Whilst on the outside, the global superstars that make up the Korean boy group, BTS, may seem to be living everyone’s dream of becoming a world-famous pop sensation, their journey has not always been easy. Nor have they ever tried to hide their struggles from the public. There is a common belief that all perfectly primped boy bands are marketed solely towards obsessive teenage girls that are only supporting them for their looks. However, this misogynistic point of view is completely blind to the connection that has been built between a group and their fans. BTS, consisting of RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, V, Jimin, and Jungkook, are exemplary models of the importance of being open and honest in your music and how this can bring comfort to fans everywhere, in spite of a language barrier.
By speaking to three ARMYs, BTS’ fanbase, I was able to uncover how BTS and their music have helped people through the darkest periods in their lives and that their looks were the last thing on their minds when becoming a fan. Christiane (30), Yoana (27), and Eliza (31) may not be the type of people you would associate with a boy band like BTS, however, their stories highlight the impact that the group and their music have had on people’s lives.
The openness that BTS have with their fans and put into their music is what many people were drawn to. When asked about their favourite member, Yoana mentioned how she was found by Suga (Min Yoongi), who helped her and other fans embrace aspects of themselves when they felt like they didn’t fit into society because of their various quirks. Upon finding his first mixtape, which he released under the name Agust D, Yoana listened to it on repeat through difficult periods in their life. Suga is most open in the track ‘The Last’: “At times I’m scared of myself too / Thanks to the depression that takes over me / And all my self hatred”. To anyone that has suffered from mental health difficulties, Suga’s music offers a safe space of acceptance and understanding. This level of vulnerability has also slowly migrated into BTS’ own tracks, such as in Yoana’s favourite song, ‘Outro: Tear’ from the Love Yourself series.
The Love Yourself series is based on looking into the difficulties that young people face and eventually, coming to a place of self-love. When talking about her favourite songs, Eliza mentioned Jin’s ‘Epiphany’, which is centred around loving and understanding yourself: “I’m the one I should love in this world”. While going through treatments for breast cancer, Eliza struggled to find hope and often found it tough to think of a reason to carry on with her fight. Jin and BTS’ music through songs like ‘Magic Shop’ and ‘Life Goes On’ helped Eliza to take the first steps out of this dark mindset. This feeling has only been strengthened through her years as a fan.
BTS have also brought comfort to those going through periods of loneliness thanks to their constant interactions with fans. After the passing of her dad and moving out of her family’s home into her own flat, Christiane was sometimes forced to spend entire days by herself. When feeling low, she would watch ‘Eat Jin’ live videos, in which Jin would spend time with fans answering their questions and sharing a meal with them. It may seem trivial to those who do not understand the connection that bands and their fans share, however, these exchanges offer fans someone to confide in during their lowest moments.
When asked about the misconceptions that people have surrounding BTS, Yoana, Christiane, and Eliza all agreed that people assume that their music and personalities are superficial, as most boy bands are marketed to the public solely based on their attractiveness. Yoana emphasised that the mainstream media only highlight one side of the group and tend to avoid talking about the philanthropy that both BTS and their fans are a part of. From donating to the Black Lives Matter movement to helping at food banks, ARMY are an asset to BTS.
Whilst a large proportion of their fandom are teenage girls, it should be remembered that there are more complexities to the relationship between BTS and their fans. BTS help create friendships between fans of all ages. The misogynistic belief that BTS and their music are overly manufactured needs to be broken down. Their dedication to their craft and the comfort that they bring people cannot be overlooked by the fact that they are a boy band. BTS’ impact on the music industry is undeniable and there is no doubt that they will be sticking around for a long time in the future.
Words by Amy Britton
Support The Indiependent
We’re trying to raise £200 a month to help cover our operational costs. This includes our ‘Writer of the Month’ awards, where we recognise the amazing work produced by our contributor team. If you’ve enjoyed reading our site, we’d really appreciate it if you could donate to The Indiependent. Whether you can give £1 or £10, you’d be making a huge difference to our small team.