Hannah Grace
Whether you like Kpop or not, it’s pretty evident how the Korean wave is invading the globe. From social media to politics, this scene continues to win people’s hearts regardless of age, gender, race, and other social barriers. One group in particular is at the top of it all: BTS. If you’re not an ARMY, you’re probably wondering how they rose to fame. They may be good-looking and talented, but that’s not the only reason they are so loved.
Bulletproof Boy Scouts
Bangtan Sonyeondan (Bulletproof Boy Scouts) in Korean, BTS was originally a Hip-Hop group formed in 2013. Under a small company named BigHit Entertainment, the seven members who passed the audition had to live and work together away from their families. As any other Kpop idol hopeful, they went through long, intense training. Not allowed to use their phones, date, and eat much were some of what came with that. Success was top priority. Fast forward to today, BTS is already a household name making history in the music business. They make themselves known by singing and speaking about love and important matters. In spite of the racism and hate they still face, they continue to do their work.
Burning The Stage
Search up BTS’ live performances online and you’ll be-music preference aside-amazed. You might wonder how seven young men can pull off difficult movements so effortlessly. Not just in-sync like past boy bands, they sing well while dancing with all their might. You won’t even notice if they made a mistake. When they step on the stage, they seem to transform into rubber. Their bodies bend and form according to each choreography. Will you believe me if I told you that some of them couldn’t dance before? Most of them even suffered from low self-esteem as kids. They went through hard times and experienced tough situations too (family issues, financial problems, bullying, etc.). RM and Suga opened up about having anxiety and depression in the past. In a 2019 interview, they shared their thoughts on mental health:
“So I think for not just us but other celebrities,” [Suga] goes on, “if they talk about it openly — if they talk about depression for example like it’s the common cold, then it becomes more and more accepted if it’s a common disorder like the cold. More and more, I think artists or celebrities who have a voice should talk about these problems and bring it up to the surface.
RM elaborates: “That’s why we have the concept Love Yourself. We don’t want to preach ‘Do this or don’t do that,’ because that’s not the way that we want to spread our message. Like for example, say, Anna from New York or Marc from Rio or me or you, we have different looks, different races, different parents and backgrounds, different weather, whatever. Everything’s different.”
Credit: Entertainment Weekly
Behind-The-Scenes
Despite the fame, BTS members stay real and humble. You’ll see in their actions and hear in their words, both on and off stage, how human they are. Even through endless tours, three-hour concerts, busy work schedules, and a very public life, they thrive. When they feel like giving up, they choose to keep going for everyone who finds comfort in what they do. Their big hearts inspire many. From those with difficult lives to those struggling with their mental health.
A lot of fans have shared how BTS’ music, authenticity, and optimism helped them survive. Simply watching the members play games and laugh at each other’s silliness can do so much for a lot of them. Being an ARMY involves more than the usual fan life. You get to be part of a huge family made of the seven members and your fellow fans. You can find comfort in sharing common thoughts and circumstances regardless of age, nationality, personal views, social background, etc.
When you watch BTS and their fans sing together, you can’t help but see their impact. It’s as if they are telling everyone that they can be bulletproof like them too. Even in this current situation, BTS is still trying to send a message of hope. They remind us how, despite our differences, we’re all still just the same. We all go through the same things as mere people. If others who seem to have no reason to go on can choose to move forward, you can too. Like BTS and those who walk with them, you can keep holding on. Music, laughter, friendship, self-love, and more are just a few lifelines to choose from. No matter what circumstance or disadvantage, BTS believes that there’s always hope and better days for anyone.
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