New BTS merch alert: McDonald's hints at bringing BT21 Happy Meal to PH
Gear up for what is yet to come, ARMYs! Looks like the in-demand BT21 x McDonald's Happy Meal is finally flying from Korea to the Philippines in April.
On March 9, the global fast food chain's Philippine arm released a teaser on social media, which hints at the release of the popular Happy Meal in the country.
The minimalist post features small illustrations of a bee, a cup of tea, the number two or peace hand sign, and a clock set at 1 o'clock.
The caption reads, "Iykyk (if you know you know). Do you? Coming April 2023."
BT21 is a group of characters co-created by South Korean animation studio LINE FRIENDS and K-pop supergroup BTS. The set consists of eight characters—Koya, RJ, Shooky, Mang, Chimmy, Tata, Cooky, and Van—that represent BTS members RM, Jin, Suga, J-hope, Jimin, V, Jungkook, and their ARMY respectively.
Its collaboration with McDonald's consists of figurines each paired with a placemat that reflects the characters' vibrant personalities and signature colors. Like any Happy Meal, each toy comes with a burger, fries, and drink.
ARMYs who knew what the teaser of McDonald's meant were quick to express their excitement in the comments section of the post, which has over 6,300 shares and 12,000 reactions as of writing.
Several users wrote, "OMG BT21," "Excited for BT21," and "BT21 coming soon," while one fan said, "Finally, ARMYS heart have been heard."
Some predicted the upcoming merchandise to sell like hotcakes, saying, "Sold out for sure," "Sold out is waving," and "BT21 here I come!"
McDonald's and BT21's collaboration was first launched in South Korea on Feb. 23. At that time, there was no word yet if it will be available in other countries. This then resulted in ARMYs clamoring for its global release.
In May 2021, McDonald's launched the BTS Meal, which consisted of “10-piece Chicken McNuggets, medium World Famous Fries, medium Coca-Cola, and Sweet Chili and Cajun dipping sauces."
Its rollout in 50 markets all over the world turned out to be a success, helping the fast-food chain increase its sales by 41 percent in the second quarter of that year.