Bastions (TV series)

Lore & Background

Bastions was first announced in April 2023 as a new animated series produced for SBS TV, featuring a new single from boy group BTS. The series was produced by Thymos Media and Navel. It premiered on SBS TV in South Korea on May 14, 2023, at 7:30 am, and is also available on the anime streaming service Crunchyroll, which simulcast the series on the same day.

The series centers on a group of young idols—Digger (voiced by Kim Han Shin), Almon (voiced by Kim Sin Woo), JJ (voiced by Kim Min Joo), Miki (voiced by Kim Yeon Woo), Mitch (voiced by Lee Kyung Tae), Chairman Yang (voiced by Si Young Joon), and Joony (voiced by Yoon Ah Young)—who live in a world where superpowers are an everyday thing. They struggle to learn how to use their powers to become superheroes and save the planet from villains trying to pollute the environment.

BTS provided the music for 'The Planet', which serves as the opening theme. The song was recorded by the whole group before going on hiatus to complete military service and venture on solo careers. Additional contributors to the soundtrack include Le Sserafim, Heize, AleXa, and Brave Girls, who contributed a song after their March 2023 digital single 'Tell Me' under a new agency.

Reader's Guide

Bastions represents a notable intersection of K-Pop and animation, leveraging the global popularity of BTS to draw attention to an environmental message. The series' use of BTS's 'The Planet' as its opening theme, recorded before the group's hiatus for military service, gives the show a unique place in K-Pop history. The involvement of other prominent artists like Le Sserafim, Heize, AleXa, and Brave Girls further underscores the fusion of music and storytelling. While the series aired early on SBS TV, its availability on Crunchyroll expanded its reach to international audiences. The show's premise—young idols learning to use superpowers to combat environmental villains—reflects a growing trend in Korean media to address ecological themes through popular entertainment. Bastions stands as a cultural artifact of the early 2020s, capturing a moment when K-Pop groups like BTS were transitioning into solo projects and military service, and when animated series began to more explicitly incorporate K-Pop elements into their narratives.

Did You Know?

• The opening theme 'The Planet' was provided by BTS and recorded before the group went on hiatus for military service and solo careers.
• Brave Girls contributed to the soundtrack with a song released after their March 2023 digital single 'Tell Me' under a new agency.
• The show is available on Crunchyroll, which simulcast the series on the same day as the SBS broadcast.

A K-Pop Superhero Crossover

Bastions is a South Korean animated television series that carves out a distinctive niche by weaving together two genres that rarely intersect: superhero fiction and the K-Pop idol culture. Airing on SBS TV, the show presents a world in which superpowers are not rare anomalies but an ordinary part of daily life. At the heart of the story sits a group of young idols who must navigate the dual challenge of mastering their abilities while pursuing their entertainment careers. Their central mission is to grow into capable superheroes who can defend the planet against a cadre of villains whose schemes revolve around polluting the environment. This environmental stakes element gives the narrative a grounded, contemporary urgency beyond typical good-versus-evil tropes. The premise positions the idol world not merely as a backdrop but as the lens through which audiences experience the superhero genre, making the show a cultural artifact that speaks to both animation fans and K-Pop enthusiasts simultaneously.

A Star-Studded Soundtrack

The musical identity of Bastions is anchored by a contribution from BTS, who recorded "The Planet" to serve as the series' opening theme. Notably, the track was captured by the full group before they entered their hiatus to fulfill military service obligations and pursue individual solo projects, making it a particularly significant late-era BTS recording. Beyond the headline act, the soundtrack draws on a broad roster of Korean artists, including Le Sserafim, Heize, AleXa, and Brave Girls. The inclusion of Brave Girls is especially noteworthy, as their contribution marks one of their first new songs since departing Brave Entertainment, signaling a fresh chapter for the group. The series was first publicly announced in April 2023, with the BTS single serving as a major promotional hook. This layered approach to the score—pairing a globally recognized boy band with a diverse set of soloists and girl groups—reflects the show's broader ambition to bridge the idol music world with animated storytelling, giving the soundtrack its own identity separate from but complementary to the on-screen action.

Production & Global Distribution

Bastions was developed through a partnership between Thymos Media and Navel, two production entities collaborating to bring the animated series to life for SBS TV in South Korea. The project was first revealed to the public in April 2023, generating immediate attention due to its high-profile musical connections. The series made its television debut on May 14, 2023, broadcasting at 7:30 am on the SBS network. While the domestic Korean airing set the official launch date, international audiences gained slightly earlier access through the anime streaming platform Crunchyroll, which made episodes available a full day before the SBS broadcast in select regions. This staggered release strategy allowed the show to build momentum in Korean-speaking markets while simultaneously reaching the global anime-watching community. The dual-release model underscores the production team's recognition that the show's K-Pop-infused superhero premise would resonate well beyond South Korea's borders, particularly among international fans of both animation and Korean popular music who follow the artists featured in the soundtrack.

The Ensemble Cast

The character roster of Bastions features a diverse ensemble of seven principal figures, each brought to life by a distinct Korean voice actor. The core group of young idols includes Digger, voiced by Kim Han Shin; Almon, brought to life by Kim Sin Woo; JJ, performed by Kim Min Joo; Miki, voiced by Kim Yeon Woo; and Mitch, whose voice is provided by Lee Kyung Tae. Rounding out the principal cast are Chairman Yang, voiced by Si Young Joon, and Joony, performed by Yoon Ah Young. The variety in the voice cast—spanning different actors and presumably different vocal qualities—suggests a deliberate effort to give each character a unique auditory identity within the animated world. The naming convention, with short, punchy English-style names like Digger, Almon, JJ, Miki, and Mitch, lends the characters an international, accessible feel that complements the show's cross-genre appeal. Together, this ensemble forms the backbone of the narrative, each member contributing their own superpower abilities to the collective mission of protecting the planet from environmental threats.