KEY POINTS

  • YouTube replaced its Rewind year-end event after negative reactions from users
  • Escape2021 is a 24-hour live stream
  • It features trivia questions and games to engage viewers

BTS will participate in an interactive live streaming event on YouTube this Thursday and Friday to celebrate the platform's biggest trends and videos of 2021.

The 24-hour event, titled Escape2021, will feature musicians and content creators who made a huge impact on the video-sharing platform.

The group made the announcement through its Twitter page Wednesday and wrote, "BTS is ready for #ESCAPE2021, and interactive experience live streaming on @YouTube. Join us & celebrate this year, with a few surprises along the way. December 16-17, 2021."

Escape2021 replaces the platform's much-criticized YouTube Rewind, which was accused of being a sanitized version of what really went through on the platform to appeal to advertisers.

YouTube Rewind received flak in December 2018 after ignoring the seemingly controversial but highly watched videos of the year, such as Logan Paul's post that showed the body of an apparent suicide victim in Japan's Aokigahara forest. Instead, the platform highlighted mainstream stars and creators who are influential but not controversial, something which was seen by some as a way for YouTube to market its creators.

YouTube formally pulled the plug on Rewind in October saying it would "refocus its energies" to create different kinds of activities.

Escape2021 is aiming to engage fans and will have trivia questions, trend-based challenges and "real-time live experiences" leading up to musical performances, The Verge said. Aside from BTS, Doja Cat and Mark Rober will also appear in the live streaming event.

"There will be three opportunities to stream and play. Each 'chapter' of the live stream will be completely unique, so you can play one or journey through all three — just be sure to catch the last chapter for our final live surprise," YouTube described the event.

However, some BTS fans, known as ARMY, are seemingly confused with the boyband's participation in the live event.

"I opened that yt escape thing to this…… i think i will simply wait for someone to upload the bts parts in the morning," a fan said.

Another fan was shocked to see BTS performing as Minecraft characters in YouTube's Escape2021.

"BTS as Minecraft characters performing Butter at Youtube's Escape2021," the ARMY wrote with a crying emoji.

After giving remarks at the UN, Korean pop sensation BTS rolled out a pre-recorded video of their track "Permission to Dance," flaunting their moves throughout the General Assembly and on the world body's lawn
After giving remarks at the UN, Korean pop sensation BTS rolled out a pre-recorded video of their track "Permission to Dance," flaunting their moves throughout the General Assembly and on the world body's lawn UNTV
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