@@rebecafigueras8622 oh yes I love the analogy. A box of Beglum chocolates pretty on the outside with ribbons and simple stylish wrapping when open it's full of the most amazing chocolates one's ever tasted.
I think it was Tablo of Epik High that said when he met with Yoongi and Namjoon, they just talk about music for hours/nonstop and that Tablo misses that. Someone passionate about music that they just talk about music.
bts' self love concept: a rollercoaster journey of introspection kpop's self love concept: an aesthetic and some singing "i love myself" in a kind of braggadocious 'im better than you' way
so true, i get genuinely frustrated when i see kpoppies sht on this concept because they claim bts is just using it for aesthetics as well. the amount of pure vulnerability they poured into this isnt to be taken for granted. and especially kpop stans have no right to talk ill of it when their favorite group just sings "love yourself, be yourself" while smiling in designer clothes. there's a reason bts blew up with these concepts, while they stay stagnant.
I completely agree they get the different emotions and shades that you experience going down that journey, instead mindlessly shouting a catchphrase. Listening to their songs is like diving within your self and a lot of their discography has that effect on you because of their nuanced approach and understanding of whatever concept they are talking about. They put themselves a 100 percent in their work. It’s unique and authentic to them and hence it transcends border and age groups or any other categorisation to reach to people who want to listen to good music and a great story.
This is why ARMY is so engaged with BTS's songs and concepts. There's so much to unpack and to discuss. I love it when there's so much substance in ones work.
Not to mention that the boys are actually good human beings! They are decent, they are kind, funny, warmhearted, hilarious, interesting, they're role models and they are just as flawed as the rest of us - and they're not ashamed to admit these flaws. To be honest, I fell in love with their personalities first before I liked their music.
And I truly think this is what both k-netizens who look at BTSs success with confusion and with actual die-hard k-pop fans who thought in June 2022 that ARMY would be bored and move to all their groups to raise them up got wrong and still don't understand. They keep ostracizing us as not being like the rest of the k-pop community, as if that is a drag, but like... we agree, we aren't the same... Louder than Bombs... a song we, 100%, have no "visual" for other than RM talking about he saw OUR pain behind our happy smiles when he wrote it... and it is one of the most beloved B-sides.
What gets me is that as soon as we claim that BTS is at the top of K-pop, or paved the way, these folk start up with the ostracizing. But the minute we muse about BTS not really being K-pop, they totally insist that Yes, BTS IS TOO K-Pop. And the way they drag K-pop itself- 'BTS is ONLY K-pop'- just makes me smirk, to be honest. It's one thing when naysayers abandon their own groups to support a 'BTS-beater' in an awards vote, but when they start badmouthing the very industry in their efforts to diminish BTS, well... That's when I start calling them ARMYs in reverse, because they have really made BTS the center of their musical lives. Pity it's in such a negative way.
And this is why I don't enjoy kpop it's visuals going around in circles or as my mother would have said 'It's all fur coats and no knicker's' in other words its all for show at first glance with nothing of substance underneath.
@@eileencritchley4630 i wouldnt even have that big of an issue with the "fakeness" of Kpop if they would do something interesting with it. Its a weird situation where they are trying to pass of manufactured stuff as real, which doesnt work. Either it is real, in a sense that is pulled from reality by people that actully experience things and want to talk about it, or make it completely fake. I think Aespa has a quite interesting concept, because they are actually just making shit up and sing about made up shit (in one half of their discography). I like that, it works with the made up world of kpop.
Zach Sang is such a good interviewer. He asks great questions, genuinely seems interested in the artists' answers, and does his research before an interview. I wish more interviewers could be like him.
@@crystalsnow1138 yes and you can tell bts also like being interviewed by him from the way his is one of the very few shows they keep going back to, as well. Also, he’s actually respectful of them and their artistic process and takes genuine interest in what they’re trying to say, despite the obvious language barrier and everything, like you can tell he puts an effort in the interviews
That's why when BTS releases music we have smart armys ready to dissect and analysis the song and mv because they know there's some story and something to pick up from there🥺 i love that
Yes it's for people who enjoy 'engaging their brains' while listening to good melodies and beats. We get some much more out of the music. We really could care less about the clothing that's all extra's on top and dance is like icing on a great cake.
@@irakulkarni5445 BTS storyline forms an entire Bangtan universe.. Which joins MVs, books, stories, several video clips, and now even a K-drama together. Also BTS concepts goes way deeper than the concepts of other Kpop groups. No group comes close when it comes to BTS' lyrics and storytelling capabilities.
@@ushreebakshi8818 uh the whole storylines connected through mvs and being extremely deep are a thing many other groups like the one I mentioned do too.
That Blackpink's interview was so painful to watch... the guy was just trying to give them a chance to explain themselves as artists... They had nothing lol
This is exactly why I hate yg as a company, like they give no artistic freedom or creativity to their artists. They produce robots who'll sing and dance the way they want ☠️
@@Fraeyola Producers don't even give them a chance, like, they might have so much talent as composers, etc... I remember watching a clip of jay why pee rejecting ideas from someone from got7 after 3 freaking seconds, like, dude, come on
Zach Sang is an excellent interviewer. He asked deep questions of the girl group, and their answers had no substance. It was very awkward, and Zach looked so disappointed.
@@paulaortega3756 So True. The members of Blackpink are struggling with their solo projects. Many said the lyrics of Lisa's songs don't make sense and I feel all the members are struggling as someone with 8+ years of experience in the kpop industry shouldn't struggle with writing lyrics. They must be capable of writing their own lyrics and producing and composing their songs.
This is why until this day, no Kpop groups can match BTS’ worldwide success. They delivered messages, without neglecting voice, visuals, stage presence, etc.
@@huntressmma1822 I'm supposed to be asleep it's 3am but I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep so didn't want to wake hubbie with me tossing and turning so here I am instead and I'm wide awake.
@@eileencritchley4630 i personally don't care if the singers don't write their songs, imagine if you love to sing and and your voice is good but you can't write and people hate o you only bcz of this , now rappers for me has to write haha
What I adore about BTS's concepts is that their self-presentation is allowed to be flawed. Their discography is a story of boys growing up, and when boys are growing up, they aren't perfect. They can be jealous, possessive, sexist, delusional, desperate, angry, deceitful, self-important, pretentious, aggressive, boastufl, petty, thin-skinned, obsessive, and many more things. It's so wonderfully human and so deeply relatable. Another important aspect of a BTS album is that hearing a song on its own and listening to it in the the context of the album changes your perception and understanding of the song. One of the best examples is Danger. I remember some people hating on that song (with chagrin because even they couldn't deny it's a banger and a half) because some of the lyrics sound like an incel's manifesto, with the guy being angry the girl is hanging out with other people and not giving him attention. However, on the album, the song immediately preceeding Danger, the intro What Am I To You? gives context to that: the intro is about the boy trying desperately to win over the girl until she finally gives in and agrees to date him. But his happiness doesn't last as he starts noticing he's way more into the relationship than she is, and he's putting way more work and isn't feeling much love from her in response. Like, duh, my dude, she's with you because you've worn her down, not because she fell in love with you, so of course this relationship is doomed. And of course he's feeling what he's feeling in Danger. And of course by track 5, Let Me Know, the relationship is all but dead, and in the next one, Rain, he's suffering the break-up depression. It's a story they're telling, it's very intentional. I have never seen anything like that in other k-pop groups' discographies. Sure, some of them have bops, and bops are awesome, but it's the substance that stays with you years later, not the style.
Wonderfully said and analyzed! The way you talked about that album helped me to see the connecting themes of the album, thank you! (Aha I'm not great at literary analysis so I depend a lot on armys like you who make these connections 😅😅)
Love this! Totally agree with you! That's why Danger is one of my personal faves. I related to it! Together with Outro: Tear and NO. And then so much more! ApoBangpo!!! 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
True! BTS always make a point of asking people to listen to their albums from start to finish, and that's for a reason! So many of their songs have completely different meanings depending on context. Some songs I didn't connect to at first make so much more sense for me in their albums. For example, when DNA first came out I wasn't connecting with the lyrics, all about perfect love and being fated to be together? Those weren't the kind of lyrics I usually expect from BTS. I'm sure plenty of people could enjoy a song like that, but it wasn't for me. Then later after the whole 'Love Yourself' trilogy had been released I went back and listened to the albums in full and I realised DNA makes perfect sense within the storyline they were developing: LY Her: Serendipity is about a new person entering your life who seems to be your 'saviour'. DNA is about the early days of a relationship that feels 'perfect' and 'fated', being caught up in the haze of infatuation. Best of Me, Dimple and Pied Piper develop the themes of captivation, feeling swept away and even overwhelmed in the relationship, though doubts about your sense of self and the possible toxic sweetness of the relationship are creeping in. By Outro: Her the relationship is appearing more complex and realistic, there are good points and bad points, you want it, but you're not sure, caught between conflicting feelings, love and hate. LY Tear: Singularity has our protagonist waking from a disturbing dream with a deep knowledge that everything is wrong. There's something important you need to say but your voice is gone. The illusion has been shattered, that 'perfect' relationship was really just a way to run away from looking at your true self. Fake Love and The Truth Untold continue the theme of realising you changed yourself and hid behind a mask to keep the illusion of love, but never allowed that person to see the real you. 134340 is post-breakup, and talks about feeling like you were only ever reflecting the other person's light, orbiting them hopelessly, but your real self was never truly present. Paradise is about slowing down and stepping away from the race of life, taking time to figure out what you really want. To me Love Maze is about reconnecting with your self (though it could be read as being about another person). Magic Shop is about finding hope in a dark place and working through self-hatred. Outro: Tear is a bitter look back at the relationship which is now in the past, allowing yourself to process anger and disappointment. LY Answer: This is a repackage album which brings together a lot of previous songs but adds Epiphany, which is our character having a realisation that this previous search for external love was a distraction, a way of trying to compensate for emptiness and insecurity, and that really you need to confront yourself, accept yourself, and try to start loving yourself despite your imperfections before you'll be ready for a fulfilling relationship. After that I'm Fine is about the almost exhilarating intensity of admitting to yourself that you're not, in fact, fine. Then Idol comes in as a defiant shout of intention for this new direction: "you can't stop me loving myself!" and we finish with Answer: Love Myself, which reaffirms that loving yourself isn't easy, but it's something you need to actively work on every day. When you see this whole beautiful narrative told over two years and three albums, a song like DNA which at first might appear a bit simplistic takes its place as a meaningful chapter in a larger story. And of course if you want you can enjoy it out of context and just have fun with it as a straightforward love song if you're in that kind of mood!
When I listened to the new RMs album: Right place, wrong person, I couldn't understand the concept and I also didn't look for the lyrics. I just listened to the music and in the order that the songs are put together. But I understood the was a concept, and also a message.... When I listened to his conversation with Jimin, then I understood and I loved it, and I appreciated it way more.
Same, i loved that conversation because we could experience their thought process and vulnerability. Every listener can interpret their own individual meaning into a song that matches their life story but i personally also like to see/hear what in this case RM actually meant with the lyrics. Especially him because he‘s so poetic and so often refers books that I havn’t read.
People often confuse the term concept with the word theme. A concept is an idea or a visual narrative running through a body of work, whereas the word 'theme' has origins in literature and refers to the subject matter being discussed, or a question being posed in a philosophical sense. BTS combines the primarily visual aesthetic ideas of pop and kpop, with the abstract philosophy of life and identity relevant to each member and that is what distinguishes them on another level compared to other groups
I feel like 'aesthetic' describes best what Bora meant. Because a theme can have a similar meaning than concept. The word concept would just describe something more thoughtful and complex. For example, the "school concept" is not a theme since the song doesn't talk about school at all but love - it's just an aesthetic, something superficial. You could completely get rid of it and replace it and it wouldn't change anything or just the "vibe". It would still "make sense" with anything else. A school theme would require to, at least a little, talk about school - even superficially. I feel like it depends from one situation to another.
Yessss for me the concept of mots:7 is jungian psychology whilst the theme is retaining personhood in alienating conditions + accepting darkness with the light
As someone who enjoys listening to kpop but is also an ARMY, this is literally the best explanation as to why it is so hard for me to stan other groups. I've tried to but I always get bored of them over time because in my opinion they lack substance and just keep following trends (idk how to say it), but BTS' music is so rich and so diverse and so meaningful to them, and watching them grow as artists and see them excited about their own projects and how in love they are with what they do, I just have never see that on another group in kpop, that's why I think I will just remain a kpop casual listener but nothing else. Being an ARMY has made me a whole new person, it makes me rethink and reflect on myself, it makes me a better person, and it's just amazing how BTS changed the game completely in an industry full of superficial music.
This is the same for me exactly. - I enjoy other groups and they are hard workers as well. So I want to show them some support. But after a few songs, I end up getting so bored. I agree, BTS has changed me in some way; they touch me to my core. I have their symbol tattooed on my arm and the other day someone said to me, "That's random!". lol - No... it's no more "random" than BTS is. Unfortunately, people think of kpop as superficial & artificial and they think BTS is just that.
Same for me! I will tell anyone, I'm a casual listener of k-pop but a full fan of BTS. Sure, it nice to have just quirky and funky songs. But sometimes you want a song to connect to. BTS does just that! They let their experiences connect with people, and it helps bring more fans!
There are several other very talented groups in Kpop with great messages and storylines and versatile and diverse sounds like TXT, Ateez and Dreamcatcher for example or groups who are self produced like Seventeen, Stray Kids, Monsta X and (G)-I-DLE.
Army holds BTS's music as the most superior form of ART. It's BTS's music, it's serious for us. It's emotional and grounded in reality. Their emotions affect us listeners. I feel what they feel. I see what they see.
It shows in how many people analyse their lyrics, MVs, performances and listens carefully to their beats. We love their artistry and personalities above anything else 💜
Bangtan have always been creative and original in their concepts with the music they make as a group and individually, showcasing multi talents and versatility, with great storytelling and themes in their music which fans can relate to such as messages of self love which has inspired and motivated fans, BTS always bringing something different which is fresh and new that keeps listeners engaged. They are idols who are true Artists in every sense of the word with an amazing discography and who enjoy what they do with passion and love for their Art and that is loved and admired by all the fans. Artists who grow and evolve each time as individuals and as group members, showing their real artistry which is unique to them and with a work ethic that is second to none 💟
Not only did BTS have concepts, which as you’ve pointed out, was never, or rarely done in K-pop before, but they were somehow completely in sync with what people around the world wanted to hear at that moment. So not only are they authentic, they are relevant too. Literally millions of fans have said that BTS ‘saved’ them, in some way or another. Such an emotional and intellectual connect between performers and their fans are a rare thing, and that’s why BTS have written themselves into music history. Thank you for this analysis! Really enjoyed listening to it!!
Or you can put it another way and say that BTS from their very beginning wrote their music as an expression of their thoughts, feelings and concerns; and their messages resonated with people around the world who were feeling and thinking the same way. That is why ARMY is so engaged with the guys and accept no (shallow) substitutes.
I've been saying this for sooo long and kpop stans always attacked me. This video is exactly what I always try to tell people. Boracity is so informative and always do a great job.
Each and every segment of this video proves that BTS is the best group. As a listener, I love songs that have a deep meaning and concept, the songs that build a connection between the listeners and the artist. True music has the power to change the mood of listeners even with different languages. BTS will always be legendary because they don't produce a single kind of music. They always have something unique to offer. They made me a true music lover.
Storytelling in songs is what I live for! It's why I love musicals. Their solo songs in the WINGS album both with their real life feelings and also fit their character sin the BU and it's genius
BTS knows how to tell a story through their music. I’ve always loved listening to the songs first and then looking up the lyrics. It’s a fun trip to get know what the story sounds like and using our brains to figure out what it all means.
someone once said kpop is becoming more of a *BEAUTY* pagent than a *TALENT* show and even tho I love kpop alot, i cant help but agree. I think the visuals and overall aesthetics of a group is and has been more important than the music itself for a long time. The concept of a group shouldnt ONLY be about the visuals; its the music itself and its message that should be in the spotlight that will truly pull your audience in. Another 10/10 video essay from our girl Bora 💜
@@kamalhossan5694 no it was not always like that! 2nd gen was a gem , there were no great visuals ,no plastic surgery, just natural beauty and pure talent with best music
*Becoming a BTS fan for each of us was the whole of words/visuals and gestures in their songs who have shown us with words and images how to love ourselves, how to fight against evil, fight against hatred, help the weakest that's why BTS is and will be a UNIQUE band of its kind and they will be remembered as healers/bearers of messages of encouragement and be confident in ourselves first and foremost and this is what they did through their albums and their concepts❤*
that's why it's infuriating when some ego centered woman CEO had the nerve to even say that BTS concept was copied from her by BSH. Her definition of concept is really visually centered. Sorry for bringing her up as an example but my thoughts went immediately to her statement. I can remember our Tannies talking about their albums or even a song. thats one of the things i love about them. they put so much thought about the concept theyll talk about it endlessly. Everything they do is intentional. They make us think and analyze their message. Yes we do love their visuals. But for me that wasn't even the 1st thing that grabbed my attention. It was really their personality, their songs, the message they bring, and so much more. Their visual is just icing on top. To even compare is totally mind boggling for me.
Actually the mhj thing confused me so much bc for a long time I thought she was a music producer but turns out she’s not, like are you saying all that panic from the fans is not because of a potential change of sound but because of some basic aesthetic and visuals? Copied ones for that matter?
The sound of the music got me first being a musician I had to look at the lyric's and try and see what those amazing vocals, and beats, musical notes held so I read the lyric's as I don't understand Korean and I was completely hooked. It had nothing to do with their clothes or looks it was all about the music sound rythems, beats production different sounding instruments and of course lyric's, then the amazing dancing on top was the cherry on top.
Thank you for saying this. I had started to comment something about how it made me think of the MHJ accusations, but you said it much better than I was attempting.
@@cassiedlp847 no wonder she said trashy stuffs about her own group, while I think we never heard such commentary from anyone work with BTS, even their music producers or creative directors
As a non Korean Army, i hsve to say, that is what pulled me in to BTS, its not just bubblegum airhead music....thats why so many Army are older and mature. We love the way the guys write....its not just sex, money, cussing, sleeping with a bunch of different people, trying to out do each other and drugs...which is about what American Rap was turning into!! These guys, RM and the guys, use their brains....they have meaning, substance, indepth messages!! Lolol....okay ill stop now.😂 🫰💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
I second this. I'm not a fan of music without story or personal reflection, so discovering BTS is very very interesting and satisfying journey. They make sense, they do not confuse me, nor bore me, while they share so many lessons and own takes about life. I'm always amaze on how thougtful they are. I can write long praises about them while I'm finding it hard to think on one praise for other K-pop acts who are not involved in the creation of their songs/artistry work.
Yes! Totally agree! That's why I have never been into rap. Although I did listen to Eminem but never took it as my genre of choice. Before I became an ARMY, I was a country girl. Still am actually. BTS, then country. Now with BTS rap, I love it! Because they are saying something that speaks to me. Outdo: Tear, NO and Danger! 💜 And the list goes on!!! ApoBangpo!!! 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
@@wupeaThere are several other very talented groups in Kpop with great messages and storylines and versatile and diverse sounds like TXT, Ateez and Dreamcatcher for example or groups who are self produced like Seventeen, Stray Kids, Monsta X and (G)-I-DLE, in case you are interested.
@@WinkooVision Odd enough but I have listened to dozens of kpop groups including ones you have mentioned, I also did a bit of a research about them, so I know the elements that you just mentioned. But, musically I find it difficult to connect with them on the level I had with BTS, thus why I ended up with BTS.
I´m so glad there are still k-pop fans who know what "concept" actually means, not just the aesthetics. And that other people, not just me, are kinda fed up with meaningless catchy music everywhere and with idols not connecting to it. Also glad that there are k-pop groups who do make genuinely meaningful music and actually like it!
Too bad that everyone in these comments demonises and generalises all of Kpop and the many groups that do have meaningful music and who do write, compose and produce their own music when that is just untrue and unfair.
I think they confuse visual concept with music concept. Visual concept is what most groups do and their fans want to see. Like being cute, sexy blah blah... It's all about visuals, what they wear, how they act, the dance. Music concept or the album concept is about the theme or the topics the songs are based on in an album.
exactly my thoughts! i think some stans just pick up keywords, assume whats meant and run with it. a whole album having an actual concept is much different and so rare to see. feels like they just focus on a certain color palette and then praise them for this amazing "concept."
@@ajlee2168 I get the point of this video. K-pop fans can be dumb talking about aesthetic concepts as if it's the entirety of one's art. But It's really not that rare to find actual concept albums? Pretty much all the big boy groups of the 3rd and 4th gen have a set of thematic and lyrical concepts in each of their albums. Really well-developed themes. You need only to look into pretty much any Stray Kids, TXT, Ateez, or P1Harmony album. And even before BTS, B.A.P, Block B, VIXX, and Big Bang were writing well-thought through music about societal issues and mental health and identity often based off literature.
@@machinelearner108 i know about most of these, not all, but i cant lie, none of them come close. as i said, its rare, not non-existent. its not the kpop-norm. most of the 'concepts' stay superficial. most groups you mentioned, i wouldnt say had good concepts, or better said, they werent executed good enough. none of these groups truly catch me or make me think, they still exist in this box that ive grown out of. as for most kpop, i like individual songs here and there, but rarely a full album, let alone concepts that are too vague, bland or superficial to me, and seem to heavily rely on the listerners own interpretations to project a message. ofc groups had concepts. but if its not done well, i wont praise it, or put it on the same level as groups like bts who could talk for hours about why and how they came to do this concept. an artist can make an album and sing about being depressed in every song, but if it doesnt go deeper than "im depressed" and the songs dont sound good production-wise, thats just not a well executed concept then, aka, its just not up to my 'standards'. you say they are well-developed themes, and i just disagree. it exists, surely, but it is rare to see it well done. im just not seeing it with most of the groups you mentioned. but thats again subjective. in the ocean of kpop, its rare.
@@ajlee2168 Well fair enough if you don't like the concepts of the groups I mentioned. But I doubt you listened to the entire albums and read all the lyrics. Of course for us as BTS fans, we'll enjoy BTS's concepts more because we know the members, we watched their logs, we know their struggles and we have a massive, massive dearth of explanation videos and introduction videos for ARMY explaining their music. That doesn't exist to the same extent for other fandoms because they are 20% of the size of BTS's, max. From the research I have done on other K-Pop groups like the ones I mentioned, their artistic stories and messages are as well conveyed as the BTS albums. Their lyricism, symbolism is just as well done and moving too. I keep an open mind, but if you can't connect that's absolutely fine. I think that is a really dismissive thing to say about a group singing about being depressed and the message not going further than that, because non-BTS fans could just as easily say that about BTS; they're just saying 'love myself' but it's an empty message. That couldn't be further from the truth. None of the artists I talked about have superficial messages by any means. But if you don't actually read the lyrics and explore their artistry, then how would you know how realistic it is? G-Dragon, as an example, lived a long-suffering, arduous existence and struggled heavily against the stigma of idols being artists (much like BTS). He's written of deeply personal topics, identity struggle, self-hatred, combatting the public's persecution of him, the flaws of the idol industry, and anybody who knows and has followed his story, will emotionally resonate. His lyrics are incredibly well-written - art. So since you don't know these artists anywhere near as well as you know BTS, you should not judge. I also used to think nothing could top BTS, but I grew out of that mindset (which was childish for me, perhaps not for you) and have been emotionally moved by other K-pop artists too. You don't have to, but please don't be so dismissive when you haven't even listened to these guys 5% of how much you've heard BTS. Finally, the sound of the music is subjective. As a trained musician, I can tell you there is an absolute dearth of incredible production and songwriting across the groups I mentioned, but if you don't like it, you just don't, as simple as that. That doesn't mean it's less significant than BTS and can't move other people. I don't have to believe that BTS is the only group capable of moving me to enjoy BTS's music.
Wow, that BP's Zach interview was very cringey! (I've never seen that interview) I'm glad you included other KPop groups who are able to articulate their concepts and artistry. I'm always so proud of our guys sharing their songs and albums processes to help enrich the listeners to their music. I'm also very impressed with Beyonce's interview as well.
The whole interview was worse because they obviously weren't prepared for it. Every time they were asked about the production of the song, they had no idea how to answer. I was surprised YG didn't prepare them for the questions. All kpop labels have to approve the questions, and I am surprised the label didn't train them.
Giving what I saw of their tour... Most of those show send a list of topics to chat that needs to be approved by the artist and their team, till the point of having an approved arrangment of the questions to be made before hand. YG must have approved the topics, maybe even the questions here my question is why the girls and their personal teams did not sit themselves to read the questions and prepare for them.
Nah if gidle company give them chance just like now , they can go long way bcz they truly seems connected I like NXDE SO MUCH, it's such a refreshing thing I see in such a long time where I can enjoy a k-pop song without watching even though the mv was quite enjoying, I think TXT is another great example of artists putting sound over visual, I enjoy some of their song
You know I just read a whole essay by a kpop fan about how BTS aren't " as involved as" groups such as SVT, SKZ in their music etc and a lot of kpoppies agreed with it. I didn't want to start a war so I just gave them each member's song credits numbers. Some people are really wild when it comes to being delusional
Don't take this as hate. And I don't agree at all with K-Pop fans bashing BTS or anything. To give some context, BTS are involved in music a lot, but I'm not sure if you know about Seventeen. Seventeen's songwriting members are usually the first credit for songwriting (meaning they contributed the most to melodies and lyrics) whereas BTS member's names (unless they produced the song) are usually 3 or 4 down the list. Also, Seventeen choreographs all their stuff themselves (Hoshi). So they're more involved in the final product than BTS. Someone in these replies said 'Aren't BTS known to be the most involved in their music?' and they may well be known for that, but it's not true. Because there are other groups who write, compose and produce pretty much everything, choreograph their stuff, and work out all the themes and concepts of their albums without any guidance or help from higher-ups in the company, Whereas Bang PD and Big Hit's artistic team are mostly responsible for BTS's concepts. It's of course true that their concepts match what the members experience in life, and it's not like BTS have no contribution, but basically Bang Si-Hyuk comes up with the themes and concepts (eg: temptation, blood sweat and tears, and boy meets evil) and gives them to BTS, as well as giving them keywords. Hope you understand - basically other groups do that whole part themselves.
The way kpoppies talk about "concepts" reminds me of how some people online give new names to things that already exist and think that's enough to make it a trendy aesthetic, for example "blueberry milk nails" that are literally just light blue nail polish or "brownie lips" which are just brown lip liner and lipgloss.
I used to absolutely love namjoon's review and behind the scenes of their albums on vlive it was so nice to listen to him talking about their demos, messages, stories behind production and songwriting it was so exciting!
That is why I can never take the kpop industry seriously as a music fan. And it reflects soo clearly in the way the fans move…..all the fanwars being about “same outfit-copy” “same hair colour-copy” “same set piece-copy” it is beyond shallow…..very low form of art consumption dare I say. It’s never about “ oh these two artists are talking about same issues in their music” “these two artists have same artistic perspective in sound” Well people are allowed to enjoy what they like and there should be no judgement on that but when the fans start comparing BTS to other kpop artists it truly sounds goofy bcoz the only thing common there is probably them being from South Korea.
@@statusboy...3405 Please don't take any of this as hate. It's just what I've observed from much research. I don't think BTS were as involved in understanding the ins and outs of Wings and its themes as I wish they were. During the entire shoot of the BST Japanese MV and short films, they talk about having no idea what the director is trying to convey. Wings and BST are concepts Bang Si-Hyuk came up with and gave to BTS (watch Namjoon's livestream 'Behind Wings' - of course there was discussion after this, but the members didn't come up with it). Bang Si-Hyuk also gave all of the members keywords to write their solo songs in that album. And then in that interview, they hardly talk about Demian, literature and coming of age, the dichotomy of temptation and growth, but they were mostly talking about the performance and sexy concepts - the sides of them that they'd show the audience visually in performance. No different unfortunately from the rest of K-pop with the added benefit that they write lyrics. Of course Namjoon read the book but the entire concept was developed by the creative team at BigHit. It feels bad to say, and I used to think differently, but their album explanations just sound rehearsed. They've said many times in radio interviews that Bang Si-Hyuk told them to say this or that to introduce each concept. As amazing as the concepts are and as much as I enjoy analysing them, it seems BTS aren't aware of how extraordinary they are.
@@erilucy Just saying I wish they would try to understand and explore the themes of Wings a bit deeper so they could say more meaningful things about it in interviews. The interview in this video, they don't say anything particularly special, when they could have promoted it as a musical retelling of Demian or something else impressive (which it actually is, song by song for the solo songs) and random non-BTS fans watching the video would be like... woah, BTS is intense and check them out. But it seems to me they take the concept of Wings as no differently to a K-pop concept.
I seriously don't have that much brain to think theses things on my own but when i listen to you i can def agree to each and every point.These are the things which people don't pay attention to .
That HEAVILY depends on the group, there's plenty of other groups in Kpop who have meaningful concepts and messages and write, compose and produce their own music and make their own choreographies, among other creative decisions.
this is why i am an army , bts concept are always worthful to watch , no one ever can do it like them , the way they can explain their concepts and it always matching with their each and every songs . bts is different from kpop . may god protect them and give all success
The opinions kpopies had on Right Place Wrong Person were so braindead it was actually a relief, I was like damn those people really don’t know anything about music so I shouldn’t listen to them ever
This whole interview segment at 13:10 reminded me about Britney Spears at the Carpool Karaoke with James Corden. They played and sang her songs and when host asked her what this song is about she just stared blankly and said "I don't know". And overall wasn't interested in being here at all. And we all know now that Britney had no artistic control in her career at that time (or over her life as a whole). So no wonder these girls don't know what to say. At this point I am not sure all of them even want to be a singer as a full-time job. (This segment was so painful to watch 😭) Edit: also, who was that girl group and boy group who talked about their songs after that segment? And that one, rating her concepts.
Britney said her favorite album of hers is Blackout and that was the one she was the most involved in artistically, makes me extremely sad because that album is really good but it’s still the only one she participated in so much, it’s just an immense waste of talent
I think for BTS, but more specifically Namjoon and Yoongi being the key writers/producers, concept is critical. This is even more apparent in their solo works. Yes they have an inhouse team they work with but just the way they talk about their albums, they are all 100% invested. I think this is why with Dynamite/Butter/PTD they felt they were losing themselves. They never wrote those tracks, there was no personal story or concept to discuss or invest in. Even at Festa dinner Joon said he was asking himself what kind of group are we now? If you take away the 'art' then you don't have an artist. And of course we now have all the members in ch2 getting this experience with their own strong concepts. They learned from the best, the rapline!💜
I’m glad you said it, Dynamite and Butter were fine little summer distractions, but Permission to Dance just went too far with the vapid bubblegum. The song just wasn’t them, you could tell it was written by an older British guy, I mean, seriously, how many people under 40 listen to Elton John? I’m in my 50s, so a big fan, but I’m pretty sure he’s not the go-to for Millennials. The song sounded like a fast food commercial. I’m so glad the guys got their voices back with their solo projects before they enlisted.
@@blossom6693 I didn’t decide, Namjoon himself said he had mixed feelings about it because they didn’t write any of it. That’s literally the definition of it isn’t them, it’s mostly Ed Sheeran. And I didn’t say it didn’t “represent them,” because it’s obviously Ed Sheeran’s representation of them. But it didn’t come FROM them. That’s simply an objective fact. 🤷🏼♀️
@blossom6693 AMEN!!! You know what's funny??? She said that the 3 English trilogies were a waste of time for BTS and that they were wasting their time on it when BTS has said that those songs are a hope for the humanity after the pandemic came out, that's why I believe that they rid it in English (Global messages)
Ughhh as always another phenomenal video!! This time it’s a subject I’ve actually never stopped to think of. I chatted w someone recently (an ex-ARMY) who kept saying the “BTS have no concept anymore” thing and I couldn’t pinpoint why exactly it rubbed me the wrong way. No matter what I said explaining how they indeed have strong concepts, it didn’t click with them - they even named BlackPink as having ‘stronger concepts than BTS’ which absolutely blew my mind. But you just clarified it so clearly in this vid essay! Kpoppies crave strong visuals and define that as an artist concept, when in reality as you said visuals are only PART of a concept, or (supposed to be) a visual expression of a concept. I never put together that these groups singing in school uniforms aren’t even singing about school, etc! It always always always circles back to the strength that BTS has: they are songwriters, not JUST performers. They create from their experiences and thoughts. They perform music that reflects them BECAUSE it’s music they created. They are creators and writers and producers. They are always connected to their works which makes ARMY connected. That’s all it takes as an artist - music or not! People want to know you’re attached to your work. The BlackPink interview had me HOWLING. I’ll never forget the person who had the nerve to tell me their concepts they didn’t pick up a pen for are stronger than songwriting-BTS.
That BP clip is the perfect example of people discovering k-pop through BTS and later trying different groups, just to find out they have no substance and quality of artistry of the same level as Bangtan. Yet, the media play and fans claim them to have it.
Exactly, I hate when reactor discover BTS for the first time and they go: OMG I didn't knew kpop had music/ artists like this! and all I can think is, no they don't, is just BTS.
@@BlackSwan.1984 haha....am not a reactor or anything, but the same thing happened to me when i first discovered BTS. After discovering BTS i delved hard into the kpop scene thinking kpop music and concepts seemed deep and worthy of analysis... and then later on i was like, What???, no way its just BTS
i'm a huge BTS fan boy but i honestly don't care about the BU i know that exist but i don't even try to undenstand bcz BTS are only the actors BU is thing of Bang and Bighit. But can we agree on that boracity hate blackpink? every time she find new ways to shit on them haha
@@davimoraes3731 BU isn't related to the music but is really interesting. And I don't think Bora hates BP, she's just showing an interview that is a clear example of what her video is about, she's no hating on them because they don't write their own music, is more about not being sincere with the creative process behind their songs.
Kpop seems to have their own definitions for everything. Kpop concept = visual , concept = story telling. I was so sick of kpop during 2nd gen after a couple years that I quit listening until I found BTS in 2019. Most kpop songs still haven't changed because they love to follow trend that I get bored with it very quickly. Only BTS can make me stay because there is depth in their songs. Just when I am about to get bore with kpop, RM released RPWP.
That's just the Korean language (and many non-English languages). We take words from English that have a certain meaning and give them another meaning. BTS uses that version of concept as well, so it's much more apt to call the full extent of what they do in an album, them not concept. Because you'll hear BTS say, 'flowerboy concept', 'sexy concept', manly-man concept' all the time - they're just using what Koreans have turned the word into.
One thing is clear, BTS are very lucky to have Namjoon. His brain is all over BTS albums. Yes, all of them contributed, but his creative leadership is very obvious.
To me, concepts are like theater. People may get upset by Jin pushing that girl into the lockers, but I just see it as them playing a character in a movie (which a music video kinda is). I hope we get a bad boy concept for BTS once again one day. Also, no one can copyright a concept which you can easily find out by using google.
The Zach Sang moment with BP is *BRUTAL* !!😫 Lord have mercy... I've seen that Beyonce meme many times but I never knew that's what she said. Her words are so so accurate. Thanks again Bora. 💜
Talking about, BTS talking about their Concept in depth, knowing what they make and are making is actually something people need to know when they talk about BTS be it in anyway. BTS have always understood and had a reason to make the songs. For example the recent release of BTS's Leader, RM's RPWP, I love the way he expressed his experiences, situations, feelings and things he has been through. I love the way he explained each of his song and they idea of him writing it in the MMM segment. In the album he talks about his personal experience of being in a place full of strangers, he talks what he feels when he hears strangers talking about him and BTS, tho they personally don't know them. The way he calls all of them who talks bad about them and thanks those who have always supported and made him feel good. That's a concept. I remember RM saying that he made RPWP in a order of a story, starting from 'Right People, Wrong Place' to 'Come back to me' following the same path as the songs are arranged in the album express a story, it's about how the order of the story is, how it all started, how it went ( each song representing a new instance) and how it ended with the last track of the song. He said, he just dilevered it in a story in order and randomly picked 'LOST!' just because he had to pick a title track. It shows, he was not making it for the sake of making, rather expressing Himself. Same goes for each album of BTS. The albums have their own story, each songs represents an instance, each song has a message a depth and a story in itself. Even 'GOLDEN' of Jungkook is a story within itself, where each track again tells an instance. (More like a love story, with ups and downs).
Tbf it's the same for other groups as well, but it HEAVILY depends on the group, there's plenty of other groups in Kpop who have meaningful concepts and messages and write, compose and produce their own music and make their own choreographies, among other creative decisions.
Uh?! I haven't seen someone so. The other K-pop groups, lack stories, they often lack messages, ans I'm not saying this to demean or something, but that's something I've seen. TBH, Only groups with concepts are BTS, RV and TXT. And, If you are here to promote some names and not accept the fact of how diverse, conceptual and ACTUALLY different BTS and their Artistry has been, Then you are most welcome to Leave. (Respectfully speaking, if it come as of rude, It's honestly not). PS:- SVT can be included as well, but I often think they lack a particular ‘concept.’
@Tae_Vear7 I'm also not here to demean anyone, but it still stands true that there are several other groups that have consistent concepts, storylines and meaningful messages as well such as Dreamcatcher and Ateez for example besides BTS, TXT, RV and SVT as you've mentioned.
@@Kalakeiko alright, mention them again. But, I just saw you in some other comments, Calling ARMY's toxic just because they are praising BTS, let me remind you again, THEY ARE JUST Praising BTS without demeaning others, and out of that if you come up as if 'other groups, this that all that' then you come off as toxic not them, because they are JUST talking and appreciating BTS and if you come of to that having problems and all that, you just seem insecure yk. So it's better to be real and accepting and appreciating. Moreover, I see you come and watch this ‘toxic videoessay’ even after 4 months. NVM.
@Tae_Vear7 Okay, first of all I have nothing against most Armys nor BTS at all nor am I insecure. I also like BTS and I'm friends with several Armys as well. I also like and agree with several of Boracity'a videos, however I also disagree with some of her essays, or rather how she presents them and the overly negative comments when it comes to Kpop in order to praise BTS. The issue I have with said essays and comments are NOT at all that people are liking and praising BTS in any way nor am I saying that all Armys or even Boracity are toxic, BUT I do have an issue with how the way a LOT of the comments here are disrespecting and insulting other groups and generalising all Kpop groups when there are plenty that do have a lot of creative control over their work, that do have meaningful music, concepts and storylines and that are self-produced, so grouping all of these very different groups together and acting like they're all the exact same and therefore inferior in any way is just unfair and unnecessary. It's 100% okay to just focus on BTS and praising them, but it can most definitely be done without dragging other groups or the entire industry down just to praise BTS. My comments are just aimed at the people who do exactly that and not the ones who simply want to give BTS praise and how much they like them. That's all there is to it, not out of any insecurity or toxicity.
Incredible work as always. One thing that has been on my mind is how the aesthetics of some BTS member’s solo work doesn’t fit the already prepackaged accepted aesthetic choices among K-pop fans and how that affects if these K-pop fans will tune in for that member’s music or not. Could be an interesting topic of discussion.
Some of the solo work attracts new listeners that wouldn't listen to BTS cuz it's Kpop, but they stumble upon Jung Koo'k's Seven, or Agust D's Daechwita (and then it takes them a minute to figure out that Suga of BTS is the same person). Then they're like "Oh, wait... They're part of BTS. Let me give them a listen." And so it begins. I've seen several reactors with no clue about Kpop, sometimes even labeling themselves Kpop Haters come around just within the last three months. Even while all seven members are enlisted, BTS still manages to interest very diverse ppl from different countries. ARMY is ready and willing to guide them.
@@yuklimka7251 Some of those... a recent 'K-pop hater gets into BTS' channel that I just ran into practically admitted he was doing it for the views. And another newcomer was holding his own videos hostage. 'If you give me 500 likes, I'll start uploading TWO videos a day!' I always give those ones dislikes.
@@ystrw I agree with not supporting those channels where their mindset is blatantly obvious. I don't subscribe and instead click on "Don't recommend channel." I learned if you dislike their videos or leave a comment it still counts as engagement and helps their algorithm. I think ARMY is savvy enough to see through disingenuity/insincerity.
That HEAVILY depends on the group, there's plenty of other groups in Kpop who have meaningful concepts, storylines and messages and write, compose and produce their own music and make their own choreographies, among other creative decisions.
boracity you need an award and more subscribers. for years i've struggled to find the reason i always go back o 875 and you explained it perfectly. i hope you stay healthy and give us more top tier content. stay safe, sister.
Thank you for including that Gidle clip. For those who do not know, they're one of the prominent girl group's that produces music with an actual theme/concept.
I wish you added Bang Pd's interview way before BTS become hit in West. Maybe you don't know it exist. So it's alright. He expressed that he didn't wanted to make a pretty boys grp for girls to scream "oppa" at. 😹. Rather a grp that will tale their story and daily struggle in authentic way. Honestly, Bang PD deserve all praise for letting the boys do what they want and supporting them even when he wasn't in position to do.
Tbf it's the same for other groups as well, but it HEAVILY depends on the group, there's plenty of other groups in Kpop who have meaningful concepts and messages and write, compose and produce their own music and make their own choreographies, among other creative decisions.
And sometimes it's so hard to understand BTS message behind their muisc , because most of the time they also leave some things up to armys for intereprete !! It's so so beautiful and interesting that BTS also waits for armys to intereprete different msg differently !! Coz that's how poems are appreciated !!! Everyone take their own meaning on top of the general message the poem is giving !!! I love how BTS lyrics always feels like poems !! And that's one of the hundred reasons why BTS ARE THE BEST ARTIST ❤
This was great. Concepts are important to music as it can tell a real or fictional story. With anything creative, if you don’t have a driving theme behind what you’re trying to share with the world, then it gets kinda lost in the water. I’m not saying every song needs to be serious and real, but if you don’t have that creative passion for putting it out there, then it can become repetitive. K-pop artists have many stories they can tell but they either choose not to or their company won’t allow it. BTS wrote about their lives, their feelings and ideas throughout their early teens all the way through worldwide events, and dug deep into trauma love, and the inner thoughts of the human mind. These are interesting because of the depth they went with researching and made their own storyline of real life experiences that many people go through while staying inside the fictional side. But it all felt so real. It feels real because they knew it was important to talk about these types of issues. People who “miss their old sound” only miss the K-pop concept it had. Their sound and concept grew just as they grew. BTS will continue to be true artists in that way. I feel like 4-5 maybe even 6 years ago, K-pop had better concepts but then it got repetitive and nothing made sense. But BTS is always growing, learning and changing. That’s why their music will always be interesting because we haven’t gotten a repetition of a concept. K-pop needs to think outside the box, like BTS did if they want to survive.
As an CH2 Army I have still not seen lots of content, but the popular (american) Interviews and compilations. So I am surprised to see 16:20 that there were interviews that got deeper than "whats your fav food" etc. I wil def check them out. Thank you for your continued good work! 💜
100% recommend Zach Sang’s interviews (he’s the one being shown in this general clip) From the very first interview he showed that he knew where they started with their concepts and messages (even Namjoon was surprised by it 😅), making it clear how invested and interested he was in what they had to say. I think it was a big reason why Namjoon trusted him enough to interview him on his Indigo album.
@@kbaobei03 That was such a good interview. You could see that Zach had really done his homework and enjoyed the album a lot. And RM was very gratified to talk to someone who asked such good questions and encouraged him to explain it all. The only RM interview I've enjoyed more than that is the Psick guys...
@@ystrw aww the Psick show was awesome! 😅 It's because of RM that I started watching it. The 3 hosts are so engaging and funny lol, especially the short dude (Ken?)
I still remember in 2017, when the first love yourself album cam out, within months an army on twitter predicted the next album, its theme, and the possible aesthetic bts might adopt. For bts, the message and theme of the album always came first, then the theme would dictate the aesthetics they would adopt.
I know it even made me feel a wee bit sorry for them. At first I though oh they need someone to translate. Someone people help them. But then I realised they really had nothing to say because they didn't even understand their own music
@@eileencritchley4630I think 2 or 3 of them know English. I watched the interview couple years ago, but I couldn't finish it. Toxic Blinks blamed Zach for asking music related questions instead of holding their idols and YG accountable. Kpoppies are really unreasonable.
BTS concepts: A powerful wave of conscious, connected energy that brings the fans closer to themselves, to the concept of their "selves", their very real subjective reality. It's a resonant effect of BTS being genuine artists, being humans who pour out their selves in their music's concepts. K-pop concepts: The exact opposite movement of consciousness that in many cases creates separation between the fans and their selves, leaves them in the void.
what a well written video. this whole thing about kpop fans being oblivious to concepts is evident. some of my friends really like kpop songs which is totally okay but when it comes to message or any artistic influence they are very clueless about it. i feel alone in my life where i dont have many to talk to when it comes to art in general. so being a bts army i feel absolutely at home.
@boracity i just want to applaud and praise you for all your hard work and dedication you put in this videos. They are Armys lifelines and way of learning stuff related to BTS. Your explanations are so on point. Just because you are a BTS fan, you never say BTS is only the best. Instead you show it in your videos why they are best at what they're doing. You point out stuff that shows why BTS is different in all aspects. And that's what I love about you. So far, I have made almost everyone of my friends watch your videos bcoz they made fun of me for being a BTS fan. Guess what???? Now they can't stop simping over the 7 boys and listening to their music. Usually they're so busy but still are the first ones to ask me if I have listened to the new song or watched the new video. As I write this, I have already got 4 texts saying boracity is back again.. Thank You so much💜
From the outside, people think ARMY are just so full of ourselves and just talk up our "faves" because we're delusional fangirls on the popular hype train. While those fake fans do exist, the rest of us always speak on how thoughtful and meaningful BTS music is and those who don't bother to look in to it, like to talk sh*t but your video puts it all so well. I hope someone posts your video to those kpop subreddits so they can wake up.
This is exactly why I can never attached myself to any other kpop grp like bts… we always expect more and they always lack what we’re looking for. The sincerity, the attachment for their music
10:54 honestly? the first thought that came to mind was Coldplay's Music of the Spheres LOL The concept was to explore what other artists could be like across the universe. So they used the aesthetic of diverse fantasy races from different planets, using them as canvas to explore human experience :) I was so happy when BTS became a part of it with My Universe
Your vids are an important historic record of the CONTEXT in which BTS produced their work... setting the scene that produced the motivation & inspiration behind it... which is an aspect specifically lacking in other attempts to document their story.
BTS is the true definition of Arts & Entertainment they have a passion and a love for it they breathe it, BTS contribution to Arts & Entertainment is one for the history books I know people say BTS paved the way for Kpop and they did but it bigger than that Bts breathed life back into music and giving people hope, and made us think about music and what its suppose to do for us as listeners.
What I love so much about your video essays is that you lay things out so logically. But on top of that you’re never bashing kpop groups, instead you’re wishing for them to have their own voices and original music created by the members. I love that! Thank you again for this amazing video and all your hard work! Great cover as usual! 💜
this video is just a reminder that i wish more kpop artists had more artistic freedom to tell the stories they want to tell and aesthetics that could convey the message they really want to tell instead of a image their company is imposing to them
@heiext Especially since it VERY HEAVILY depends on the group. There's plenty of other groups in Kpop who have meaningful concepts, storylines and messages and write, compose and produce their own music and make their own choreographies, among other creative decisions. It's such a shame how many people here and in general demonise Kpop and act like all groups are the exact same and just a bunch of pretty boys and girls that teen girls are obsessed with who don't have any meaningful music when that isn't true and an extreme generalisation. Even more so when it comes to people harassing, attacking, disrespecting and insulting said groups just because they happen to be a Kpop group and not even knowing what they and their work have to offer.
I, as army, can proudly say that i chose BTS not because of their looks but their music. I listen to them but don't watch their faces all day like some solo fans do. And the way the interviewer reacted when BTS started to explain their every song is so frustrating 😤. The way RM explained the song trivia:Love as the difference of single consonant. SARANG (사랑) is LOVE , SARAM (사람) is person. The change of a single consonant in a word makes LOVE as PERSON. Love and person sounds same in korean with a slight difference. NG(ㅇ) to M(ㅁ). I just love his music. I love RM. I Love BTS and their MUSIC. BTS💜ARMY FOREVER
I honestly believe this is why a large portion of BTS fans-even when they were a much younger group-consisted of older, mature professionals. We can see the substance in the music. Beyonce's album "Lemonade" is a perfect example of an album telling a story, and it was refreshing to hear and dive into. Listening to it from beginning to end, you basically understood all her emotions and what she went through. I didn't become a BTS fan until end of 2020-because I felt too old for boy groups-but when I went through their albums, I could hear, feel, and see the intelligence, emotions, and growth from their lyrics. They had more to offer than what meets the eye and this is what music quality is. There's a lot to unpack. This is art.
That HEAVILY depends on the group, there's plenty of other groups in Kpop who have meaningful concepts, storylines and messages and write, compose and produce their own music and make their own choreographies, among other creative decisions. Don't generalise so many different groups just because they happen to be Kpop.
I would like to give an example of a great concept album. The BEATLES with Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was a concept album that came out at a time when most artists were releasing top pop singles. The albums concept and music was so engaging and thought provoking they even made a movie based around all the songs. This is something that could easily be done with any BTS album. The music, the lyrics, the visuals and the concepts could easily translate into a movie setting - which is what they actually do with their music videos. Music that makes you think and question things and look deeper is very important especially in today's society where so many are just looking for the latest sound byte to add to a tictoc trend.
Exactly, thank you for putting this so succinctly! When I listen to BTS' music or see their MVs, I do notice the visuals but my focus is almost always on their sound, their lyrics and their vocal choices. There's so much they convey from every part of their song, it feels authentic and real. Like listening to an artist who genuinely loves what he does
The difference is they are real artist, songwriters producers singers rappers. Multitalented playing instruments. Thats why they are not a product of an concept. That is why they are unique including their lyrics they are great human beings. Myself I never put them as an K-Pop group but rather a great legendary group from SK
people may get intrigued by BTS because of their unique aesthetic or bright concepts but the reason they stay and become armies is because of the depth of their music and the concepts that they actually talk about within their music and in the Bangtan world.
I remember getting excited with NJ's Ditto when it just came out but then they lost it and I lost more and more interest with every new release of theirs to the point of not bothering anymore. Most of BTS solo works had a strong message as well. I'd say only JK didn't really have one. I felt like he was like a kid in a candy store, excited to try all the different styles of singing. But I also think when he has enough time he will come up with his own messages too, it's just too ingrained by now. Brilliant analysis as always! 💜💜💜
I think the thing with JK is that he took such a long time off and when he finally decided to work on something it was just too late so he opted to just receive some songs (he did express some regret about that to army on suchwita). He at least tried to keep a theme of relationships, falling in love and breaking up. He didn't share a personal story but that's also ok.
Isn’t that mv a whole iphone commercial or that’s the other one? Honestly I don’t get how so many armys were fans of that gg before the mess, they’re literally just like bp but with a different aesthetic and can somehow be worse considering each mv is just a brand endorsement, it always sounded soulless to me
On Golden, JK's theme is romantic love from first spark to crash and burn ending. If you listen to the songs in order there is a rough progression from online flirting to meeting IRL to falling in and out of love, break ups, and trying again.
That's what he was doing exploring and he choose the songs from load of songs and if you listen to the album in order it has a story. Finding and losing love. I think he had a lot of fun with it. He's written songs before so I think he'll write his own again. Some time's it's nice to try different things experiment. I don't like one track on I skip that one when I do listen to the 'full album. But then I try to listen to one Solo album from each member at least twice a week while I'm doing my housework or relaxing.
you need to listen to the whole GOLDEN album in order.. and not comparing him with BTS .. because jk loves pop music, so this is his fav genre. english pop song. HE SHINED THE MOST IN HIS SOLO .. and jk is alredy writing producing within bts and with his different single- latest being another army song NEVER LET GO. but having a love theme from flirting-talking phase-love phase-deep longing-on the verge of breakup-breakingup-heartbreak-trying to cope-finally accapting yourself is i would say pretty much amazing concept in a pop album !!which is not common. so jk did really good job in compiling nd arranging songs from different producers !! just what he explained in his 2020 interview that he will do in his debut album !!
True! I think that's one of the reasons that lots of Army (including me) just like certain songs of other groups rather than listening to all of the album's songs for a message.
you are SO RIGHT!! until about two years ago, i almost exclusively listened to kpop and bts. in the last year especially, i became more familiar with the western and global/non-kpop music scene, fell in love with some non-kpop artist and slowly stopped caring about kpop as much. i always knew kpop was (mostly, with exeptions) superficial (and bts was different), but only recently i've been able to truly understand the depths that some non-kpop artists go to with their music. i realized that thankfully, having a discography full of meaningful messages and incredibly well thought-out concepts is not as rare as i thought and there's many artists that i can love and whose music i can enjoy. i guess i just didn't fully realize that the kpop industry does not reflect the entire world's music industry.
That HEAVILY depends on the group, there's plenty of other groups in Kpop who have meaningful concepts, storylines and messages and write, compose and produce their own music and make their own choreographies, among other creative decisions. Don't generalise so many different groups just because they happen to be Kpop.
@@Kalakeiko i wrote the comment 3 months ago and now that i'm reading, i definitely would've phrased it differently, i guess more leniently? i might've generalized a little too much. but i still think that kpop songs in general can't reach the same depth that for example western artists are allowed to go to.
I feel like even if a group has a concept that is more than just asthetics and their outfits/MV looks match the lyrics, those concepts don't last long. BTS has trilogies with concepts, throughout multiple comebacks, the concept stays. But nowadays, each comeback automatically means the group is going to present a different concept. I struggle to find the identity of some KPOP-groups these days. It feels like they are presenting a song, a feeling, without actually meaning it or they are actually not supposed to mean it. Aside from lyrics, concepts are changing very fast and the more the sound, the asthetics and concepts change, the more messy it gets and the less identity is shown. Until I wonder what they even want to tell me
You are such an incredible music journalist, like you really hit the nail on the head with your closing statements on the "why" behind a song. Sometimes songs don't need to have a really deep message- they can just be catchy and that's ok! But if you are creating a "body of work" as Queen Bey said, you need to have a "why" and a purpose behind what you are trying to convey in your music. That's why it really shows, in all music industries, who is a true "lover and student of music" and who isn't. Also, I really hope you're a fellow Beyhive because I would love a video essay on Cowboy Carter or something hehe 💜
Brillante como siempre Boracity tú eres una de las razones por las que me hice ARMY sólo conoci a BTS hace dos años y me encanta su musica y su fase hip hop pero fue después de ver por qué la industria está aterrorizada de BTS que empecé a investigar mas y caí completamente en el rabbit hole.. With Love from Spain 🇪🇸
Honestly listening to one of their songs is like picking up my favorite book. From start to finish I am locked in. I want to see what comes next so of course I am gonna turn the page or on to the next track.
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! You nailed exactly why there are so many "BTS only" fans who don't listen to K-Pop artists It's perfectly fine that there are fans who just want a catchy song with a cool video!! I don't hate on them. That's just not my style. But there are also fans like me who want more; they want the personal lyrics, want the story, want to feel the connection between the artist and their music I tried checking out so many popular kpop artists after I discovered BTS...but all I found were vapid, chaotic, nonsense songs Some had a decent beat, but all I'd remember was the hook and the rest was utterly forgettable because THEY WEREN'T SAYING ANYTHING MEANINGFUL at all BTS is different. SO DIFFERENT. Yes, there are lots of great Korean indie artists that also make great, personal music...I like some of it, but honestly, I get enough of that from western music. What I *don't* get in western music is an all-around amazing group of people with diverse voices and styles - BTS is unique globally. No other artist in the world is like them and can do what they do. This is just fact.
That HEAVILY depends on the group, there's plenty of other groups in Kpop who have meaningful concepts, storylines and messages and write, compose and produce their own music and make their own choreographies, among other creative decisions. Don't generalise so many different groups just because they happen to be Kpop.
I think that's why I love BTS and ATEEZ do to their lore, concept, and cohesion of their discography. I can listen from their earliest song to most recent and find something new everytime.
"RM saw a leaf fall and wrote Korea's second anthem" You were so right with that one
Yes, Spring day the queen! 😁
What’s the first one???
@@AFBF-0613-FOREVER the national anthem of SK 😁
@@Mori-Chan613😂😂 I had the same question! Now I feel stupid!
@@ananyaa6664somos dos!!!
bts' concepts are a candy in a wrapper, kpop concepts are just a wrapper
🤣💜
omg this is so true
😂
Not just a candy it's a full on ferrero rocher
@@rebecafigueras8622 oh yes I love the analogy. A box of Beglum chocolates pretty on the outside with ribbons and simple stylish wrapping when open it's full of the most amazing chocolates one's ever tasted.
I think it was Tablo of Epik High that said when he met with Yoongi and Namjoon, they just talk about music for hours/nonstop and that Tablo misses that. Someone passionate about music that they just talk about music.
Yes you are right! They talked about it when he was on Suchwita.
bts' self love concept: a rollercoaster journey of introspection
kpop's self love concept: an aesthetic and some singing "i love myself" in a kind of braggadocious 'im better than you' way
so true, i get genuinely frustrated when i see kpoppies sht on this concept because they claim bts is just using it for aesthetics as well. the amount of pure vulnerability they poured into this isnt to be taken for granted. and especially kpop stans have no right to talk ill of it when their favorite group just sings "love yourself, be yourself" while smiling in designer clothes.
there's a reason bts blew up with these concepts, while they stay stagnant.
I completely agree they get the different emotions and shades that you experience going down that journey, instead mindlessly shouting a catchphrase. Listening to their songs is like diving within your self and a lot of their discography has that effect on you because of their nuanced approach and understanding of whatever concept they are talking about. They put themselves a 100 percent in their work. It’s unique and authentic to them and hence it transcends border and age groups or any other categorisation to reach to people who want to listen to good music and a great story.
@@ajlee2168 Exatamente!!
Definitely true
It's so ridiculous how on the nose it is. And yet k-pop stans gonna deny it to the end.
This is why ARMY is so engaged with BTS's songs and concepts. There's so much to unpack and to discuss. I love it when there's so much substance in ones work.
So true 💯💜
I agree with you
It feels like you can practice your critical thinking skills when you try to analyze BTS songs
Come on, other kpop groups have good concepts too! This person clearly hates kpop and only likes bts.
Not to mention that the boys are actually good human beings! They are decent, they are kind, funny, warmhearted, hilarious, interesting, they're role models and they are just as flawed as the rest of us - and they're not ashamed to admit these flaws. To be honest, I fell in love with their personalities first before I liked their music.
And I truly think this is what both k-netizens who look at BTSs success with confusion and with actual die-hard k-pop fans who thought in June 2022 that ARMY would be bored and move to all their groups to raise them up got wrong and still don't understand. They keep ostracizing us as not being like the rest of the k-pop community, as if that is a drag, but like... we agree, we aren't the same...
Louder than Bombs... a song we, 100%, have no "visual" for other than RM talking about he saw OUR pain behind our happy smiles when he wrote it... and it is one of the most beloved B-sides.
What gets me is that as soon as we claim that BTS is at the top of K-pop, or paved the way, these folk start up with the ostracizing. But the minute we muse about BTS not really being K-pop, they totally insist that Yes, BTS IS TOO K-Pop. And the way they drag K-pop itself- 'BTS is ONLY K-pop'- just makes me smirk, to be honest. It's one thing when naysayers abandon their own groups to support a 'BTS-beater' in an awards vote, but when they start badmouthing the very industry in their efforts to diminish BTS, well... That's when I start calling them ARMYs in reverse, because they have really made BTS the center of their musical lives. Pity it's in such a negative way.
Literally the first kpop fans were k armys .
I agree!
@@musicbox6144 ????
Kpop concepts =visuals
concepts= the storyline and message
And this is why I don't enjoy kpop it's visuals going around in circles or as my mother would have said 'It's all fur coats and no knicker's' in other words its all for show at first glance with nothing of substance underneath.
@@eileencritchley4630 i wouldnt even have that big of an issue with the "fakeness" of Kpop if they would do something interesting with it. Its a weird situation where they are trying to pass of manufactured stuff as real, which doesnt work. Either it is real, in a sense that is pulled from reality by people that actully experience things and want to talk about it, or make it completely fake. I think Aespa has a quite interesting concept, because they are actually just making shit up and sing about made up shit (in one half of their discography). I like that, it works with the made up world of kpop.
There's plenty of Kpop groups that have very complex and meaningful concepts and messages as well. Look at TXT and Ateez for example.
@@Kalakeiko did i say i care about their story?
@@Kalakeiko did i say i care about their story?
Haha the way Zach always asks bts the best questions about their music and the way he wanted to continue to listen to namjoon talk is so sweet
Zach Sang is such a good interviewer. He asks great questions, genuinely seems interested in the artists' answers, and does his research before an interview. I wish more interviewers could be like him.
@@crystalsnow1138 yes and you can tell bts also like being interviewed by him from the way his is one of the very few shows they keep going back to, as well. Also, he’s actually respectful of them and their artistic process and takes genuine interest in what they’re trying to say, despite the obvious language barrier and everything, like you can tell he puts an effort in the interviews
That's why when BTS releases music we have smart armys ready to dissect and analysis the song and mv because they know there's some story and something to pick up from there🥺 i love that
Yes it's for people who enjoy 'engaging their brains' while listening to good melodies and beats. We get some much more out of the music. We really could care less about the clothing that's all extra's on top and dance is like icing on a great cake.
Yesss!!!
That happens with many groups tho, a storyline in the mvs which the fandoms analyse and interpret with exo, ateez, enhypen,etc.
@@irakulkarni5445 BTS storyline forms an entire Bangtan universe.. Which joins MVs, books, stories, several video clips, and now even a K-drama together.
Also BTS concepts goes way deeper than the concepts of other Kpop groups.
No group comes close when it comes to BTS' lyrics and storytelling capabilities.
@@ushreebakshi8818 uh the whole storylines connected through mvs and being extremely deep are a thing many other groups like the one I mentioned do too.
This explains why so many are BTS fans but not fans of K-pop.
That Blackpink's interview was so painful to watch... the guy was just trying to give them a chance to explain themselves as artists... They had nothing lol
This is exactly why I hate yg as a company, like they give no artistic freedom or creativity to their artists. They produce robots who'll sing and dance the way they want ☠️
@@Fraeyola Producers don't even give them a chance, like, they might have so much talent as composers, etc... I remember watching a clip of jay why pee rejecting ideas from someone from got7 after 3 freaking seconds, like, dude, come on
I couldn't go through it without cringing. They really had nothing 😭
Zach Sang is an excellent interviewer. He asked deep questions of the girl group, and their answers had no substance. It was very awkward, and Zach looked so disappointed.
@@paulaortega3756 So True. The members of Blackpink are struggling with their solo projects. Many said the lyrics of Lisa's songs don't make sense and I feel all the members are struggling as someone with 8+ years of experience in the kpop industry shouldn't struggle with writing lyrics. They must be capable of writing their own lyrics and producing and composing their songs.
This is why until this day, no Kpop groups can match BTS’ worldwide success. They delivered messages, without neglecting voice, visuals, stage presence, etc.
That's why some people are performers and others are true artist. BTS are true artists. That's it
Everyone wake up, the queen has posted!
Perfect end to my work day🎉
@@huntressmma1822 I'm supposed to be asleep it's 3am but I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep so didn't want to wake hubbie with me tossing and turning so here I am instead and I'm wide awake.
yes, but can we agree on that she(boracity) hate blackpink? haha she find out new ways to talk bad about blackpink every time hahaha
@@davimoraes3731 I think BlackPink prove her points most of the time so if it BlackPink proves her point I say go for it.
@@eileencritchley4630 i personally don't care if the singers don't write their songs, imagine if you love to sing and and your voice is good but you can't write and people hate o you only bcz of this , now rappers for me has to write haha
What I adore about BTS's concepts is that their self-presentation is allowed to be flawed. Their discography is a story of boys growing up, and when boys are growing up, they aren't perfect. They can be jealous, possessive, sexist, delusional, desperate, angry, deceitful, self-important, pretentious, aggressive, boastufl, petty, thin-skinned, obsessive, and many more things. It's so wonderfully human and so deeply relatable.
Another important aspect of a BTS album is that hearing a song on its own and listening to it in the the context of the album changes your perception and understanding of the song. One of the best examples is Danger. I remember some people hating on that song (with chagrin because even they couldn't deny it's a banger and a half) because some of the lyrics sound like an incel's manifesto, with the guy being angry the girl is hanging out with other people and not giving him attention. However, on the album, the song immediately preceeding Danger, the intro What Am I To You? gives context to that: the intro is about the boy trying desperately to win over the girl until she finally gives in and agrees to date him. But his happiness doesn't last as he starts noticing he's way more into the relationship than she is, and he's putting way more work and isn't feeling much love from her in response. Like, duh, my dude, she's with you because you've worn her down, not because she fell in love with you, so of course this relationship is doomed. And of course he's feeling what he's feeling in Danger. And of course by track 5, Let Me Know, the relationship is all but dead, and in the next one, Rain, he's suffering the break-up depression. It's a story they're telling, it's very intentional. I have never seen anything like that in other k-pop groups' discographies. Sure, some of them have bops, and bops are awesome, but it's the substance that stays with you years later, not the style.
Wonderfully said and analyzed! The way you talked about that album helped me to see the connecting themes of the album, thank you! (Aha I'm not great at literary analysis so I depend a lot on armys like you who make these connections 😅😅)
So well written
Love this! Totally agree with you! That's why Danger is one of my personal faves. I related to it! Together with Outro: Tear and NO. And then so much more! ApoBangpo!!! 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
Thank you for sharing your analysis!! 💜
True! BTS always make a point of asking people to listen to their albums from start to finish, and that's for a reason! So many of their songs have completely different meanings depending on context. Some songs I didn't connect to at first make so much more sense for me in their albums.
For example, when DNA first came out I wasn't connecting with the lyrics, all about perfect love and being fated to be together? Those weren't the kind of lyrics I usually expect from BTS. I'm sure plenty of people could enjoy a song like that, but it wasn't for me. Then later after the whole 'Love Yourself' trilogy had been released I went back and listened to the albums in full and I realised DNA makes perfect sense within the storyline they were developing:
LY Her: Serendipity is about a new person entering your life who seems to be your 'saviour'. DNA is about the early days of a relationship that feels 'perfect' and 'fated', being caught up in the haze of infatuation. Best of Me, Dimple and Pied Piper develop the themes of captivation, feeling swept away and even overwhelmed in the relationship, though doubts about your sense of self and the possible toxic sweetness of the relationship are creeping in. By Outro: Her the relationship is appearing more complex and realistic, there are good points and bad points, you want it, but you're not sure, caught between conflicting feelings, love and hate.
LY Tear: Singularity has our protagonist waking from a disturbing dream with a deep knowledge that everything is wrong. There's something important you need to say but your voice is gone. The illusion has been shattered, that 'perfect' relationship was really just a way to run away from looking at your true self. Fake Love and The Truth Untold continue the theme of realising you changed yourself and hid behind a mask to keep the illusion of love, but never allowed that person to see the real you. 134340 is post-breakup, and talks about feeling like you were only ever reflecting the other person's light, orbiting them hopelessly, but your real self was never truly present. Paradise is about slowing down and stepping away from the race of life, taking time to figure out what you really want. To me Love Maze is about reconnecting with your self (though it could be read as being about another person). Magic Shop is about finding hope in a dark place and working through self-hatred. Outro: Tear is a bitter look back at the relationship which is now in the past, allowing yourself to process anger and disappointment.
LY Answer: This is a repackage album which brings together a lot of previous songs but adds Epiphany, which is our character having a realisation that this previous search for external love was a distraction, a way of trying to compensate for emptiness and insecurity, and that really you need to confront yourself, accept yourself, and try to start loving yourself despite your imperfections before you'll be ready for a fulfilling relationship. After that I'm Fine is about the almost exhilarating intensity of admitting to yourself that you're not, in fact, fine. Then Idol comes in as a defiant shout of intention for this new direction: "you can't stop me loving myself!" and we finish with Answer: Love Myself, which reaffirms that loving yourself isn't easy, but it's something you need to actively work on every day.
When you see this whole beautiful narrative told over two years and three albums, a song like DNA which at first might appear a bit simplistic takes its place as a meaningful chapter in a larger story. And of course if you want you can enjoy it out of context and just have fun with it as a straightforward love song if you're in that kind of mood!
When I listened to the new RMs album: Right place, wrong person, I couldn't understand the concept and I also didn't look for the lyrics. I just listened to the music and in the order that the songs are put together. But I understood the was a concept, and also a message.... When I listened to his conversation with Jimin, then I understood and I loved it, and I appreciated it way more.
True when he explained rpwp scenario for everyone or anyone during MiniMoni, then I understood what his album was all about.
Same, i loved that conversation because we could experience their thought process and vulnerability. Every listener can interpret their own individual meaning into a song that matches their life story but i personally also like to see/hear what in this case RM actually meant with the lyrics. Especially him because he‘s so poetic and so often refers books that I havn’t read.
People often confuse the term concept with the word theme. A concept is an idea or a visual narrative running through a body of work, whereas the word 'theme' has origins in literature and refers to the subject matter being discussed, or a question being posed in a philosophical sense. BTS combines the primarily visual aesthetic ideas of pop and kpop, with the abstract philosophy of life and identity relevant to each member and that is what distinguishes them on another level compared to other groups
What an excellent point. Commenting to up this .
Thank you, you just helped me nail down something that was puzzling me. Theme vs Concept, yes.
That's actually the first thing I thought, too. That this whole conversation is actually more about theme vs concept. Great comment.
I feel like 'aesthetic' describes best what Bora meant. Because a theme can have a similar meaning than concept. The word concept would just describe something more thoughtful and complex. For example, the "school concept" is not a theme since the song doesn't talk about school at all but love - it's just an aesthetic, something superficial. You could completely get rid of it and replace it and it wouldn't change anything or just the "vibe". It would still "make sense" with anything else. A school theme would require to, at least a little, talk about school - even superficially. I feel like it depends from one situation to another.
Yessss for me the concept of mots:7 is jungian psychology whilst the theme is retaining personhood in alienating conditions + accepting darkness with the light
As someone who enjoys listening to kpop but is also an ARMY, this is literally the best explanation as to why it is so hard for me to stan other groups. I've tried to but I always get bored of them over time because in my opinion they lack substance and just keep following trends (idk how to say it), but BTS' music is so rich and so diverse and so meaningful to them, and watching them grow as artists and see them excited about their own projects and how in love they are with what they do, I just have never see that on another group in kpop, that's why I think I will just remain a kpop casual listener but nothing else. Being an ARMY has made me a whole new person, it makes me rethink and reflect on myself, it makes me a better person, and it's just amazing how BTS changed the game completely in an industry full of superficial music.
This is the same for me exactly. - I enjoy other groups and they are hard workers as well. So I want to show them some support. But after a few songs, I end up getting so bored. I agree, BTS has changed me in some way; they touch me to my core. I have their symbol tattooed on my arm and the other day someone said to me, "That's random!". lol - No... it's no more "random" than BTS is. Unfortunately, people think of kpop as superficial & artificial and they think BTS is just that.
Same for me! I will tell anyone, I'm a casual listener of k-pop but a full fan of BTS. Sure, it nice to have just quirky and funky songs. But sometimes you want a song to connect to. BTS does just that! They let their experiences connect with people, and it helps bring more fans!
Same! Especially when i believe that the group has the potential to do the same.
There are several other very talented groups in Kpop with great messages and storylines and versatile and diverse sounds like TXT, Ateez and Dreamcatcher for example or groups who are self produced like Seventeen, Stray Kids, Monsta X and (G)-I-DLE.
@@WinkooVision I think this reply also represents my take well.
Army holds BTS's music as the most superior form of ART.
It's BTS's music, it's serious for us. It's emotional and grounded in reality. Their emotions affect us listeners.
I feel what they feel. I see what they see.
It shows in how many people analyse their lyrics, MVs, performances and listens carefully to their beats. We love their artistry and personalities above anything else 💜
I salute you , boracity.
You're a real one.
Bangtan have always been creative and original in their concepts with the music they make as a group and individually, showcasing multi talents and versatility, with great storytelling and themes in their music which fans can relate to such as messages of self love which has inspired and motivated fans, BTS always bringing something different which is fresh and new that keeps listeners engaged. They are idols who are true Artists in every sense of the word with an amazing discography and who enjoy what they do with passion and love for their Art and that is loved and admired by all the fans. Artists who grow and evolve each time as individuals and as group members, showing their real artistry which is unique to them and with a work ethic that is second to none 💟
Not only did BTS have concepts, which as you’ve pointed out, was never, or rarely done in K-pop before, but they were somehow completely in sync with what people around the world wanted to hear at that moment. So not only are they authentic, they are relevant too. Literally millions of fans have said that BTS ‘saved’ them, in some way or another. Such an emotional and intellectual connect between performers and their fans are a rare thing, and that’s why BTS have written themselves into music history.
Thank you for this analysis! Really enjoyed listening to it!!
Or you can put it another way and say that BTS from their very beginning wrote their music as an expression of their thoughts, feelings and concerns; and their messages resonated with people around the world who were feeling and thinking the same way. That is why ARMY is so engaged with the guys and accept no (shallow) substitutes.
I've been saying this for sooo long and kpop stans always attacked me. This video is exactly what I always try to tell people. Boracity is so informative and always do a great job.
Each and every segment of this video proves that BTS is the best group. As a listener, I love songs that have a deep meaning and concept, the songs that build a connection between the listeners and the artist. True music has the power to change the mood of listeners even with different languages.
BTS will always be legendary because they don't produce a single kind of music. They always have something unique to offer. They made me a true music lover.
Storytelling in songs is what I live for! It's why I love musicals. Their solo songs in the WINGS album both with their real life feelings and also fit their character sin the BU and it's genius
BTS knows how to tell a story through their music. I’ve always loved listening to the songs first and then looking up the lyrics. It’s a fun trip to get know what the story sounds like and using our brains to figure out what it all means.
That's why most of us armys, like bts and bts only
someone once said kpop is becoming more of a *BEAUTY* pagent than a *TALENT* show and even tho I love kpop alot, i cant help but agree. I think the visuals and overall aesthetics of a group is and has been more important than the music itself for a long time. The concept of a group shouldnt ONLY be about the visuals; its the music itself and its message that should be in the spotlight that will truly pull your audience in. Another 10/10 video essay from our girl Bora 💜
Becoming?? It has always been like that... it only feels like this is a recent story because bts isn't around to keep up the meaningfulness... haha
@@kamalhossan5694 facts
@@kamalhossan5694 no it was not always like that!
2nd gen was a gem , there were no great visuals ,no plastic surgery, just natural beauty and pure talent with best music
*Becoming a BTS fan for each of us was the whole of words/visuals and gestures in their songs who have shown us with words and images how to love ourselves, how to fight against evil, fight against hatred, help the weakest that's why BTS is and will be a UNIQUE band of its kind and they will be remembered as healers/bearers of messages of encouragement and be confident in ourselves first and foremost and this is what they did through their albums and their concepts❤*
that's why it's infuriating when some ego centered woman CEO had the nerve to even say that BTS concept was copied from her by BSH. Her definition of concept is really visually centered. Sorry for bringing her up as an example but my thoughts went immediately to her statement. I can remember our Tannies talking about their albums or even a song. thats one of the things i love about them. they put so much thought about the concept theyll talk about it endlessly. Everything they do is intentional. They make us think and analyze their message. Yes we do love their visuals. But for me that wasn't even the 1st thing that grabbed my attention. It was really their personality, their songs, the message they bring, and so much more. Their visual is just icing on top. To even compare is totally mind boggling for me.
Actually the mhj thing confused me so much bc for a long time I thought she was a music producer but turns out she’s not, like are you saying all that panic from the fans is not because of a potential change of sound but because of some basic aesthetic and visuals? Copied ones for that matter?
@@Aliqandrashe was hired as a visual creative director in the first place..it was always vthe visuals for her, nothing more 😂
The sound of the music got me first being a musician I had to look at the lyric's and try and see what those amazing vocals, and beats, musical notes held so I read the lyric's as I don't understand Korean and I was completely hooked. It had nothing to do with their clothes or looks it was all about the music sound rythems, beats production different sounding instruments and of course lyric's, then the amazing dancing on top was the cherry on top.
Thank you for saying this. I had started to comment something about how it made me think of the MHJ accusations, but you said it much better than I was attempting.
@@cassiedlp847 no wonder she said trashy stuffs about her own group, while I think we never heard such commentary from anyone work with BTS, even their music producers or creative directors
As a non Korean Army, i hsve to say, that is what pulled me in to BTS, its not just bubblegum airhead music....thats why so many Army are older and mature.
We love the way the guys write....its not just sex, money, cussing, sleeping with a bunch of different people, trying to out do each other and drugs...which is about what American Rap was turning into!!
These guys, RM and the guys, use their brains....they have meaning, substance, indepth messages!!
Lolol....okay ill stop now.😂
🫰💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
I second this. I'm not a fan of music without story or personal reflection, so discovering BTS is very very interesting and satisfying journey. They make sense, they do not confuse me, nor bore me, while they share so many lessons and own takes about life. I'm always amaze on how thougtful they are. I can write long praises about them while I'm finding it hard to think on one praise for other K-pop acts who are not involved in the creation of their songs/artistry work.
SO CORRECT especially with the American Rap part
Yes! Totally agree! That's why I have never been into rap. Although I did listen to Eminem but never took it as my genre of choice. Before I became an ARMY, I was a country girl. Still am actually. BTS, then country. Now with BTS rap, I love it! Because they are saying something that speaks to me. Outdo: Tear, NO and Danger! 💜 And the list goes on!!! ApoBangpo!!! 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
@@wupeaThere are several other very talented groups in Kpop with great messages and storylines and versatile and diverse sounds like TXT, Ateez and Dreamcatcher for example or groups who are self produced like Seventeen, Stray Kids, Monsta X and (G)-I-DLE, in case you are interested.
@@WinkooVision Odd enough but I have listened to dozens of kpop groups including ones you have mentioned, I also did a bit of a research about them, so I know the elements that you just mentioned. But, musically I find it difficult to connect with them on the level I had with BTS, thus why I ended up with BTS.
I´m so glad there are still k-pop fans who know what "concept" actually means, not just the aesthetics. And that other people, not just me, are kinda fed up with meaningless catchy music everywhere and with idols not connecting to it. Also glad that there are k-pop groups who do make genuinely meaningful music and actually like it!
Too bad that everyone in these comments demonises and generalises all of Kpop and the many groups that do have meaningful music and who do write, compose and produce their own music when that is just untrue and unfair.
I think they confuse visual concept with music concept.
Visual concept is what most groups do and their fans want to see. Like being cute, sexy blah blah... It's all about visuals, what they wear, how they act, the dance.
Music concept or the album concept is about the theme or the topics the songs are based on in an album.
exactly my thoughts! i think some stans just pick up keywords, assume whats meant and run with it. a whole album having an actual concept is much different and so rare to see. feels like they just focus on a certain color palette and then praise them for this amazing "concept."
@@ajlee2168i think the same
@@ajlee2168 I get the point of this video. K-pop fans can be dumb talking about aesthetic concepts as if it's the entirety of one's art. But It's really not that rare to find actual concept albums? Pretty much all the big boy groups of the 3rd and 4th gen have a set of thematic and lyrical concepts in each of their albums. Really well-developed themes. You need only to look into pretty much any Stray Kids, TXT, Ateez, or P1Harmony album. And even before BTS, B.A.P, Block B, VIXX, and Big Bang were writing well-thought through music about societal issues and mental health and identity often based off literature.
@@machinelearner108 i know about most of these, not all, but i cant lie, none of them come close. as i said, its rare, not non-existent. its not the kpop-norm. most of the 'concepts' stay superficial. most groups you mentioned, i wouldnt say had good concepts, or better said, they werent executed good enough. none of these groups truly catch me or make me think, they still exist in this box that ive grown out of. as for most kpop, i like individual songs here and there, but rarely a full album, let alone concepts that are too vague, bland or superficial to me, and seem to heavily rely on the listerners own interpretations to project a message.
ofc groups had concepts. but if its not done well, i wont praise it, or put it on the same level as groups like bts who could talk for hours about why and how they came to do this concept.
an artist can make an album and sing about being depressed in every song, but if it doesnt go deeper than "im depressed" and the songs dont sound good production-wise, thats just not a well executed concept then, aka, its just not up to my 'standards'.
you say they are well-developed themes, and i just disagree. it exists, surely, but it is rare to see it well done. im just not seeing it with most of the groups you mentioned. but thats again subjective. in the ocean of kpop, its rare.
@@ajlee2168 Well fair enough if you don't like the concepts of the groups I mentioned. But I doubt you listened to the entire albums and read all the lyrics. Of course for us as BTS fans, we'll enjoy BTS's concepts more because we know the members, we watched their logs, we know their struggles and we have a massive, massive dearth of explanation videos and introduction videos for ARMY explaining their music. That doesn't exist to the same extent for other fandoms because they are 20% of the size of BTS's, max. From the research I have done on other K-Pop groups like the ones I mentioned, their artistic stories and messages are as well conveyed as the BTS albums. Their lyricism, symbolism is just as well done and moving too. I keep an open mind, but if you can't connect that's absolutely fine. I think that is a really dismissive thing to say about a group singing about being depressed and the message not going further than that, because non-BTS fans could just as easily say that about BTS; they're just saying 'love myself' but it's an empty message. That couldn't be further from the truth.
None of the artists I talked about have superficial messages by any means. But if you don't actually read the lyrics and explore their artistry, then how would you know how realistic it is? G-Dragon, as an example, lived a long-suffering, arduous existence and struggled heavily against the stigma of idols being artists (much like BTS). He's written of deeply personal topics, identity struggle, self-hatred, combatting the public's persecution of him, the flaws of the idol industry, and anybody who knows and has followed his story, will emotionally resonate. His lyrics are incredibly well-written - art.
So since you don't know these artists anywhere near as well as you know BTS, you should not judge. I also used to think nothing could top BTS, but I grew out of that mindset (which was childish for me, perhaps not for you) and have been emotionally moved by other K-pop artists too. You don't have to, but please don't be so dismissive when you haven't even listened to these guys 5% of how much you've heard BTS.
Finally, the sound of the music is subjective. As a trained musician, I can tell you there is an absolute dearth of incredible production and songwriting across the groups I mentioned, but if you don't like it, you just don't, as simple as that. That doesn't mean it's less significant than BTS and can't move other people.
I don't have to believe that BTS is the only group capable of moving me to enjoy BTS's music.
Wow, that BP's Zach interview was very cringey! (I've never seen that interview) I'm glad you included other KPop groups who are able to articulate their concepts and artistry. I'm always so proud of our guys sharing their songs and albums processes to help enrich the listeners to their music. I'm also very impressed with Beyonce's interview as well.
The whole interview was worse because they obviously weren't prepared for it. Every time they were asked about the production of the song, they had no idea how to answer. I was surprised YG didn't prepare them for the questions. All kpop labels have to approve the questions, and I am surprised the label didn't train them.
Giving what I saw of their tour...
Most of those show send a list of topics to chat that needs to be approved by the artist and their team, till the point of having an approved arrangment of the questions to be made before hand. YG must have approved the topics, maybe even the questions here my question is why the girls and their personal teams did not sit themselves to read the questions and prepare for them.
@@belaytriks Really feels like they *wanted* them to embarrass themselves indeed
Nah if gidle company give them chance just like now , they can go long way bcz they truly seems connected
I like NXDE SO MUCH, it's such a refreshing thing I see in such a long time where I can enjoy a k-pop song without watching even though the mv was quite enjoying,
I think TXT is another great example of artists putting sound over visual, I enjoy some of their song
You know I just read a whole essay by a kpop fan about how BTS aren't " as involved as" groups such as SVT, SKZ in their music etc and a lot of kpoppies agreed with it. I didn't want to start a war so I just gave them each member's song credits numbers. Some people are really wild when it comes to being delusional
That's the proof you can give the delulu.
Yeah 😭 they be like ' my favs are 99.9% SeLf PrOduCed😩 '
And you did right....
I NEVER want ARMYs to engage with those 'acting smart' people.
At this point, they just want someone to agree with their version of reality 😂😂
In sorry but one of these group is the most shallow kpop group I know because they say they are different but they are not. They just play that role.
Don't take this as hate. And I don't agree at all with K-Pop fans bashing BTS or anything. To give some context, BTS are involved in music a lot, but I'm not sure if you know about Seventeen. Seventeen's songwriting members are usually the first credit for songwriting (meaning they contributed the most to melodies and lyrics) whereas BTS member's names (unless they produced the song) are usually 3 or 4 down the list. Also, Seventeen choreographs all their stuff themselves (Hoshi). So they're more involved in the final product than BTS.
Someone in these replies said 'Aren't BTS known to be the most involved in their music?' and they may well be known for that, but it's not true. Because there are other groups who write, compose and produce pretty much everything, choreograph their stuff, and work out all the themes and concepts of their albums without any guidance or help from higher-ups in the company, Whereas Bang PD and Big Hit's artistic team are mostly responsible for BTS's concepts. It's of course true that their concepts match what the members experience in life, and it's not like BTS have no contribution, but basically Bang Si-Hyuk comes up with the themes and concepts (eg: temptation, blood sweat and tears, and boy meets evil) and gives them to BTS, as well as giving them keywords. Hope you understand - basically other groups do that whole part themselves.
The way kpoppies talk about "concepts" reminds me of how some people online give new names to things that already exist and think that's enough to make it a trendy aesthetic, for example "blueberry milk nails" that are literally just light blue nail polish or "brownie lips" which are just brown lip liner and lipgloss.
I used to absolutely love namjoon's review and behind the scenes of their albums on vlive it was so nice to listen to him talking about their demos, messages, stories behind production and songwriting it was so exciting!
That is why I can never take the kpop industry seriously as a music fan.
And it reflects soo clearly in the way the fans move…..all the fanwars being about “same outfit-copy” “same hair colour-copy” “same set piece-copy” it is beyond shallow…..very low form of art consumption dare I say.
It’s never about “ oh these two artists are talking about same issues in their music” “these two artists have same artistic perspective in sound”
Well people are allowed to enjoy what they like and there should be no judgement on that but when the fans start comparing BTS to other kpop artists it truly sounds goofy bcoz the only thing common there is probably them being from South Korea.
And let's not forget the " shipping wars" too 🙄
@@catherinewandera8790 ohhhh helll naaahh the cringiest of them all😣
@@manasa3953 cringe af 🤦♀️
Same for me
It's so superficial and empty 😵💫
Ah i love that bts interview where they go through their discography
I wish they talked more about Wings though. Sometimes it feels like I analysed that album more than they ever did... :(
@@machinelearner108 that makes you what bora said fans reflect their idols
@@statusboy...3405 Please don't take any of this as hate. It's just what I've observed from much research. I don't think BTS were as involved in understanding the ins and outs of Wings and its themes as I wish they were. During the entire shoot of the BST Japanese MV and short films, they talk about having no idea what the director is trying to convey. Wings and BST are concepts Bang Si-Hyuk came up with and gave to BTS (watch Namjoon's livestream 'Behind Wings' - of course there was discussion after this, but the members didn't come up with it). Bang Si-Hyuk also gave all of the members keywords to write their solo songs in that album.
And then in that interview, they hardly talk about Demian, literature and coming of age, the dichotomy of temptation and growth, but they were mostly talking about the performance and sexy concepts - the sides of them that they'd show the audience visually in performance. No different unfortunately from the rest of K-pop with the added benefit that they write lyrics. Of course Namjoon read the book but the entire concept was developed by the creative team at BigHit.
It feels bad to say, and I used to think differently, but their album explanations just sound rehearsed. They've said many times in radio interviews that Bang Si-Hyuk told them to say this or that to introduce each concept. As amazing as the concepts are and as much as I enjoy analysing them, it seems BTS aren't aware of how extraordinary they are.
@@machinelearner108 ???
@@erilucy Just saying I wish they would try to understand and explore the themes of Wings a bit deeper so they could say more meaningful things about it in interviews. The interview in this video, they don't say anything particularly special, when they could have promoted it as a musical retelling of Demian or something else impressive (which it actually is, song by song for the solo songs) and random non-BTS fans watching the video would be like... woah, BTS is intense and check them out. But it seems to me they take the concept of Wings as no differently to a K-pop concept.
I seriously don't have that much brain to think theses things on my own but when i listen to you i can def agree to each and every point.These are the things which people don't pay attention to .
BTS's concepts are like fine dining.. u take time to enjoy..
Kpop's concept is like a quick snack..
That HEAVILY depends on the group, there's plenty of other groups in Kpop who have meaningful concepts and messages and write, compose and produce their own music and make their own choreographies, among other creative decisions.
this is why i am an army , bts concept are always worthful to watch , no one ever can do it like them , the way they can explain their concepts and it always matching with their each and every songs . bts is different from kpop . may god protect them and give all success
The opinions kpopies had on Right Place Wrong Person were so braindead it was actually a relief, I was like damn those people really don’t know anything about music so I shouldn’t listen to them ever
Just tell them RM is too smart for them, and BTS has always been more than kpop.
That's too much for people like them who are dumb themselves and who they follow...
This whole interview segment at 13:10 reminded me about Britney Spears at the Carpool Karaoke with James Corden. They played and sang her songs and when host asked her what this song is about she just stared blankly and said "I don't know". And overall wasn't interested in being here at all. And we all know now that Britney had no artistic control in her career at that time (or over her life as a whole).
So no wonder these girls don't know what to say. At this point I am not sure all of them even want to be a singer as a full-time job.
(This segment was so painful to watch 😭)
Edit: also, who was that girl group and boy group who talked about their songs after that segment? And that one, rating her concepts.
The boy group is Monsta X, the girl group is (G)I-DLE and the girl doing the rating is Sorn from CLC!
@@lilye_s thank you! I am hesitant about checking out new k-pop groups, but maybe I'll try to listen to them one day.
Britney said her favorite album of hers is Blackout and that was the one she was the most involved in artistically, makes me extremely sad because that album is really good but it’s still the only one she participated in so much, it’s just an immense waste of talent
guys i’ve commented this several times but i think i’m in love with this channel creator’s mind 👨🏼🦲
I think for BTS, but more specifically Namjoon and Yoongi being the key writers/producers, concept is critical. This is even more apparent in their solo works. Yes they have an inhouse team they work with but just the way they talk about their albums, they are all 100% invested.
I think this is why with Dynamite/Butter/PTD they felt they were losing themselves. They never wrote those tracks, there was no personal story or concept to discuss or invest in. Even at Festa dinner Joon said he was asking himself what kind of group are we now? If you take away the 'art' then you don't have an artist.
And of course we now have all the members in ch2 getting this experience with their own strong concepts. They learned from the best, the rapline!💜
I’m glad you said it, Dynamite and Butter were fine little summer distractions, but Permission to Dance just went too far with the vapid bubblegum. The song just wasn’t them, you could tell it was written by an older British guy, I mean, seriously, how many people under 40 listen to Elton John? I’m in my 50s, so a big fan, but I’m pretty sure he’s not the go-to for Millennials. The song sounded like a fast food commercial. I’m so glad the guys got their voices back with their solo projects before they enlisted.
Who are you to decide what represents them ? @@akaLaBrujaRoja
@@blossom6693 I didn’t decide, Namjoon himself said he had mixed feelings about it because they didn’t write any of it. That’s literally the definition of it isn’t them, it’s mostly Ed Sheeran. And I didn’t say it didn’t “represent them,” because it’s obviously Ed Sheeran’s representation of them. But it didn’t come FROM them. That’s simply an objective fact. 🤷🏼♀️
@akaLaBrujaRoja Ouuuu, twisting his words and lying is not good for you
@blossom6693 AMEN!!!
You know what's funny??? She said that the 3 English trilogies were a waste of time for BTS and that they were wasting their time on it when BTS has said that those songs are a hope for the humanity after the pandemic came out, that's why I believe that they rid it in English (Global messages)
This is why in kpop, I like SONGS and not GROUPS.
Ughhh as always another phenomenal video!! This time it’s a subject I’ve actually never stopped to think of. I chatted w someone recently (an ex-ARMY) who kept saying the “BTS have no concept anymore” thing and I couldn’t pinpoint why exactly it rubbed me the wrong way. No matter what I said explaining how they indeed have strong concepts, it didn’t click with them - they even named BlackPink as having ‘stronger concepts than BTS’ which absolutely blew my mind. But you just clarified it so clearly in this vid essay! Kpoppies crave strong visuals and define that as an artist concept, when in reality as you said visuals are only PART of a concept, or (supposed to be) a visual expression of a concept. I never put together that these groups singing in school uniforms aren’t even singing about school, etc!
It always always always circles back to the strength that BTS has: they are songwriters, not JUST performers. They create from their experiences and thoughts. They perform music that reflects them BECAUSE it’s music they created. They are creators and writers and producers. They are always connected to their works which makes ARMY connected. That’s all it takes as an artist - music or not! People want to know you’re attached to your work.
The BlackPink interview had me HOWLING. I’ll never forget the person who had the nerve to tell me their concepts they didn’t pick up a pen for are stronger than songwriting-BTS.
That BP clip is the perfect example of people discovering k-pop through BTS and later trying different groups, just to find out they have no substance and quality of artistry of the same level as Bangtan. Yet, the media play and fans claim them to have it.
Exactly, I hate when reactor discover BTS for the first time and they go: OMG I didn't knew kpop had music/ artists like this! and all I can think is, no they don't, is just BTS.
@@BlackSwan.1984 haha....am not a reactor or anything, but the same thing happened to me when i first discovered BTS. After discovering BTS i delved hard into the kpop scene thinking kpop music and concepts seemed deep and worthy of analysis... and then later on i was like, What???, no way its just BTS
i'm a huge BTS fan boy but i honestly don't care about the BU i know that exist but i don't even try to undenstand bcz BTS are only the actors BU is thing of Bang and Bighit. But can we agree on that boracity hate blackpink? every time she find new ways to shit on them haha
@@davimoraes3731 She stated facts. No hate.
@@davimoraes3731 BU isn't related to the music but is really interesting. And I don't think Bora hates BP, she's just showing an interview that is a clear example of what her video is about, she's no hating on them because they don't write their own music, is more about not being sincere with the creative process behind their songs.
Zach Sang is always an enjoyable interviewer to watch and listen to, especially when he got such good interaction back from the artist.
Kpop seems to have their own definitions for everything. Kpop concept = visual , concept = story telling. I was so sick of kpop during 2nd gen after a couple years that I quit listening until I found BTS in 2019. Most kpop songs still haven't changed because they love to follow trend that I get bored with it very quickly. Only BTS can make me stay because there is depth in their songs. Just when I am about to get bore with kpop, RM released RPWP.
That's just the Korean language (and many non-English languages). We take words from English that have a certain meaning and give them another meaning. BTS uses that version of concept as well, so it's much more apt to call the full extent of what they do in an album, them not concept. Because you'll hear BTS say, 'flowerboy concept', 'sexy concept', manly-man concept' all the time - they're just using what Koreans have turned the word into.
@@machinelearner108 Oh, I said something similar in another comment, that this sounds like a case of 'Konglish' and then I found your comment here 😊
One thing is clear, BTS are very lucky to have Namjoon. His brain is all over BTS albums.
Yes, all of them contributed, but his creative leadership is very obvious.
To me, concepts are like theater. People may get upset by Jin pushing that girl into the lockers, but I just see it as them playing a character in a movie (which a music video kinda is). I hope we get a bad boy concept for BTS once again one day.
Also, no one can copyright a concept which you can easily find out by using google.
The Zach Sang moment with BP is *BRUTAL* !!😫 Lord have mercy...
I've seen that Beyonce meme many times but I never knew that's what she said. Her words are so so accurate.
Thanks again Bora. 💜
Talking about, BTS talking about their Concept in depth, knowing what they make and are making is actually something people need to know when they talk about BTS be it in anyway. BTS have always understood and had a reason to make the songs. For example the recent release of BTS's Leader, RM's RPWP, I love the way he expressed his experiences, situations, feelings and things he has been through. I love the way he explained each of his song and they idea of him writing it in the MMM segment.
In the album he talks about his personal experience of being in a place full of strangers, he talks what he feels when he hears strangers talking about him and BTS, tho they personally don't know them. The way he calls all of them who talks bad about them and thanks those who have always supported and made him feel good. That's a concept.
I remember RM saying that he made RPWP in a order of a story, starting from 'Right People, Wrong Place' to 'Come back to me' following the same path as the songs are arranged in the album express a story, it's about how the order of the story is, how it all started, how it went ( each song representing a new instance) and how it ended with the last track of the song. He said, he just dilevered it in a story in order and randomly picked 'LOST!' just because he had to pick a title track. It shows, he was not making it for the sake of making, rather expressing Himself.
Same goes for each album of BTS. The albums have their own story, each songs represents an instance, each song has a message a depth and a story in itself.
Even 'GOLDEN' of Jungkook is a story within itself, where each track again tells an instance. (More like a love story, with ups and downs).
Tbf it's the same for other groups as well, but it HEAVILY depends on the group, there's plenty of other groups in Kpop who have meaningful concepts and messages and write, compose and produce their own music and make their own choreographies, among other creative decisions.
Uh?! I haven't seen someone so. The other K-pop groups, lack stories, they often lack messages, ans I'm not saying this to demean or something, but that's something I've seen. TBH, Only groups with concepts are BTS, RV and TXT. And, If you are here to promote some names and not accept the fact of how diverse, conceptual and ACTUALLY different BTS and their Artistry has been, Then you are most welcome to Leave.
(Respectfully speaking, if it come as of rude, It's honestly not).
PS:- SVT can be included as well, but I often think they lack a particular ‘concept.’
@Tae_Vear7 I'm also not here to demean anyone, but it still stands true that there are several other groups that have consistent concepts, storylines and meaningful messages as well such as Dreamcatcher and Ateez for example besides BTS, TXT, RV and SVT as you've mentioned.
@@Kalakeiko
alright, mention them again. But, I just saw you in some other comments, Calling ARMY's toxic just because they are praising BTS, let me remind you again, THEY ARE JUST Praising BTS without demeaning others, and out of that if you come up as if 'other groups, this that all that' then you come off as toxic not them, because they are JUST talking and appreciating BTS and if you come of to that having problems and all that, you just seem insecure yk.
So it's better to be real and accepting and appreciating. Moreover, I see you come and watch this ‘toxic videoessay’ even after 4 months. NVM.
@Tae_Vear7 Okay, first of all I have nothing against most Armys nor BTS at all nor am I insecure. I also like BTS and I'm friends with several Armys as well. I also like and agree with several of Boracity'a videos, however I also disagree with some of her essays, or rather how she presents them and the overly negative comments when it comes to Kpop in order to praise BTS.
The issue I have with said essays and comments are NOT at all that people are liking and praising BTS in any way nor am I saying that all Armys or even Boracity are toxic, BUT I do have an issue with how the way a LOT of the comments here are disrespecting and insulting other groups and generalising all Kpop groups when there are plenty that do have a lot of creative control over their work, that do have meaningful music, concepts and storylines and that are self-produced, so grouping all of these very different groups together and acting like they're all the exact same and therefore inferior in any way is just unfair and unnecessary.
It's 100% okay to just focus on BTS and praising them, but it can most definitely be done without dragging other groups or the entire industry down just to praise BTS. My comments are just aimed at the people who do exactly that and not the ones who simply want to give BTS praise and how much they like them. That's all there is to it, not out of any insecurity or toxicity.
Incredible work as always. One thing that has been on my mind is how the aesthetics of some BTS member’s solo work doesn’t fit the already prepackaged accepted aesthetic choices among K-pop fans and how that affects if these K-pop fans will tune in for that member’s music or not. Could be an interesting topic of discussion.
Some of the solo work attracts new listeners that wouldn't listen to BTS cuz it's Kpop, but they stumble upon Jung Koo'k's Seven, or Agust D's Daechwita (and then it takes them a minute to figure out that Suga of BTS is the same person). Then they're like "Oh, wait... They're part of BTS. Let me give them a listen." And so it begins. I've seen several reactors with no clue about Kpop, sometimes even labeling themselves Kpop Haters come around just within the last three months. Even while all seven members are enlisted, BTS still manages to interest very diverse ppl from different countries. ARMY is ready and willing to guide them.
@@yuklimka7251 Some of those... a recent 'K-pop hater gets into BTS' channel that I just ran into practically admitted he was doing it for the views. And another newcomer was holding his own videos hostage. 'If you give me 500 likes, I'll start uploading TWO videos a day!' I always give those ones dislikes.
@@ystrw I agree with not supporting those channels where their mindset is blatantly obvious. I don't subscribe and instead click on "Don't recommend channel." I learned if you dislike their videos or leave a comment it still counts as engagement and helps their algorithm. I think ARMY is savvy enough to see through disingenuity/insincerity.
@@yuklimka7251 Oh, does it? Ok then, no more disliking from now on. Thanks for the heads-up.
@@ystrw No problem.
You have proven yet again why and how BTS paved the way, trendsetters fr
No-one can explain the storyline of a song as BTS does. It always intrigues me, MUSE is coming, lets see what amazing stuff is ahead for us :).
That HEAVILY depends on the group, there's plenty of other groups in Kpop who have meaningful concepts, storylines and messages and write, compose and produce their own music and make their own choreographies, among other creative decisions.
boracity you need an award and more subscribers. for years i've struggled to find the reason i always go back o 875 and you explained it perfectly. i hope you stay healthy and give us more top tier content. stay safe, sister.
Thank you for including that Gidle clip.
For those who do not know, they're one of the prominent girl group's that produces music with an actual theme/concept.
i'm always glad that there's artists like them in the industry, they always give us good work
I wish you added Bang Pd's interview way before BTS become hit in West. Maybe you don't know it exist. So it's alright.
He expressed that he didn't wanted to make a pretty boys grp for girls to scream "oppa" at. 😹.
Rather a grp that will tale their story and daily struggle in authentic way.
Honestly, Bang PD deserve all praise for letting the boys do what they want and supporting them even when he wasn't in position to do.
Tbf it's the same for other groups as well, but it HEAVILY depends on the group, there's plenty of other groups in Kpop who have meaningful concepts and messages and write, compose and produce their own music and make their own choreographies, among other creative decisions.
And sometimes it's so hard to understand BTS message behind their muisc , because most of the time they also leave some things up to armys for intereprete !! It's so so beautiful and interesting that BTS also waits for armys to intereprete different msg differently !! Coz that's how poems are appreciated !!! Everyone take their own meaning on top of the general message the poem is giving !!! I love how BTS lyrics always feels like poems !! And that's one of the hundred reasons why BTS ARE THE BEST ARTIST ❤
This was great. Concepts are important to music as it can tell a real or fictional story. With anything creative, if you don’t have a driving theme behind what you’re trying to share with the world, then it gets kinda lost in the water. I’m not saying every song needs to be serious and real, but if you don’t have that creative passion for putting it out there, then it can become repetitive. K-pop artists have many stories they can tell but they either choose not to or their company won’t allow it. BTS wrote about their lives, their feelings and ideas throughout their early teens all the way through worldwide events, and dug deep into trauma love, and the inner thoughts of the human mind. These are interesting because of the depth they went with researching and made their own storyline of real life experiences that many people go through while staying inside the fictional side. But it all felt so real. It feels real because they knew it was important to talk about these types of issues. People who “miss their old sound” only miss the K-pop concept it had. Their sound and concept grew just as they grew. BTS will continue to be true artists in that way. I feel like 4-5 maybe even 6 years ago, K-pop had better concepts but then it got repetitive and nothing made sense. But BTS is always growing, learning and changing. That’s why their music will always be interesting because we haven’t gotten a repetition of a concept. K-pop needs to think outside the box, like BTS did if they want to survive.
As an CH2 Army I have still not seen lots of content, but the popular (american) Interviews and compilations. So I am surprised to see 16:20 that there were interviews that got deeper than "whats your fav food" etc. I wil def check them out.
Thank you for your continued good work! 💜
100% recommend Zach Sang’s interviews (he’s the one being shown in this general clip)
From the very first interview he showed that he knew where they started with their concepts and messages (even Namjoon was surprised by it 😅), making it clear how invested and interested he was in what they had to say.
I think it was a big reason why Namjoon trusted him enough to interview him on his Indigo album.
@@kbaobei03It was funny toxic Blinks were blaming him for asking music questions instead of holding BP accountable for not knowing how to answer.
@@kbaobei03 That was such a good interview. You could see that Zach had really done his homework and enjoyed the album a lot. And RM was very gratified to talk to someone who asked such good questions and encouraged him to explain it all. The only RM interview I've enjoyed more than that is the Psick guys...
@@kbaobei03 thank you! I will do that 💜
@@ystrw aww the Psick show was awesome! 😅 It's because of RM that I started watching it. The 3 hosts are so engaging and funny lol, especially the short dude (Ken?)
I still remember in 2017, when the first love yourself album cam out, within months an army on twitter predicted the next album, its theme, and the possible aesthetic bts might adopt. For bts, the message and theme of the album always came first, then the theme would dictate the aesthetics they would adopt.
13:44 the silence actually took me out LMFAO
it’s BRUTAL 😭
where is this even from? it looks so embarrassing QQ
@@gnocchi5326Zach Zane Show on YT. The interview was horrible because they couldn't answer questions about their music.
I was so concerned man 😭
Even their own fans never mention this interview( most of these kinda interviews ) like it never happened 🙂 really embarrassing ( no hate to them )
That Zach Sang interview with BP......holy crap. 😂😂😂
I know it even made me feel a wee bit sorry for them. At first I though oh they need someone to translate. Someone people help them. But then I realised they really had nothing to say because they didn't even understand their own music
@@eileencritchley4630I think 2 or 3 of them know English. I watched the interview couple years ago, but I couldn't finish it. Toxic Blinks blamed Zach for asking music related questions instead of holding their idols and YG accountable. Kpoppies are really unreasonable.
@@Super_Chamchi oh my goodness, kopppies really are very immature and spoilt children. One wonders what their parents are teaching them?
BTS concepts: A powerful wave of conscious, connected energy that brings the fans closer to themselves, to the concept of their "selves", their very real subjective reality. It's a resonant effect of BTS being genuine artists, being humans who pour out their selves in their music's concepts.
K-pop concepts: The exact opposite movement of consciousness that in many cases creates separation between the fans and their selves, leaves them in the void.
what a well written video. this whole thing about kpop fans being oblivious to concepts is evident. some of my friends really like kpop songs which is totally okay but when it comes to message or any artistic influence they are very clueless about it. i feel alone in my life where i dont have many to talk to when it comes to art in general. so being a bts army i feel absolutely at home.
You know it’s a freaking good day when Boracity posts!! 💜
@boracity i just want to applaud and praise you for all your hard work and dedication you put in this videos. They are Armys lifelines and way of learning stuff related to BTS. Your explanations are so on point. Just because you are a BTS fan, you never say BTS is only the best. Instead you show it in your videos why they are best at what they're doing. You point out stuff that shows why BTS is different in all aspects. And that's what I love about you. So far, I have made almost everyone of my friends watch your videos bcoz they made fun of me for being a BTS fan. Guess what????
Now they can't stop simping over the 7 boys and listening to their music. Usually they're so busy but still are the first ones to ask me if I have listened to the new song or watched the new video.
As I write this, I have already got 4 texts saying boracity is back again.. Thank You so much💜
From the outside, people think ARMY are just so full of ourselves and just talk up our "faves" because we're delusional fangirls on the popular hype train. While those fake fans do exist, the rest of us always speak on how thoughtful and meaningful BTS music is and those who don't bother to look in to it, like to talk sh*t but your video puts it all so well. I hope someone posts your video to those kpop subreddits so they can wake up.
This is exactly why I can never attached myself to any other kpop grp like bts… we always expect more and they always lack what we’re looking for. The sincerity, the attachment for their music
Kudos to boracity for the consistency 💜
10:54 honestly? the first thought that came to mind was Coldplay's Music of the Spheres LOL The concept was to explore what other artists could be like across the universe. So they used the aesthetic of diverse fantasy races from different planets, using them as canvas to explore human experience :) I was so happy when BTS became a part of it with My Universe
Your vids are an important historic record of the CONTEXT in which BTS produced their work... setting the scene that produced the motivation & inspiration behind it... which is an aspect specifically lacking in other attempts to document their story.
BTS is the true definition of Arts & Entertainment they have a passion and a love for it they breathe it, BTS contribution to Arts & Entertainment is one for the history books I know people say BTS paved the way for Kpop and they did but it bigger than that Bts breathed life back into music and giving people hope, and made us think about music and what its suppose to do for us as listeners.
What I love so much about your video essays is that you lay things out so logically. But on top of that you’re never bashing kpop groups, instead you’re wishing for them to have their own voices and original music created by the members. I love that!
Thank you again for this amazing video and all your hard work!
Great cover as usual! 💜
this video is just a reminder that i wish more kpop artists had more artistic freedom to tell the stories they want to tell and aesthetics that could convey the message they really want to tell instead of a image their company is imposing to them
not an army but I agree. one thing I hate seeing is armys hating on groups for not having this as if that's their fault when it's the company's fault.
@heiext Especially since it VERY HEAVILY depends on the group. There's plenty of other groups in Kpop who have meaningful concepts, storylines and messages and write, compose and produce their own music and make their own choreographies, among other creative decisions.
It's such a shame how many people here and in general demonise Kpop and act like all groups are the exact same and just a bunch of pretty boys and girls that teen girls are obsessed with who don't have any meaningful music when that isn't true and an extreme generalisation.
Even more so when it comes to people harassing, attacking, disrespecting and insulting said groups just because they happen to be a Kpop group and not even knowing what they and their work have to offer.
I, as army, can proudly say that i chose BTS not because of their looks but their music. I listen to them but don't watch their faces all day like some solo fans do.
And the way the interviewer reacted when BTS started to explain their every song is so frustrating 😤.
The way RM explained the song trivia:Love as the difference of single consonant. SARANG (사랑) is LOVE , SARAM (사람) is person. The change of a single consonant in a word makes LOVE as PERSON. Love and person sounds same in korean with a slight difference.
NG(ㅇ) to M(ㅁ).
I just love his music. I love RM. I Love BTS and their MUSIC.
BTS💜ARMY FOREVER
I honestly believe this is why a large portion of BTS fans-even when they were a much younger group-consisted of older, mature professionals. We can see the substance in the music. Beyonce's album "Lemonade" is a perfect example of an album telling a story, and it was refreshing to hear and dive into. Listening to it from beginning to end, you basically understood all her emotions and what she went through. I didn't become a BTS fan until end of 2020-because I felt too old for boy groups-but when I went through their albums, I could hear, feel, and see the intelligence, emotions, and growth from their lyrics. They had more to offer than what meets the eye and this is what music quality is. There's a lot to unpack. This is art.
That HEAVILY depends on the group, there's plenty of other groups in Kpop who have meaningful concepts, storylines and messages and write, compose and produce their own music and make their own choreographies, among other creative decisions.
Don't generalise so many different groups just because they happen to be Kpop.
@@Kalakeiko when did he/she generalize other k-pop groups? This person didn't mention k-pop even once, so I don't know what you're talking about.
The message is what attracted me to their music and there is so much content to breakdown I could never get tired of it.
I would like to give an example of a great concept album. The BEATLES with Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was a concept album that came out at a time when most artists were releasing top pop singles. The albums concept and music was so engaging and thought provoking they even made a movie based around all the songs. This is something that could easily be done with any BTS album. The music, the lyrics, the visuals and the concepts could easily translate into a movie setting - which is what they actually do with their music videos.
Music that makes you think and question things and look deeper is very important especially in today's society where so many are just looking for the latest sound byte to add to a tictoc trend.
Exactly, thank you for putting this so succinctly! When I listen to BTS' music or see their MVs, I do notice the visuals but my focus is almost always on their sound, their lyrics and their vocal choices. There's so much they convey from every part of their song, it feels authentic and real. Like listening to an artist who genuinely loves what he does
The difference is they are real artist, songwriters producers singers rappers. Multitalented playing instruments. Thats why they are not a product of an concept. That is why they are unique including their lyrics they are great human beings. Myself I never put them as an K-Pop group but rather a great legendary group from SK
i've always said this. what kpoppies think are concepts are actually aesthetics
people may get intrigued by BTS because of their unique aesthetic or bright concepts but the reason they stay and become armies is because of the depth of their music and the concepts that they actually talk about within their music and in the Bangtan world.
I remember getting excited with NJ's Ditto when it just came out but then they lost it and I lost more and more interest with every new release of theirs to the point of not bothering anymore. Most of BTS solo works had a strong message as well. I'd say only JK didn't really have one. I felt like he was like a kid in a candy store, excited to try all the different styles of singing. But I also think when he has enough time he will come up with his own messages too, it's just too ingrained by now. Brilliant analysis as always! 💜💜💜
I think the thing with JK is that he took such a long time off and when he finally decided to work on something it was just too late so he opted to just receive some songs (he did express some regret about that to army on suchwita). He at least tried to keep a theme of relationships, falling in love and breaking up. He didn't share a personal story but that's also ok.
Isn’t that mv a whole iphone commercial or that’s the other one? Honestly I don’t get how so many armys were fans of that gg before the mess, they’re literally just like bp but with a different aesthetic and can somehow be worse considering each mv is just a brand endorsement, it always sounded soulless to me
On Golden, JK's theme is romantic love from first spark to crash and burn ending. If you listen to the songs in order there is a rough progression from online flirting to meeting IRL to falling in and out of love, break ups, and trying again.
That's what he was doing exploring and he choose the songs from load of songs and if you listen to the album in order it has a story. Finding and losing love. I think he had a lot of fun with it. He's written songs before so I think he'll write his own again. Some time's it's nice to try different things experiment. I don't like one track on I skip that one when I do listen to the 'full album. But then I try to listen to one Solo album from each member at least twice a week while I'm doing my housework or relaxing.
you need to listen to the whole GOLDEN album in order.. and not comparing him with BTS .. because jk loves pop music, so this is his fav genre. english pop song. HE SHINED THE MOST IN HIS SOLO .. and jk is alredy writing producing within bts and with his different single- latest being another army song NEVER LET GO. but having a love theme from flirting-talking phase-love phase-deep longing-on the verge of breakup-breakingup-heartbreak-trying to cope-finally accapting yourself is i would say pretty much amazing concept in a pop album !!which is not common. so jk did really good job in compiling nd arranging songs from different producers !! just what he explained in his 2020 interview that he will do in his debut album !!
True! I think that's one of the reasons that lots of Army (including me) just like certain songs of other groups rather than listening to all of the album's songs for a message.
you are SO RIGHT!! until about two years ago, i almost exclusively listened to kpop and bts. in the last year especially, i became more familiar with the western and global/non-kpop music scene, fell in love with some non-kpop artist and slowly stopped caring about kpop as much. i always knew kpop was (mostly, with exeptions) superficial (and bts was different), but only recently i've been able to truly understand the depths that some non-kpop artists go to with their music. i realized that thankfully, having a discography full of meaningful messages and incredibly well thought-out concepts is not as rare as i thought and there's many artists that i can love and whose music i can enjoy. i guess i just didn't fully realize that the kpop industry does not reflect the entire world's music industry.
That HEAVILY depends on the group, there's plenty of other groups in Kpop who have meaningful concepts, storylines and messages and write, compose and produce their own music and make their own choreographies, among other creative decisions.
Don't generalise so many different groups just because they happen to be Kpop.
@@Kalakeiko i wrote the comment 3 months ago and now that i'm reading, i definitely would've phrased it differently, i guess more leniently? i might've generalized a little too much. but i still think that kpop songs in general can't reach the same depth that for example western artists are allowed to go to.
I really enjoy your video essays, thank you for putting so much thought and work into them!
I feel like even if a group has a concept that is more than just asthetics and their outfits/MV looks match the lyrics, those concepts don't last long. BTS has trilogies with concepts, throughout multiple comebacks, the concept stays. But nowadays, each comeback automatically means the group is going to present a different concept.
I struggle to find the identity of some KPOP-groups these days. It feels like they are presenting a song, a feeling, without actually meaning it or they are actually not supposed to mean it. Aside from lyrics, concepts are changing very fast and the more the sound, the asthetics and concepts change, the more messy it gets and the less identity is shown. Until I wonder what they even want to tell me
You are such an incredible music journalist, like you really hit the nail on the head with your closing statements on the "why" behind a song. Sometimes songs don't need to have a really deep message- they can just be catchy and that's ok! But if you are creating a "body of work" as Queen Bey said, you need to have a "why" and a purpose behind what you are trying to convey in your music. That's why it really shows, in all music industries, who is a true "lover and student of music" and who isn't. Also, I really hope you're a fellow Beyhive because I would love a video essay on Cowboy Carter or something hehe 💜
All i Can Say is " Exaccccctllyyy".
Brillante como siempre Boracity tú eres una de las razones por las que me hice ARMY sólo conoci a BTS hace dos años y me encanta su musica y su fase hip hop pero fue después de ver por qué la industria está aterrorizada de BTS que empecé a investigar mas y caí completamente en el rabbit hole.. With Love from Spain 🇪🇸
Honestly listening to one of their songs is like picking up my favorite book. From start to finish I am locked in. I want to see what comes next so of course I am gonna turn the page or on to the next track.
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! You nailed exactly why there are so many "BTS only" fans who don't listen to K-Pop artists
It's perfectly fine that there are fans who just want a catchy song with a cool video!! I don't hate on them. That's just not my style.
But there are also fans like me who want more; they want the personal lyrics, want the story, want to feel the connection between the artist and their music
I tried checking out so many popular kpop artists after I discovered BTS...but all I found were vapid, chaotic, nonsense songs
Some had a decent beat, but all I'd remember was the hook and the rest was utterly forgettable because THEY WEREN'T SAYING ANYTHING MEANINGFUL at all
BTS is different. SO DIFFERENT. Yes, there are lots of great Korean indie artists that also make great, personal music...I like some of it, but honestly, I get enough of that from western music. What I *don't* get in western music is an all-around amazing group of people with diverse voices and styles - BTS is unique globally. No other artist in the world is like them and can do what they do. This is just fact.
That HEAVILY depends on the group, there's plenty of other groups in Kpop who have meaningful concepts, storylines and messages and write, compose and produce their own music and make their own choreographies, among other creative decisions.
Don't generalise so many different groups just because they happen to be Kpop.
I think that's why I love BTS and ATEEZ do to their lore, concept, and cohesion of their discography. I can listen from their earliest song to most recent and find something new everytime.
Best thing about bts albums is their lyrics and the messages in that. Its artistic in every way.