What Are BT21 And Where To Buy Them 2023

If you’ve been using Facebook or have access to the messaging app LINE in your country, you might have noticed a few adorable BT21 cartoon characters popping in the stickers.

These cartoon characters are BT21 which have been created exclusively for LINE by the pop band BTS.

And unless you’ve been living under a rock (or just old like me), you must have heard of the Bangtan Boys or BTS. 

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This Kpop band is probably the most famous Kpop boy band in the world right now! 

Their fans or the BTS Army as they like to call themselves are spread all over the world and aren’t just limited to South Korea.

The BT21 is just another way BTS wants to interact with its fans. These characters are therefore a part of their merchandise in a way.

What Are BT21

The cartoon characters called BT21 are designed by BTS themselves for the messaging app LINE, for the LINE Friends Creators Project. And each character represents a member of their band! 

Every member of the band designed the character that’s supposed to represent them with a little help from Line’s Designers and gave them superpowers and a funny backstory.

These characters can be used as stickers or emojis on various messaging platforms and there is now merchandise like BT21 plushies and lunchboxes that fans can buy.

The official synopsis for BT21 characters goes something like this:

Once upon a time, there was a very curious alien called Tata. This super-curious alien loved exploring the galaxies. So he made a robot companion called VAN to take alongside his adventures. When Tata reached Earth, he was amazed at all the K-pop idols and how they had so many millions of fans across the globe. So Tata then decided to create his own K-pop band! And so began his journey across the universe to collect the cutest, cuddliest characters that were to be a part of his band that would be number one in the 21st century. 

– BT21 Universtar

Below, I’ve given the character descriptions of the various BT21 cartoons that have been based on BTS members themselves.

Tata

Tata is based on the BTS member Kim Tae Hyung also known as V. 

He is the prince of a distant planet who wants to go on an intergalactic adventure. So he summons his guardian robot VAN to help him in his mission.

Together they visit Earth and decide that becoming a Kpop idol is a sure way to the earthling’s hearts.

He then scours the galaxy for like-minded aliens to become a part of his boy band.

Tata’s superpowers are his highly elastic body that stretches to great lengths. 

Rj

Rj is based on BTS member Jin (real name  Kim Seokjin). According to Jin, he loves drawing Alpaca doodles, and this formed the inspiration for the character design of Rj.

This sweet alpaca is a very gentle character. Rj loves cooking and eating and is the politest member of the BTS group.

He also wears a parka all the time as he gets cold very easily.

Koya

Koya is created by BTS star Kim Namjoon has the appearance of a Panda.

According to the BTS21 site, Koya is a bit of a sleepyhead and loves napping. But don’t let his sleepy eyes deceive you, Koya is a very smart Panda and has a head full of thoughts.

Another interesting fact about Koya? His ears start drooping when he is surprised. 

Shooky

No don’t be confused, Shooky is not an animal. He’s actually a cookie! 

And he’s based on (and designed by) BTS member Min Yoongi or Suga.

This smart cookie (pun intended) is a total prankster with a great aversion towards milk. 

Cooky

Okay, now Shooky is the cookie. But the character Cooky is a bunny. Confusing? Cute? Both! 

Now Cooky (based on BTS band member Jeon Jungkook) might look very adorable on the outside, but he’s a tough bunny.

He’s super-active with oodles of energy and will never back down from a fight. Cooky is also there for his friends whenever they need him.

Mang

Mang is supposed to represent BTS member Jung Hoseok who is better known by his stage name J-Hope. 

Always masked, Mang is a dancing pony whose secret identity is… well, a secret! 

The most special thing about Mang is that he’s a brilliant dancer. 

Chimmy

This cute little puppy was designed by Park Jimin. The character wears his signature yellow hoodie and is passionate about everything.

If anything catches Chimmy’s interest, he works hard at it. 

Van 

Now it isn’t just the BTS members who get a special cartoon character in their honor, there’s one to show gratitude to thier fans as well.

The character VAN is supposed to represent the BTS army. VAN’s job is to protect the other characters and unite the BT21 members. 

VAN is smart, sentient, and omniscient, and can do just about anything under the galaxy.

Where To Buy BT21

The BT21 characters are not limited to being stickers on messaging apps. You can see their likeness appear on mugs, T-shirts, keychains, and as plushies and other toys.

If you want to buy this BT21 merchandise, you can go to the official site. But this site doesn’t offer international shipping to a lot of countries.

To buy the official BT21 merchandise you can go to the site: https://www.bt21.com/store.  

There is also a list of other third-party sites that have the license to sell BT21 merchandise. You can find one such offline or online store that delivers to your country. 

BT21 Store

BT21 Store is the official place where you can buy BT21 merchandise. There are also physical locations of this store in places like 

• Broadway, New York, USA
• Hollywood, Los Angeles, USA
• Gangnam, Seoul, South Korea
• Hangdae, Seoul, South Korea
• Lotte World Mall, Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Zero Gate, Harajuku, Tokyo, Japan
• SH666, Shanghai

Ubuy 

Ubuy is an ecommerce site based in Kuwait. This site is also officially licensed to sell BT21 merchandise.

The Ubuy store is active mostly in Asian countries like Singapore, Malaysia, India, etc., and the middle east including Dubai. 

Amazon.com

All BT21 merchandise is officially available on Amazon through their online store.

Here’s the link to the BT21 Amazon store: amazon.com/linefriends

Some of the categories in which you’ll find BT21 merchandise includes:

• Beauty kits
• Electronics (headphones, charger cables, etc.)
• Travel kits
• Home decor
• Clothing
• Accessories
• Plush toys
• Bags, slings, and pouches

I’ve listed out some of my favorite BT21 merchandise from Amazon.com, check them out. 

BT21 TATA Baby Series Character Celebration Theme Lighting Plush Figure Toy

If you’re planning to gift BT21 merchandise to someone from the BTS army, this will be the perfect present for them. 

The birthday cake plushie is also available in different members like Shooky, Koya, and Mang. And it’s just so soft and cuddly. 

BT21 Baby Series Character LED Light Up Plush Stuffed Animal Keychain

If you’re looking to buy something sweet and small, this keychain should do the trick. It’s not as expensive as the other products in the BT21 catalog. 

There are keychains available for different characters. 

FAQs about BT21

If you want to get even more close to your idols, BT21 characters give you the perfect opportunity.

These characters are based on your favorite BTS member themselves! 

Love Kim Taeyung? You’ll be mad about Tata. Or perhaps you like Suga and prefer the cute cookie Shooky instead.

You can get these fun and cute characters for yourself or gift it to another member of the BTS army! 

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