BTS Fan Club Etiquette: Official Rules & FAQ for ARMY
If you spend much time on social media, you know that ARMY etiquette is one of the most discussed topics within our fandom. From debates over airport behavior to heated discussions about sasaeng culture, the timeline is often a whirlwind of opinions on what it means to be a respectful fan.
At ARMY Project 529, our most basic etiquette rule is simple: love and respect all seven members.
To clear up any confusion and provide a definitive standard, let’s take a look back at the official Weverse BTS Fan Club Etiquette Notice from January 23, 2020. With so many new fans joining ARMY during Chapter Two, we felt it was the perfect time to revisit the official rules to ensure we’re all supporting BTS respectfully and responsibly.
BTS Weverse Live 20250817
TL;DR: BTS Fan Club Etiquette Summary
If you’re looking for a fast way to check the "dos and don’ts" of BTS fan club rules, here is a quick summary. We’ve distilled the core points of the official notice so you can stay informed at a glance. Please keep in mind that this is a summary for guidance only. To ensure you have the full context, or if you are looking for exact wording, please refer to the directly quoted text in the next section.
Private Spaces & Unofficial Schedules
Do not visit any location not listed as an official schedule on the BigHit Entertainment website or Weverse.
Locations: This includes company offices, practice/backstage areas, and living spaces (including family homes).
Travel: Do not use information acquired improperly to visit airports or board the same flight as the artists.
Deliveries: Do not leave or send gifts/letters to private locations.
No Stalking or Unauthorized Access
Do not attempt to contact, visit, follow, or make physical contact with the members.
Friends & Family: These rules also apply to the members' family, friends, and acquaintances.
Restricted Areas: Do not illegally copy or acquire passes to enter waiting rooms or approach the artists at venues.
Personal Information
It is strictly forbidden to buy, sell, or attempt to transact the members’ personal data, including:
Resident registration numbers, phone numbers, home addresses, or IDs.
Flight information (flight numbers or seat numbers).
Photography & Recording Restrictions
Airports: The notice explicitly bans photography/recording at ticket counters, security checkpoints, lounges, duty-free stores, boarding gates, security areas, and baggage claim areas.
Prohibited Gear: Do not bring any recording devices (except mobile phones) into venues. Mobile phones may not be used for recording where prohibited.
Consequences: If caught, you must delete the data and will be escorted out. BigHit is not responsible for any device damage during your removal.
Interfering with Operations
Do not block the artists' vehicles or engage in vehicle chases.
Do not refuse to cooperate with management, security personnel, or staff.
Other Inappropriate Acts
Identity: Do not assume a false identity (using someone else's ID or forged documents) for fan activities.
Participation: Do not apply for music show seats and then fail to show up; this takes opportunities away from other ARMY.
Threats: Any action that physically or mentally threatens the artists is prohibited.
Jung Yeon-je / AFP via The Standard
Official BTS Fan Club Rules
For those who want the full, unabridged details, we have provided the official English translation of the Fan Club Etiquette notice below. Staying familiar with this specific language is the best way to protect your membership status and, most importantly, the safety and privacy of the BTS members.
Official BTS Fan Club Etiquette Notice (January 23, 2020)
1. Please do not visit sets or locations closed to the public or private spaces.
Do not visit sets, locations or activities that are not listed as official on the Big Hit Entertainment schedule page or via Weverse announcement. Do not visit private spaces such as company offices, practice rooms, living spaces or nearby areas, and any other locations that BTS has visited or are related to them.
Do not visit airports or board the same flight as the artists during any part of their domestic or international activities including tours and personal traveling by using information acquired improperly.
Do not send or leave gifts or letters at the artists’ private locations (living space, family home, etc.).
2. Please do not stalk the artists.
Do not carry out or repeatedly attempt to contact, visit, follow, talk to or make physical contact with the artists.
Do not attempt the above actions towards the family members, friends and acquaintances of the artists.
Do not attempt to access the waiting room of the artist or try to approach them by illegally copying, producing or acquiring passes at concert venues or other similar access-controlled locations.
3. Please do not sell or purchase the artists’ personal information.
Do not transact or attempt to transact the artists’ personal information such as resident registration number, phone number, address, ID, etc.
Do not transact or attempt to transact flight information such as flight number or seat number.
4. Please do not take photographs or record video or audio except where permitted.
Do not covertly photograph or record video or audio of the artists in closed sets or locations, or in their private spaces.
Do not photograph or take video or audio, or broadcast (live stream) video or audio where such activities are prohibited.
Do not violate rules prohibiting the possession of any devices capable of recording video or audio into concert or other venues (except mobile phones), or use mobile phones for the purpose of recording video or audio.
Do not engage in video or audio recording activities that violate copyrights.
Areas where recording is not permitted: inside airports (ticket counter, security checkpoint, lounge, duty-free stores, boarding gate, security area, baggage claim area), inside network broadcast studios, and performances and any venues where recording video or audio is prohibited.
If violations are discovered, you may be asked to delete any video or audio recordings, and will be escorted out of the venue.
We hold no responsibility for any devices damaged while you are being escorted out.
If violations are discovered during open music show recordings, the network may sanction the entire ARMY fan body.
5. Please do not interfere with artist-related activities.
Do not interfere with the duties of artist management staff, security personnel in Korea and abroad or any other persons carrying out artists-related activities, or refuse to comply with their requests for cooperation.
Do not block the artists from entering their vehicles or prevent the vehicles from moving normally.
Do not engage in a vehicle chase with the artists’ vehicles.
6. Please do not engage in other inappropriate actions.
Do not assume a false identity to engage in fan activities (transfering ID cards, using an unlawfully-acquired ID, using another person’s ID or documents or forging such documents).
Do not limit the opportunities of other members from attending events by applying for then failing to show up for a Fan Club seat for a music show broadcast or failing to bring the necessary identity verification materials to such an event.
Do not engage in actions that physically or mentally threaten the artists.
Do not force a gift on the artist except handwritten letters. (Please refer to the separate notice on fan letters).
Do not engage in other improper and inappropriate actions unbefitting of a fan or that which may be seen in a negative light by the fandom.
<For Violations of Fan Club Rules>
If any violations of the Fan Club etiquette rules are discovered, you may be restricted or prohibited from receiving the benefits of the official BTS GLOBAL OFFICIAL FANCLUB (ARMY Membership) without prior warning.
Entrance to an official BTS activity (performance, music shows, fan signing events, etc) may be restricted or prohibited without prior notice.
If any actions that do not comply with the etiquette rules above are found to be unlawful, evidence may be collected and violators may be subject to civil and criminal penalties.
ARMY Etiquette FAQ: Understanding the Fine Print
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A: No. The notice states that you must not "force a gift on the artist." We’ve seen information that you may mail handwritten letters, however we cannot find confirmation on any official sites. Therefore, the best way to send BTS a message is to write a post or digital fan letter on their official fandom platform, Weverse.
Exception: some official fan events like fansigns allow ARMY to share a small gift or letter. Follow the official event rules regarding permitted gift types and sizes.
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A: According to the notice, you should avoid sharing or consuming content filmed in private or non-permitted spaces. This includes "leaked" photos from airports (past security) or private outings. Sharing these can unintentionally encourage others to violate the members' privacy.
Exception: We have seen photos and videos on our timeline from lucky ARMY who meet BTS members ‘on the street’. If a member poses for a photo with a fan, we assume permission was granted, therefore this is acceptable under the Fan Club Rules.
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A: Your safety comes first. Do not engage in a confrontation. Instead, look for official staff or security personnel nearby and report the behavior to them. If you see violations online, you can report the accounts via the official HYBE reporting portal.
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A: Yes. The notice explicitly states that stalking and/or harassment rules apply to the artists' family, friends, and acquaintances as well. Respecting their privacy is just as important as respecting the members themselves.
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A: Yes. If an action is found to be unlawful (such as the selling of personal info or stalking), BigHit will collect evidence and pursue civil and criminal penalties. The results of these actions are sometimes featured in the quarterly “Updates on Legal Proceedings Against Violation of Artist Rights”, or, as we like to call it, the “FAFO Notice”.
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A: No. Benefits may be restricted or membership revoked without prior warning if a violation is discovered.
BTS Weverse Live 20251231
Supporting a Respectful Fan Culture for BTS
At the end of the day, these rules aren’t just about following a list of restrictions—they are about creating an environment where BTS feels safe, respected, and free to share parts of their lives with their fans. When we respect their boundaries, we are protecting the bond that makes ARMY so special.
As we navigate Chapter Two and beyond, let’s remember to follow these official guidelines. Thank you for being a part of our community and helping us prioritize the wellbeing of the artists we love. Let’s continue to show the world the best side of ARMY!
