BTS was the first K-pop group to win a Billboard Music Award. The group won Top Social Artist at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas, defeating nominees including Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande and Shawn Mendes.
The award was based heavily on fan engagement and social-media activity, making BTS's victory a landmark for the group's international fandom, known as ARMY. BTS had been nominated after building a particularly strong online presence in the United States and other global markets.
This distinction is sometimes confused with Psy's earlier Billboard success. Psy became the first Korean artist to win a Billboard Music Award when “Gangnam Style” won Top Streaming Song in 2013, but BTS was the first K-pop group to receive the honor. BTS's 2017 victory helped establish the group as a major force in the global expansion of K-pop.