BTS Serpentine Gallery art project: Dates and exhibition details for K-pop group's show

Sometimes a little break from performing in the world's biggest boyband is just what the doctor ordered.

Korean superstars BTS have carved out a place in the art world, announcing that they have teamed up with artists and galleries around the globe for a major global project.

While it's far from unusual for musicians to turn their hand to other creative pursuits, this show is something very different – they sure know how to work that brand.

Whether you're a BTS fan new to the art world, or an art connoisseur who knows nothing about K-pop, here's what you need to know.

Who are BTS?

Quite simply – one of the most popular bands on the planet right now. They're a seven-piece outfit from South Korea, who have topped the charts around the world with songs such as Blood Sweat & Tears, Fire, Idol and DNA. Their album Map of the Soul: Persona was the first ever Korean language album to reach number one in the UK. You can find out more about the band-members and which songs to listen to here.

What is CONNECT, BTS?

CONNECT, BTS is the band’s global art project, taking place across five cities. It features the work of 22 artists in London, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Seoul and New York.

The London leg of the project is at the Serpentine in Kensington Gardens, a digital simulation of a forest by Danish artist Jakob Kudsk Steensen, called Catharsis. The virtual ecosystem comprises of 3D textures and audio, showing a natural environment undisturbed for hundreds of years.

Curator Daehyung Lee, who has overseen the entire project, said the Serpentine work bridged “the physical and digital worlds” to create “an environment through which viewers can redefine their relationship to nature”. It is running now at the Serpentine Gallery until March 15.

As part of the New York show, Angel of the North sculptor Antony Gormley will install a giant scribble on Brooklyn Bridge using 16km of metal tubes, while Korean artist Yiyun Kang reimagines BTS’s signature dance moves through projections on the Dongdaemun Plaza walls in Seoul.

All the works will be available to view online, however visitors to the shows will be able to watch special videos recorded by the band about each artwork.

Why are BTS doing an art project?

BTS announced in August that they’d be going on an “extended” break to “enjoy ordinary life”, but that’s soon to be over, with a single coming out on January 17 and their new album Map of the Soul: 7 being released in February.

CONNECT, BTS shows they’ve got more on their mind than music, though. The group said they wanted to “to return the great amount of love and support from our fans” and present a "positive message for the world".

Band-member Jungkook (real name Jeon Jung-kook) said during the announcement that the band feel “our performances are made complete with our fans. So we found a common ground between what we do with the music and with the art."

RM (aka Kim Nam-joon) added: “I just became a fan of what they call fine art and visual art from last year, so I'm just a beginner. Currently my favourite hobby is to visit all the galleries and museums and see all the great pieces. It gives me a whole other world of thrill and shock and inspiration."

Catharsis is at the Serpentine Gallery until March 15, connect-bts.com