#bts chapter 2

[jmdbjk]

Looking back and forward.

2023 was one for the books.

It is Thursday, Dec. 7 where I am... Friday, Dec. 8 in Korea.

It is the last Friday for Namjoon, Taehyung, Jimin and Jungkook to be civilians. This is their last weekend to spend in their homes, at the company to work, running along the river, doing boxing workouts, ordering delivery food, loving on their dogs, doing the things they've been doing the last over ten years. It will be about 100 days until they get time off and can maybe spend some time back at home.

They are tying up loose ends, getting their shit together, preparing to put their lives on hold.

They will return to us in mid-June 2025.

I've watched their last group live several times after the english subs were up. There were a lot of things I saw and I have a lot of mixed emotions about it all.

None of us know these men, we are observers and all we know is what they choose to show us. Unfortunately, they can't control every single thing and people and the media insist on prying and publishing images and things about them that lead to unconfirmed rumors and misinformation.

In the approximately 38 minutes they shared with us, they conveyed that they are getting ready to go, they seemed in positive spirits. They conveyed that they were still working on things for us (except Jungkook).

They said there was A LOT of content coming, so much... they've NEVER ever reassured us like this before.

They asked fans to NOT show up at the induction site out of respect for the other men and their families also entering the military those days. They explicitly said "we are their face and to do them proud."

During this live, I saw Tae being the fantastically funny guy that he is. Tae was alight with excitement. He was anxious to learn from his fellow soldiers. He is a flower waiting to bloom. And seeing his friendship with Jimin maturing, flourishing, same age friends forever was wonderful.

And Namjoon trying to keep up with the crazy shenanigans of the maknae line. Trying to be the voice of reason: "it'll go by quick, we've left a lot of content. Jin will be back soon. We'll all get strong." But there seemed to be a bit of push and pull between he and Jimin... it was interesting. But he was lighthearted, positive, going into with an open mind. Get in, get out, get back to work.

Jimin, Jimin, Jimin... There was a bit of resignation wrapped up in Jimin's positivity. He wouldn't agree that it would go by fast and he didn't want to show himself with the buzz cut. I wanted to reach through the screen and hold his hand and reassure him we'd be here waiting and that we know it's hard to leave everything right now to do this. This man lives to do work on his passion. He's already had to stop once. Now he has to do it again. I think he is going into his MS kicking and screaming because he does not want to leave his youth behind. It is unfinished.

He said he had been sick. He coughed, sneezed and sniffled the entire live. I hope all of these symptoms have disappeared by Monday/Tuesday. I remember his friend Sungwoon had to delay his enlistment date because he tested positive for covid. Please don't let that happen to any of our four.

During this last group live, I saw a Jungkook that I'd never seen before. His vibe was so in tune to Jimin. I know he's been that way since... 2017? 2018? But this was so in your face I was dumbfounded. Jungkook constantly soothing Jiminie. The things they probably talked about while they were in Japan a few weeks ago, man, to be a fly on the wall.

ALL of those lives he did this past year flashed through my head, how unhinged he was the first few months, falling asleep drunk with the candle, calling out stalkers. ALL those times WE said he was missing Jimin because he was begging him to come eat chicken and drink beer, or come do a boxing workout, or better yet, "let me come over and we can shower together..." No... I meant to say: he can go over to Jimin's and wash up and do a live together. Yes, that's what he said. Beggged him. Tried to use Army as leverage. And all we got was Jimin saying he "can handle it" and "you know how my personality is"...

Jungkook watching all that Jimin content... something happened, some decision was made early in the year. Jungkook embraced it and ran with it.

And to know they are going into the service together, it still has me astonished but it all makes sense now. Y'all... they knew they were going to do this wayyyyyy back, not just in August or September when they applied. Jungkook said back in February (before someone lit a fire under his butt in March to start working on music) that he had to take care of his body for the next year. This has been the plan and Jungkook said "no worries, I got this."

2023 was A LOT.

Jimin, Face: the melodies poured out (as they seem to be free-flowing from him at any given moment) but he had to pry those lyrics out of himself. Jimin achieved a #1 BBHot100. And yes, it appears there were not just one, but TWO of those blasted cakes. I didn't know much about PDogg before Jimin's documentary but now I know how much he supported Jimin during this process.

Yoongi, D-Day: I got to see Yoongi in real life. That weekend flew by for me. One of the best weekends ever. As soon as the concert was over I said out loud, I need to see all seven on that stage. His concert tour filled a void for us. We needed that so bad after last year's gut-wrenching news that there would be no tour. And now he's fulfilling his social service. Let him serve quietly with dignity.

Hobi, Military: after tearfully sending him off, what we hear now is he's cracking the whip, though ever-so empathetically (not to be confused with emphatically) over those new enlistees every day. I need to see his boom chakalaka marching drills. Jimin said when he visited Hobi, he wasn't greeted with his ebullient "Jaman!" but more of a lowkey "oh, you're here."

Jungkook, his solo songs and album: Jungkookie chose to go the route of choosing songs that resonated with him. Over the course of years, Kookie has always shared songs with us. We used to love his song recs and his covers of very poignant songs. He KILLED those songs with his vocals. He did what HE wanted to do. And look how well he did with it, also a #1 BBHot100.

Taehyung, Layover: again, Taehyung did what he wanted to do. Not on his album, but Taehyung singing along with Karen Carpenter was never on my bingo card, ever! (a clip on his Instagram stories where he was singing along to "Close to You")

RM, we kept wondering: why isn't he enlisted yet? Someone had to wrangle the maknae. Not that he ever did that this past year. He cut himself over his left eye and had to get stitches... that's gonna leave a scar. Good thing there are 40 bajillion plastic surgeons in Seoul...

Jin is coming. The Head of Ministry of the Military making the decision that no celeb will be doing anything special, instead they will serve just like regular civilians. Sergeant Kim Seokjin will become civilian Jin of BTS on June 12, 2024.

Their constant looking forward to 2025

Skipping over 2024 for the moment...

BTS has to evolve. They must evolve. They are not going to be a 30 something year old K-pop boy band. Some groups might be stuck but BTS will not stay stagnant, they never have. They have to step forward out of that niche and they have been trying to do that incrementally for a while now. They’ve taken us in baby steps already through chapter 2, and Joon said the REAL chapter 2 will begin when they are back from fulfilling their service.

What will they be like? Will they reinvent themselves? Perhaps, but not overnight. I don’t see any sort of extreme makeover for BTS once they come back together. I do see them addressing more mature topics (as we’ve seen), I do hope we see songwriting from all members.

They don't need to abandon their Korean-ness in order to accomplish this. There is nothing stopping them from being a mainstream artist who just happens to be from Korea and who release songs that are in Korean.

I think the accomplishments that Jungkook achieved will continue to pull BTS out of the K-pop realm and into the main stream Pop music realm. They worked that western market. They got pushback, especially western industry institutions: Billboard and the Grammys. And they learned.

Progress is slow but progress nevertheless. They will cross over to general pop one way or the other. They are not going to stay in the kpop box in the future. Straddle both at the same time. They can do it.

For 2024:

I think comeback/HYYH 10th anniversary reboot is already in the works and has been.

I think PDogg will be working on the songs over the next year. I think they have recorded all this year.

I think when Jin and Hobi get back, they might record their parts. I also am pretty sure we'll see a full-bodied solo effort from Jin and more from Hobi. I think we'll get a ramp up to his discharge with some Hope on the Street content that he recorded before he enlisted.

I think we'll slowly see wheels start turning to get the machine going again much sooner than we imagined.

I think what we see next year will all be primed to pre-promote and whip up the excitement for 2025.

I just feel strongly that Bang PD would NOT have mentioned that specific thing and we would not be hearing the members constantly saying 2025. And especially saying 2025 is not that far in the future and that they are looking forward to the incredible synergy the group will have when they get back together. They've got a lot of work done already. They know already.

They said there is A LOT coming to us.

In about two weeks BTS: Beyond the Star docu-series will begin.

We know we're getting some sort of Jimin and Jungkook traveling content, whether a series or not...I'm leaning toward it being a multi-episode series. Camping? Drinking? Breweries? Beaches? Boating or sailing or both but separate? Fishing? Snow sports? They said it was fun.

We will see activity around all the solo album anniversaries. We still have an RM documentary, a Taehyung documentary and a Jungkook documentary. I bet the latter two will come out towards the end of 2024.

We might have Tae acting, we know he'll be in an IU MV soon.

About aging bangtan ...

Remember when we said this is Bangtan in 20 years?

I joke about it but seriously they are aware that things will be different as they evolve and age as people and as artists.

There are new groups debuting all the time and BTS is aging out of a certain demographic (as they should).

Yoongi saying "cruise with BTS" would be the best case scenario for their future.

I would love to be on that cruise if it ever happens.

#bts chapter 2 #bts military service #jimin #jungkook #namjoon #j-hope #jin #taehyung #yoongi #jikook #instagram is going to be soooo quiet without daily updates from @rkive and @thv #no more tiktok dance challenges #this was a long ass ramble but i had a lot of thinking fragments #purge purge purge #the most beautiful moment in life is yet to come

[beautifulpersonpeach]

I'm still here ngl..

*

Listen, I see this and feel so much happiness. Jimin dancing, showing who he is, showing the versatility of his style and giving us just a glimpse into the extensive, vast range of his talent.

There's been some revisionism happening regarding BTS that's ratcheted up in the last three years or so. I can't be the only person who's noticed it. People more forcefully asserting things about the members that are just plain absurd, like saying this or that member isn't that talented, or that xyz member has this massive character failing that's only just apparent now for some reason, or that things they've said and done aren't actually the case. After FACE, I noticed people saying shit like Jimin can't sing and can't dance...

That reminds me, I went to a cup-sleeve event in June for another group and someone told me to my face Jimin can't dance and I almost uppercut that bitch. It ticked me off but I didn't actually assault her. What I did instead was ask her to explain what she meant, told her I disagreed, and showed her why by playing Jimin's Black Swan solo DP. She took back her initial claim and said she'd just been in a k-pop group online and all those people were saying is how none of the BTS members are that talented especially Jimin who apparently can't sing to save his life and whatever dancing he can do is limited to a few moves from 6 years ago.

Plain insanity.

Jimin, out of the kindness of his sweet, magnanimous heart, is giving the amnesia patients a crash course in who he is. He's reminding people he is Park Jimin of BTS. The dancer who joined a nearly bankrupt agency, had the shortest training period in that agency's history, and with the least resources, and debuted as the main dancer and lead singer of what is now the biggest group in the world. The man who critics from all over the world laud as a virtuoso, in voice, dance, and performance. His voice has brought men to their knees, calmed babies, enchanted concert halls, made stadiums full of people cry out in pure joy. There's nobody alive or dead like Park Jimin, and the fact we all get to exist in the same time as him is a blessing too many people (for my liking) take for granted.

ThisIsJimin is a gift I'm thankful to Jimin for giving us again.

*

Anyway, I was watching that clip again with a friend and she pointed out how cool the dance practice room was. Noted how it's a massive improvement from the old BigHit halls that had mold growing on the walls and water dripping on live wires in the back. It's taken years, hard work by the members, good business sense from BigHit/HYBE, and a lot of my own hard-earned money as well as the resources (time, money, otherwise) from ARMYs over the years to get to this point - and I just want to say, speaking for myself, even though I still see massive room for improvement, I feel very happy with the state of things.

HYBE is cultivating a solid roster of talent built on BTS's hard work. The world-class facilities in the building is the first good sign, as well as the talent now being fostered there. I love the quality of the army of dancers Jimin had access to for his SMF Pt2 performances, I love that NewJeans is doing so well that Riot Games sought them to feature on their new World's anthem, I love that a whole new generation of incredible groups are growing in the environment created by BTS's own trials and success.

BOYNEXTDOOR is a group that continues to have my attention because all six boys are just that good. They posted their dance practice for Crying today (my favourite song from a rookie group in 2023), and I noticed they did it in a similar dark coloured dance practice room Jimin filmed his #ThisIsJimin choreo in. And that really just put a very silly smile on my face for a reason I can't pinpoint yet.

*

Maybe it's aftereffects from the Jimin Effect after streaming his reel as hard as I'm streaming Indigo lately.

I see the asks you send, about Golden, JK in general, jokers, this or that thing happening in fandom, and I'll get to them at some point but I don't want to talk about them right now. Because I'm still stuck on Jimin showcasing himself in that air conditioned, world class dance practice room that's only possible because of his hard work, tenacity, talent, and love for his group.

I'm still stuck on Jimin and legit cannot move on. He's such a beast. Such a calculating, proud, stubborn, and kind beast of a man.

I'm not sure what's going on with me.

We're in Jimtober so maybe his juju is just extra strong and I can't escape his grip no matter what I try. Anyway, it's a good idea to stream FACE, allow yourself to re-experience his album, check out his other solos as well (played Christmas Love over the weekend and realized it sounds even better on low frequency speakers), and eat a lot of spicy food followed by warm/hot drinks because Jimin is curious about such things (and it really does work).

#jimin #bts #bts chapter 2 #gush post #boynextdoor is an amazing group and you should get into them if you haven't already #Youtube

[rantingravingliving]

FACE: The Agony and Ecstasy of Park Jimin

I am writing this with a heavy heart. I watched Jimin's Production Diary earlier this evening and rewatched it with Jimin (how I wished he was really with me, right? But Weverse Live it was).

(I don't know about you but I think Jimin is extra handsome when wearing a baseball cap.)

But my heart is not weighed down with sadness or grief; in fact, I am so proud of Jimin and how FACE came about and how he toiled in those 10 months before he finally revealed FACE. It was probably the most intimate Jimin content I watched – the documentary showed him barefaced, without any embellishments that we would typically associate with him as an idol. He was devoid of the glitz and glamor of a superstar; we watched Jimin, the artist struggling with words and questioning his thoughts and ideas. He was the most beautiful in his vulnerable state because you could see his passion, desire, and hunger to create something that would leave the world in awe.

Baby, you did so well. So so well.

I was emotional at the end of JPD, and the last shot, a closeup of Jimin, hit me like a ton of bricks. Jimin looked so happy, relieved, grateful, and proud that I could not help but shed tears because this guy, who is probably one of the best humans ever but subjected day in and day out to hatred, malice, and ill wishes, created a masterpiece for his solo work debut. If resilience were a person, his name would be Park Jimin.

Mine!

My heart has been broken for years now, but for the past two years, it has shown signs of life, thanks to this person in Korea, in Seoul, who understands me. This person whose eye smile I am in love with. Cutie. Lovely. Sexy. He is all of this and more. And it amazes me that in this day and age when authenticity seems to be scarce, when embracing a persona may be the way to go to make a mark in a very tough industry, we have one of the biggest artists in the world, serving FACE, in its unadorned and striking state.

#park jimin #the park jimin #jimins production diary #park motherfucking jimin #FACE is a masterpiece #FACE by Jimin #damn i am down so bad for park jimin #bts chapter 2 #bts solo work #Spotify

[jiminsass-istant]

Future ch2 releases : thoughts

I kinda always felt like Jimin was not just working on Face in 2022. There were more songs. I mean it was a pretty long time period that pdogg and the producers spent together. Not to mention Jimin's posts with western producers.

I think Jimin recorded the MV(s) for his second album after Face was released. And we all noticed he got quite buff after Face. (Lord have mercy, because shirts are gonna be discarded)

And blonde Jimin?? Hotspring MV shot in Japan? I wonder if that is part of pjm2 or a different single?

I'm just sad when i think about how nerve wracking it must be to not be there in person when an album is getting released. How does someone feel about the work you did a year ago, while you are in military and can do nothing but trust the company to release it well?

And namjoon's project? It has been a year and a half since he released Indigo. He has been teasing the next album since beginning of 2023. And there's no sign of its release yet. We might even get pjm2 before rm's album.

Jin's album will definitely be in 3rd quarter of 2024. (I hope he does rock ballads, or just rock.)

I doubt Tae has any other album lined up. Maybe singles. (Maybe an acting stint?)

Suga definitely doesn't have anything lined up till he is discharged from service.

Jungkook may have things lined up for sure, because he was busy as hell. (And Bangpd won't let him rest, since he gotta use scooter)

<<antis kept saying how it was cruel for BH to 'force' JK to shoot the travel show while it was already hectic for him. But if you look at it, the travel show must have actually been a relief and resting period between his hectic schedules.>>

Jhope is already done with HOTS vol 1. Maybe a vol 2 when he is discharged?

What do y'all think?

#bts chapter 2 #jikook #if you squint

[rkivenjoy]

#yes or no? #bangtan #bts army #bts #windows set design #windows set #bts jungkook #bts edits #bts art #bts design #bts cover #bts poster #bts posters #bts edit #bts wall art #bts aesthetic #bts chapter 2 #bts fanart #bts moodboard #jk #jeon jungkook #jungkook bts #jungkook art #jungkook arts #jungkook cover #jungkook edits #jungkook yes or no #jungkook golden #bts arts #bts designs

[yearofinstitutionalization]

Sometimes cats left for a while but is ok, they always come back 💜

#i miss him #i will miss you #bts army #bts #agustd #agust d #bts angst #bts suga #suga #kitten #hello tumblr #cute cats #kpop #kpop icons #suga bts #d day the final #bts daily #bts chapter 2 #yoongi marry me #min yoongi #yoongi #yoongi gif #korea military service makes me sad #sad day #sunday #bangtan #bangtan boys #bantang boys #suchwita #bangtan suga

[kassylin]

I love him with all my heart.

#min yoongi #suga #agust d #d day tour #suchwita #bts army #bts chapter 2

[always-is-always]

Okay. My curiosity has taken over… The prize goes to whoever can tell me where the building is located. My searches have been futile.

It reminds me of some of Gaudí’s architecture that I’ve seen in Barcelona, but it isn’t one of his buildings.

Since Yeontan is in the video, I was assuming it was filmed in SK. It’s hard to travel overseas with a puppy-dog, you know.

Anyone else curious? Maybe it is AI?

(Yeontan is so stinking cute! He stole the show!)

#yeontan #v solo #where is the building #curious minds want to know #rainy days #bts chapter 2

[mrs-monaghan]

People are having problems with yoongi drinking during his concert and I can see why cause it's a bit jarring and unlike the norm. But I personally feel like BTS are in their rebellious stage lol. Like a kid who was told by his parents he couldn't do something and now that he's 18 he's doing all the things his parents told him not to do.

Which is okay. We all had a rebellious phase, only ours wasn't out in public lol. But I think people have every right to express their displeasure in fandom circles or at least have a discussion about why people would see yoongi differently now.

When the concert started I had to go to bed coz it was like 1AM and I had work in the morning. So when I woke up to find people complaining about Suga drinking on stage I thought it was Jackson style; Straight from the bottle, drinking it neat and pouring it all over his body. Imagine my surprise when I watch the concert to see him sipping diluted whiskey in between big gulps of water. I kept thinking there has to be more because no way this man sipping alcohol from a cup has motherfuckers this worked up. That's it?? That's what y'all are mad about??

Its a bit jarring and unlike the norm

No its fucking not!

We have seen them drinking way more during BVs, ITS and some Festas. What are u guys talking about???? I'm legit confused about this. We have seen Suga drink way more, have seen him actually drunk. The concert thing was nothing.

And no, they're not being rebellious. They've always been like this. They're just not hiding it anymore. Honestly, this kind of behaviour is why RM didn't want under 18s at his mini concert. This is utter garbage. Honestly. What is this?

#bts ask #ask shaz #bts chapter 2 #bts #suga bts

[kookiecrush]

I'm happy Jk's got a new single coming out, but damn, Layover promo has barely ended. Can we get some more time to appreciate Tae before Jk takes over again? Ngl, it kind of comes off as selfish on Jk's part he could have waited a little longer.

Do you really think Jungkook decided now was the perfect time to release his next single, anon? They've all had to rush to make sure they get everything out before they enlist. They're not releasing all their music pretty much back to back for the fun of it, I'm sure Yoongi didn't want to bring his album out so soon after Jimin's, and I'm sure Jungkook didn't want to release "3D" so soon after Layover but they really don't have much choice. The timing obviously hasn't been ideal, but they're working with what they've got.

I also would have loved more time to focus on Tae and enjoy the Layover era before anything else came out but it's not Jungkook's fault that all their releases are so close together and I don't think it's fair to call him or any of the other members selfish because of it.

#ask #jungkook #solo era #bts chapter 2 #taehyung

[jmdbjk]

Billionaire

I am thinking about 6-13-2013 debut Jimin and if he only knew that almost 11 years into the future, on April 5, 2024, about one year after his song becomes the first Korean solo song to reach #1 on the BBHot100, his first true solo single would reach 1 billion streams on Spotify and that it would be the 613th (!!!) billion-streams song in Spotify history. AND the fastest Korean-language song to reach that milestone.

Jimin, you did well. The blood sweat and tears and mindset you had on this day back in 2013 have culminated into this tremendous accomplishment. SO FAR! I can't wait to see what you can accomplish in your career in the future!

#jimin #bts chapter 2 #jimin face #jimin like crazy #spotify billions club #congratulations jimin! #can't believe he's in the military now #fyi JK's fortress still covered in scaffolding and screens

[beautifulpersonpeach]

*

The one.

#jimin #park jimin #bts #bts chapter 2 #He’s divine

[rmisthecure]

bts in their bridgerton era?

creds! ty for the amazing work ♡

#yoongi #min yoongi #bts daily #bts chapter 2 #min suga #august d #suga bts #suga layouts #suga bias #yoongi bts #yoongi icons #yoongi moodboard #yoongi boyfriend material #rm is the cure yoongi

[jiminsass-istant]

https://www.tumblr.com/jiminsass-istant/740934106304626688/bye-bye-old-bts?source=share

There’s a lot of assumptions here I don’t agree with. The west is embracing new jeans and they haven’t had physical promo like bts did. The reason why bts is not getting really embraced by the gp is cos the music they promote to the west is generic meaningless boy band music which is very unrelatable. And authenticity is a big thing in the west. If they gave Mots7 or any of their albums before that the level of promo dynamite or butter had, they would have gotten more of the gp appreciation.

Hybe is not just only promoting jk, but they were also hampering other members promo. Look at how lackadaisical they were with shipping jh, Jin & RM albums. How poorly they scheduled Face, the many issues we faced during Face era that jk never experienced. We had to tag them for basic things that a label should already know about. How they shaded jm in their own article and are several times refusing to acknowledge his no1. It goes beyond promoting one member and more into trying to stifle the rest to present an image the label has the power to make a pop star. And is probably also why they give this promo to songs the label premade and not the artist’s authentic music that the artists makes

Thanks for the ask, anon. I'll share my thoughts to your ask in parts: (and sorry for the long essay in advance, kindly read, i swear i get to a point lol)

Western GP (New Jeans vs BTS): Can I be very very honest? New Jeans music is extremely catchy and has that hyperpop element that western audiences eat up. With rise of artists like PinkPantheress, hyperpop is gaining even more popularity, and Y2K aesthetic is back. NewJeans are all that- the music and aesthetic both. I'm not sure what were their digital promo methods, but perhaps playlisting on streaming platforms? And the collab with Apple was very strategic too. Let's also not forget they have english chorus in their songs and went viral on tiktok. New Jeans are in top 5 kpop groups in tiktok. I cannot speak for NewJeans much, because I have only listened to their songs, and do not follow them.

Let's talk about OT7 songs promoted in the US first- as in Dynamite, Butter and PTD. Let's take Dynamite - a very well crafted product, basically a completely American song with American references and MJ inspired choreo. It was meant to catch western attention and did its job. But the problem was- it was a single, not an album and it didn't really showcase the range of their artistry. Yet it did the job of exponentially increasing the fanbase. It was pandemic time, people were in their rooms, with internet and Youtube. Those who were meant to find BTs, found them.

Could BTS have achieved long lasting attention with MOTS 7 promotion? Honestly, it's hard to say. BTS's music is not conventional. You will never hear a BTS song and think- 'oh! i've heard something similar', in fact, sometimes it is even difficult to comprehend what genre their songs are. A different language, a different genre, 7 different voices, with no two albums that sound similar, no viral tiktok songs. Do you know how difficult it is to crack the western market? It is a lot of information to feed. I will come back to the MOTS 7 issue later.

How does one build a fanbase for a band like BTS?

BTS's popularity and long lasting fanbase has always been formed by the story they sell. Bang PD, right from the start, wanted to show the world 7 authentic, real boys who wanted to share their original thoughts, happiness, feelings and struggles. Added to this, their underdog story. Yes, their struggles from older days are all real and valid, but knowing that story makes you relate to them. Because, aren't we all some type of underdog before we achieve something big? People have often been drawn to BTS via word of mouth, friends, 'i just wanted to know their names' and ending up watching the Taylor Guide, 'my wife took me to their concert and now all my friends love BTS', 'they taught me how to love myself' etc etc. BTS has always inducted fans who were searching for something in their lives, or are curious, or are 'willing to learn'. You cannot sit an American down and show them a BTS US interview and ask them to listen to the album and make them a forever fan. Do you know how people in the west don't watch an international film just because they refuse to read subtitles? The language barrier might be easy for armies to overlook because we are invested, but it's not easy to convince a monolingual westerner to start reading subtitles to get into an entirely different fandom.

To sum up my points above:

BTS sell their story and relatability and group dynamics, which is not possible just through basic promotion. One has to dive into BTS voluntarily and go through the plethora of content, one by one.

BTS songs are usually not tiktok viral for some reason, considering how big of an act they are. Barely any bts tracks have gone viral- BST remix, black swan instrumental (maybe), PTD dance challenge to name a few. I don't know the reason why because I have barely ever used tiktok. Because armies only interact with each other on that app and even then, they don't use bts songs as audio.

The pre-requisite is to be backed by a western label for radio, playlist, western ads etc. Because the US won't allow an outsider label to make money off their GP, simple. It just takes away the money that could have stayed with western labels.

Coming to individual member (JK) promoted in the US: I did mention in the post of mine you have linked- that Golden lacked depth. Quoting my own words directly - " While they paid attention to heavy promo, charts and playlisting for Golden, they failed to create a connection with the music- which seems highly non-personal and lacking in depth and has a non-interesting concept. The promo did do the work of making jk a common name, showcasing his talents and introducing him to the industry. But for a lasting impact, they have to create better stories with the music. Idc, army are acting too defensive when people are disappointed that he didn't write his songs. It's okay to not write, but the very least singers can do is connect to song meanings and relate to personal experiences during the promos."

And anon, you are right, to have a lasting impression in the west, one needs authenticity. Actually let me list down the non-compromisable parameters required for success in the US-

Affiliation to US based label/Connection to industry mammoths. (Give money to US/US based part of the company)

English song/ lots of english lyrics + recognizable genre

Character/ brand of the artist (which the audience calls 'authenticity', but is actually the 'brand' of the artist created by the label. People hear the artist's name and know what to expect. You hear Olivia Rodrigo and you know you will get teenage, angsty, heartbreak tracks.)

Last but not the least- tiktok push. (somehow extremely essential today)

Hybe gave JK 1,2 and 4 from above list. They tried to build up on his character, but it is incomplete and lacks depth. The character they have built for him is- Korean hearthrob who can sing and dance, inspired by Michael Jackson, the ONE member to look out from the massive band BTS (Justin Timberlake trajectory). They gave him catchy songs directed at het women, dressed him up in clothes fitting that image and made him perform live at TSX. Thanks to the massive ads and promo, people know him now. But unless he shows the true depth of his character and brand to the GP, a lot of people (non-army) won't look forward to his future works. And whether we like it or not, him not being being able to interact freely and share his thoughts in english in the interviews is still a drawback for him. (personally, i wish that was not true).

Even when some celebrities of colour get the limelight in US pop culture, it's because they are connected to the US. They emerge as this messiah for their 3rd world country, can speak english and work for US labels and production companies. The US gets to keep the money and awards, and also gets to flaunt 'diversity'. It has always worked like that when the west opened the doors for a POC.

MOTS 7 would not get GP acceptance without being backed by a US label. And would a US label ever accept a full Korean album with all Korean artists? Why would they invest in an artist of a foreign language? Can Bang PD's assistant call up US radio and get them to play Dionysus? No. But if Scooter does it, they will pay attention.

An English speaking artist can convey their feelings through words on a radio, but how will a Korean artist do that on the radio with no subtitles, to an audience who refuses to read subs in the first place? You know how the US GP reacted when Parasite movie won an Oscar, right?

Ever since 2017, BTS have tried for that hot 100, did everything they could, backed by their Korean company, tons of US interviews and what not. But at the end of the day, they had to compromise with meaning and depth and churn out an all english, MJ inspired, disco pop track which finally gave them their #1. I am not downplaying the significance of Dynamite, or saying that it's a bad song. But I simply mean that only a marked shift in genre and strategy gave them that #1.

Anon's words: "Hybe is not just only promoting jk, but they were also hampering other members promo."

You are absolutely right. The only properly done solo work was that of Yoongi I feel. He knows his priorities and influence on the company, and has always had a very strong connection to both inside and outside the company. I'm not sure if D-Day was mismanaged, though am sure some yoongi biased army will have things to point out. All the other members have faced mismanagement. Jimin the most, I feel. Even recently, there's a Weverse article where they wrote that "jhope led the contemporary dance with Jimin", in spring day. All respect to Jhope where he deserves because he is the dance leader indeed, but he did not lead the contemporary dance in spring day, as amazing as he is, respectfully.

Anon's words: "It goes beyond promoting one member and more into trying to stifle the rest to present an image the label has the power to make a pop star."

I felt the same thing. I share the same sentiment with you here. The way they downplayed Like Crazy's achievements was disappointing and hurtful. That day it became crystal clear to me that Bighit did NOT see that achievement coming. None of the member's releases was meant to make this much noise, not before their Scooter backed project. They grossly underestimated the extent army can go even for 1 member (arguably the 2 most popular members in US are Jimin and Jungkook). Honestly the type of promotions JK got would never be given to other members because the other members would NOT agree to singing english songs that have zero depth and zero connection to their own feelings. JK was willing to take up that offer because.. well it's his choice. It was a golden platter, why not take it up? His image is moldable, he can sing whatever he is given and has the talent to pull it off. No matter whom we bias, JK has been the center of almost all BTS songs, a non-replaceable voice. But at the end of the day, the reason he was the one member who Bighit wanted to stand-out from the group was, it was his consent and agreement to everything the company planned for him.

I do wonder what it would have been like if all members received that kind of promo with their own artistry. But the entire premise of them being backed by Scooter/US collapses because they refuse to sing songs written by Scooter's writers. So I also agree with anon when they said "And is probably also why they give this promo to songs the label premade and not the artist’s authentic music that the artists makes."

Instead, Hybe is focusing on the other kpop groups under them. It's like the 6 members were just given their own individual management teams to manage their solo works lol. At least, let's be glad that the 6 members are getting full creative freedom for their work. I just want their solo works to be better managed. And I hope their managers, and planners, especially those on Jimin's side have learnt their lesson and come up with a foolproof promo for their next projects. I don't expect anything from BangPD, that man has been showing a certain pattern I don't want to discuss. (solely because i refuse to think what goes on in his mind).

As fans, all we can do is support the solo works we feel connected to and support BTS as a whole in future OT7 projects.

#bts analysis #bts chapter 2

[kaylee9597]

Happy holidays, everyone! 💜⛄️❄️🎄☮️

Can't say I'm super excited about the holidays (honestly I hate all the hype and just want to get it over with), but at least these 7 angels exist to bring us love, cheer, and happiness throughout the year. The rest of the world might be a shitshow, but these 7 💜 always bring us their best, more concerned about us than they are themselves. Wishing everyone, including BTS will be spending holidays in the MS, health and safety in the new year. ☮️💜⛄️❄️🎄

#bts #bts christmas #bts chapter 2

[rainbowsuitcase]

Golden, First Impressions.

3D - I talked about that one here.

Closer To You - It sounds cool. I like that breathy-deep voice thing Jungkook does.

Seven - here and here. I made more posts, which you can all find if you search my blog for seven or jungkook, but these two feel like the main ones.

Standing Next To You - I actually really like the chorus on this one. I don't really get the deep "standing next to you" part (google said that's the post-chorus??) but it doesn't sound bad.

Yes Or No - It sounds so damn good. That's the one Ed Sheeran worked on, right? That guy definitely know how to make an earworm. (Seriously, I occasionally hum Thinking Out Loud and I don't think I ever listened to the whole song of my own volition. Also Bad Habits.)

Please Don't Change - It's nice. I could do without the repeated "I love you" part though.

Hate You - I don't usually say this, but knowing Shawn Mendes worked on the song, I can kind of hear him on it. Definitely not a favorite though, I'm generally not a fan of people singing about hating their exes for no reason. What a healthy way to deal with sadness.

Somebody - The second verse has a good rhythm. I don't hate it, but it doesn't stand out.

Too Sad To Dance - You know what, I do enjoy a happy sounding sad song. And I can imagine myself sitting on the bus after a long day, resting as I listen to this. It sounds soft.

Shot Glass of Tears - Again, a very soft and relaxing sound, but the lyrics are too obviously sad to make it a "relaxing on the bus home" type of a song.

Over all, as you can probably tell, this isn't my favorite release of Chapter 2, by far.

I don't hate mainstream pop relationship songs, but I rarely get obsessed with one the way I usually do with Bangtan's songs.

Honestly, I was just expecting something different when the Weverse announcement said the album is " inspired by the golden moments of Jung Kook, the golden maknae of BTS and a solo artist." I was ready for something more introspective than what is essentially a break-up album.

I also don't undestand why both versions of Seven are on there. Is it because the clean version is the official one but the explicit version is more popular?

I don't hate it. If any of the songs came up on the radio, I wouldn't change the stations. But I'll have to give it a few more chances to see if I would go out of my way to listen to it.

And of course, to end on a positive note, the visuals are nice.

EDIT: Apparently Jungkook said in an interview that the lyrics shouldn't be read as autobiographical, which I already suspected, but then... what the hell was that "inspired by the golden moments" bit about then?

#log #jungkook #golden #bts #bts chapter 2 #bts opinion #jungkook album #standing next to you #jungkook seven #jungkook golden