I.C.Y.M.I.: BTS Drops New Album, Sci-Fi Trailers, Marshawn Lynch, And More

Greetings, fellow pop culture aficionados, and welcome to week two of our I.C.Y.M.I. (In Case You Missed It) blog series where we recap a handful of trending tidbits from the past week in popular culture, in case you missed them.

Last Friday, we filled you in on Oscars winners, music icon world tours, and more. This week, we begin in the music world with the release of a highly-anticipated new album. Let's get down to it.

BTS Drops 'Map of the Soul: 7'

How many of you stayed awake until 1 a.m. PT to get your ears on new music from BTS? The South Korean supergroup released their fourth studio album on Friday. "Map of the Soul: 7" includes a hefty 20 tracks highlighting the band's individual and collective talent. With more than 4 million purchases made in advance, it's the most pre-ordered South Korean album of all time, according to Forbes.

Recently at MoPOP, you may have caught a glimpse of the seven-member K-pop sensation's music videos rolling on our Sky Church screen. With their latest release now available, chances are you'll continue to hear more of BTS at our museum. 

'From Russia with love...'

Don't worry, you didn't miss an announcement of a remake of the 1963 James Bond film starring Sean Connery. What we're referring to here is the tagline included on Netflix's first teaser for the now-confirmed fourth season of Stranger Things. The promo was released last Friday and the 50-second clip already looks to have resolved one of season three's major cliffhangers (spoiler alert in the video above!). 

Netflix has not confirmed a release date, but reports are the series is expected to debut in late 2020 or sometime in 2021.

Westworld Season 3 Trailer Released

Stranger Things wasn't the only streaming sci-fi series to make headlines this past week. HBO offered a look at season three of Westworld. There's a lot unpack in the nearly 3-minute preview (embedded above), but we'll use this space to call attention to the 53-second mark, where former Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch is featured alongside Breaking Bad star and Westworld newcomer Aaron Paul. Yeah, you read that right. Just watch the trailer (and click here to learn more about Lynch's role in Westworld's third season).

Nintendo Switch Launches Airport Lounges

If you're heading to Sea-Tac anytime soon, be sure to pack your Nintendo Switch. That might sound like an obvious tip for any gamer on-the-go, but the Seattle-Tacoma stop is one of four U.S. airports currently equipped with Nintendo Switch lounges to entertain travelers. 

Each lounge contains comfortable seating, charging ports, and Nintendo Switch game demos available, including The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Mario Party, Tetris 99, and more. Games and merchandise will also be available for purchase, and while supplies last gamers can get a free Nintendo Switch branded luggage handle wrap, plus a $10 coupon to use on any Nintendo purchase of $75 or more at Target.

Outside Seattle, Nintendo Switch lounges can be found at airports in Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Dallas through March 29 (all lounges are located beyond passenger screening).

PVDDR Wins Magic Worlds

Since this is our I.C.Y.M.I. series, why not toss another acronym your way? PVDDR, a.k.a. Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa, was awarded the largest payout ever in a Magic: the Gathering tournament, earning a $300,000 grand prize and taking home the trophy at the trading card game's 26th World Championship. Sixteen of the game's best players met in Honolulu, Hawaii last weekend to compete in a three-day tournament featuring the game's digital version, Magic: the Gathering Arena. 

"I started playing Magic when I was 8 years old, and you have no idea how many times I dreamed of this moment," Damo da Rosa said following his final match. "I've gotten everything else but this moment, but finally I'm the world champion. Even people who don't play Magic know what that means. It's incredible."

What'd We Miss?

Now that we've filled you in on a few things, what do you feel we failed to mention? Let us know in the comments, or hit us up with a suggestion on Twitter @MoPOPSeattle. We'll look to include your ideas in our next edition of 'I.C.Y.M.I.' 

For contests, the latest news, and behind-the-scenes content, be sure to follow us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.