The Planet (BTS)
|
[ Korean albums ]
[ Japanese albums ]
[ Other albums ]
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Planet | |
|---|---|
 i
| |
| Artist | BTS |
| Released | May 12, 2023 |
| Recorded | 2022 |
| Length | 2:58 |
| Language | Korean |
| Genre | Dance |
| Format | Digital download, streaming |
| Label | Big Hit Music |
| Distributor | YG Plus |
| Producer | Pdogg |
| Featured in | Bastions (SBS animated series) |
The Planet is a song by the South Korean group BTS, released on May 12, 2023 as the theme song for the SBS animated series Bastions. It was BTS's twentieth digital single and their first full-group release in eleven months, following "Yet to Come" from their 2022 anthology album Proof.
The song was recorded in 2022, before Jin and J-Hope began their mandatory military service in South Korea. This let all seven members perform together one more time before the group's planned period of solo activity. The track topped iTunes charts in 67 countries within a day of release and reached number one on Japan's Oricon daily digital singles chart.
1 Background✎
After Proof in 2022, BTS announced that the members would focus on solo projects and individual military service while continuing to record together when possible. "Yet to Come" was their last single from a regular album before that pause, with a special Hyundai campaign rerecording following in October 2022. "The Planet" came together as a separate project: producers of the upcoming animated series Bastions wanted a theme song that would match the show's hopeful, action-driven tone.
BTS recorded the track in 2022, before Jin enlisted in the South Korean military in December of that year. J-Hope followed in April 2023. Because the recording was finished early, the song could be released months later with all seven members on it, even though two were already serving by the time the single came out.
The series' production company, Thymos Media, said in a statement to Yonhap News that BTS's harmony would give listeners "an overwhelming sense of immersion" during the show's emotional and action scenes.
2 Composition and lyrics✎
"The Planet" is an upbeat dance track built on a cheerful bassline and a singalong melody. It runs 2 minutes and 58 seconds. The lyrics describe the planet Earth as something precious and worth protecting, fitting the environmental themes of Bastions. The chorus encourages listeners to shine in their own colors and to imagine a journey across the night sky.
The song opens with Jungkook's vocals, moves into Jimin's higher register, and continues through Jin's and V's lines before the rap line — RM, Suga, and J-Hope — takes the second verse. All seven members share the chorus.
Songwriting was a large international collaboration. Credited writers include [1] Bård Mathias Bonsaksen, Gabriel Brandes, Hilda Stenmalm, Julia Ross, Krysta Youngs, Matt Thomson, Max Lynedoch Graham, Melanie Joy Fontana, Michel "Lindgren" Schulz, Pdogg, RM, Lee Hae In, and Cho Yoon Kyung. Pdogg produced the track.
3 Music video✎
A music video for "The Planet" was released alongside the song on the HYBE Labels YouTube channel. Instead of featuring BTS themselves, the video stars the animated cast of Bastions. The young heroes from the show dance, fly, and battle villains across colorful sci-fi landscapes while the song plays. A separate teaser video had been released earlier in the week.
4 Commercial performance✎
"The Planet" was a strong digital hit even though it was an OST track rather than a standalone album single.
- iTunes: Topped iTunes Top Songs charts in 67 countries and territories within a day of release, including the United States, France, Australia, Japan, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
- Japan (Oricon): Debuted at number one on the Oricon Daily Digital Singles chart.
- Spotify: Reached number 19 on the Daily Top Songs Global chart with about 2.95 million streams on its release day.
- United States: Did not enter the Billboard Hot 100 but peaked at number six on the Digital Songs chart.
- Canada: Peaked at number 17 on the Canadian Digital Song Sales chart.
- New Zealand: Reached number eight on the NZ Hot Singles chart.
A physical OST album titled The Planet (Bastions OST) followed on May 25, 2023, collecting the BTS title song with tracks by other Korean artists who contributed to the series.
5 About Bastions✎
Bastions is a 3D animated superhero series produced by Thymos Media. It premiered on SBS on May 14, 2023, and was also distributed internationally on Crunchyroll. The story follows a team of rookie heroes who discover the identity of a villain responsible for destroying the environment, then set out to save Earth. The series blends superhero action with elements of K-pop idol culture.
6 Trivia✎
- The song's release on May 12, 2023 came eleven months after "Yet to Come" — the longest gap between full-group BTS songs at that time.
- In Jin's solo single "The Astronaut" (October 2022), a hidden message appears about 33 seconds into the music video: during a crossword puzzle scene, the phrase "THE PLANET IS COMING BACK SOON" can be spotted, foreshadowing this release.
- All seven members appear on the track even though Jin had already enlisted in the military by the time of release.
7 Notes✎
8 Other wikis✎
- Wikipedia: The Planet (BTS song)
- BTS Wiki on Fandom: The Planet — portions of this article were adapted from the Fandom BTS Wiki under CC BY-SA.
- BTS Wiki (Fandom), "The Planet" credits.