BTS credits the pandemic with inspiring them to sing in English

BTS had to scrap their global Map of the Soul Tour due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but they got really creative during their time off by learning to sing completely in English, a move that's paid off for the K-pop superstars.

The band released three singles in English -- "Dynamite," "Butter" and "Permission to Dance" -- all of which shot to No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. However, not everyone in the band -- Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jungkook -- thought it was a good idea.

RM, the band's de facto spokesperson, told Billboard he wasn't fond of the idea, but admitted it was a crucial way to keep buzz alive during the pandemic and said, quite frankly, "There was no alternative."

Jin added that singing in English felt totally unnatural at first, explaining that he learned to mimic the guide track's pronunciations by writing them down in Korean characters.

"The English I learned in class was so different from the English in the song," he continued. "I had to erase everything in my head first."