Big Hit Entertainment launch tiny band based on BTS

Big Hit Entertainment released animated models of their K-pop phenomenon BTS, called "TinyTAN" on Monday. [BIG HIT ENTERTAINMENT]

Fans who simply cannot get enough of their K-pop idols BTS can now dote on them even more through the animated characters of TinyTAN, which their agency Big Hit Entertainment launched on Monday.

The concept of TinyTAN is that the secondary egos of the BTS members were manifested into each of the animated characters. The characters closely resemble the looks and personalities of their real models, and they can transport themselves anywhere through a portal called Magic Door.

On the band’s official YouTube channel and TinyTAN’s official Twitter account, a short animated clip of the animated characters was released Saturday. The TinyTANs visit a young woman swamped by her everyday to-dos and she is consoled by these minute characters staging a performance and helping her complete her work.

As of Monday afternoon, the YouTube clip surpassed 6.65 million views.

Big Hit IP, an independent company in charge of applying the intellectual property (IP) of the artists and their music of Big Hit Entertainment to other various content, created the TinyTANs and the short animation in hopes that not only the members’ characteristics, but the positive influence which derives from their music and performance can be transported to the global fandom.

“The creation of the high quality characters, TinyTAN, was possible because each BTS member possesses a unique personality that’s on par with any other famous animated characters,” the agency said. “Like the message of hope and comfort that BTS sends through their music, their secondary egos, the TinyTAN, will also carry on the message in various forms of content.”

Big Hit Entertainment plans to actively promote and release related goods such as toy figures and expand the media content of the TinyTAN. They are to be launched through the global fan commerce platform Weverse Shop, and Big Hit IP plans to release newly animated stories.

Through licensing and brand collaboration, TinyTAN is to feature in other brands as well, The animated characters are already active as the promotional ambassador of the Downy Adorable fabric softener.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]