tour. They also held their second solo concert in Korea, BTS Live Trilogy – Episode 1: BTS Begins. Their third EP, The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Part 1 (2015), was released that March and was the only Korean album to be included in Fuse's list of the "27 Best Albums of 2015 So Far" that year. The lead single "I NEED U" was a top five hit on the weekly Gaon Digital Chart in South Korea and garnered BTS their first ever music show win on SBS MTV's The Show. Although the second single, "Dope" peaked at number 44 on the weekly Gaon Digital Chart, its music video became BTS' first to accrue over 100 million views on YouTube in October. "Dope" later peaked at number three on Billboard's World Digital Songs Chart.The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Part 1 have sold over 300,000 copies to date.
BTS' fourth Japanese single, "For You" was released that June to celebrate the first anniversary of their Japanese debut. The single topped 's daily chart, selling over 42,000 copies within its first day. They also commenced their 2015 Live Trilogy Episode:The Red Bullet world tour, and participated in the tour in Japan.
