McDonald's $MCD is bringing BT21 characters to Happy Meals at participating U.S. restaurants starting July 14 for a limited time, the company said. The promotion marks the first time BT21 toys have been offered in the U.S.
Each Happy Meal will include one of 10 toys at random. Seven of the toys feature individual BT21 characters — KOYA, RJ, SHOOKY, MANG, CHIMMY, TATA, and COOKY — each on a ring clip designed to attach to bags or keyrings, the company said. An eighth toy features the character VAN, a ninth depicts the full group together on a ship, and the tenth is a poster with stickers, according to Forbes.
BT21 is a line of characters developed by BTS members in collaboration with LINE FRIENDS. The characters map to individual BTS members — RM is represented by KOYA, Jimin by CHIMMY, V by TATA, among others — and VAN stands for ARMY, the name of the group's worldwide fanbase, according to TheStreet. The franchise launched in 2017.
Scanning a QR code printed on the Happy Meal box opens a digital experience at HappyMeal.com that lets fans mix music and animate the BT21 characters, the company said. No new food items are included in the promotion, according to Allrecipes.
McDonald's has now run three BTS-related Happy Meal campaigns in quick succession. The chain partnered with BTS on a TinyTAN Happy Meal in September 2025, releasing two sets of toys — a Throwback Edition and an Encore Edition — and hosting a fan event in Los Angeles. Before that, the 2021 BTS Meal — built around McNuggets and exclusive Sweet Chili and Cajun dipping sauces — became one of the chain's most celebrated celebrity tie-ins, reaching more than 50 countries and drawing more than 11.5 million social mentions.
The BT21 characters last appeared in McDonald's Happy Meals in 2023, but that promotion was limited to Asia, according to Forbes. No end date has been announced for the U.S. promotion. McDonald's said supplies are limited.