i’ve been letting this channel rot away, so i’m not actually sure how many people youtube is going to show this to. to everyone who somehow found their way here: thank you! to everyone who isn’t into bts but still decided to click because they were happy to see that i’m still alive: thank you! more videos are on their way, i’ll make a poll with topics very soon
the way you explained how the west treats foreign artists, that they welcome them as long as it's temporary, was really amazing. i had never heard anyone explain it like that and it made perfect sense! there are lots of examples that came to mind right away!
@@gillyweedniharry yeah.. at this point they're doing everything in their power to make it happen, discrediting them as much as possible and such. it's unreal to me that they don't realize bts and army are so much more powerful than that
I remember in 2017 as our fandom had many adult army there was this mindset of "ok, let's make our boys known globally, army. So, I work in marketing/music industry/radio/events etc and we have to do this and that. Let's do it!" It was amazing! ❤
All I'm saying is that now I understand why BTS's music is not considered Kpop. I know there's a lot of discourse about this, but I mean c'mon. They are not welcomed wholeheartedly anywhere they go. Ofc they became their own genre. I understand the frustration behind this and I respect it.
Thank you I fully agree with you. They are their own genre. They do not fit into any current standard they are outstanding in their own right! Their music is mostly written and produced by themselves with its own sound, culture and integrity. The false accusations and hatred they receive is unwarranted. I am proud to be Army for life🤣😀
I'm only 20 minutes into this but man the way both bts and armys are treated by,,, literally everyone else makes me so mad like that recent billboard article feels like a continuation of the grammy night and the racist jokes made by both locals and professionals and that god awful violent caricature and i simply need to know if any other fandoms are stalked by journalists and crypto scammers on twitter the way we are because i refuse to believe this is normal i feel like im going insane 💀
believe me, over the years i‘ve been in so many different fandoms and still am, but bts and army do have some of the weirdest and worst shit going on 🥴
BTS's sincerity was definitely something that grabbed me from the very beginning. My cynical brain saw it as an act initially... but honestly, if they're "acting" it's Oscar-worthy lifetime performance art. When I started watching their early vlogs (which were initially their only real avenue of promotion and contact with fans), I saw how frequently the boys would turn on the camera of their own volition just because ARMY was a comforting presence to talk to. There was no one telling them they had to vlog in the middle of the night, that was all them. I think the synergistic nature of BTS and ARMY's relationship is a major factor in our loyalty. With most artists, while they appreciate their fans and may do special promotions like backstage invites or fan clubs, it's still a very much, "I'm an artist, you are the people who give me money to do what I do." That is NOT BTS. As much as we love them, they love us (collectively) too. We're the first ones they acknowledge with every single award or success, because they see it as our success, too. They think about us and how we're doing (nearly) as often as we think about them. And their social message and concern for mental health is likewise genuine, because it's something they've faced personally. Yoongi and Namjun have been very open about their struggles with mental health and depression. Heck, half of them are introverts-- they know exactly what it is to feel socially awkward and unsure of how to be in public. When Jin went to that movie premiere, he invited ARMY not to boost his own consequence, but so that he'd have people he knew there, and wouldn't feel so out of place. Several of the members-- Namjun and Jin especially-- mention frequently how uncomfortable they feel with all the adoration they receive, and question whether they're really deserving of it. Personally, I think it's because what they're receiving from ARMY is actually a double-helping: yes, we love the group for themselves, but they're also receiving our gratitude for how they've helped us feel about *ourselves.* Though they're never likely to know us all as individuals, they still *recognize* that ARMY are individuals, each with our own stories, each deserving of respect and love. They want to know our stories, too. In celebrating BTS, we're also celebrating *ourselves,* and all of the successes of the individuals who make up ARMY. (Which is... a LOT of success. :D )
True Army I see💜 i totally agree. I myself am a skeptic. But I find myself in your comment. Sincere people know how to distinguish sincerity from fake.
Something you discussed that I never rlly considered was how western media will welcome an “exotic” act for a while and then they want it gone. It reminded me of something similar that happened in the kpop industry in regards to BTS: Back around 2018/2019, just when BTS was begging to enjoy substantial success in the west, kpop fans and the Korean media started saying things like “who’s the next BTS,” “give someone else a chance,” etc. I’ve been heavily entrenched in kpop and it’s fandom for YEARS up until that point, was fans of many groups spanning all 3 generations, and had never experienced the entire industry and fan community trying to push a group out of the spotlight. It was jarring at the time, and now that you point out that the west does this regularly, it’s even more confusing why it happened in the Korean industry. All a sudden positive fan reactions and news articles turned into cries for new artists to become popular (and for BTS to return to the station I assume their industry viewed of them). Why? idk. My guess is, just like today and just like back when they debuted, BTS were still technically industry “outsiders” and will l probably never get the acknowledgment from their industry that they deserve. And as outsiders, all their success did was signal that it was now possible for Korean acts to top American charts. Atp, I don’t think they have much interest in assimilating and re-integrating themselves into the industry but back then it was ridiculous (as a fan) to hear all the cheers turn to “okay, let’s wrap it up and move on” in under a year.
BTS was never rlly in the kpop industry and they're not in the west industry either. They're BTS. Artists who truly enjoy what they do. If you disagree with my first sentence that's alr bc ppl have their opinions. I just hope you search up Boracity Magazine and watch some of their recent videos they will explain a lot.
Hi I'm a year late so you might not read this, but I recently watched a video by Boracity called "Why most Army's don't like Kpop" and it talks about what you just meantioned. Thought you might find it interesting
I think one reason why people started shifting from full on support to pointing out other groups is because Bangtan started with the image of the 'underdogs' and carried this image until 2017 after that their popularity skyrocketed and they just went into their own category. But considering people viewed them as this underappreciated group till then, after they got so much attention, people (imo rightfully) started noticing other groups that provided quality music but were not acknowledged. I personally got into kpop solely for music, and at some point there were many groups making such good quality music (some of them even fully writing and producing it) that it became tiring to always hear BTS's name (winning most of the awards/ getting mullions of views every hour ) while a group with similar quality music gets 1/10th of it if that. Basically, what I'm saying is when you like Korean music in general, it is hard to stan only two groups (BTS and BlackPink) when there are so many others providing (at times even better) quality music. I have seen so many talented groups disband after years of trying so it's a bit annoying to see ARMY claim how hard Bangtan has worked to be where they are. Don't get me wrong they did work hard and they do deserve their success, but they got their success within 3 years of their debut. In Kpop that's a success not many have seen.
I’m a very fickle minded person. I cannot/do not enjoy obsessing over just one thing. But BTS drew me in like nothing had before and I’ve always wondered why. I’ve never been a fandom type of person, I find them exhausting but this is the first time I found myself actively trying to stay away. This is the best video I’ve seen so far explaining this phenomenon. I always enjoy listening to your perspective on topics and your opinions are always very well presented. Looking forward to future videos!!!
while i‘ve been into fandom for as long as i‘ve known how to use the internet, my mind is also all over the place. so for me to be in one consistently for six years now is a bit of a miracle…
The only thing captivated me like this before and drew me full force in, was Harry Potter books and my imaginations of trying to visualize that magical world (before movies ofc). I guess I can say, BTS had that same charm and magic over me.
It's not a pyramid scheme. You can totally not be a fan. The issue is that some nonfans don't know how to dislike something without disrespecting it. That's when the trouble starts.
It's also fans trying to address the disrespect in itself that causes the nonfan to become a fan. Been part of some of those fans in the past and gosh the attitude change during the turn around is insane
Can't believe this video doesn't have more views. It's one of the most fascinating takes on BTS, and what makes them so great and stand out above the rest of the industry I've ever seen. I clicked on the video expecting the regular stuff: "Their MV's have meaning, they're all talented, they love their fans yadayadayada" but you gave a much deeper and sincere analysis. Really great stuff. Even as a long time BTS fan (2016-), I feel like you pointed out things I'd never consciously thought about before, like the romanticising friendship, how they implement stories known by their fans into their songs etc. I'm so happy i found this video.
aww an old fan like me. I heard of them because I watch SK dramas way too much. So I started getting Korean news in my feeds, since 2013. But I really started periodically following them in 2015. I was surprised that they'd won an award and another in Japan each time. I was captivated by bulletproof and mesmerized by black swan now I am a total goner. Voting, liking pics, and searching for their content online. daily
"....its more so that they are able to represent so many things at once, and make you as a fan feel like part of a bigger picture" this is such a good way to mention one of the reasons on why they are so successful and loved. Very well done on thie video!!!!
the reason why I strongly admire bts is their passion and hard work on their songs, as you said on the first topic, even Paul McCartney said that bts is that one kind of artist that is deeply connected to their songs. they all have this conscience that their music is their art and they work hard to put themselves in it.
and exactly that‘s the reason i think we can look forward to seeing them around for a long long time! thank you for tuning in and leaving a comment, it means the world :)
I always tend to get really into something (an artist, a book, a movie, whatever) but after 1 or 2 months I move on and find something new, when I got into bts back in early 2019 I thought it would be the same thing and here I am almost in 2022 with a whole twitter account that I use just to vote for them for awards lol I don't think I'm ever moving on from them
I think it's important to remember how kpop in general frames things -- and that ppl like Bang and BTS came up in that industry, so they will see things through a certain lens -- in terms of Bang saying he wanted to create a model and that there should be more "BTS's" I don't think he meant a business model. I don't think he meant necessarily that it was a "formula for success." I genuinely believe he and in turn, BTS, saw a potential in the Idol phenomenon to be a real force for social good, a real source of strength and acceptance for fans. The parasocial relationship they've cultivated w ARMY is a two-way street, which is unusual and novel. And it appears to be a powerful force for good. Ppl look up to idols, they want to emulate them -- so why NOT have idols w a REAL message for positive change? They become more than idols, they become mentors, big brothers/sisters, people that model positive ways of being for their fans. I don't believe BTS can be replicated, but part of their "formula" is that there was no real "formula." They are each very unique and talented people, and their synergy isn't going to be replicated -- but no one should try to copy them. The "next BTS" will be something different from BTS. It will be something unique, just like BTS is unique. The only similarities it might have will be in the fostering of a real social connection between artists and their fandom, and the acknowledgment of that exchange of energy and support. Before BTS, idols were shiny objects to entice, excite, even titillate fans, and fans might copy their fashion and dance moves, but that was it. I think the key wd be in finding artists who want more than the typical flash in the pan of the idol "cycle." They will be ppl who want to be artists for a long time, who have something they need or want to say to the world, and who won't be cookie-cutter ppl looking for fast fame. My opinion. I think that's what Bang started, and he's nurtured some very unique artists -- Jo Kwon was supported by Bang in his exploration of drag. It's clear he has a sense for nurturing what makes artists unique, rather than trying to simply produce a widely-palatable product draped in novel "concepts" and fashion. The potential for the "idol industry" to be something MORE, I think is what he and BTS themselves all are trying to show people. That's why BTS doesn't fit the typical kpop model, why they aren't retiring in their 20s, or splitting up for good to move on to their solo careers. They still have more to say together, and separately. They're doing something new. And I think the "next BTS" will be doing some new as well, something BTS themselves hasn't done -- some new way of expressing themselves, some new message for the world. But I'm here to see where BTS goes and what more they have to share with us, just like other ARMY -- we're in this alongside BTS. We're not mere observers. We're part of it. We're family.
Thanks, agree with everything you said. Some of what you said were my thoughts exactly and I have a lot more thoughts on this but don't have the time to write it all out.
timestamps 00:00 intro 02:40 attack on bangtan: the underdog narrative 15:25 "music transcends": bts in the west 25:08 pied piper: bts fomo 35:47 "it‘s worth envying": public personas and parasocial relationships 43:39 the dumpling incident: storytelling across mediums 50:28 "bts don‘t have bad songs": musical vulnerability 01:00:01 "teamwork makes the dream work": the ot7 agenda 01:06:47 hwa yang yeon hwa: the eras 01:09:28 the bts model: pretentiousness and performative advocacy 01:17:04 conclusion
Kpoppies aren’t too bright. The world loves BTS. The world knows how k media and K-pop treated BTS. And to hear K-pop say “we are finding the next BTS” when BTS still lives, shows the world just how South Korea treats them. Does anyone seriously believe the world is looking favorably on K-pop? The freak out The Korean music industry had when they thought they were disbanding and begged them to stay? K-pop jumped on BTS faster than a cowboy mounts his horse. THE WORLD SEES THIS, K-POP. And it’s not going to go well for you.
1:11:40 - It's also because most of them are weirded out by the fact that armies would constantly praise their actions & would match their donations. I saw non-fans & kpoppies tell us that we are delusional & that we should get a grip on reality because 1). We shouldn't praise their actions because that's what a "basic human being" should do & 2). "Their company is forcing them to say that. So of course, they going to tell you no because it's going to make them look bad as a team." BTS has always been so straightforward about its message, so why are you shocked by this? Like no joke, I lost count of how many times, I saw this on non-related/BTS-related content. While I do somewhat agree with the first comment, the sad reality is that nowadays you can't find a group of young individuals, who are genuine & passionate about their work & the message they want to spread to the world, especially in the west. Note: I'm not saying that there aren't artists who care about their craft or their platform. I'm specifically talking about the ones who are driven by greed & only care about money, likes, & having a huge following. There's also nothing wrong with wanting to show how proud you are of someone. Like it's not hurting you in any way, so why are you upset at armies for showing their appreciation toward BTS? If It's bothering you so much just ignore them. Simple as that. Idk... I just find it so mind-boggling that people would be upset over something like that. Am I weird for feeling like that? Anyway, thank you for this wonderful video. It was well-presented, informative, & fun. ☺️💜
wow this was an amazing analysis of how the relationship between bts and armys was forged, i really wish major music publications would take this approach to bts and their music
@@i-spy9601 oh something else i just thought of, i think the points you pointed out in this vid are going to help them have an incredibly long and successful career, which both bts and armys have talked about wanting. like i envision them being able to have successful tours decades into their career even after they’ve reached their supposed “peak” the way legacy classic rock bands are able to and i really want that for them
i think we‘re gonna be stuck with them for a long long time, and i‘m here for it! even if there comes a time where they don‘t actively promote anymore i could still see them get together every once in a while
I must say that i havent kept up with BTS news etc for a while now, but this vid makes me somewhat nostalgic and just extremly happy to see such a detailed deep dive into BTS and Armys. I just thoroughly enjoyed watching this, thank you.
This is an excellent video through and through, and I’m happy you didn’t talk much about the BTS Universe. In my opinion, that topic belongs way more in a conversation not about the reasons for BTS’s popularity but about their influence on the industry. I sincerely hope one day someone will make an equally thorough and informative video on that, because too many people are purposefully blind to how much the BTS model has influenced how their favorite groups (particularly from JYP and smaller labels) are presented and promoted. At this point in time the “don’t compare” and “stop bringing up BTS everywhere” seem to be the default reaction. Truly, people aren’t ready for that conversation but it needs to be had.
i understand peoples instinct to immediately get defensive, but it is obvious what a huge influence bts have had, and there‘s no shame in other‘s following suit (as long as you still do your own thing ofc). thank you for watching!
@@i-spy9601 I agree! For example, ATEEZ is a fantastic group that stands well on its own, but there’s no denying how much the BTS model has influenced its presentation. I’ve also noticed how many groups nowadays tend to sing about their struggles with self-image and haters which didn’t use to be a big theme, especially in title songs. I appreciate how BTS made it cool to be sincere. (Although I draw the line at instantly successful groups from rich labels singing about how hard it was to reach the top. Come on, that’s just tacky.)
This. A lot of groups have cut back on the love songs and do a theme that is self reflective or encouraging (couldn’t find a better word lol) to fans. Still another aspect most groups din’t touch is the critique of society that bts did alot in their early days (and still do if you look at suga’s recent work and ugh) but I think txt is doing it in some aspects because they have the same inhouse producers and writers
@@i-spy9601 exactly. I was having this conversation in other video because it talked about the BTS PTW opinion. Now, my problem is not that people disagree with that opinion. But is the "They didn't do Anything for the industry" and is like... Yeah we can pretend that own Variety shows, blogs (specially pre debut blogs), storylines, were very popular since ever. Or that is just a coincidence that a lot of groups crate Twitter accounts after the bbmas 2017. Like yeah, is all a coincidence and it has nothing to do with the fact that some "specialist" said that this was one of the keys of BTS success. And I want to said something, it has nothing bad. Lyrics wise BTS follow a path similar to ST&B. The big majority of the industry follows a special "formula" (specially the "successful ones). And meanwhile you are still being authentic there is nothing wrong with that. Like TXT has a similar mold/ way of work/ work ethic as BTS and that is very normal because they are from the same company (the other day they talked about how they resolve problems and is exactly the same thing that BTS do, that was cute). But that doesn't make TXT less authentic.
Great video. As a somewhat recent ARMY (just before panini hit), but older in age, you made excellent points. But to your conclusion: why I love BTS and feel connected? It is indeed the music. I don't really care for the BU, though I find it interesting. It's the music. Love watching Run BTS. But it's the music. In the Soop is complete therapy. But it's the music. The concepts, visuals are amazing. But it's the music. Love all the guys and deeply admire them. But it's the music. :)
@@misslouie6742 it is indeed the music. Like when I first heard I need U and watched the MV, I teared up because I had never related so much to the mental health subject that BTS present through I need U. Before BTS i have been in a lot of fandoms, like EXO for example, but i never feel like I relate to their music. They make good music but its mostly about love, and I follow them since 2012. So i know and have heard a lot. I think I like them because they seem cool, they're talented, and their voices are amazing. But apparently that's not enough since most of us here in the comments can't really move on from bangtan, we in this 7 agenda forever.
i no joke, have a word document outlining the bare bones idea that is beautifully presented in this very video. i have literally just discovered this channel mere hours ago but i can say with certainty you have a spectacular thing going on here. it was really nice seeing the entirety of bts and "the army experience" being laid out like this. honestly there wasn't a single piece of information in here that was *new* to me but it was cathartic all the same to see the last couple years of my army life being presented in clarity.... like reaching a checkpoint in a videogame and taking stock of all the progress thats happened so far... or sorting and folding through my laundry until all the many clothes in my brain are neatly compartmentalized to take stock of my wardrobe. i love this video a lot! its obvious so much thought and effort went into it and i truly applaud you for finishing and putting it out!! ill be recommending it to many ppl for sure
I told myself I would watch a bit, go to sleep, and continue tomorrow. It is now after 6am because I watching this all in one sitting because I could not stop. This is so thorough yet engaging and I love how you structured it. I enjoyed it very much and agree with a lot of what you say! Thank you for this video!
djdjdsjsj i‘m sorry for keeping you awake but also so so happy you enjoyed it! thank you for letting me know, i really wasn‘t sure how engaging this would be for others :)
I think what’s important to keep in mind about bts music is that not everyone will like every song but just cuz someone doesn’t like it doesn’t mean it’s a bad song inherently or that they can disrespect bts when criticizing it. Like when what’s his name was hating on permission to dance. I don’t like your eyes tell but they still sang really well in it and I can see why other ppl do. It just doesn’t hit for me. Really great video you did a very throughout job!
ah im an old time army and this brought up so many memories. i've been around since 2014 when dark and wild was released. there really was so much hate at the time, which i genuinely think is why Army is so organised today we had to be strong and communicate well or we would have been crushed by the hate thrown at us (it's also why a key army trait is being so over protective of bts were so used to being the only ones who could help them.) bts has always had so many threats and haters but they never played by the big company or media rules and now their too big to ignore, revenge is sweet. about UA-cam: i remember the youtube thing and i would like to add it wasn't just about measuring growth but giving the boys an "award' such as most views in 24hrs since we couldn't trust korean music shows to give bts proper awards I-army especially started looking elsewhere, K-army keep fighting for proper recognision in South Korea. having the record of most views in 24hrs used to be quite an imortant youtube thing more in the west but other western fandoms like swifties also sought it, we wanted to show Bts that we were here and they deserved the world we were fighting so hard back then to give them any scrap of achievement or recognision) also the treating young teen fans badly has always been so funny, because yes when i started likeing bts i was a teen but im a full on legal adult now and have been for 7 years, so many army have s similar story or even joined as army much older. so when media goes "all bts fans are teens!" like no you're just so wrong it's funny. also yeah Bts works to hard they even think about army even when they should be resting. they always always put army as a uber high priority but it's their own choice, so army should respect it (even if we still worry) i just one to say as an army one of the reasons i brought in the Soup was because i just wanted to see bts eating and resting well, nothing has made me happier than to see the group i've grown up with and whos music has helped to so much in tough times resting and being happy. also i remember yoongi's first mixtape it resonated wayyyy to strongly with everyone lol so many army tweeting about being broke and being anti-social, jhopes was a bop you could forget all your problems and just dance, and namjoons brought out every analysist in army, there were heaps of army making sure the translations in every language had the proper meaning. im looking forward to everyones solo albums in the next 2 years. also i won't bite over not enjoying all of their songs, everyone has different tastes (I enjoy everything bts makes but i absolutly have favourites like "not today".) (also yes solo stans are not welcome, because they are quite litteraly never peaceful. every single solo stan i've run into hates or spouts hate for other members despite their own member they stan telling them not too, every single solo stan in 7 years of being an army has acted badly most of em end up tageting the member who need the most protectionas well like j-hope, v, and rm they always attack the appearance + behaviour i got in so many fights over the name calling T_T. you can have a bias, but bts is one group you gotta respect them all. i will fight anyone on that.) also given that bts now owns shares of big hit/hybe the puperteer company conspiracy theory is always so funny as usual. (also the creating music issue on social issues you don't mean was beautifuly showed by the love yourselfs copycats that poped up in kpop and how bad it was, they couldn't even copy the bts homework properly.) thanks for you're hard work on this video it was such a track down memory lane.
Learning about their past you really see how important and fundamental Kim Namjoon was for the band. It hurts me that there are little spoiled people who disrespect him today. Or wonder why he's in the band.😔 Hostage pyramid scheme is an accurate description of BTS fandom. 😭
I've been feeling kinda distant from BTS for a while now, thank you for reminding me why I adore them so much. This video was a really interesting watch.
I can never forget the year 2016 that year as an Army is the most painful for me, it was really tough to the point that I have to uninstall my twitter for at least a month, looking back at it now, we do sure have been through a lot.
THank you for the thoughtful, insightful analysis of the popularity and phenomena of both BTS and its fandom. As a 'new' 74 year old fan, I am myself amazed at how enthusiastic I have become of this group of talented, hard working young men. My admiration of them grows with each new disclosure of how they have and continue to handle the hardships as well as the responsibilities and rewards of success. Part of my admiration for BTS is that these 7 very different personalities respect and support each other's individuality as well as their respective talents without envy. That the boys interact with each other to the advantage of the group is not unique given the Korean (Asian) culture, but that they accomplished that unity without sacrificing their individuality or bridling their spirit is what created the BTS the world has come to joyfully embrace. Their chemistry is so rare - talents combined with individual generosity of spirit is what creates the unique entity of BTS.
Yes, yes, yes! Well said! I found BTS at 66 and they are lifting me through major life change. As a therapist, I am blown away by their courage to be sensitive, vulnerable and open with love in the middle of huge stadiums and in the eye of a global fandom. The power of love between BTS and ARMY makes everything possible. Truly gives me hope for the world.
I discovered BTS in 2013 and very fast I wanted them to be known by as many people as possible because I believed (and still do) that their art is with knowing. So, I used to spend some hours every night welcoming people and answering questions in the comments under their MVs. Until today, no regrets at all. 😊 When they quit going to variety shows I got so happy!
One thing that I think you missed was the fact that BTS' authenticity would not be there if they had not started off as a hip hop group (which is a genre in which authenticity pays an integral part). The group was formed with the goal of being self-producing hip hop group, which is why they had such a strong focus on their message and ideology right from debut. I think that they managed to merge the authentic and down to earth nature of hip hop with the polished and grandiose style of idol music to create a massively appealing image. EDIT: I looked back at this comment and realised it was rather rude of me to just say this, I'm sorry, this video is really really well-done and great.
Very well done! Reflections are on point! I especially connected with your "romanticizing friendship" comment. To me, BTS (and ARMY) also romanticized family (and people for that matter). They were just what I needed after a life-long suffering of bad family members. I was starting to feel that there were very little people out there who truly cared for other people until BTS and the ARMY showed up and freaking changed me!
I finished the whole well researched video, great analysis! I became an ARMY because BTS has consistently been sending the same message throughout all these years. Their personalities, selfless behaviour and care towards each other with being true to oneself, sincerity and kindness is what I think the key to BTS's strong bond with ARMYs.
BTS has so many “entry points” to the rabbit hole these days. For some it is through their rappers. For others it may be an admiration of the clear and unique voices of the vocal line, while others like myself it was their dance. When you combine all these talents with their charm, humility, and group dynamic-it literally sucks you down the rabbit hole. But I would say that their song lyrics keep me in the rabbit hole. I wanted to mention that your video is so well done! I do like Make it Right, but my BTS skip song would be Go Go. Haha. I subscribed in case you have time for more videos.
This is probably the best video essay about them that I've seen in a while; not only does it explain perfectly my own connection with the group(and probably most of other's too) that I'm still yet to put into words myself, but it made me reflect yet again in a lot of things regarding how they changed my perspective in music and stan culture... This is a great video, thank you very much for it.
I found BTS at 68 yrs of age so BTS has given me so much to do. Also, I'm pretty much of a music snob. They are really the most pop music I listen to. My god, they are so good! Best in my lifetime. I wonder why I'm just seeing this now? This is very well done, and gives much food for thought. Thank you. well done you.
BTS and people in ARMY fandom helped me found my identity, who I am as a person, whats important to me. At this point, I love the boys, but all of you too. ARMY feels like my absolute safe place. I feel, like I always have someone behind me.
Holy shit. This is amazingly well researched and delivered. Story time: Since becoming ARMY almost a year ago I’ve been passionate in online spaces like Twitter but very quiet in my personal life. I don’t have any ARMY friends and more importantly, like myself before I discovered BTS, I’m quite confident most of my friends would look at being a fan of a boy group with derision. I was that person. To the point where I had heard of BTS 3 years prior but knew nothing about them and still I made fun of them just bc they were a “boy band” discovering them really shook me and obvs I’m a massive fan now, thanks to going down the rabbit hole like this vid. So not long ago, I was seeing a friend I hadn’t seen in a long time and knowing he is a fan of pop music and boy groups in general, I thought I could go outside of my comfort and admit being a BTS fan in hopes perhaps he was too or could become one. Well the first thing he said is “I hate them their fans are so toxic” then said he liked blackpink. Other than being a bit rich to call us toxic when some of bp’s fans are that way as well… I was really hurt by the rejection. And I tried to explain what I liked about them and how not all army are like that but I don’t think I got it across well. This vid does it perfect and I thought about sharing it with him but I already feel so vulnerable from his initial rejection that I’ve really shut down even more and never tell my irl’s about BTS. What do you think? Does anyone else have a story like this? What did you do? Thanks for coming to my TED talk.
thank you so much for sharing your story! i felt similarly about being a fan of a boygroup for a while, even after becoming an army. most of my friends didn‘t even know i was an army, they only knew that i was casually interested in them. now all of them aware and luckily they don‘t make any negative comments, but with some of them i can tell thst they think it‘s a little weird. so i can somewhat relate and am sorry that you had that experience
Watching the first part of this video brings back all the memories of when I was learning everything that happened to them, their history, music and purpose. The connection the boys and I have is unexplainable, but what can I say is there's a moment when I was thinking of giving up and that's also the time I met them. It was the toughest point of my life. I literally had no one until BTS came. I wouldn't say I'm living for them, but I can say they lead me to the reasons why I chose to continue and why I'm still here today. I owe it to them, and I will always remember that. That's one of the unexplainable reasons why the relationship of BTS and ARMY is like the way it is.
Oh wow i've just now realized how much i've stopped caring for the bangtan universe that's crazy,,, i actually really wanted them to continue it with mots7 before it came out but now i'm fine with them not touching it again music/video wise (the webtoon is a different story please whoever the fuck created it i need a continuation please it can't just end like that IT CAN'T END LIKE THAT) but maybe they'll release more notes or something Also i will single handedly make sure this video goes viral or something mark my words this needs to be SEEN 👌
seriously! i mean it was a moment especially in 2015-2017 and probably got a lot of people interested in them. but if you were to ask any of the (non casual) army why they like bts this much who tf is gonna go "bruh the bts universe tho 💯🔥"
@@i-spy9601 i wasn't there when it was going down but discovering all the connections in the wings short films,,, it was something so personal. sherlock holmes had nothing on me
tbh i was never one of the theorist armys, i would just let you guys put in the work and then check out summaries of the most commonly agreed on theories jsksks
Yeah. Like I like hear/watch videos that summarize the story after certain amount of BU content came out. But is more like when you watch a movie casually: I watch it, I don't need to watch it again until next year o pt. 2. Something like that. But the webtoon... PLEASE (I also want to read the Books since it helps me with my English)
I enjoyed watching this so much. I found myself nodding and agreeing with you throughout the video. It's near impossible to describe what makes BTS click because there are so many factors. But the fact that a group of 7 guys who speak a foreign language managed to form a strong emotional connection with so many people across the world is no small feat and should be appreciated. Although I'm not an ideal BTS fan (I don't do typical kpop fan things like mass streaming, mass buying etc.), I enjoy listening to their music and watching their content a lot. I have never been the type of fan who is super invested in an artist's music, but I genuinely believe in and care about BTS's music.
to be fair i don‘t know why i‘m doing this either, but i‘m very glad everybody appears to be having a blast so far ✌️ thank you so much for watching and leaving a comment, it means a lot!
even though i already knew about a lot of this stuff it's honestly insane how to see much there is still to learn about bts as a new fan. i became a fan from dynamite and in the last two years i'm still not completely caught up and i think it's impossible to be but i'm just glad i'm here for what's to come
there is always time to catch up so don't pressure urself. the content, interviews, vlives/weverse lives, variety shows etc. r still gonna be there so take things at ur own pace, enjoy the music and the guys. that's all that matters 🫂💜💜
And now this new solo era is driving me crazy 😵💫🫠 There is just so much content to catch up to and so much music to listen to. I didn't have enough time to listen to their albums more than once or twice, let alone watch the variety content they put out nearly every day
Thank you for putting it out there that they were cut from music shows and some times just have their songs shortened. I actually got into trouble one time when I put it on a comment. Someone got mad at me and said I don't know what I was talking about. There are so many new fans that only see BTS as the stars they are today. They do not understand the struggles they faced when they first started when they had their names on signs made so that the cameraman would know who they were. Or even the time that they got angry when the cameraman didn't pay attention and ruined their intro to no with their navy outfits.
this video is AMAZING ! thank you for creating this video and releasing this analysis . i hope those who don’t know about bts well and want to really look into them watch this video because i honestly think you summed up the whole story and experience of bts and why their fans support them so well . it’s really unfortunate that publications and journalists are so lazy and misinforming when it comes to researching and releasing articles on bts , and even with the recent billboard magazine where they tore them to shreds , brought in pointless sources and made bullshit claims for literally no reason . i hope you’re doing well and i look forward to new videos and ideas from you :)
i always thought being a professional journalist working for a big publication came with an innate sense of pride and the desire and resources to deliver high quality engaging pieces. with how much i know about bts i was finally able to see all of the bullshit… now i know what to look out for when i read up on other topics i don‘t know as much about, and i‘ll continue to have great time being an army ✌️ thank you for watching and leaving a comment, it means the world!
My only question is, "Why am I seeing this just now?" 🥲 I recently got under "attack" by some friends because of my love for BTS, (which is not the first time because I've been an ARMY since 2017, I literally watched the fandom grow in my country it was unheard of) the excitement I have over them and their music and how I share all over my statuses and how ARMYs in my country (Uganda) are extravagantly celebrating their birthdays by putting their pictures up on billboards... and I just didn't know how to explain in enough to be understood. This video is it. It lays down the facts well and digs deep enough to the core and the basis and the genesis and the blooming of everything. Thank you for making such a comprehensive video. Your efforts are not in vain. Thank you! 🙏🏽
Had to pause the video multiple times because I kept tearing up. You did such an excellent job with this. I'm amazed you were able to illustrate every point so clearly without digressing and rambling like I would. It also made me realize how re-examining BTS's music and work almost always provides a new perspective. The more I grow and change, the more I learn about BTS, and the more I understand Koearn culture and history.... the more my perspecive expands. So when I revist a particular song or even just one lyric, it takes on a whole new meaning and enriches my experience of it. Thanks so much for your hard work!!
i hope this video gains more attention and views in the future! it's very well thought-out and organized. as someone who's been in the fandom for over 7 years now, there are parts within this analysis that made me internally reflect my mindset and attitude towards supporting BTS and question what has changed and what has stayed with me since the beginning. i think the explanation for our (ARMY) mindset as a fandom is intricately detailed and worded very nicely, because if i were to explain why i think and act and do things that can be seen as "exclusive" to being an ARMY, i would have written a whole poorly written book on the history and the timeline of "turning point events" that made us the way we are. to be able to effectively explain something like this without mentioning certain things but are able to get the message and intentions across is very comendable. if you're someone like me and have personally experienced the absolute hell and suffering that was 2016-2018 (especially if you were on twitter that time), i would like to offer a long, tight comforting hug and a warm cup of drink of your choice. i hope the journey of supporting our seven men continues to be filled with happiness and growth. have a nice day!
Great video, thank you for taking the time making it 💜. And yeah, fuck mantis and solos, we are fans, we enjoy the content and we trust and support bts and their choices.
I got into bts first because my sister was a new fan and she showed my a few songs, and I really liked a few of those, after that I just discovered more songs on my own; but I became an army because I found them hilarious and that ended up with me consuming more content and genuinely caring for them, the first and only time I've been part of a fandom. Army is an amazing fandom, I had such an awful stereotyped idea of bts and army beforehand... there are obviously annoying loud idiots, like in any big group of people, but over all amazing fun creative people that are there to enjoy and have fun. Also a super knowleadgable fandom, I've learned SO MUCH since I joined the fandom... never ever expected to join a fandom or care so much for something and for people I don't personally know, but glad it happened. 💜
army is huge meaning of course there’s a lot of weird people, but so many more are wonderful! as long as you do a good job curating your social media timelines it‘s honestly one of the best fandom experiences one can have. thank you for watching :)
@@i-spy9601 Completely agree. Who would have ever told me that I would end up as part of the fandom. I wouldn't have believe them. It will always amaze me how such an awful image and bs stereotypes about bts and army are so spread around the world and around anyone that actually know close to nothing about them. I guess it has to do with "young woman" enjoying stuff and asian men from a different industry being successful. But still an insane sad thing to witness.
what can I say... you said it all , thanks !!!! Excellent radiography, summary and analysis. I am a very rational and critical person , I was never a fan of any group, my tastes are diverse ... and here i am in my 50's...i have listened to the entire musical repertoire of BTS , literally. They fit my taste for diversity ... i have my long list of favorites . The most important thing for me is meaningful music with honesty , and Taking risks + innovation, bts is that one kind of artist that is deeply connected to their songs..... And it's not about appearance, it's about the rebellion of the rules in general of how an artist should be....
You know a narrator is deep in the fandom that even the inside jokes are clearly explained. Good job! I hope we have more storytellers like you with regards to bts' journey as a person and as a megastar. Also, gurl! I gasped when you added the regrettable "hey!" part in Mikrokosmos not being added; might not be as big but to me it's a good chunk of me as an ARMY. Aaaand, I'm not saying I gave you a side eye ㅡ*bombastic* side eye when you said you don't fancy Make It Right, but I really did give you a criminally offesive side eye. But we good 😘 Love this narrative essay so much. 💜 Great Job!
And "nobodies to legends" narrative came way late. And none of us in our fandom spread BTS' music because of it. Because at that time BTS was not the only one who was not from big label. There were tons of groups, who even had less budget & opportunity than BTS. The reason to spread BTS' music was simply because once you get to know their music & them, you automatically get the sense that "I gotta show it to other people". We even joke about it. How it is like they planted chip in our head. And at that time BTS was less attacked by industry people. Also it was less shown. The more successful they become, the more obvious industry people' attack become. BTS started to share their earlier stories one by one.(just here & there) Way way later you realize that you were supporting real underdogs. BTS is different not because they are successful underdog story but because these people are different & their music touches people' heart. When BTS became popular in the US, do you know what some Kpop fans said(=the ones who didn't contribute the success that much)? "Oh okay one done. Now let's support other groups." And guess what? it never happened. Because we were not here for underdog story. BTS didn't got huge support because they were underdogs.
What an incredible video! I'm watching it a year after and wanted to add a note about your section "Ot7 agenda", I think that now that things have changed and they are pursuing solo projects, I feel like it would be interesting to explore how even in pursuing individual activities they made (and are making) a concerted effort to market themselves as still being part of a unit and still being part a group - something that was difficult for western media to understand, to the point that they interpreted their change of activities message as a hiatus much like you see happen with a lot of western boy/girl groups. Their OT7 persona in the midst of this individual activities era presents itself in various ways, most notably how they always introduce themselves as "I am X from BTS", J-Hope did this at Lollapalooza, Jin has been doing so during his solo appearances, and much like they've done in the past when they've done solo features on other artists songs if there is more than one member they are credited as BTS and if it's a solo member they tag themselves as X of BTS. When RM and J-hope went to the W magazine breast cancer awareness event, the two of them did the "Hello we are BTS" introduction even though they were just the two of them. Not to mention all the times they mention each other as they are releasing albums and singles. They continue to do commercial deals together with Huyndai x FIFA collab, but now with Jin being the spokesperson for the ramen brand I think that they have broken the streak of exclusively only doing ot7 commercial deals. But even so it doesn't take away from their commitment as a group. They made a very distinct and clear promise to comeback AS A UNIT in 2025, perhaps not doing group activities at the same pace as they did the first 10 years (releasing one to two albums a year) and maybe just releasing an album once every two years like most established artists do, but their commitment to one another as a unit still stands. And of course, they still very much talk about themselves and RM said recently that their relationship is as strong as ever and they are united in what their future is supposed to look like and they still very much make decisions together (even when discussing when Jin should go to the military, that was a discussion they had together). They've also continued their Run BTS series which they will continue to do occasionally. Regarding whether the solos input may contribute or take away from the impact of their releases, I think that will be hard to measure but also not so hard. I think it's hard to measure because each member will have very distinct musical sounds that may appeal to some aspects of the fanbase and may not appeal to others. Basically, what I've noticed, is that BTS as a group obviously brings in more numbers than any one individual activity by a member but that also depends on the type of music that member puts out. The rule of course is that ARMYs should support all members regardless and there is a large group of ARMYs that continue to apply the same amount of effort they'd put into group projects into a solo project. But of course, inevitably, a solo project that is more pop or r&B based for example might attract more enthusiasm from a larger group of people than a more niche/experimental project, this is sad to me but it's a reality. And back to the solo thing is that the bigger solo fanbases will have a bigger impact when their member releases a record and you'll be able to see that in the numbers for each member, there's no denying it. Having said all of that, what I'm most grateful for is BTS' posture throughout this whole era of individual activities (because of the military as well). They are focused on making music they love and expressing themselves, rather than getting high up the charts (even though that's always something they consider). RM even said in his birthday live that his album (called Indigo which will be out December 2nd haha) is less about making music that will appease a large number of people and more about making music he loves with friends he loves. BTS knows how to make a hit, they've done it time and time again. That's why to me it's very poignant that they've simply chosen to give that less weight at this point and just focus on their artistic expression. Anyways, great video, it was an enjoyable and interesting watch!
I agree with everything that you said. Even though the situation has changed drastically since this video was made, what with the enlistment, group hiatus etc., BTS has proved once again that their values remain the same and they still trust and respect each other. I can't help but admire them in everything that they do.
I just spent an hour watching this. It’s so good and well put together. You clearly put so much time and effort into it and it shows. Definitely things media haven’t spent a minute analyzing to actually understand why BTS has connected so deeply with their fans and why the fandom keeps growing. Thank you!
Absolutely gold... I can sit through the whole video when it's from you...which is extremely rare for me🙈 Loved this video, especially as an army who loves BTS & their artistry 😇💜
i really wasn‘t sure if this would be engaging to watch for others, i mostly had a blast making it. so i‘m so excited to hear you had a good time watching!
I had to watch this a few times but I now know what my favorite part is; the BTU. I find your assessment very accurate, the BTU is not at the core of what holds ARMY to BTS and it isn't what makes any one album "deeper" than another. Depending on the fan, some may absolutely like some lore with their poetic bops, yet the song itself is just as rich without it. After almost 4 years as an ARMY I am happy to see that many are far less insistent on new fans diving into the BTU. Listen to the music, listen to what the members have to say, the rest can come later 😊💜.
started working on it a year ago, was almost done, then scrapped the whole thing and started over again. it‘s not perfect but it‘s my baby and i‘m happy i was finally able to set it free today! thank you for watching :)
@@i-spy9601 great work. I don’t follow boy groups but obviously BTS is a unique case. This was very informative and I came away respecting them even more. PS this is the first time in your videos I have heard you a little out of breath😂. Understandably so!
Amazing video, thank you so much. Decided to reply on this comment because the amount of work you put into it is obvious. I'm gonna share this with pple around me who :don't understand" why I love Bangtan. Very beautifully made, transitions, clips and all. Thank you.
am i a little bit late to watch this video? i am really happy to have this long and in-depth explanation for what i had felt these few years. i am a non-korean, non-kpop asian army, i am very confuse about why and what happened and happening for BTS that they can gather such a huge wave of hater from time to time... that breaks my heart so much but i am not very close to the mainstream media or music or chart or anything like that in the past, i am just a army who start with some BTS dance video then to their music, and then their variety shows. soon i started to find more video and their underdog story was told in pieces in many video for new-army, and i think i might already watch most of them, but you managed to put it out in a more delicate that helps me to really able to understand this more clearly. i am really thankful for your work on this!!!! and i am also thankful for you explain how army feels precisely. i shared most of you said in the video!!
Sorry for the length. I'm watching this in May, 2023, with 2/7 already enlisted. My recent knowledge put the last twenty minutes of your video into better perspective. They had to delay the enlistment. They also still wanted to do the big concert year. They didn't share anything until after the last group concert in Busan, to ensure that everyone received full enjoyment. This proves that every other voice was just speculation, using tones of authority, but all actually from a place of ignorance. It was all politicians and media that had their own agendas. I loved how Jin set everything straight that the group was always going to serve. Once the members themselves spoke, it just reconfirmed to only listen to what the members said. They can do their individual branding and solo releases now, because they are not neglecting any group work. They are each individually filling the time before and after their respective enlistment dates. It wouldn't make sense to do BTS group work without all 7 doing the work together. Once out of the initial early training weeks, they are all still actively in communication with the other members, continuing to support each other. I'm personally glad for the members to be watching in 2023 that each solo and individual work is still as a BTS member and with active support by other BTS members and ARMY. I know how much growing and maturing that each member will go through during their enlistments. I see some of the mantis that you mention, actively wanting to have members serving together. They fail to see that it would be a detriment. In the military, you approach it as an individual and become part of a team. If you only spend time with a previously established friend, you fail to integrate naturally into the team. We want the members to have the best experience possible. Each establishing their own reputations and relationships within the military framework will serve them well. So many of the mantis still fail to realize that the members are all grown men. And in SK, they are culturally reaching the age of creating families of their own with new responsibilities. The members themselves have talked about this. Any ARMY that attempts to interfere with these men building private lives and relationships can't really call themselves ARMY anymore. Some of the members, just recently, have had to even openly discuss on lives how invasive and inappropriate some of the fans have become. Old ARMY is now advocating on the members' behalf to educate new ARMY on how to behave and show respect. I personally look forward to their individual works, as well as the 2025 onward of the group, as they will surely be sharing with us their newly accumulated experiences. Just as I do with all friends and family that went into the military, here in the USA, I wish to pray for the members to stay safe in their minds, hearts, souls, and bodies, as they serve. With the added context of being SK idols, may they be surrounded by trustworthy people as they serve. May they create new lifelong bonds with many of those new teammates. Going forward, I trust that faithful supportive ARMY will remember to honor and make room for those new non-industry friendships. Thank you for all of the hard work that you put into creating and editing this 80 minutes of content. Your sharing the English translations of many of their lyrics within the framework of what was happening in their lives adds even better understanding and appreciation for these men that have grown up before our eyes. I've always enjoyed listening to their music, even without knowing the language. This GenX has known of them all along, yet was too busy to become full-fledged ARMY. I've recently become convinced that I will be diving deeper into their videos, lyrics, and the language. More exposure just leads to more appreciation of all the hard work of the members, the faithful ARMY, and the agency. Content creators like you do them justice. I'm a new subscriber. I for one look forward to decades later seeing them sitting around on stools, still singing as a group, reminiscing as they are surrounded by members and ARMY's grandchildren. There will never be another BTS. They broke all molds, created a new world, and they may inspire, but they will never be able to be copied. 💜😊 PS: There were a lot of comments about only 15 year old girls follow boy bands. That made me chuckle. BTS has never really been a boy band, as you mentioned. They just happened to have all members be boys, now young men. Your viewers should search UA-cam for the clips of male ARMY cheering at a concert. The yell from all of the grown men supporting them in the crowd was so loud that it surprised and shocked the BTS members on the stage. 😂 The love for these guys is universal, international, and has no boundaries of gender nor age.💜😍 Edit: correcting typos, grammar, and clarifications.
This video is so great, thank you so much for it. I've been an army for 4 years now and I have less and less time for the boys, but many aspects of your video reminded me of how much they mean to me and what I'm thankful to them for. Helped me to feel close to them again and helped me get some things sorted out regarding their ongoing enlistment. There'll truly never be another BTS and I'll be forever grateful for them.
This is the best bts video I have encountered on youtube. You truly have surpassed professional journalists and really created a video that captures their true essence. I am going to recommend this video to every new and old army. I am so delighted I have come across this video.
the part about bts has no bad songs resonated with me. i personally have a couple of songs of theirs i just can’t really fully vibe with and i completely agree on your opinion on make it right lol but honestly, i try to find something to not like when they release stuff so that i’m not just blindly hyping them up on every single song. but honestly, their discography is so freaking fire lol i can barely find any songs i don’t enjoy and when i do, if i hear it enough or see choreo for it, i’ll start to love it. like run bts, i wasn’t the biggest fan when just listening to it but once the choreo dropped, it’s one of my favorites lol they have a magic to them. they inject crack in their songs, i swear
Absolutely excellent explanation of why BTS is who they are and why they are successful. Plus why, we as fans love them so much. It's not an easy thing to explain to outsiders at all. I think the love comes because it is indeed this deep and this complex. Thank you!
This video essay is so brilliantly argued and comprehensive. As an entertainment journalist, I have to agree with the points you make about the media hyping up foreign acts like shiny new toys until they are ready to discard them (we've seen this with PSY for instance), but as I have insight into how (some) media plan their content I have to say that from my experience, the reasons are not usually simple and malicious. For instance, most digitally available media outlets look at the views that their content gets to decide whether the topic is worth pursueing further; and in the case of a lot of media that cater to an older demograhic, the interest in pop artists is just not sustainable. HOWEVER, a very important point you have touched upon is that the media generally looks down upon any piece of art, entertainment, or culture that predominantly catches the attention and hearts of female fans. It frustrates me endlessly.
I watched this entire video. Simply excellent, insightful, honest. Bang PD can likely develop bands that can be successful. He has a formula. However, BTS is a one-time phenomenon. The magic these OT7 have with each other is not replicable. JiJinKookVNamSope is my forever bias.
Let us not forget social media had also a lot of things to do about the success about BTS. They were just on time when social media became a fad. It made them easier to reach out with people n fan and show off what they can do and their documentaries on social media helped also a lot for them to become famous and of course their hard work and team working is amazing.
I'm not yet done watching the video but I'm so excited to see new videos from you! You manage to cut through the fandom bubble and spot where things are going so well. I consider myself an ex-army (not an anti-fan, just not caught up with their recent music as it no longer suits my tastes) and I'm finding this an interesting look at the "BTS phenomenon" as the media, East or West, likes to call it. I think BTS members are really good at showing sincerity. They show very little of their personal lives, but they do talk about the insecurities and fears they have when it comes to their music and careers. It's a very careful balance the members have to constantly maintain. What little they show allows the fans to extrapolate and form certain ideas about what they're like, sometimes reductively so. I still like them (or their public personas, at least) but I won't think to claim I know them as they truly are. Yet the majority of the fans believe they do--they believe they have a personal connection with them (very intense parasocial relationship dynamics here). You can say the same thing about every other kpop group, but it's definitely more intense in the army fandom because they'd been on the outs with other fandoms for so long, that us vs them mentality never went away, and so pushed them closer to BTS and other armys.
bts' balancing act between being sincere with their audience while at the same time being extremely private people was actually something i mentioned in the original script but had to cut, so thank you for bringing it up! i feel like the fandom is split into two sides: the side that thinks they know everything about bts as people there is to know, and then the other side who acknowledges and even celebrates bts' decision and efforts to stay private. i think this works so well exactly because any potential concerns a (reasonable) fan might have get addressed. if you as a fan don‘t have to be concerned about whether there‘s any potential issue in regards to the group that you don‘t know of (and if yes whether they are working on resolving it or not), you‘re less likely to meddle into eras that shouldn‘t be any of your concern. thank you for taking the time to watch this even though you‘re not an army, and even leaving a comment! i appreciate it a lot :)
I've been a fan of BTS since the end of 2015 and this is my first time going on your channel. I truly appreciate all the research and accurate information that you give in an enjoyable format. Simply, thank you so much 😊💜
UA-cam put you in my feed today, and, although the video was over an hour long (!), I decided to give another "introduction to BTS" video a shot. I've been ARMY since 2015 and I've seen all of the "introduction" videos out there, but your take on the BTS phenomena was different and I really enjoyed it. From here I'll check out your channel next and I'm really hoping you either have done, or will do, a continuation of this theme. I'd really like to hear your take on this next chapter that we're currently experiencing with the members. (it's currently 11/29/22) 💜💜
ty for making this video because i needed a reminder of why i like bts. it was worth the wait btw this is hq content. also you're right for not vibing to make it right, speak up.
and yeah because they didn‘t have an album this year i thought many people might feel like you, there‘s several here in this comment section alone that can probably relate to you. i originally thought this video would come out right around the time of the new album, but this way around it probably serves and even better purpose. have fun with all of the content you love, and look forward to in the soop 2. according to all the spoilers the new era is going to be a banger once it starts. until then we can vibe ✌️
i hate how often we're portrayed as being aggressive or mean when people say rude things about bts. it's because we're tired of being made fun of. we're tired of being told we're all a bunch of screaming twelve year old girls. we just want people to let us enjoy what we love without feeling the need to voice their negative opinions that ultimately no one wants to hear.
This is such a well made video. I'm only halfway through it, I paused the video to write this comment. I will also add my two cents from my experience of being an almost 10 years old in Army. BTS, after being humiliated by variety shows, took the role of content creators in a way they responded to their fanbase themselves. Not only that, they also accept the trends set by army. Like during April Fool's Army had made a meme of Jin with round sunglasses. And official BTS Twitter used it as their dp. Or when Jin reposted the edited meme of Jin's face photoshopped on The Scream art. Army feels validated, Army feels relatable. It's a huge appeal for a fanbase. Big Hit has the best pr and creative team to oversee the communication through all the social channels. Elaborating the creativity- I joined the fandom because of their storytelling, lyrics and the distinct sound of their music. And I stayed. I find their music is relatable on a very deep level. Their lyrics on financial issues, mental health, deterioration of education system is as prevalent in my ny country as in theirs. And being almost their same age, I find I have suffered, learned and grew along with them. There are so many groups with amazing music and performance that I surely like BUT - BTS has a different something that makes them so popular. To sum up with the end that you have mentioned from Yoongi's comments - 7 different individuals with different values and ideas met a company and debuted. The only difference in this company was that they were able to communicate to each other and all of them were open minded. Thus the ideas amalgamated and became something beautiful that is ruling the world.
this is seriously good timing, me looking for a video off your channel and finding a new upload! AND i love my bangtan commentary so this video is a TREAT! you seriously did a good job, i saw the comment you left saying this has been in the making for a year and i wanna let yk it was worth it, i love how well it was able to analyze and portray bts and their relationship with music, their come up, armys, etc. well done!
oof making this thing took forever, mostly because i tried to cut corners at the beginning and then had to redo the whole thing. it‘s still not perfect but it‘s my baby, so i‘m glad you enjoyed it! and thanks for sticking around, new stuff coming up soon ✌️
Great analysis of their phenomenon! I am a newer American fan and from my perspective I was drawn to their friendships and their sincerity. JK's live streams caught my attention with his boyish charm and pure talent. Then I saw some videos of the group dynamic and was fascinated. You are right that it is difficult to recreate a phenomenon. This group is special and irreplaceable. I am sad to have never seen them in concert. And I am hopeful for their future together and apart. I think these fine young men are well-grounded in themselves and will do great no matter what!
The situation on 2016 rely race best describes bts with other idol group and in their industry. That how the are. They were underdog, unnoticed, disrespected,.. but look at them rn? Surpasses them and it took them by surprised 🤣 now bts are legends.
I am no longer an army, not for any reason but the fact the hyperfixqtion simply wore off. Ngl it was really painful to come to terms to as I realised I hadn’t kept up with or thought abt bts or listened to their music for MONTHS bcs they changed me for the better and for two years, we’re a big part of my life. But eventually I came to terms with it and allowed myself to move on, and continue to listen to their music every so often and support them from afar. This is a wonderful analysis and I will deffo be watching it again :)
Me personally, I find the word army really hard to defines. Its meaning change according to the person you're asking. And I'm one of the people who think that armys are people who love bts art and want to help bts in spreading their message was that by streaming, voting, making edits, tweeting about it. Or even talking about them with a friend. And loving their art and cherishing it will always make you their fan. So you Don't need to things or keep up with up with them to like them, it's okay as long you're happy and this is coming from someone who think that they think they will call themselves army for the rest of their live. I hope that bts and their music will be there when you need it the most.
I just cannot describe how much I love BTS in one sentence, I just love them a lot. I am proud to be an ARMY. This was a very good video, judging by the title, it's different that what I had expected. Thank you for showing all the backstories and early hardships of our boys. The clips that you played earlier literally brought tears to my eyes. and now I'm crying, it's so well made ugh😭 There is so much left for me to watch.. (cuz I really follow PIED PIPER lol😂😂) I think I'll be spending my old age watching All the BTS Run episodes, The in the soop, Bangtan Bombs, Bon Voyage series, all the stage concerts, all the Musters, all the MV and lyric videos and be proud of stanning them for life 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜 their music literally shaped my mind and who I am today. Their music saved my life when i was at my lowest. I owe them all the Respect and Love that they deserve. Because of them I could learn and speak korean and so much more.. ughh, there's a lot... lol I don't wanna write more 😂 😂
Girl, you have such amazing analysis on your channel! I love it. Came here for Blackpink video but then clicked on BTS one, even though I am not a fan. Can’t believe I watched the whole video considering it’s length LOL! I absolutely love your content, and would be happy to see more of it, if you ever decide to upload something new again
oh my god what a coincidence xD I was just looking for your channel and watched few of your old videos because I love your takes, I did not expect this to drop now at all! welcome back
i don‘t see myself making videos entirely dedicated to these situations but i can see myself addressing them as part of a different video :) maybe one day, thank you for tuning in and the idea!
A great video, cant believe i actually had the attention span to watch it not once but twice almost, it's such a good and cohesive project, loved it to bits ♡
I felt like you did a really good job in capturing and explaining the feeling and magic behind BTS. I joined the fandom in 2017, when they started gaining notoriety in America for their hit DNA. I don’t understand why I gravitated so heavily toward them, but I remember hearing the song on the radio and needing to know more, so I googled up their group and watched TONS of intro to BTS UA-cam videos and wrote down what I learned (I still have the notebook lol). I was sucked in by that point. I then discovered their lore and inside jokes, and it made them feel a lot more human than other American artists. I feel like there’s still so much to be said about just the fan culture alone, such as fanfics, shipping (ughh I’m sorry but it happened and we have to deal with it at some point 💀), and SO MUCH more. But I’m kind of glad you didn’t discuss it too in depth and kept the video focused on the band, because (I believe) as you said, people tend to focus more on the fans than the artists. This was a really insightful video and it’s really helped me cope with their hiatus because I’ve been craving “the good old days of BTS content” lol.
A highly recommended video essay from my Twitter moots. I'm just on the first part, and I'm grateful to still learn new things about BTS. Kim Namjoon's story about losing musical colleagues, I wonder how is it now, though I'm positive he gained more connections, too. I just want to suggest removing the closed captions on time stamps where there are clips of BTS and other people speaking in Korean because the closed captions are blocking the subtitle embedded on those clips.
ahh i use the youtube subtitle sync up program and it does that. if i got some time to spare during the weekend i‘ll sort it out. thank you for watching!
I'm just at the 7-min and I'm already crying, reminiscing everything they've gone through and remembering how hard it was for me when I was new in this family and still learning this all at once. They're so precious and armys know that. That's why we'll protect them at all cost.
This is great. Part of my obsession with this group is figuring out why they are so good at getting people obsessed. I think you hit the nail on the head.
I can’t believe this video doesn’t have more views, I thought it’d have a million when I finished watching it. It’s incredibly well done, the analysis, the details, the outline, everything is accurate and makes sense. Personally what made me fall for BTS wasn’t even their music although I love it now and love their passion and implication to it. What made me fall for them was their bond with one another and how they aren’t afraid to be their true selves around one another. They have beautiful personalities and the way they interact with each other is always so endearingly beautiful
What sets them apart? BTS are relevant! esp during pandemic. it's my 3rd month being an army. i started to get interested with them when youtube played "save me" and i fell asleep(im sufferting depression/insomnia. I have no idea what BTS is. then my feeds suggesting bts video and stumbled upon the Whisper Challenge and instantly they became my happy pill. the reason they continuously getting more fans across the globe is underrated. #1 THE MELODY OF THEIR MUSIC... it plays smoothly to my ears making me relaxed and make me fall asleep (Save Me, Butterfly, Moon, Run) #2 BEING THE UNDERDOGS... their story is very relevant and relatable to me. I'm a victim of bullying within my family, my circle, school and work place. #3 BEING NATURAL COMEDIAN... I love their run bts, rookie king, summer package, bon voyage, vlive. Laughter is the best medicine maybe an old cliche but it's them. #4 BEING HUMBLE KINGS... their celebrity status didn't get to their heads. they even made FREE CONCERT two months ago before their military enlistments. #5 THEY KNOW HOW TO REPAY THEIR ARMYs... they are very engaging with the fans and always include US in their speech. Even Namjoon declared during his speech that ARMYs can use BTS to spread good causes. That unifies BTS ARMY around the world. I witness how LEGIT ARMYs are kind. I kept receiving BTS merch across the globe as part of welcoming me to the fandom and making me feel that how the ARMYs love works. ARMYs are not toxic fandom but they can be a bitch or worst nightmare when needed or pushed by. ARMYs are the shield and protector of THE BANGTAN BOYS. ARMYs have the strongest bond and the real market as well. So stop with the non sense of CHART MANIPULATION and it is not BTS fault if they have a strong and unified ARMYs across the world and perhaps the universe. No one can ever replicate ARMY fandom and the success of BTS. We ARMYs listen to their wish. When JIN said not to go camping on Dec 13th, only medias were there. Now tell us, if BTS ARMY are not sane or not obedient. Which fandom can do that? if BTS is irreplaceable and so are WE, the ARMYs, bow! Long live BTS et ARMY! p.s. I'm calling out @grammys give the award to BTS w/c was long overdue. You need BTS because of the ARMY fandom... BTS can make every stage like their own concert. We follow BTS where ever their event is. We are the market and actual sales. Don't believe with the organic numbers of fans BTS has?ACCEPT IT! 😇💜💟
Did I just watch an entire 1hr 18min long video? YES Did I enjoy every second of it? YES This was a very wonderful video and very well put together which got me engaged from the very beginning till the end and out of context but your voice is soothing and fun to listen to.
![[FULL VIDEO IS HERE] BTS with Dr. Jiyoung Lee | K-DOC](/img/n.gif)
i’ve been letting this channel rot away, so i’m not actually sure how many people youtube is going to show this to. to everyone who somehow found their way here: thank you! to everyone who isn’t into bts but still decided to click because they were happy to see that i’m still alive: thank you! more videos are on their way, i’ll make a poll with topics very soon
I love your videos, I’m really excited to watch this 💖
@@alimatormusa7435 thank you for being here
Dude, I really like your videos and I've been looking forward to this one.
i'm glad you're back! thank you for putting in all the effort to make such wonderful content :)
thank all of you so much!
the way you explained how the west treats foreign artists, that they welcome them as long as it's temporary, was really amazing. i had never heard anyone explain it like that and it made perfect sense! there are lots of examples that came to mind right away!
once you notice the pattern you begin to see it everywhere….
I got that feeling with the latest Billboard magazine article. It felt like they were eagerly looking forward for BTS to go away.
@@gillyweedniharry yeah.. at this point they're doing everything in their power to make it happen, discrediting them as much as possible and such. it's unreal to me that they don't realize bts and army are so much more powerful than that
@@i-spy9601 I love ur videos I spy ❤️ 💜 I was waiting so long for this
Agreed! Tbqh, it happens with female pop artists too in the west. They would push so many female pop artists that we never really hear from nowadays
I remember in 2017 as our fandom had many adult army there was this mindset of "ok, let's make our boys known globally, army. So, I work in marketing/music industry/radio/events etc and we have to do this and that. Let's do it!" It was amazing! ❤
All I'm saying is that now I understand why BTS's music is not considered Kpop. I know there's a lot of discourse about this, but I mean c'mon. They are not welcomed wholeheartedly anywhere they go. Ofc they became their own genre. I understand the frustration behind this and I respect it.
thank you for watching :)
I was about to fight you lmao😅
i think that theyre technically still a kpop group, but they have evolved from the traditional kpop system.
Thank you I fully agree with you. They are their own genre. They do not fit into any current standard they are outstanding in their own right! Their music is mostly written and produced by themselves with its own sound, culture and integrity.
The false accusations and hatred they receive is unwarranted.
I am proud to be Army for life🤣😀
I'm only 20 minutes into this but man the way both bts and armys are treated by,,, literally everyone else makes me so mad like that recent billboard article feels like a continuation of the grammy night and the racist jokes made by both locals and professionals and that god awful violent caricature and i simply need to know if any other fandoms are stalked by journalists and crypto scammers on twitter the way we are because i refuse to believe this is normal i feel like im going insane 💀
believe me, over the years i‘ve been in so many different fandoms and still am, but bts and army do have some of the weirdest and worst shit going on 🥴
BTS's sincerity was definitely something that grabbed me from the very beginning.
My cynical brain saw it as an act initially... but honestly, if they're "acting" it's Oscar-worthy lifetime performance art. When I started watching their early vlogs (which were initially their only real avenue of promotion and contact with fans), I saw how frequently the boys would turn on the camera of their own volition just because ARMY was a comforting presence to talk to. There was no one telling them they had to vlog in the middle of the night, that was all them.
I think the synergistic nature of BTS and ARMY's relationship is a major factor in our loyalty. With most artists, while they appreciate their fans and may do special promotions like backstage invites or fan clubs, it's still a very much, "I'm an artist, you are the people who give me money to do what I do." That is NOT BTS. As much as we love them, they love us (collectively) too. We're the first ones they acknowledge with every single award or success, because they see it as our success, too. They think about us and how we're doing (nearly) as often as we think about them.
And their social message and concern for mental health is likewise genuine, because it's something they've faced personally. Yoongi and Namjun have been very open about their struggles with mental health and depression. Heck, half of them are introverts-- they know exactly what it is to feel socially awkward and unsure of how to be in public. When Jin went to that movie premiere, he invited ARMY not to boost his own consequence, but so that he'd have people he knew there, and wouldn't feel so out of place.
Several of the members-- Namjun and Jin especially-- mention frequently how uncomfortable they feel with all the adoration they receive, and question whether they're really deserving of it. Personally, I think it's because what they're receiving from ARMY is actually a double-helping: yes, we love the group for themselves, but they're also receiving our gratitude for how they've helped us feel about *ourselves.* Though they're never likely to know us all as individuals, they still *recognize* that ARMY are individuals, each with our own stories, each deserving of respect and love. They want to know our stories, too. In celebrating BTS, we're also celebrating *ourselves,* and all of the successes of the individuals who make up ARMY. (Which is... a LOT of success. :D )
True Army I see💜 i totally agree. I myself am a skeptic. But I find myself in your comment. Sincere people know how to distinguish sincerity from fake.
Something you discussed that I never rlly considered was how western media will welcome an “exotic” act for a while and then they want it gone. It reminded me of something similar that happened in the kpop industry in regards to BTS:
Back around 2018/2019, just when BTS was begging to enjoy substantial success in the west, kpop fans and the Korean media started saying things like “who’s the next BTS,” “give someone else a chance,” etc. I’ve been heavily entrenched in kpop and it’s fandom for YEARS up until that point, was fans of many groups spanning all 3 generations, and had never experienced the entire industry and fan community trying to push a group out of the spotlight.
It was jarring at the time, and now that you point out that the west does this regularly, it’s even more confusing why it happened in the Korean industry. All a sudden positive fan reactions and news articles turned into cries for new artists to become popular (and for BTS to return to the station I assume their industry viewed of them).
Why? idk. My guess is, just like today and just like back when they debuted, BTS were still technically industry “outsiders” and will l probably never get the acknowledgment from their industry that they deserve. And as outsiders, all their success did was signal that it was now possible for Korean acts to top American charts. Atp, I don’t think they have much interest in assimilating and re-integrating themselves into the industry but back then it was ridiculous (as a fan) to hear all the cheers turn to “okay, let’s wrap it up and move on” in under a year.
BTS was never rlly in the kpop industry and they're not in the west industry either. They're BTS. Artists who truly enjoy what they do. If you disagree with my first sentence that's alr bc ppl have their opinions. I just hope you search up Boracity Magazine and watch some of their recent videos they will explain a lot.
Hi I'm a year late so you might not read this, but I recently watched a video by Boracity called "Why most Army's don't like Kpop" and it talks about what you just meantioned. Thought you might find it interesting
@@helloo7038 Hello, can you leave the link please? I found it, thank you!
G DRAGON
KING
I think one reason why people started shifting from full on support to pointing out other groups is because Bangtan started with the image of the 'underdogs' and carried this image until 2017 after that their popularity skyrocketed and they just went into their own category. But considering people viewed them as this underappreciated group till then, after they got so much attention, people (imo rightfully) started noticing other groups that provided quality music but were not acknowledged. I personally got into kpop solely for music, and at some point there were many groups making such good quality music (some of them even fully writing and producing it) that it became tiring to always hear BTS's name (winning most of the awards/ getting mullions of views every hour ) while a group with similar quality music gets 1/10th of it if that. Basically, what I'm saying is when you like Korean music in general, it is hard to stan only two groups (BTS and BlackPink) when there are so many others providing (at times even better) quality music.
I have seen so many talented groups disband after years of trying so it's a bit annoying to see ARMY claim how hard Bangtan has worked to be where they are. Don't get me wrong they did work hard and they do deserve their success, but they got their success within 3 years of their debut. In Kpop that's a success not many have seen.
I’m a very fickle minded person. I cannot/do not enjoy obsessing over just one thing. But BTS drew me in like nothing had before and I’ve always wondered why. I’ve never been a fandom type of person, I find them exhausting but this is the first time I found myself actively trying to stay away. This is the best video I’ve seen so far explaining this phenomenon. I always enjoy listening to your perspective on topics and your opinions are always very well presented. Looking forward to future videos!!!
while i‘ve been into fandom for as long as i‘ve known how to use the internet, my mind is also all over the place. so for me to be in one consistently for six years now is a bit of a miracle…
sameee
Same!!! I had never been a fan fan of anything or anyone. I experienced it for the first time with BTS.
The only thing captivated me like this before and drew me full force in, was Harry Potter books and my imaginations of trying to visualize that magical world (before movies ofc). I guess I can say, BTS had that same charm and magic over me.
G DRAGON
I really don't understand why people don't recommend this video to reactors who start their BTS journey... :/
Ikr!!! 🌸🌟
Right they all be like "react to there tiktoks"
Probably bc it’s 1 hour and 20 minutes
It's not a pyramid scheme. You can totally not be a fan. The issue is that some nonfans don't know how to dislike something without disrespecting it. That's when the trouble starts.
It's also fans trying to address the disrespect in itself that causes the nonfan to become a fan. Been part of some of those fans in the past and gosh the attitude change during the turn around is insane
And taehyung finally did what he wants to do in his album..... Taehyung's album have my whole heart it's all songs are great
Can't believe this video doesn't have more views. It's one of the most fascinating takes on BTS, and what makes them so great and stand out above the rest of the industry I've ever seen. I clicked on the video expecting the regular stuff: "Their MV's have meaning, they're all talented, they love their fans yadayadayada" but you gave a much deeper and sincere analysis. Really great stuff. Even as a long time BTS fan (2016-), I feel like you pointed out things I'd never consciously thought about before, like the romanticising friendship, how they implement stories known by their fans into their songs etc. I'm so happy i found this video.
aww an old fan like me. I heard of them because I watch SK dramas way too much. So I started getting Korean news in my feeds, since 2013. But I really started periodically following them in 2015. I was surprised that they'd won an award and another in Japan each time. I was captivated by bulletproof and mesmerized by black swan now I am a total goner. Voting, liking pics, and searching for their content online. daily
"....its more so that they are able to represent so many things at once, and make you as a fan feel like part of a bigger picture" this is such a good way to mention one of the reasons on why they are so successful and loved. Very well done on thie video!!!!
thank you!
THIS is exactly what makes BTS so attractive to so many people, thanks for explaining it and taking your time to do this amazing video ❤️
thanks for watching
the reason why I strongly admire bts is their passion and hard work on their songs, as you said on the first topic, even Paul McCartney said that bts is that one kind of artist that is deeply connected to their songs. they all have this conscience that their music is their art and they work hard to put themselves in it.
and exactly that‘s the reason i think we can look forward to seeing them around for a long long time! thank you for tuning in and leaving a comment, it means the world :)
I always tend to get really into something (an artist, a book, a movie, whatever) but after 1 or 2 months I move on and find something new, when I got into bts back in early 2019 I thought it would be the same thing and here I am almost in 2022 with a whole twitter account that I use just to vote for them for awards lol I don't think I'm ever moving on from them
Lol sameee, I also create a account so I can vote hahaha literally bc I don't use a lot of social media
Me too...never have I ever been this dedicated to anything for this long period...
me too. I kept checking up on them for years. They're the 1st band I got crazy about. And I grew up in the boyz in the men era.
Same 🥹 I’m also a 2019 army but I knew about from 2018
same, and I created a bot to vote for them. 😞
I think it's important to remember how kpop in general frames things -- and that ppl like Bang and BTS came up in that industry, so they will see things through a certain lens -- in terms of Bang saying he wanted to create a model and that there should be more "BTS's" I don't think he meant a business model. I don't think he meant necessarily that it was a "formula for success." I genuinely believe he and in turn, BTS, saw a potential in the Idol phenomenon to be a real force for social good, a real source of strength and acceptance for fans. The parasocial relationship they've cultivated w ARMY is a two-way street, which is unusual and novel. And it appears to be a powerful force for good. Ppl look up to idols, they want to emulate them -- so why NOT have idols w a REAL message for positive change? They become more than idols, they become mentors, big brothers/sisters, people that model positive ways of being for their fans.
I don't believe BTS can be replicated, but part of their "formula" is that there was no real "formula." They are each very unique and talented people, and their synergy isn't going to be replicated -- but no one should try to copy them. The "next BTS" will be something different from BTS. It will be something unique, just like BTS is unique. The only similarities it might have will be in the fostering of a real social connection between artists and their fandom, and the acknowledgment of that exchange of energy and support. Before BTS, idols were shiny objects to entice, excite, even titillate fans, and fans might copy their fashion and dance moves, but that was it. I think the key wd be in finding artists who want more than the typical flash in the pan of the idol "cycle." They will be ppl who want to be artists for a long time, who have something they need or want to say to the world, and who won't be cookie-cutter ppl looking for fast fame. My opinion.
I think that's what Bang started, and he's nurtured some very unique artists -- Jo Kwon was supported by Bang in his exploration of drag. It's clear he has a sense for nurturing what makes artists unique, rather than trying to simply produce a widely-palatable product draped in novel "concepts" and fashion. The potential for the "idol industry" to be something MORE, I think is what he and BTS themselves all are trying to show people. That's why BTS doesn't fit the typical kpop model, why they aren't retiring in their 20s, or splitting up for good to move on to their solo careers. They still have more to say together, and separately. They're doing something new. And I think the "next BTS" will be doing some new as well, something BTS themselves hasn't done -- some new way of expressing themselves, some new message for the world. But I'm here to see where BTS goes and what more they have to share with us, just like other ARMY -- we're in this alongside BTS. We're not mere observers. We're part of it. We're family.
Thanks, agree with everything you said. Some of what you said were my thoughts exactly and I have a lot more thoughts on this but don't have the time to write it all out.
Yes this! ^^^^^
timestamps
00:00 intro
02:40 attack on bangtan: the underdog narrative
15:25 "music transcends": bts in the west
25:08 pied piper: bts fomo
35:47 "it‘s worth envying": public personas and parasocial relationships
43:39 the dumpling incident: storytelling across mediums
50:28 "bts don‘t have bad songs": musical vulnerability
01:00:01 "teamwork makes the dream work": the ot7 agenda
01:06:47 hwa yang yeon hwa: the eras
01:09:28 the bts model: pretentiousness and performative advocacy
01:17:04 conclusion
Kpoppies aren’t too bright. The world loves BTS. The world knows how k media and K-pop treated BTS. And to hear K-pop say “we are finding the next BTS” when BTS still lives, shows the world just how South Korea treats them. Does anyone seriously believe the world is looking favorably on K-pop? The freak out The Korean music industry had when they thought they were disbanding and begged them to stay? K-pop jumped on BTS faster than a cowboy mounts his horse. THE WORLD SEES THIS, K-POP. And it’s not going to go well for you.
1:11:40 - It's also because most of them are weirded out by the fact that armies would constantly praise their actions & would match their donations. I saw non-fans & kpoppies tell us that we are delusional & that we should get a grip on reality because 1). We shouldn't praise their actions because that's what a "basic human being" should do & 2). "Their company is forcing them to say that. So of course, they going to tell you no because it's going to make them look bad as a team." BTS has always been so straightforward about its message, so why are you shocked by this?
Like no joke, I lost count of how many times, I saw this on non-related/BTS-related content. While I do somewhat agree with the first comment, the sad reality is that nowadays you can't find a group of young individuals, who are genuine & passionate about their work & the message they want to spread to the world, especially in the west. Note: I'm not saying that there aren't artists who care about their craft or their platform. I'm specifically talking about the ones who are driven by greed & only care about money, likes, & having a huge following. There's also nothing wrong with wanting to show how proud you are of someone. Like it's not hurting you in any way, so why are you upset at armies for showing their appreciation toward BTS? If It's bothering you so much just ignore them. Simple as that.
Idk... I just find it so mind-boggling that people would be upset over something like that. Am I weird for feeling like that? Anyway, thank you for this wonderful video. It was well-presented, informative, & fun. ☺️💜
wow this was an amazing analysis of how the relationship between bts and armys was forged, i really wish major music publications would take this approach to bts and their music
thank you for watching :)
@@i-spy9601 oh something else i just thought of, i think the points you pointed out in this vid are going to help them have an incredibly long and successful career, which both bts and armys have talked about wanting. like i envision them being able to have successful tours decades into their career even after they’ve reached their supposed “peak” the way legacy classic rock bands are able to and i really want that for them
i think we‘re gonna be stuck with them for a long long time, and i‘m here for it! even if there comes a time where they don‘t actively promote anymore i could still see them get together every once in a while
I must say that i havent kept up with BTS news etc for a while now, but this vid makes me somewhat nostalgic and just extremly happy to see such a detailed deep dive into BTS and Armys. I just thoroughly enjoyed watching this, thank you.
thank you for watching :)
This is an excellent video through and through, and I’m happy you didn’t talk much about the BTS Universe. In my opinion, that topic belongs way more in a conversation not about the reasons for BTS’s popularity but about their influence on the industry. I sincerely hope one day someone will make an equally thorough and informative video on that, because too many people are purposefully blind to how much the BTS model has influenced how their favorite groups (particularly from JYP and smaller labels) are presented and promoted. At this point in time the “don’t compare” and “stop bringing up BTS everywhere” seem to be the default reaction. Truly, people aren’t ready for that conversation but it needs to be had.
i understand peoples instinct to immediately get defensive, but it is obvious what a huge influence bts have had, and there‘s no shame in other‘s following suit (as long as you still do your own thing ofc). thank you for watching!
@@i-spy9601 I agree! For example, ATEEZ is a fantastic group that stands well on its own, but there’s no denying how much the BTS model has influenced its presentation. I’ve also noticed how many groups nowadays tend to sing about their struggles with self-image and haters which didn’t use to be a big theme, especially in title songs. I appreciate how BTS made it cool to be sincere. (Although I draw the line at instantly successful groups from rich labels singing about how hard it was to reach the top. Come on, that’s just tacky.)
This. A lot of groups have cut back on the love songs and do a theme that is self reflective or encouraging (couldn’t find a better word lol) to fans. Still another aspect most groups din’t touch is the critique of society that bts did alot in their early days (and still do if you look at suga’s recent work and ugh) but I think txt is doing it in some aspects because they have the same inhouse producers and writers
@@i-spy9601 exactly. I was having this conversation in other video because it talked about the BTS PTW opinion. Now, my problem is not that people disagree with that opinion. But is the "They didn't do Anything for the industry" and is like...
Yeah we can pretend that own Variety shows, blogs (specially pre debut blogs), storylines, were very popular since ever. Or that is just a coincidence that a lot of groups crate Twitter accounts after the bbmas 2017. Like yeah, is all a coincidence and it has nothing to do with the fact that some "specialist" said that this was one of the keys of BTS success.
And I want to said something, it has nothing bad. Lyrics wise BTS follow a path similar to ST&B. The big majority of the industry follows a special "formula" (specially the "successful ones).
And meanwhile you are still being authentic there is nothing wrong with that. Like TXT has a similar mold/ way of work/ work ethic as BTS and that is very normal because they are from the same company (the other day they talked about how they resolve problems and is exactly the same thing that BTS do, that was cute). But that doesn't make TXT less authentic.
Great video. As a somewhat recent ARMY (just before panini hit), but older in age, you made excellent points. But to your conclusion: why I love BTS and feel connected? It is indeed the music. I don't really care for the BU, though I find it interesting. It's the music. Love watching Run BTS. But it's the music. In the Soop is complete therapy. But it's the music. The concepts, visuals are amazing. But it's the music. Love all the guys and deeply admire them. But it's the music. :)
Now i'm tearing up. Yeah It's their MUSIC period
Periodt!
@@misslouie6742 it is indeed the music. Like when I first heard I need U and watched the MV, I teared up because I had never related so much to the mental health subject that BTS present through I need U. Before BTS i have been in a lot of fandoms, like EXO for example, but i never feel like I relate to their music. They make good music but its mostly about love, and I follow them since 2012. So i know and have heard a lot. I think I like them because they seem cool, they're talented, and their voices are amazing. But apparently that's not enough since most of us here in the comments can't really move on from bangtan, we in this 7 agenda forever.
@@sapphireemerald6109 Yeah it's been over 5 years and i still love them even more when i started.
So true😭💜
Well said 👏 🙌💜
i no joke, have a word document outlining the bare bones idea that is beautifully presented in this very video. i have literally just discovered this channel mere hours ago but i can say with certainty you have a spectacular thing going on here. it was really nice seeing the entirety of bts and "the army experience" being laid out like this. honestly there wasn't a single piece of information in here that was *new* to me but it was cathartic all the same to see the last couple years of my army life being presented in clarity.... like reaching a checkpoint in a videogame and taking stock of all the progress thats happened so far... or sorting and folding through my laundry until all the many clothes in my brain are neatly compartmentalized to take stock of my wardrobe. i love this video a lot! its obvious so much thought and effort went into it and i truly applaud you for finishing and putting it out!! ill be recommending it to many ppl for sure
i‘m sorry for getting back to you so late even though you wrote such a nice comment! thank you for telling me, it really means the world :)
I wish there was a way to read your word doc. Good job
I told myself I would watch a bit, go to sleep, and continue tomorrow.
It is now after 6am because I watching this all in one sitting because I could not stop. This is so thorough yet engaging and I love how you structured it. I enjoyed it very much and agree with a lot of what you say! Thank you for this video!
djdjdsjsj i‘m sorry for keeping you awake but also so so happy you enjoyed it! thank you for letting me know, i really wasn‘t sure how engaging this would be for others :)
@@i-spy9601 IT WAS DEF SUPER ENGAGING!! 👼🏻
I think what’s important to keep in mind about bts music is that not everyone will like every song but just cuz someone doesn’t like it doesn’t mean it’s a bad song inherently or that they can disrespect bts when criticizing it. Like when what’s his name was hating on permission to dance. I don’t like your eyes tell but they still sang really well in it and I can see why other ppl do. It just doesn’t hit for me. Really great video you did a very throughout job!
ah im an old time army and this brought up so many memories. i've been around since 2014 when dark and wild was released. there really was so much hate at the time, which i genuinely think is why Army is so organised today we had to be strong and communicate well or we would have been crushed by the hate thrown at us (it's also why a key army trait is being so over protective of bts were so used to being the only ones who could help them.)
bts has always had so many threats and haters but they never played by the big company or media rules and now their too big to ignore, revenge is sweet.
about UA-cam: i remember the youtube thing and i would like to add it wasn't just about measuring growth but giving the boys an "award' such as most views in 24hrs since we couldn't trust korean music shows to give bts proper awards I-army especially started looking elsewhere, K-army keep fighting for proper recognision in South Korea. having the record of most views in 24hrs used to be quite an imortant youtube thing more in the west but other western fandoms like swifties also sought it, we wanted to show Bts that we were here and they deserved the world we were fighting so hard back then to give them any scrap of achievement or recognision)
also the treating young teen fans badly has always been so funny, because yes when i started likeing bts i was a teen but im a full on legal adult now and have been for 7 years, so many army have s similar story or even joined as army much older. so when media goes "all bts fans are teens!" like no you're just so wrong it's funny.
also yeah Bts works to hard they even think about army even when they should be resting. they always always put army as a uber high priority but it's their own choice, so army should respect it (even if we still worry)
i just one to say as an army one of the reasons i brought in the Soup was because i just wanted to see bts eating and resting well, nothing has made me happier than to see the group i've grown up with and whos music has helped to so much in tough times resting and being happy.
also i remember yoongi's first mixtape it resonated wayyyy to strongly with everyone lol so many army tweeting about being broke and being anti-social, jhopes was a bop you could forget all your problems and just dance, and namjoons brought out every analysist in army, there were heaps of army making sure the translations in every language had the proper meaning. im looking forward to everyones solo albums in the next 2 years. also i won't bite over not enjoying all of their songs, everyone has different tastes (I enjoy everything bts makes but i absolutly have favourites like "not today".)
(also yes solo stans are not welcome, because they are quite litteraly never peaceful. every single solo stan i've run into hates or spouts hate for other members despite their own member they stan telling them not too, every single solo stan in 7 years of being an army has acted badly most of em end up tageting the member who need the most protectionas well like j-hope, v, and rm they always attack the appearance + behaviour i got in so many fights over the name calling T_T. you can have a bias, but bts is one group you gotta respect them all. i will fight anyone on that.)
also given that bts now owns shares of big hit/hybe the puperteer company conspiracy theory is always so funny as usual. (also the creating music issue on social issues you don't mean was beautifuly showed by the love yourselfs copycats that poped up in kpop and how bad it was, they couldn't even copy the bts homework properly.)
thanks for you're hard work on this video it was such a track down memory lane.
Learning about their past you really see how important and fundamental Kim Namjoon was for the band. It hurts me that there are little spoiled people who disrespect him today. Or wonder why he's in the band.😔
Hostage pyramid scheme is an accurate description of BTS fandom. 😭
I've been feeling kinda distant from BTS for a while now, thank you for reminding me why I adore them so much.
This video was a really interesting watch.
thank you for tuning in, i‘m happy it could do that :)
I can never forget the year 2016 that year as an Army is the most painful for me, it was really tough to the point that I have to uninstall my twitter for at least a month, looking back at it now, we do sure have been through a lot.
THank you for the thoughtful, insightful analysis of the popularity and phenomena of both BTS and its fandom. As a 'new' 74 year old fan, I am myself amazed at how enthusiastic I have become of this group of talented, hard working young men. My admiration of them grows with each new disclosure of how they have and continue to handle the hardships as well as the responsibilities and rewards of success. Part of my admiration for BTS is that these 7 very different personalities respect and support each other's individuality as well as their respective talents without envy. That the boys interact with each other to the advantage of the group is not unique given the Korean (Asian) culture, but that they accomplished that unity without sacrificing their individuality or bridling their spirit is what created the BTS the world has come to joyfully embrace. Their chemistry is so rare - talents combined with individual generosity of spirit is what creates the unique entity of BTS.
Yes, yes, yes! Well said!
I found BTS at 66 and they are lifting me through major life change.
As a therapist, I am blown away by their courage to be sensitive, vulnerable and open with love in the middle of huge stadiums and in the eye of a global fandom. The power of love between BTS and ARMY makes everything possible. Truly gives me hope for the world.
A’se Ashae, much love to Everyone.🙋🏾♀️🥰😇 virtual 🫂 hug y’all!
I discovered BTS in 2013 and very fast I wanted them to be known by as many people as possible because I believed (and still do) that their art is with knowing. So, I used to spend some hours every night welcoming people and answering questions in the comments under their MVs. Until today, no regrets at all. 😊 When they quit going to variety shows I got so happy!
One thing that I think you missed was the fact that BTS' authenticity would not be there if they had not started off as a hip hop group (which is a genre in which authenticity pays an integral part). The group was formed with the goal of being self-producing hip hop group, which is why they had such a strong focus on their message and ideology right from debut. I think that they managed to merge the authentic and down to earth nature of hip hop with the polished and grandiose style of idol music to create a massively appealing image. EDIT: I looked back at this comment and realised it was rather rude of me to just say this, I'm sorry, this video is really really well-done and great.
It wasnt rude at all! It was great 😭
Very well done! Reflections are on point! I especially connected with your "romanticizing friendship" comment. To me, BTS (and ARMY) also romanticized family (and people for that matter). They were just what I needed after a life-long suffering of bad family members. I was starting to feel that there were very little people out there who truly cared for other people until BTS and the ARMY showed up and freaking changed me!
This REALLY should be reccomended to everyone who is getting to know bts; reactors or not! AMAZING
Yes! I hope more ARMYs recommend this video to reactors.
I finished the whole well researched video, great analysis! I became an ARMY because BTS has consistently been sending the same message throughout all these years. Their personalities, selfless behaviour and care towards each other with being true to oneself, sincerity and kindness is what I think the key to BTS's strong bond with ARMYs.
YESSSS!!! 🌸💓🌟
BTS has so many “entry points” to the rabbit hole these days. For some it is through their rappers. For others it may be an admiration of the clear and unique voices of the vocal line, while others like myself it was their dance. When you combine all these talents with their charm, humility, and group dynamic-it literally sucks you down the rabbit hole. But I would say that their song lyrics keep me in the rabbit hole.
I wanted to mention that your video is so well done! I do like Make it Right, but my BTS skip song would be Go Go. Haha. I subscribed in case you have time for more videos.
This is probably the best video essay about them that I've seen in a while; not only does it explain perfectly my own connection with the group(and probably most of other's too) that I'm still yet to put into words myself, but it made me reflect yet again in a lot of things regarding how they changed my perspective in music and stan culture...
This is a great video, thank you very much for it.
I found BTS at 68 yrs of age so BTS has given me so much to do. Also, I'm pretty much of a music snob. They are really the most pop music I listen to. My god, they are so good! Best in my lifetime. I wonder why I'm just seeing this now? This is very well done, and gives much food for thought. Thank you. well done you.
BTS and people in ARMY fandom helped me found my identity, who I am as a person, whats important to me. At this point, I love the boys, but all of you too. ARMY feels like my absolute safe place. I feel, like I always have someone behind me.
Holy shit.
This is amazingly well researched and delivered.
Story time:
Since becoming ARMY almost a year ago I’ve been passionate in online spaces like Twitter but very quiet in my personal life. I don’t have any ARMY friends and more importantly, like myself before I discovered BTS, I’m quite confident most of my friends would look at being a fan of a boy group with derision. I was that person. To the point where I had heard of BTS 3 years prior but knew nothing about them and still I made fun of them just bc they were a “boy band” discovering them really shook me and obvs I’m a massive fan now, thanks to going down the rabbit hole like this vid.
So not long ago, I was seeing a friend I hadn’t seen in a long time and knowing he is a fan of pop music and boy groups in general, I thought I could go outside of my comfort and admit being a BTS fan in hopes perhaps he was too or could become one. Well the first thing he said is “I hate them their fans are so toxic” then said he liked blackpink. Other than being a bit rich to call us toxic when some of bp’s fans are that way as well… I was really hurt by the rejection. And I tried to explain what I liked about them and how not all army are like that but I don’t think I got it across well. This vid does it perfect and I thought about sharing it with him but I already feel so vulnerable from his initial rejection that I’ve really shut down even more and never tell my irl’s about BTS.
What do you think? Does anyone else have a story like this? What did you do?
Thanks for coming to my TED talk.
thank you so much for sharing your story! i felt similarly about being a fan of a boygroup for a while, even after becoming an army. most of my friends didn‘t even know i was an army, they only knew that i was casually interested in them.
now all of them aware and luckily they don‘t make any negative comments, but with some of them i can tell thst they think it‘s a little weird. so i can somewhat relate and am sorry that you had that experience
we have the same story 🥲
Watching the first part of this video brings back all the memories of when I was learning everything that happened to them, their history, music and purpose. The connection the boys and I have is unexplainable, but what can I say is there's a moment when I was thinking of giving up and that's also the time I met them. It was the toughest point of my life. I literally had no one until BTS came. I wouldn't say I'm living for them, but I can say they lead me to the reasons why I chose to continue and why I'm still here today. I owe it to them, and I will always remember that. That's one of the unexplainable reasons why the relationship of BTS and ARMY is like the way it is.
Oh wow i've just now realized how much i've stopped caring for the bangtan universe that's crazy,,, i actually really wanted them to continue it with mots7 before it came out but now i'm fine with them not touching it again music/video wise (the webtoon is a different story please whoever the fuck created it i need a continuation please it can't just end like that IT CAN'T END LIKE THAT) but maybe they'll release more notes or something
Also i will single handedly make sure this video goes viral or something mark my words this needs to be SEEN 👌
seriously! i mean it was a moment especially in 2015-2017 and probably got a lot of people interested in them. but if you were to ask any of the (non casual) army why they like bts this much who tf is gonna go "bruh the bts universe tho 💯🔥"
@@i-spy9601 i wasn't there when it was going down but discovering all the connections in the wings short films,,, it was something so personal. sherlock holmes had nothing on me
tbh i was never one of the theorist armys, i would just let you guys put in the work and then check out summaries of the most commonly agreed on theories jsksks
Yeah. Like I like hear/watch videos that summarize the story after certain amount of BU content came out. But is more like when you watch a movie casually: I watch it, I don't need to watch it again until next year o pt. 2. Something like that.
But the webtoon... PLEASE (I also want to read the Books since it helps me with my English)
So there is a new webtoon but is not the part 2.
That's good timing
Kinda
I enjoyed watching this so much. I found myself nodding and agreeing with you throughout the video. It's near impossible to describe what makes BTS click because there are so many factors. But the fact that a group of 7 guys who speak a foreign language managed to form a strong emotional connection with so many people across the world is no small feat and should be appreciated. Although I'm not an ideal BTS fan (I don't do typical kpop fan things like mass streaming, mass buying etc.), I enjoy listening to their music and watching their content a lot. I have never been the type of fan who is super invested in an artist's music, but I genuinely believe in and care about BTS's music.
I can’t believe I’m getting such good content for free this is gold
to be fair i don‘t know why i‘m doing this either, but i‘m very glad everybody appears to be having a blast so far ✌️ thank you so much for watching and leaving a comment, it means a lot!
@@i-spy9601 thank you for posting this it truly brought me so many great emotions I’ll probably be coming back to it a lot like your black pink video
even though i already knew about a lot of this stuff it's honestly insane how to see much there is still to learn about bts as a new fan. i became a fan from dynamite and in the last two years i'm still not completely caught up and i think it's impossible to be but i'm just glad i'm here for what's to come
Aww welcome fellow army 💜🥰
there is always time to catch up so don't pressure urself. the content, interviews, vlives/weverse lives, variety shows etc. r still gonna be there so take things at ur own pace, enjoy the music and the guys. that's all that matters 🫂💜💜
And now this new solo era is driving me crazy 😵💫🫠
There is just so much content to catch up to and so much music to listen to. I didn't have enough time to listen to their albums more than once or twice, let alone watch the variety content they put out nearly every day
Thank you for putting it out there that they were cut from music shows and some times just have their songs shortened. I actually got into trouble one time when I put it on a comment. Someone got mad at me and said I don't know what I was talking about. There are so many new fans that only see BTS as the stars they are today. They do not understand the struggles they faced when they first started when they had their names on signs made so that the cameraman would know who they were. Or even the time that they got angry when the cameraman didn't pay attention and ruined their intro to no with their navy outfits.
this video is AMAZING ! thank you for creating this video and releasing this analysis . i hope those who don’t know about bts well and want to really look into them watch this video because i honestly think you summed up the whole story and experience of bts and why their fans support them so well . it’s really unfortunate that publications and journalists are so lazy and misinforming when it comes to researching and releasing articles on bts , and even with the recent billboard magazine where they tore them to shreds , brought in pointless sources and made bullshit claims for literally no reason . i hope you’re doing well and i look forward to new videos and ideas from you :)
i always thought being a professional journalist working for a big publication came with an innate sense of pride and the desire and resources to deliver high quality engaging pieces. with how much i know about bts i was finally able to see all of the bullshit… now i know what to look out for when i read up on other topics i don‘t know as much about, and i‘ll continue to have great time being an army ✌️ thank you for watching and leaving a comment, it means the world!
My only question is, "Why am I seeing this just now?" 🥲
I recently got under "attack" by some friends because of my love for BTS, (which is not the first time because I've been an ARMY since 2017, I literally watched the fandom grow in my country it was unheard of) the excitement I have over them and their music and how I share all over my statuses and how ARMYs in my country (Uganda) are extravagantly celebrating their birthdays by putting their pictures up on billboards... and I just didn't know how to explain in enough to be understood. This video is it. It lays down the facts well and digs deep enough to the core and the basis and the genesis and the blooming of everything. Thank you for making such a comprehensive video. Your efforts are not in vain. Thank you! 🙏🏽
Same my family members don’t understand why I like them 😭
Had to pause the video multiple times because I kept tearing up. You did such an excellent job with this. I'm amazed you were able to illustrate every point so clearly without digressing and rambling like I would. It also made me realize how re-examining BTS's music and work almost always provides a new perspective. The more I grow and change, the more I learn about BTS, and the more I understand Koearn culture and history.... the more my perspecive expands. So when I revist a particular song or even just one lyric, it takes on a whole new meaning and enriches my experience of it. Thanks so much for your hard work!!
it's a very good video.BTS has a very good growing-up story that strongly connects them with army.
and WHY this video gets such low views!!!
i hope this video gains more attention and views in the future! it's very well thought-out and organized. as someone who's been in the fandom for over 7 years now, there are parts within this analysis that made me internally reflect my mindset and attitude towards supporting BTS and question what has changed and what has stayed with me since the beginning. i think the explanation for our (ARMY) mindset as a fandom is intricately detailed and worded very nicely, because if i were to explain why i think and act and do things that can be seen as "exclusive" to being an ARMY, i would have written a whole poorly written book on the history and the timeline of "turning point events" that made us the way we are. to be able to effectively explain something like this without mentioning certain things but are able to get the message and intentions across is very comendable.
if you're someone like me and have personally experienced the absolute hell and suffering that was 2016-2018 (especially if you were on twitter that time), i would like to offer a long, tight comforting hug and a warm cup of drink of your choice.
i hope the journey of supporting our seven men continues to be filled with happiness and growth. have a nice day!
Great video, thank you for taking the time making it 💜.
And yeah, fuck mantis and solos, we are fans, we enjoy the content and we trust and support bts and their choices.
I got into bts first because my sister was a new fan and she showed my a few songs, and I really liked a few of those, after that I just discovered more songs on my own; but I became an army because I found them hilarious and that ended up with me consuming more content and genuinely caring for them, the first and only time I've been part of a fandom.
Army is an amazing fandom, I had such an awful stereotyped idea of bts and army beforehand... there are obviously annoying loud idiots, like in any big group of people, but over all amazing fun creative people that are there to enjoy and have fun. Also a super knowleadgable fandom, I've learned SO MUCH since I joined the fandom... never ever expected to join a fandom or care so much for something and for people I don't personally know, but glad it happened. 💜
army is huge meaning of course there’s a lot of weird people, but so many more are wonderful! as long as you do a good job curating your social media timelines it‘s honestly one of the best fandom experiences one can have. thank you for watching :)
@@i-spy9601 Completely agree. Who would have ever told me that I would end up as part of the fandom. I wouldn't have believe them.
It will always amaze me how such an awful image and bs stereotypes about bts and army are so spread around the world and around anyone that actually know close to nothing about them.
I guess it has to do with "young woman" enjoying stuff and asian men from a different industry being successful. But still an insane sad thing to witness.
what can I say... you said it all , thanks !!!! Excellent radiography, summary and analysis.
I am a very rational and critical person , I was never a fan of any group, my tastes are diverse ... and here i am in my 50's...i have listened to the entire musical repertoire of BTS , literally. They fit my taste for diversity ... i have my long list of favorites . The most important thing for me is meaningful music with honesty , and Taking risks + innovation, bts is that one kind of artist that is deeply connected to their songs..... And it's not about appearance, it's about the rebellion of the rules in general of how an artist should be....
You know a narrator is deep in the fandom that even the inside jokes are clearly explained. Good job! I hope we have more storytellers like you with regards to bts' journey as a person and as a megastar.
Also, gurl! I gasped when you added the regrettable "hey!" part in Mikrokosmos not being added; might not be as big but to me it's a good chunk of me as an ARMY.
Aaaand, I'm not saying I gave you a side eye ㅡ*bombastic* side eye when you said you don't fancy Make It Right, but I really did give you a criminally offesive side eye. But we good 😘
Love this narrative essay so much. 💜 Great Job!
And "nobodies to legends" narrative came way late. And none of us in our fandom spread BTS' music because of it. Because at that time BTS was not the only one who was not from big label. There were tons of groups, who even had less budget & opportunity than BTS.
The reason to spread BTS' music was simply because once you get to know their music & them, you automatically get the sense that "I gotta show it to other people".
We even joke about it. How it is like they planted chip in our head.
And at that time BTS was less attacked by industry people. Also it was less shown. The more successful they become, the more obvious industry people' attack become. BTS started to share their earlier stories one by one.(just here & there)
Way way later you realize that you were supporting real underdogs.
BTS is different not because they are successful underdog story but because these people are different & their music touches people' heart.
When BTS became popular in the US, do you know what some Kpop fans said(=the ones who didn't contribute the success that much)?
"Oh okay one done. Now let's support other groups."
And guess what? it never happened. Because we were not here for underdog story. BTS didn't got huge support because they were underdogs.
THISSSS
Thank you for this beautiful comment ❤️
What an incredible video! I'm watching it a year after and wanted to add a note about your section "Ot7 agenda", I think that now that things have changed and they are pursuing solo projects, I feel like it would be interesting to explore how even in pursuing individual activities they made (and are making) a concerted effort to market themselves as still being part of a unit and still being part a group - something that was difficult for western media to understand, to the point that they interpreted their change of activities message as a hiatus much like you see happen with a lot of western boy/girl groups.
Their OT7 persona in the midst of this individual activities era presents itself in various ways, most notably how they always introduce themselves as "I am X from BTS", J-Hope did this at Lollapalooza, Jin has been doing so during his solo appearances, and much like they've done in the past when they've done solo features on other artists songs if there is more than one member they are credited as BTS and if it's a solo member they tag themselves as X of BTS. When RM and J-hope went to the W magazine breast cancer awareness event, the two of them did the "Hello we are BTS" introduction even though they were just the two of them. Not to mention all the times they mention each other as they are releasing albums and singles. They continue to do commercial deals together with Huyndai x FIFA collab, but now with Jin being the spokesperson for the ramen brand I think that they have broken the streak of exclusively only doing ot7 commercial deals. But even so it doesn't take away from their commitment as a group. They made a very distinct and clear promise to comeback AS A UNIT in 2025, perhaps not doing group activities at the same pace as they did the first 10 years (releasing one to two albums a year) and maybe just releasing an album once every two years like most established artists do, but their commitment to one another as a unit still stands. And of course, they still very much talk about themselves and RM said recently that their relationship is as strong as ever and they are united in what their future is supposed to look like and they still very much make decisions together (even when discussing when Jin should go to the military, that was a discussion they had together).
They've also continued their Run BTS series which they will continue to do occasionally. Regarding whether the solos input may contribute or take away from the impact of their releases, I think that will be hard to measure but also not so hard. I think it's hard to measure because each member will have very distinct musical sounds that may appeal to some aspects of the fanbase and may not appeal to others. Basically, what I've noticed, is that BTS as a group obviously brings in more numbers than any one individual activity by a member but that also depends on the type of music that member puts out. The rule of course is that ARMYs should support all members regardless and there is a large group of ARMYs that continue to apply the same amount of effort they'd put into group projects into a solo project. But of course, inevitably, a solo project that is more pop or r&B based for example might attract more enthusiasm from a larger group of people than a more niche/experimental project, this is sad to me but it's a reality. And back to the solo thing is that the bigger solo fanbases will have a bigger impact when their member releases a record and you'll be able to see that in the numbers for each member, there's no denying it.
Having said all of that, what I'm most grateful for is BTS' posture throughout this whole era of individual activities (because of the military as well). They are focused on making music they love and expressing themselves, rather than getting high up the charts (even though that's always something they consider). RM even said in his birthday live that his album (called Indigo which will be out December 2nd haha) is less about making music that will appease a large number of people and more about making music he loves with friends he loves. BTS knows how to make a hit, they've done it time and time again. That's why to me it's very poignant that they've simply chosen to give that less weight at this point and just focus on their artistic expression.
Anyways, great video, it was an enjoyable and interesting watch!
I agree with everything that you said. Even though the situation has changed drastically since this video was made, what with the enlistment, group hiatus etc., BTS has proved once again that their values remain the same and they still trust and respect each other. I can't help but admire them in everything that they do.
I just spent an hour watching this. It’s so good and well put together. You clearly put so much time and effort into it and it shows. Definitely things media haven’t spent a minute analyzing to actually understand why BTS has connected so deeply with their fans and why the fandom keeps growing. Thank you!
Absolutely gold... I can sit through the whole video when it's from you...which is extremely rare for me🙈
Loved this video, especially as an army who loves BTS & their artistry 😇💜
i really wasn‘t sure if this would be engaging to watch for others, i mostly had a blast making it. so i‘m so excited to hear you had a good time watching!
@@i-spy9601 it was so much fun and have me a new perspective as well.. Good job.. Waiting for more amazing videos from you 💜
I had to watch this a few times but I now know what my favorite part is; the BTU. I find your assessment very accurate, the BTU is not at the core of what holds ARMY to BTS and it isn't what makes any one album "deeper" than another. Depending on the fan, some may absolutely like some lore with their poetic bops, yet the song itself is just as rich without it. After almost 4 years as an ARMY I am happy to see that many are far less insistent on new fans diving into the BTU. Listen to the music, listen to what the members have to say, the rest can come later 😊💜.
From the transitions between topics to the tieing of the points, the video is simply amazingly done. How long did all this take I wonder?
started working on it a year ago, was almost done, then scrapped the whole thing and started over again. it‘s not perfect but it‘s my baby and i‘m happy i was finally able to set it free today! thank you for watching :)
@@i-spy9601 great work. I don’t follow boy groups but obviously BTS is a unique case. This was very informative and I came away respecting them even more.
PS this is the first time in your videos I have heard you a little out of breath😂. Understandably so!
i absolutely SUCK at audio recording, if you guys ever got your hands on the unedited versions i‘d faint 🥴
@@i-spy9601 😂I’m sure it’s fine.
Amazing video, thank you so much. Decided to reply on this comment because the amount of work you put into it is obvious. I'm gonna share this with pple around me who :don't understand" why I love Bangtan. Very beautifully made, transitions, clips and all. Thank you.
this is INCREDIBLY well researched. A+, 100%, 10/10. beautiful
thank you!!
am i a little bit late to watch this video? i am really happy to have this long and in-depth explanation for what i had felt these few years. i am a non-korean, non-kpop asian army, i am very confuse about why and what happened and happening for BTS that they can gather such a huge wave of hater from time to time... that breaks my heart so much but i am not very close to the mainstream media or music or chart or anything like that in the past, i am just a army who start with some BTS dance video then to their music, and then their variety shows.
soon i started to find more video and their underdog story was told in pieces in many video for new-army, and i think i might already watch most of them, but you managed to put it out in a more delicate that helps me to really able to understand this more clearly.
i am really thankful for your work on this!!!! and i am also thankful for you explain how army feels precisely. i shared most of you said in the video!!
Sorry for the length.
I'm watching this in May, 2023, with 2/7 already enlisted. My recent knowledge put the last twenty minutes of your video into better perspective. They had to delay the enlistment. They also still wanted to do the big concert year. They didn't share anything until after the last group concert in Busan, to ensure that everyone received full enjoyment. This proves that every other voice was just speculation, using tones of authority, but all actually from a place of ignorance. It was all politicians and media that had their own agendas. I loved how Jin set everything straight that the group was always going to serve.
Once the members themselves spoke, it just reconfirmed to only listen to what the members said.
They can do their individual branding and solo releases now, because they are not neglecting any group work. They are each individually filling the time before and after their respective enlistment dates. It wouldn't make sense to do BTS group work without all 7 doing the work together. Once out of the initial early training weeks, they are all still actively in communication with the other members, continuing to support each other.
I'm personally glad for the members to be watching in 2023 that each solo and individual work is still as a BTS member and with active support by other BTS members and ARMY.
I know how much growing and maturing that each member will go through during their enlistments. I see some of the mantis that you mention, actively wanting to have members serving together. They fail to see that it would be a detriment. In the military, you approach it as an individual and become part of a team. If you only spend time with a previously established friend, you fail to integrate naturally into the team. We want the members to have the best experience possible. Each establishing their own reputations and relationships within the military framework will serve them well.
So many of the mantis still fail to realize that the members are all grown men. And in SK, they are culturally reaching the age of creating families of their own with new responsibilities. The members themselves have talked about this. Any ARMY that attempts to interfere with these men building private lives and relationships can't really call themselves ARMY anymore. Some of the members, just recently, have had to even openly discuss on lives how invasive and inappropriate some of the fans have become. Old ARMY is now advocating on the members' behalf to educate new ARMY on how to behave and show respect.
I personally look forward to their individual works, as well as the 2025 onward of the group, as they will surely be sharing with us their newly accumulated experiences.
Just as I do with all friends and family that went into the military, here in the USA, I wish to pray for the members to stay safe in their minds, hearts, souls, and bodies, as they serve. With the added context of being SK idols, may they be surrounded by trustworthy people as they serve. May they create new lifelong bonds with many of those new teammates. Going forward, I trust that faithful supportive ARMY will remember to honor and make room for those new non-industry friendships.
Thank you for all of the hard work that you put into creating and editing this 80 minutes of content. Your sharing the English translations of many of their lyrics within the framework of what was happening in their lives adds even better understanding and appreciation for these men that have grown up before our eyes. I've always enjoyed listening to their music, even without knowing the language.
This GenX has known of them all along, yet was too busy to become full-fledged ARMY. I've recently become convinced that I will be diving deeper into their videos, lyrics, and the language. More exposure just leads to more appreciation of all the hard work of the members, the faithful ARMY, and the agency. Content creators like you do them justice. I'm a new subscriber.
I for one look forward to decades later seeing them sitting around on stools, still singing as a group, reminiscing as they are surrounded by members and ARMY's grandchildren.
There will never be another BTS. They broke all molds, created a new world, and they may inspire, but they will never be able to be copied. 💜😊
PS: There were a lot of comments about only 15 year old girls follow boy bands. That made me chuckle. BTS has never really been a boy band, as you mentioned. They just happened to have all members be boys, now young men. Your viewers should search UA-cam for the clips of male ARMY cheering at a concert. The yell from all of the grown men supporting them in the crowd was so loud that it surprised and shocked the BTS members on the stage. 😂 The love for these guys is universal, international, and has no boundaries of gender nor age.💜😍
Edit: correcting typos, grammar, and clarifications.
This video is so great, thank you so much for it. I've been an army for 4 years now and I have less and less time for the boys, but many aspects of your video reminded me of how much they mean to me and what I'm thankful to them for. Helped me to feel close to them again and helped me get some things sorted out regarding their ongoing enlistment.
There'll truly never be another BTS and I'll be forever grateful for them.
This is the best bts video I have encountered on youtube. You truly have surpassed professional journalists and really created a video that captures their true essence. I am going to recommend this video to every new and old army. I am so delighted I have come across this video.
the part about bts has no bad songs resonated with me. i personally have a couple of songs of theirs i just can’t really fully vibe with and i completely agree on your opinion on make it right lol but honestly, i try to find something to not like when they release stuff so that i’m not just blindly hyping them up on every single song. but honestly, their discography is so freaking fire lol i can barely find any songs i don’t enjoy and when i do, if i hear it enough or see choreo for it, i’ll start to love it. like run bts, i wasn’t the biggest fan when just listening to it but once the choreo dropped, it’s one of my favorites lol they have a magic to them. they inject crack in their songs, i swear
Absolutely excellent explanation of why BTS is who they are and why they are successful. Plus why, we as fans love them so much. It's not an easy thing to explain to outsiders at all. I think the love comes because it is indeed this deep and this complex. Thank you!
This video essay is so brilliantly argued and comprehensive. As an entertainment journalist, I have to agree with the points you make about the media hyping up foreign acts like shiny new toys until they are ready to discard them (we've seen this with PSY for instance), but as I have insight into how (some) media plan their content I have to say that from my experience, the reasons are not usually simple and malicious. For instance, most digitally available media outlets look at the views that their content gets to decide whether the topic is worth pursueing further; and in the case of a lot of media that cater to an older demograhic, the interest in pop artists is just not sustainable. HOWEVER, a very important point you have touched upon is that the media generally looks down upon any piece of art, entertainment, or culture that predominantly catches the attention and hearts of female fans. It frustrates me endlessly.
I watched this entire video. Simply excellent, insightful, honest. Bang PD can likely develop bands that can be successful. He has a formula. However, BTS is a one-time phenomenon. The magic these OT7 have with each other is not replicable. JiJinKookVNamSope is my forever bias.
just watching this video, made me fall in love with bts more
Let us not forget social media had also a lot of things to do about the success about BTS. They were just on time when social media became a fad. It made them easier to reach out with people n fan and show off what they can do and their documentaries on social media helped also a lot for them to become famous and of course their hard work and team working is amazing.
I'm not yet done watching the video but I'm so excited to see new videos from you! You manage to cut through the fandom bubble and spot where things are going so well. I consider myself an ex-army (not an anti-fan, just not caught up with their recent music as it no longer suits my tastes) and I'm finding this an interesting look at the "BTS phenomenon" as the media, East or West, likes to call it.
I think BTS members are really good at showing sincerity. They show very little of their personal lives, but they do talk about the insecurities and fears they have when it comes to their music and careers. It's a very careful balance the members have to constantly maintain. What little they show allows the fans to extrapolate and form certain ideas about what they're like, sometimes reductively so. I still like them (or their public personas, at least) but I won't think to claim I know them as they truly are. Yet the majority of the fans believe they do--they believe they have a personal connection with them (very intense parasocial relationship dynamics here). You can say the same thing about every other kpop group, but it's definitely more intense in the army fandom because they'd been on the outs with other fandoms for so long, that us vs them mentality never went away, and so pushed them closer to BTS and other armys.
bts' balancing act between being sincere with their audience while at the same time being extremely private people was actually something i mentioned in the original script but had to cut, so thank you for bringing it up!
i feel like the fandom is split into two sides: the side that thinks they know everything about bts as people there is to know, and then the other side who acknowledges and even celebrates bts' decision and efforts to stay private. i think this works so well exactly because any potential concerns a (reasonable) fan might have get addressed. if you as a fan don‘t have to be concerned about whether there‘s any potential issue in regards to the group that you don‘t know of (and if yes whether they are working on resolving it or not), you‘re less likely to meddle into eras that shouldn‘t be any of your concern.
thank you for taking the time to watch this even though you‘re not an army, and even leaving a comment! i appreciate it a lot :)
I've been a fan of BTS since the end of 2015 and this is my first time going on your channel. I truly appreciate all the research and accurate information that you give in an enjoyable format. Simply, thank you so much 😊💜
I've got my own theories on BTS but I'm always happy to hear your thoughts on this band. This video is spot on by the way.
thanks for tuning in!
@@i-spy9601 🖤💙
UA-cam put you in my feed today, and, although the video was over an hour long (!), I decided to give another "introduction to BTS" video a shot. I've been ARMY since 2015 and I've seen all of the "introduction" videos out there, but your take on the BTS phenomena was different and I really enjoyed it. From here I'll check out your channel next and I'm really hoping you either have done, or will do, a continuation of this theme. I'd really like to hear your take on this next chapter that we're currently experiencing with the members. (it's currently 11/29/22) 💜💜
this video was so well made, formatted and presented, wow. it almost feels like a 1st class university dissertation lmao. loved it!
glad you enjoyed it :)
Well put together, kind of reminded my why I liked bts the first time around.
ty for making this video because i needed a reminder of why i like bts. it was worth the wait btw this is hq content.
also you're right for not vibing to make it right, speak up.
i will not be silenced! …although maybe it was me calling it the "yummy" of their discography that pushed people over the edge… 🥴
and yeah because they didn‘t have an album this year i thought many people might feel like you, there‘s several here in this comment section alone that can probably relate to you. i originally thought this video would come out right around the time of the new album, but this way around it probably serves and even better purpose. have fun with all of the content you love, and look forward to in the soop 2. according to all the spoilers the new era is going to be a banger once it starts. until then we can vibe ✌️
@@i-spy9601 hahahaha lol the yummy, I wasn't expecting that reference hahhaha, for me it would be save me...sorry but that song is not for me
and it's frustrating when they link bts to how toxic kpop industry is as if bts was the industry plant when in fact the get targeted.
i hate how often we're portrayed as being aggressive or mean when people say rude things about bts. it's because we're tired of being made fun of. we're tired of being told we're all a bunch of screaming twelve year old girls. we just want people to let us enjoy what we love without feeling the need to voice their negative opinions that ultimately no one wants to hear.
This is such a well made video. I'm only halfway through it, I paused the video to write this comment. I will also add my two cents from my experience of being an almost 10 years old in Army.
BTS, after being humiliated by variety shows, took the role of content creators in a way they responded to their fanbase themselves. Not only that, they also accept the trends set by army. Like during April Fool's Army had made a meme of Jin with round sunglasses. And official BTS Twitter used it as their dp. Or when Jin reposted the edited meme of Jin's face photoshopped on The Scream art. Army feels validated, Army feels relatable. It's a huge appeal for a fanbase.
Big Hit has the best pr and creative team to oversee the communication through all the social channels.
Elaborating the creativity- I joined the fandom because of their storytelling, lyrics and the distinct sound of their music. And I stayed. I find their music is relatable on a very deep level. Their lyrics on financial issues, mental health, deterioration of education system is as prevalent in my ny country as in theirs. And being almost their same age, I find I have suffered, learned and grew along with them. There are so many groups with amazing music and performance that I surely like BUT - BTS has a different something that makes them so popular.
To sum up with the end that you have mentioned from Yoongi's comments - 7 different individuals with different values and ideas met a company and debuted. The only difference in this company was that they were able to communicate to each other and all of them were open minded. Thus the ideas amalgamated and became something beautiful that is ruling the world.
this is seriously good timing, me looking for a video off your channel and finding a new upload! AND i love my bangtan commentary so this video is a TREAT!
you seriously did a good job, i saw the comment you left saying this has been in the making for a year and i wanna let yk it was worth it, i love how well it was able to analyze and portray bts and their relationship with music, their come up, armys, etc. well done!
oof making this thing took forever, mostly because i tried to cut corners at the beginning and then had to redo the whole thing. it‘s still not perfect but it‘s my baby, so i‘m glad you enjoyed it! and thanks for sticking around, new stuff coming up soon ✌️
Great analysis of their phenomenon! I am a newer American fan and from my perspective I was drawn to their friendships and their sincerity. JK's live streams caught my attention with his boyish charm and pure talent. Then I saw some videos of the group dynamic and was fascinated. You are right that it is difficult to recreate a phenomenon. This group is special and irreplaceable. I am sad to have never seen them in concert. And I am hopeful for their future together and apart. I think these fine young men are well-grounded in themselves and will do great no matter what!
The situation on 2016 rely race best describes bts with other idol group and in their industry. That how the are. They were underdog, unnoticed, disrespected,.. but look at them rn? Surpasses them and it took them by surprised 🤣 now bts are legends.
I am no longer an army, not for any reason but the fact the hyperfixqtion simply wore off. Ngl it was really painful to come to terms to as I realised I hadn’t kept up with or thought abt bts or listened to their music for MONTHS bcs they changed me for the better and for two years, we’re a big part of my life. But eventually I came to terms with it and allowed myself to move on, and continue to listen to their music every so often and support them from afar. This is a wonderful analysis and I will deffo be watching it again :)
Me personally, I find the word army really hard to defines. Its meaning change according to the person you're asking. And I'm one of the people who think that armys are people who love bts art and want to help bts in spreading their message was that by streaming, voting, making edits, tweeting about it. Or even talking about them with a friend. And loving their art and cherishing it will always make you their fan. So you Don't need to things or keep up with up with them to like them, it's okay as long you're happy and this is coming from someone who think that they think they will call themselves army for the rest of their live. I hope that bts and their music will be there when you need it the most.
I just cannot describe how much I love BTS in one sentence, I just love them a lot. I am proud to be an ARMY. This was a very good video, judging by the title, it's different that what I had expected. Thank you for showing all the backstories and early hardships of our boys. The clips that you played earlier literally brought tears to my eyes. and now I'm crying, it's so well made
ugh😭
There is so much left for me to watch.. (cuz I really follow PIED PIPER lol😂😂)
I think I'll be spending my old age watching All the BTS Run episodes, The in the soop, Bangtan Bombs, Bon Voyage series, all the stage concerts, all the Musters, all the MV and lyric videos and be proud of stanning them for life 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
their music literally shaped my mind and who I am today. Their music saved my life when i was at my lowest. I owe them all the Respect and Love that they deserve. Because of them I could learn and speak korean and so much more.. ughh, there's a lot... lol I don't wanna write more 😂 😂
Girl, you have such amazing analysis on your channel! I love it. Came here for Blackpink video but then clicked on BTS one, even though I am not a fan. Can’t believe I watched the whole video considering it’s length LOL! I absolutely love your content, and would be happy to see more of it, if you ever decide to upload something new again
oh my god what a coincidence xD I was just looking for your channel and watched few of your old videos because I love your takes, I did not expect this to drop now at all! welcome back
omg that is so lovely to hear you don't even understand 🥺 ii'll try to get out another video by the end of the month!
looking forward for it ! loved the vid btw
do you think you can make a video about the mina scandle and the aoa situation? (or the soojin situation)
i don‘t see myself making videos entirely dedicated to these situations but i can see myself addressing them as part of a different video :) maybe one day, thank you for tuning in and the idea!
I'm extremely impressed with this thoughtful, insightful, carefully-worded and well-researched analysis!!
A great video, cant believe i actually had the attention span to watch it not once but twice almost, it's such a good and cohesive project, loved it to bits ♡
that‘s so nice to hear, i‘m glad you enjoyed it!
I felt like you did a really good job in capturing and explaining the feeling and magic behind BTS. I joined the fandom in 2017, when they started gaining notoriety in America for their hit DNA. I don’t understand why I gravitated so heavily toward them, but I remember hearing the song on the radio and needing to know more, so I googled up their group and watched TONS of intro to BTS UA-cam videos and wrote down what I learned (I still have the notebook lol). I was sucked in by that point. I then discovered their lore and inside jokes, and it made them feel a lot more human than other American artists. I feel like there’s still so much to be said about just the fan culture alone, such as fanfics, shipping (ughh I’m sorry but it happened and we have to deal with it at some point 💀), and SO MUCH more. But I’m kind of glad you didn’t discuss it too in depth and kept the video focused on the band, because (I believe) as you said, people tend to focus more on the fans than the artists. This was a really insightful video and it’s really helped me cope with their hiatus because I’ve been craving “the good old days of BTS content” lol.
omg i just finished watching your video and let me tell you it was amazing
there are so many fantastic and engaging artists, but this is something truly special to bts. thank you for watching
A highly recommended video essay from my Twitter moots. I'm just on the first part, and I'm grateful to still learn new things about BTS. Kim Namjoon's story about losing musical colleagues, I wonder how is it now, though I'm positive he gained more connections, too.
I just want to suggest removing the closed captions on time stamps where there are clips of BTS and other people speaking in Korean because the closed captions are blocking the subtitle embedded on those clips.
ahh i use the youtube subtitle sync up program and it does that. if i got some time to spare during the weekend i‘ll sort it out. thank you for watching!
I'm just at the 7-min and I'm already crying, reminiscing everything they've gone through and remembering how hard it was for me when I was new in this family and still learning this all at once. They're so precious and armys know that. That's why we'll protect them at all cost.
This is great. Part of my obsession with this group is figuring out why they are so good at getting people obsessed. I think you hit the nail on the head.
I can’t believe this video doesn’t have more views, I thought it’d have a million when I finished watching it. It’s incredibly well done, the analysis, the details, the outline, everything is accurate and makes sense. Personally what made me fall for BTS wasn’t even their music although I love it now and love their passion and implication to it. What made me fall for them was their bond with one another and how they aren’t afraid to be their true selves around one another. They have beautiful personalities and the way they interact with each other is always so endearingly beautiful
What sets them apart? BTS are relevant! esp during pandemic. it's my 3rd month being an army. i started to get interested with them when youtube played "save me" and i fell asleep(im sufferting depression/insomnia. I have no idea what BTS is. then my feeds suggesting bts video and stumbled upon the Whisper Challenge and instantly they became my happy pill. the reason they continuously getting more fans across the globe is underrated. #1 THE MELODY OF THEIR MUSIC... it plays smoothly to my ears making me relaxed and make me fall asleep (Save Me, Butterfly, Moon, Run) #2 BEING THE UNDERDOGS... their story is very relevant and relatable to me. I'm a victim of bullying within my family, my circle, school and work place. #3 BEING NATURAL COMEDIAN... I love their run bts, rookie king, summer package, bon voyage, vlive. Laughter is the best medicine maybe an old cliche but it's them. #4 BEING HUMBLE KINGS... their celebrity status didn't get to their heads. they even made FREE CONCERT two months ago before their military enlistments. #5 THEY KNOW HOW TO REPAY THEIR ARMYs... they are very engaging with the fans and always include US in their speech. Even Namjoon declared during his speech that ARMYs can use BTS to spread good causes. That unifies BTS ARMY around the world. I witness how LEGIT ARMYs are kind. I kept receiving BTS merch across the globe as part of welcoming me to the fandom and making me feel that how the ARMYs love works. ARMYs are not toxic fandom but they can be a bitch or worst nightmare when needed or pushed by. ARMYs are the shield and protector of THE BANGTAN BOYS. ARMYs have the strongest bond and the real market as well. So stop with the non sense of CHART MANIPULATION and it is not BTS fault if they have a strong and unified ARMYs across the world and perhaps the universe. No one can ever replicate ARMY fandom and the success of BTS. We ARMYs listen to their wish. When JIN said not to go camping on Dec 13th, only medias were there. Now tell us, if BTS ARMY are not sane or not obedient. Which fandom can do that? if BTS is irreplaceable and so are WE, the ARMYs, bow! Long live BTS et ARMY! p.s. I'm calling out @grammys give the award to BTS w/c was long overdue. You need BTS because of the ARMY fandom... BTS can make every stage like their own concert. We follow BTS where ever their event is. We are the market and actual sales. Don't believe with the organic numbers of fans BTS has?ACCEPT IT! 😇💜💟
Did I just watch an entire 1hr 18min long video? YES
Did I enjoy every second of it? YES
This was a very wonderful video and very well put together which got me engaged from the very beginning till the end and out of context but your voice is soothing and fun to listen to.