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New music can be fun, and getting to know BTS was no exception for me…
Music is a big part of many people’s lives. I am no exception. I’m in my late 50s though, and the bulk of my musical faves are from my youth. That said, my daughters are both really into music and they have introduced me to their favorites 🙂 It’s been nice to see their passion for their peeps and to have been introduced to more contemporary bands/stars 😉
**(featured image from BTS facebook official)**
My youngest daughter introduced me to BTS, a 7 member Korean group of young men who have broken all sorts of records and achieved a lot of “firsts” for Korean artists… as well as breaking all kinds of records for musicians in general. What’s striking to me, however, and part of why I decided to have this guest post, is that as big as BTS is, I don’t know that I would know who they are if it weren’t for my daughter! 😛
Well, I suppose at this point, I might have heard of them on my own as they have been on Jimmy Fallon and James Corden and New Year’s Eve shows and more. But, when we first went to see them in concert in Chicago in 2018, they were just starting to make appearances on national television and I had not taken notice (my bad).
So I decided that it would be fun to have a post about BTS on my blog. They are such sincere and kind-hearted people even at their level of success.?Quite refreshing! I asked my daughter if she knew anyone that might be interested in writing a post. She told me about an online publication devoted to BTS: Army Magazine. ARMY is the nickname for BTS fans. 🙂 I reached out to them, and they were kind enough to write a post for me to share! Before I send you on to their article below, I wanted to share one of my favorite videos –it was one of the first BTS songs that I learned. 🙂
Do you know BTS?
Article Shared by Army Magazine
ARMY Magazine, founded in July 2018, is an organization made up of 90+ volunteers from all over the world. It was created to be a reliable source of information for ARMY by ARMY! The organization publishes weekly blogs as well as a quarterly digital magazine dedicated to BTS.
Written by Brianna; Edited by Helene and Mireya
Surely you’ve at least heard the name. But if not, that’s okay. 🙂 BTS is a Korean band composed of seven young men: Kim Namjoon (stage name RM), Kim Seokjin (stage name Jin), Min Yoongi (stage name Suga) Jung Hoseok (stage name j-hope), Park Jimin (AKA Jimin), Kim Taehyung (stage name V), and Jeon Jungkook (AKA Jungkook). As BTS, they have risen to fame in the global music scene, having sold millions of copies worldwide. They have topped the Billboard Top 200 album chart a total of four times thus far, the first group since the Beatles to have 4 number one albums in the U.S. within two years. As socially conscious artists, they have inspired and campaigned for various charitable and humanitarian causes.
Perhaps most notably, the members helped to design and promote a UNICEF #ENDviolence endeavor called the Love Myself campaign, which draws upon themes found in their music. In fact, their philanthropy and the positive messages in their music led them to the United Nations; they were invited to speak at the UN General Assembly.
However, a lot of people who are not familiar with BTS may only know the band through a vague reputation that precedes them. If that’s you, it’s okay – ARMY, their fandom, loves to educate the general public about BTS. Let’s learn a bit more about this group that is taking over the world with their beautiful lyrics and voices, lovable personalities, flawlessly executed choreography, and profound humanity.
Ready, set, and begin. (reference to a song, Outro: Ego 🙂 )
Their music is very meaningful
BTS has perhaps become best known to the general public as a group who emphasizes the importance of self-love and self-empowerment in their music. Most of their songs have very deep meanings. The group has also written songs addressing mental health and unfair sociopolitical and socioeconomic circumstances in South Korea, which include the misconduct and corruption in the Korean social hierarchy, school systems, and more. BTS, from the beginning, has never been afraid to speak their minds through their music.
They sing and rap live
A BTS live performance is something you ought to experience yourself, because these 7 men are renowned for their difficult choreography and ability to still sing and rap live at an amazingly high quality. BTS works very hard to make sure they give their audience the best performance they can. Jungkook, a member of the group, actually mentioned once that he sings while working out to strengthen his voice and endurance. This is actually observable in a behind the scenes video in which Jin practices singing while jumping backstage (go to minute 10).
They set themselves apart with artistic multi-media content
Along with their meaningful music, giving the best live performances, and speaking out against the injustices they see and experience, BTS’s work is connected to a complex and seemingly endless storyline that has become known as the Bangtan Universe (BU). Through many interconnected music videos and a wealth of multimedia content, BTS are at the center of a fictional narrative that depicts and addresses many serious topics, such as abuse, trauma, and mental health.
However, alongside such dark themes, the BU also features the love and friendship that exists between the members’ fictional counterparts. If you would like to further explore this world of seven young, yet unfortunately burdened lives, the BU webtoon and Highlight Reel are good places to get a feel for it.
As a matter of fact, one of the other important factors that differentiates BTS from the “common boy band,” their love of art, is evident both in their music itself and in the BU. They often incorporate book references, psychological theories, scientific and artistic references into everything from their music videos and choreography to their song titles and lyrics. The BTS ARMY actually has a collection of books they can read thanks to BTS.
They earned their spot at the top
BTS’s hard work is something that must always be emphasized, for it is what led them to where they are now. They were (and are still) signed to a company that was initially very small and powerless in the Korean music industry before BTS’s success. The group’s first dorm was a small, one-bedroom apartment that all seven members shared. As Suga has often mentioned, he and RM, the first two members of BTS, have lived together for quite a long time – since November 10, 2010, to be exact.
The rest of the members joined soon thereafter, all sharing the same apartment by 2012, around a year before they debuted. Although their debut was a truly happy, unforgettable moment for them, they would have to undergo many more trials and hardships before meeting the success that now defines their career. The documentaries Burn the Stage and Bring the Soul also give an idea of just how hard the band continues to work even now.
They’re humble and frequently communicate with their fans
Once you get to know BTS for yourself, you will more than likely grow to appreciate just how much the members personally invest themselves in building and maintaining a genuine relationship with their fandom. The members of BTS are humble, sweet guys who share a ton of their feelings and experiences with their fans. The relationship between BTS and ARMY is truly that of best friends. They love each other, protect each other, and share plenty of jokes and laughs together.
It’s a beautiful relationship, and one that is reciprocal. As ARMY has helped BTS on the path to loving themselves through their cheers and support, BTS has helped every ARMY on the path to loving themselves through their music and personal messages.
If you’d like to get to know more about BTS, please feel free to do some more research to get better acquainted with them, their music, and their messages. ARMY is always willing to help out. Here are more suggestions for getting started with BTS (below video).
(I had to just get in one more favorite video. Such elegant choreography in this one–Cate) ? ?
Love Yourself Universe Theories
An entire searchable thread composed of every tweet BTS has shared.
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