BTS jokingly took credit for the Vulcan salute on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
BTS is a massive pop group out of Korea and could be compared to N’Sync from the turn of the Millenia, but with possibly a far more broad global appeal. Their fanbase is ravenous (not so unlike the boy bands of yesteryear) and follows them dutifully nearly everywhere they go. So it was a wise business practice to get Stephen Colbert to book them. Who would’ve thought Star Trek would’ve gotten involved somehow?
Well, considering they’re both on CBS properties, pretty good actually.
During The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the members of BTS did a segment where they joked around about the hand symbols they’ve created over the years. Most of them were silly, like the one you make if you have a pogo stick or the hand gesture for pizza. Then there was the one that Jungkook (real name Jeon Jung-kook) took credit for.
All in the name of good fun.
After a few of the members did theirs, Jungkook was up and explained that he, not someone from the 1960s, created the Vulcan salute, saying;
"This one means ‘Live Long and Prosper’. I invented it and Star Trek learned it from me. How is that possible? Because Star Trek takes place in the future."
It was comical and bemusing. Nothing offensive about it and it gave younger fans of BTS probably an opportunity to look into Star Trek more. After all, it pays to have a teen idol group hype your product.
For a Korean band whose first language isn’t English, the segment went over very well. Sure, there was the gaffe that the “heart is an organ” (it’s not, it’s a muscle) but overall it was amusing and good synergy for Star Trek and CBS.