BTS campaign with UN raises $3.6M
K-pop superstars BTS have raised $3.6 million and generated millions of tweets during four years of teaming up with the U.N. children’s agency to fight violence, abuse and bullying and promote selfesteem in young people, the agency was set to announce Wednesday.
The “Love Myself ” campaign spread its message through means including social media hashtags, merchandise, the South Korean band’s 2018-2019 “Love Yourself ” world tour and a 2019 video for the children’s agency, called UNICEF, urging people to “choose kindness.” UNICEF had booths at BTS concerts, and the band members filmed a music video at the U.N. headquarters and repeatedly spoke there.
BTS said in a statement that the band launched the “Love Myself ” campaign to improve other young people’s lives but strove to live by it themselves.
“We as a team and as individuals grew, as well,” the seven-member band said. “We hope that many people felt how the love received from others can become the power that allows them to love themselves.”
“Permission to Dance,” a BTS music video filmed at the U.N. headquarters and released last month, counts over 27 million views on the U.N.’s YouTube channel. UNICEF says the “Love Myself ” initiative spurred nearly 5 million tweets and over 50 million likes, retweets, replies and comments.
The money raised will go toward UNICEF’s work to halt violence.
BTS said it hoped to keep the campaign going, “so we can help people find happiness and love.”
Burton named Rose Parade grand marshal: On
Tuesday, the Tournament of Roses named actor and TV host LeVar Burton grand marshal of the 2022 Rose Parade, set for Jan. 1 in Pasadena, California.
“LeVar Burton perfectly epitomizes this year’s theme,” said Tournament of Roses President Bob Miller. “The 2022 theme is ‘Dream. Believe. Achieve.’ and celebrates education and the determination of those who travel the path from dream to reality.”
Burton will also participate in pregame events for the 108th Rose Bowl college football game.
Packer to produce Oscars:
“Girls Trip” producer Will Packer will produce next year’s Oscars, the film academy said Tuesday.
It’s the first time Packer has been selected for the gig and the third time in as many years that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and broadcaster ABC have enlisted new teams to produce the show.
“What an honor!” Packer said in a statement. “The power, the beauty, the romance of the imagery in movies has always attracted me. I’m fully embracing the challenge of bringing an ode to one of the most iconic mediums in the world to life.”
As the founder and CEO of the film production company Will Packer Productions and Will Packer Media, Packer has produced or executive produced films such as “Night School” and “Straight Outta Compton.”
The 94th Oscars will air March 27 on ABC.
Oct. 7 birthdays: TV personality Joy Behar is 79. Musician John Mellencamp is 70. Actor Mary Badham is 69. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma is 66. TV personality Simon Cowell is 62. Singer Toni Braxton is 54. Singer Thom Yorke is 53. Actor Nicole Ari Parker is 51. Actor Omar Miller is 43. Singer Nathaniel Rateliff is 43.