Three members of K-pop band BTS test positive for Covid – The Guardian

Three members of the K-pop superstar group BTS have been infected with coronavirus after returning from abroad, their management agency said on Sunday.

RM and Jin were diagnosed with Covid-19 on Saturday evening, the Big Hit Music agency said in a statement. It earlier said another member, Suga, tested positive for the virus on Friday.

All three took their second jabs in August, the agency said.

The other four members of the seven-strong ban are J-Hope, Jungkook, V and Jimin.

According to the agency, RM has exhibited no particular symptoms, while Jin is showing mild symptoms including light fever and is undergoing self-treatment at home.

The agency said on Friday that Suga did not have symptoms and was administering self-care at home in accordance with the guidelines of the health authorities.

RM had tested negative after returning from the US earlier this month following his personal schedule there. But he was later diagnosed with the virus ahead of his scheduled release from self-quarantine, the agency said.

After returning to South Korea this month, Jin underwent PCR tests twice – upon arrival and later before his release from self-quarantine – and tested negative both times. But he had flu-like symptoms on Saturday afternoon before he took another PCR test that came back positive, the agency said. Media reports said he also traveled to the US.

Suga, who has had a number of personal engagements in the US during the band’s official time off, was diagnosed with Covid during quarantine after returning from the US, the agency said.

The agency said it would continue to provide support for the three members for their speedy recovery. It said it would cooperate with the requests and guidelines of the South Korean health authorities.

Since their debut in 2013, BTS have garnered global recognition for their self-produced music and activism, which includes giving a speech at the United Nations and publicly calling out anti-Asian racism. The band topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart three times in 2020, and was nominated for prominent music awards like Billboard Music Awards and MTV Video Music Awards.