Kim Namjoon, Kim Seokjin, Min Yoongi, Jung Hoseok, Park Jimin, Kim Taehyung, Jeon Jungkook, BTS!
BTS has taken the world by storm. Ever since their debut in 2013, they’ve been increasing in popularity. In the United States, they are the first Korean act to attend the American Music Awards and be nominated for a GRAMMY. They are best known for their hits, Boy with Luv, Dynamite, Butter, and Permission to Dance. But what makes them so likable?
I got into K-POP at about 8 years old. My sister started liking the band Big Bang, which is one of the most fundamental and innovative bands in K-POP. Since then, our love of K-POP grew from there. We started liking other bands such as 2NE1, B.A.P., MBLAQ, and Girls Generation, just to name a few. However, when I reached the age of around 12, I decided that I wanted to explore more of American music. I ended up taking a five-year break from K-POP. It wasn’t until halfway through my junior year of high school, did I rediscover K-POP through BTS. I was scrolling through my YouTube feed stumbled upon The Late Late Show’s Carpool Karaoke featuring BTS. I decided to watch this as I’ve enjoyed prior episodes of Carpool Karaoke. As the video progressed, I fell in love with each member of BTS. I loved their spunk, personalities, and talent. It didn’t take me long before I knew all their names, birthdays, and positions in the band.
I’ve been a member of the BTS ARMY for about two years now and I’ve loved every second of it. From Jin’s dad jokes to Suga’s mental health advice, every moment has been more than meaningful. A song that resonates with me a lot is Spring Day. This song was written about the Sewol Ferry Tragedy in South Korea where 304 people, mostly young teenagers died. Whenever I listen to this song, I become comforted in the thought that grief, loss, and yearning are natural experiences in life. It made me feel like being emotional was okay. Another song that means a lot to me is 00:00. This song is about how every day is a new start. If I were to make a mistake one day, this song reminds me that I have a fresh, clean slate the next day. Ever since this song was released, people have been playing it at a certain time during New Year’s Eve. This is so that when the clock strikes 00:00, the first words you’ll hear in the new year is, “and you’re going to be happy”.
In addition to BTS’ comforting advice in their music, they also share their own personal experiences in their songs. One song that fits this criterion is Reflection by RM, who is the leader of BTS. In this song, he shares the struggles he had with loving himself. At the end of the song, there are lyrics that are repeated which state, “I wish I could love myself”. Many fans of BTS, as well as non-fans, can deeply relate to this feeling. Whenever RM would perform this song live, at the end when he repeats, “I wish I could love myself”, the fans in the audience would chant, “We love you” back at him. Another song that’s personal to a BTS member is the song, The Last by Suga. He has been very open about his struggles with his mental health. He has touched on subjects such as depression, suicidal thoughts, OCD, and social phobia. The lyrics are filled with how he suffered from self-hatred and how he has a difficult time separating his real self from his idol image. He briefly speaks about his experience visiting a psychiatrist.
BTS has helped out a lot of people during the pandemic. They came about with an entire album during the pandemic, most notably with a song called Dynamite, an upbeat pop song that spread happiness during a time of darkness. There are also two other amazing songs called Life Goes On and Blue & Grey. Life Goes On is a comforting song in regard to the pandemic. Amidst all this uncertainty and hardships, BTS put out a song stating that we will get past the pandemic. Blue & Grey was written by member V. The song regards his feelings of hopelessness and depression which a lot of ARMY related to.
When the pandemic lightened, BTS held a four-day concert in Los Angeles. People came from all over the world to see BTS live for the first time in a while. I clearly remember this one picture I saw of the concert of an elderly woman with a walker wearing a sign that said, “84-year-old ARMY”. This further proves how BTS has reached all demographics.