BTS 'Permission to Dance', Enhypen track banned from Seoul gyms; Here's why

In a bizarre decision, South Korean authorities have banned BTS' Permission to Dance and several other K-Pop songs from Seoul gyms for furthering the spread of COVID-19. Releasing a new set of regulations amid the surge of Coronavirus cases in Seoul, authorities have banned any song with a tempo higher than 120 beats per minute (BPM) in gyms.

South Korea bans fast workout music

According to BBC, South Korean health officials believe that with a fast-paced song, people tend to work out more fiercely, breathe too fast and splash sweat on others, which could, in turn, spread COVID-19. Even though gyms have not been shut during the new COVID-19 wave, they have been asked to avoid close businesses and limit workouts on treadmills to a maximum of 6km/h to control a person's breathing. Other K-pop songs banned in Seoul gyms include Drunk-Dazed by Enhypen, which has been mentioned along with BTS' Permission to Dance. 

Even as South Korea bans fast workout music and accuses it of spreading COVID-19, the rules have been ridiculed as “nonsense” by some Oppisioton parties and netizens. Gyms have questioned whether COVID-19 would choose to spread from one person to another based on whether they were playing BTS or classical music while some have asked how authorities would control music on gym-goers who were wearing earphones or AirPods. 

South Korea has imposed its highest level of social distancing rules in Seoul and neighbouring regions for the next two weeks. Gatherings have been limited to four persons and have been asked to decrease to two after 18:00. Nightclubs and bars have been shut and schools have moved to classes online. 

BTS Permission to Dance breaks records

After delivering the super hit song Butter the boyband is back with another English single. Korean boyband BTS dropped the music video for their latest dance number Permission To Dance on July 9 which is co-written by Ed Sheeran, Steve Mac, Johnny McDaid, and Jenna Andrews. The UK’s Official Singles Chart took to their Twitter and announced that BTS earned their seventh UK Top 40 entry with their newest single Permission To Dance. The music video of the song has crossed 163 million views on YouTube since its release.