Down, Down, Down the Rabbit Hole Named BTS

Oh My God, guys!

I never in a million years would have thought I'd listen to K-pop, but these guys are so much more. I think I disappeared off the reading radar for at least a couple of weeks and just obsessively watched and read all I could about them. Who needs sleep, right? Is it the old age? I came from listening to nu-metal in my student years to progressively mellow tunes, but I always avoided pop music. K-pop isn't conventional pop music though. It's something which evolved further, like an amalgamation of different genres which blend extremely well. 

BTS blew my mind with their versatility and sophisticated lyrics and the scope of their attention to detail. All their videos are interwoven into the multiverse story they've created over the years, and listening to them is like peeling layer after layer and discovering new details. And their messages are so powerful. It's about discovering who you are, accepting yourself and loving yourself. There is also lots of social commentary. One of their latest albums was based on Map of The Soul by Karl Jung, exploring different sides of human psyche.

I think they got me with ON Kinetic Manifesto.

The choreography was so sharp and the sound awesome, that I wanted more. I did the same thing everyone else does. I said to myself : "I just want to know their names..." That's it, I was a goner.

I would like to introduce you to Poppy who have been a long term fan of the group and who can tell you more about them, coming from her experience just because I really want you to understand why I am so smitten.😍

Hi, Poppy! Can you introduce yourself and tell how long you've been a fan of BTS and what drew you to them?

Hi, I'm Poppy, I'm a 16 year old ARMY who's been a fan of BTS for 4 years! Originally I was drawn to their unique music but truly became an ARMY because of their personalities and how genuine they are both on and off stage!

What is so special about BTS fandom, ARMY, and what it stands for? What do you love about it?

A lot of fans come together to support BTS and through doing so internalise BTS's message of loving and accepting yourself, and the fandom comes together to do good deeds like donating to charity in the name of BTS! Fans' unwavering support and belief in BTS is what brought them so far and BTS and ARMY both thrive on each other's love and support! What sets the fandom apart from the fandoms of western artists is their dedication and willingness to fight for their beliefs when it comes to BTS, especially as BTS are often treated unfairly by the western industry.

Do you have a bias*? And if yes, why?

*Definition from Refinery29: 

Most simply, having a bias means having a favorite member within a group. But in K-pop, the word is a bit more nuanced than that, and can mean different things to different people. For some, it's the person you're most romantically attracted to — for others, the person who stands out to you or who you simply become attached to. Fans may sometimes even develop an ultimate bias, who is their favorite not only among a single group but among all K-pop idol groups.

How you choose a bias is up to you, but as many fans say, you're often not the one with the power: the bias chooses you.*

Suga is my bias and has been for most of the time I've been a fan! In his mixtapes he's so honest about his past struggles as well as the drawbacks of his success (especially in songs such as 마지막/The Last) which really resonated with me at the time, and his ability both as a producer and rapper is unmatched (One of his nicknames in Korea is "Midas" for his ability to turn any song he works on into gold). Seeing him so dedicated to his music is inspiring and his personality when he's with the other members on shows is also something that makes me love him! 

I agree, Suga is absolutely brilliant, and I really like his songs, especially Outro: Tear. He just hits you in the gut. 

Finally, how does BTS compare to other performers in K-pop? What is so different about them?

BTS created their own music from the beginning, telling stories that resonate with the youth despite getting backlash from the K-Pop community at the time. 

The way they tell their own stories really resonates with a lot of people, especially since a lot of K-Pop artists aren't able to do so. The majority of the members are also experts in their respective fields (J-Hope, Jimin and Jungkook having trained immensely in dance prior to their debut, Suga and RM being rappers and producers in the underground scene even from the ages of 13) 

Their dance and stage presence is also something to behold, a lot of people are drawn to their on-stage (as well as off-stage) charisma and the sheer talent they show while performing!

Their creative freedom is also something that's rare in K-Pop, linking to being able to create their own music and tell their own stories. Very few groups (I myself know a lot of groups and can only think of one other) have this much control over their own direction and from that we get genuine music and genuine stories. 

In short, I think it's their talent, genuine storytelling and charisma that sets them apart!

Poppy, thank you so much for agreeing to answer all my questions. Your passion shines through and I can absolutely relate to it. 

Anyway, please tell me, dear readers, if someone else shares my obsession with listening to their music and watching reaction videos on YouTube? Which are golden. 😂

 

 I like all of them, they are very charismatic and each has their own strengths. Their rap line, by the way is awesome. I don't think I've listened to rap since Eminem, but they got me hooked. Suga, RM and J-Hope, I am talking about you. 

Overall, if you haven't listened to BTS and don't know what it's all about, I highly recommend you to dive in. Try DNA, ON, MIC DROP, BLOOD, SWEET AND TEARS, FAKE LOVE, IDOL and many others. Their live performances are all outstanding and so are their music videos. And they also have a goofy and adorable own variety show Run, BTS! which I am slowly going through.

Their stage presence is no joke.

 They are one of the few artists who are more powerful performing live rather than in MVs. No wonder, they are the biggest boy band in history, and broke all sorts of records continuously. I also love how they have their solo projects alongside the band ones, and they still manage to weave them in the overall story arch of their fictional characters. And they are goofy, sweet and humble. What's not to love?

Mind blown.

P.S. ARMY, I love them all, I swear! I just didn't want to overwhelm people with too many videos from YouTube. 🙏😂😘