In a Venn diagram with K-pop and video games on either side, you’d find more in between them than you’d expect. South Korea after all is home to a lot of esports greats, and the prevalence of video games in Korean pop culture is so strong that you can even see its impact on the K-pop industry. It’s not uncommon to see your favorite idol rooting for Faker, streaming a video game as content, or even having their entire concept be based on some kind of hybrid between VTubers and fictional girl group K/DA.
So it shouldn’t be a surprise that LINE FRIENDS and Bandai are teaming up for a limited edition Tamagotchi featuring BT21’s 8 iconic characters. In case you haven’t heard of BT21 yet, BT21 is an ongoing collaboration between LINE FRIENDS and K-pop boy group BTS. BT21 is made up of 8 mascots designed by BTS’ 7 members, with the 8th character Van representing their millions of fans.
Since BT21 first launched in 2017, the characters’ easily distinguishable and simple designs made them perfect for collaborations between BTS and brands ranging from apparel to food. There were BT21 sneakers, BT21 donuts, and even BT21 skincare products. With these cute, iconic mascots, you’d think that a Tamagotchi collaboration would have come sooner.
＼＼BT21 Tamagotchi will be released!／／#BT21 is now available in Tamagotchi!
Have a great day with your cute BT21 ♪Will go on sales this fall in Japan, Korea and other territories!
KOREA👉 https://t.co/sCn9bBmzlX
JAPAN👉 https://t.co/mXVJaYD3Rw#Tamagotchi #BT21BABY pic.twitter.com/LHWLlcGkvc— BT21 (@BT21_) May 20, 2021
In this version of Tamagotchi, you’ll be playing alongside Van as you raise one of BT21’s 7 iconic characters. Each character will start off in their “Baby” states and will eventually grow to their “Friend” states. The Tamagotchi comes packed with plenty of activities to do with your BT21 baby, including daily exercise, afternoon naps, and playing the harmonica.
Currently, the BT21 Tamagotchi has only been announced for release in Korea and Japan this September, but it’ll reportedly also be sold in “other territories”. It comes in two colors: Space Color (Blue) and BT21 Baby (Yellow), and retails for ¥2,530 (around ₱1,116). If you’re interested in trying your luck at ordering one, you can check out its official Japanese site.
The announcement of the BT21 Tamagotchi comes alongside the release of BTS’ latest single, Butter. Check it out below: