Having been a hardcore BTS fan for just a year and a half now, I accepted the fact that I would never see them live. Arguably the biggest boy band in the world right now (I might be a bit biased in that assessment), getting your hands on a pair of tickets to their concert is quite a challenge. When tickets first went on sale for their stadium tour, the May 4 show sold out in 90 minutes. Therefore, the universe must have been on my side when I landed tickets for their May 5 show of the Love Yourself: Speak Yourself Tour at the Rose Bowl.
I think I have finally made it past the denial stage that the concert is over, so now I would like to reflect on five unforgettable moments from my first BTS concert that I think fans and non-fans can both enjoy.
5. Jungkook flying across the Rose Bowl during his solo performance of Euphoria
Source: @firstsight_jk
I had anticipated this performance because I spoiled the setlist for myself by watching footage from the night before, but I was still Jungshook when I saw the youngest member of BTS rise above the audience and quite literally sing from the heavens. Who know chaotic Jungkook could be such an angel?
4. Waiting in line for three hours before the concert just to buy fan merch
Source: Reema Saad
This “filmstrip” long sleeve cost me a whopping $55 but I knew I had to leave with some sort of tangible memento from the concert. I never had my boy band moment as a pre-teen so this was my opportunity to rock concert merchandise at school the next day. Shout out to Nicole and Sophie, two fans I met in line who kept me company the whole time. During our wait, we could hear the boys doing soundcheck and they had to keep reminding me that yes, we were actually going to see BTS live that day.
3. Seeing BTS as true fashion icons
Source: Metro
BTS kicked off the night with their performance of Dionysus and dressed in Ancient Greek god-like custom Dior outfits. Many style changes were to come throughout the night, but the uniformity and simplicity of the Dionysus look makes the boys look like the unstoppable team of artists that they are.
2. Being surrounded by the most wholesome cult on the planet
Source: Reema Saad
The BTS fanbase–named ARMY–is no joke. It got the boys’ most recent music video for Boy With Luv to over 78 million views in 24 hours, making it the most viewed Youtube video in the first 24 hours of its release. Even though BTS has received much attention from American media, including being the first k-pop group to perform on Saturday Night Live, I don’t encounter many ARMYs outside of my friend group. So, being surrounded by tens of thousands of people who share the same love of their music and performance as I do is priceless and something I will always cherish.
1. Jimin getting emotional at the end of the show
Source: Koreaboo
It’s unclear what set off the waterworks for Jimin, but as the group gave its closing remarks, he broke down into tears. He said, “You’re the reason in my life that keeps me going; you are the reason why I am here today. So, so, I love you.” I assume it has to do with the realization that for the past two nights, they performed for their two largest audiences ever as well as the enormous recognition BTS has received recently. At the 2019 Billboard Music Awards, BTS won Top Duo/Group, beating out Dan + Shay, Imagine Dragons, Maroon 5 and Panic! at the Disco. Admittedly, Jimin is my “favorite” of the group (though I love all seven members equally), so seeing him give us this amount of energy when we should be the ones crying reminded me just how much BTS is really dedicated to ARMY.
I’m not going to lie, after looking back at my experience as a whole, I’m still a little in denial that it’s all over so soon. I still remember buying my tickets over a month ago, thinking I would have to wait in agony for the show to finally come. Now that it’s been nearly a week since I saw BTS live for the first time, I can’t wait for them to come back to Los Angeles, just like they promised they would in their closing remarks.