Korean 101:
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Our lovely readers, For the past two months, our team at Borasaek Vision has worked tirelessly to bring you the fourth edition of Borasaek Vision Magazine. With the passing of June, we celebrated with BTS their seventh year milestone, and in July we celebrated ARMY’s seventh birthday. This seemed like the perfect time to bring you a celebratory edition. In this, we explore the many ways BTS and ARMY celebrate - together and apart - both the large and the small. Seven years have brought a lot of change within BTS and in ARMY as well. BTS began as artists but have continued their careers to become advocates and ambassadors. ARMY has also gone through changes. We began as representatives for youth; just as BTS has grown, so have we - which is explored in this edition, too, both in how ARMY has changed and in looking at ARMY from different perspectives to see how each step of the way has transformed not only our boys, but also us. This FESTA time has been particularly difficult for all of us in the Bangtan family. While many of us usually experience FESTA virtually, there’s something different about this year with the world in such turmoil. It’s difficult not to feel disconnected or lost. It is our hope that, in reading this, you will be able to reflect on BTS and ARMY’s special relationship and how they have changed: how they have changed themselves and how they may have helped to change you. We would like, dear reader, for you to contemplate on not only BTS’ growth as artists, but also how you have grown since becoming an ARMY. We will leave you with two questions: How have you grown since becoming a member of BTS’ ARMY? How have BTS impacted your life since knowing them? Celebrate with us these past seven years of BTS and ARMY,
보라해요! Borasaek Vision
Artists. Advocates. Ambassadors.
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Welcome, First Time With BTS ARMY?
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Celebrating the Purple Road BTS + ARMY = Celebrations Like No Other
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Korean 101: Introducing Yourself
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Recommended by BTS
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Game Corner
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BTS Round Up
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power for good.
Few artists reach a position of influence in which they can directly effect change in the world. Speaking out on social media and conveying opinions about global events has certainly become a norm in Western celebrity culture, but inspiring the same type of passion through action alone is rather rare today. BTS, therefore, hold an interesting role as global artists. They not only have the ability to mobilize millions of fans, but they also achieved it through action rather than instruction. BTS have a multitude of roles as global artists -- they are musicians, entertainers, performers, songwriters, producers, rappers, singers, dancers -- the list goes on. BTS themselves have thought deeply about these various roles and “personas� that they must embody in their daily lives. Besides their
of advocates. Much of this has been a result of BTS’s own music; since their start, the group has written songs regarding subjects such as mental health, the education system, inequities in different generations, and self-love. This lyrical approach made BTS outspoken artists that presented their fans, ARMY, with songs that helped them cope with their own struggles. As a result, BTS inadvertently created an audience that listened to their music for its social message, causing ARMY to take a great interest in what the band had to say about life. Soon enough, BTS found themselves in a new position -- one of incredible influence
artistic personas, they also embody personas
Artists, Advocates, Ambassadors | 1 Image courtesy of Big Hit Entertainment
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and power. But with such power comes increased responsibility. With one tweet, artists such as them can mobilize their entire fandom to act in a particular way. BTS navigated their new roles as advocates and ambassadors by keeping this in mind. Rather
allyship to the LGBTQ+ community by various methods of action, including making most of their music gender neutral. Additionally, RM
than vocalizing any opinions through social media and instructing audiences to act on
tweeted a song recommendation in 2013 of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’s
their accord, BTS demonstrates -- rather than instruct, -- change through their own actions. They sign brand deals that correlate with the group’s message of positivity and inclusivity; they participate in campaigns that align with their vision of helping people heal; and they advocate for groups that are
“Same Love,” a song about homosexual love. Furthermore, when Suga was asked about gay rights, he responded “there’s nothing wrong. Everyone is equal.”
Through example alone, BTS allows their followers to make decisions on their own terms. Therefore, rather than following
While these events may seem rather small in terms of advocacy and allyship, they exist in an industry where Korean artists are often restricted to speak about LGBTQ+ sex marriage and LGBTQ+ identity. As samesex marriage continues to remain illegal in Korea and most Asian countries, any signs
blindly, BTS’s fans find their own ways to support initiatives and campaigns that BTS support themselves.
of advocacy can be reassuring to fans who identify as LGBTQ+ -- and as influential Korean artists, these small expressions of
underrepresented in the mainstream.
support can encourage others to do so as well.
One of BTS’s many personas that has developed over the years is that of an advocate. Due to their astronomical popularity, BTS exist in a position of influence where they can uphold particular groups or movements. While the concept of celebrity advocacy has been controversial due to the mob-mentality that can result from it, celebrities can have enormous power in spreading information across large and
Recently, BTS have also reaffirmed their commitment to racial injustice and advocated for the Black Lives Matter movement. In response to George Floyd’s death, which sparked protests across the globe to demand racial equality and police reform, millions of people were donating to and supporting the efforts of Black Lives Matter, an organization dedicated towards ending targeted violence on Black communities by the state.
diverse populations -- only a few fandoms are as wide and diverse as ARMY.
As many artists began advocating for the
BTS has expressed support for many groups,
Black Lives Matter movement themselves, many of BTS’s followers wished for the band to express their support as well. The desire
including the LGBTQ+ community -- an unfortunate rarity in the world of most Asian entertainment. BTS have implied their
for BTS to vocalize about Black Lives Matter was so that it could create greater awareness Artists, Advocates, Ambassadors | 2
about the matter, as well as being something personal for many ARMYs. Ermy, a Black ARMY, wrote a heartfelt blog post about the situation, saying that Black ARMYs “want the reassurance of people in this world that they recognize the importance of this, and that they know that our lives DO matter, are worth fighting for, and are not secondary to things like property, policy, comfort, and convenience.” The desire for BTS to speak out was based on the deep respect and trust that fans have with BTS, the hope that the group recognizes and supports their Black fans regardless of their identity. BTS asserted their advocacy for the Black Lives Matter movement on Twitter, and with their label, committed to a one million dollar donation towards the cause. This not only reinforced their position towards racial justice, but it brought Black ARMYs with a sense of support from their artist. Furthermore, without instruction from BTS, ARMYs quickly mobilized to match BTS’s donation.
Although ARMY had been donating and spreading information about Black Lives Matter prior to BTS’s statement, a sign of the fanbase’s own commitment to social justice, BTS’s donation inspired ARMY to expand their action and create a massive campaign by One In An ARMY. Through this campaign, ARMY managed to raise more than one million dollars in support of Black Lives Matter. Through advocacy and influence, BTS had a significant impact on social justice reform around the globe, one that will hopefully continue over the years.
Ambassadors The line between advocates and ambassadors is certainly blurred -- but when BTS partnered with UNICEF, they took on yet another role of influence. Although they were not official ambassadors to UNICEF, BTS partnered with UNICEF Korea in 2017 to create the Love Myself campaign. This campaign was focused on anti-violence,
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particularly violence against youth. As part of the campaign, 3% of physical album sales for BTS’s “Love Yourself” series (including Love Yourself: Her, Love Yourself: Tear, and Love Yourself: Answer) were donated to UNICEF Korea in support of the Love
living with the cloud, moon and stars, we are more beautiful together” which connect elements of nature to humanity and its future.
Myself campaign.
April, 2020, highlighted the need for sustainable technology in the automobile
This initiative showed that BTS were committed towards creating actual change with the Love Yourself era -- the albums and message, based on finding self-love, were
industry and promoted Hyundai’s more environmentally friendly product. This served as an important announcement for Hyundai’s
not simply for conceptual reasons, instead, the group had a true desire for their music to create positive change in young people. The UNICEF campaign was a direct outlet through which such change could occur. According to the website for the Love Myself
audience and for young adults who may be nearing the position of purchasing a vehicle. Therefore, by partaking in this campaign, BTS not only promoted a brand, but they committed to an environmental sustainable future, which
campaign, a total of 2.6 billion Won (as of April 30, 2019) or about 2.15 million USD
could influence fans to pay special attention to environmentally friendly vehicles when
(as of November 30, 2019) was generated
purchasing in the future.
A related advertisement that launched in
for the cause. In addition to their social justice and human
Furthermore, in honor of Earth Day, BTS participated in the “Dark Selfie Challenge”
rights initiatives, BTS have demonstrated that brand sponsorship can be purposeful. As brand ambassadors to Korean automobile manufacturer, Hyundai, BTS were placed in
with Hyundai, which encouraged people to turn off the lights and take a selfie of themselves using their flash. This idea hoped to spread the need for energy conservation
an interesting position as sponsors. Their incredible influence in promoting products
and conscious energy usage. Once again, BTS found a way in which their social media
and increasing the profits of a company also
influence could be used to promote a positive,
increases the responsibility they have to sponsor products and missions that they agree with. In a recent campaign with
purposeful message when paired with a brand sponsorship.
Hyundai, BTS showed how brand sponsorship can be used to create positive change. In a campaign launched in February, 2020,
Finally, BTS’s influence as ambassadors of Korea cannot go unnoticed. In 2018, the group received the fifth-class Hwagwan Order of Cultural Merit award at the Korean
BTS partnered with Hyundai to support a sustainable future. The members of BTS
Popular Culture & Arts Awards. The awards were hosted and organized by Korean
recite phrases such as “like the endless waves,
government agencies including the Ministry
our possibilities are infinite” and “like the sky
of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and the Artists, Advocates, Ambassadors | 4
Korea Creative Content Agency. BTS became the youngest recipients of the award in South Korean history -- but BTS’s influence as torchbearers of Korean culture and language was clear, despite their relatively young age. BTS acknowledged their influence, as member Jin said, “we’re often overseas and many people sing along with our songs in Korean and tell us proudly that they studied Korean. It makes me proud.” Similarly, Suga expressed his commitment to spreading Korean culture around the world by saying, “with the mindset of a representative of the nation, I will spread awareness of Korea throughout the world.” BTS clearly recognize the impact they can and already do have in spreading Korean culture around the globe. This power and national responsibility can be daunting -- especially at such a young age -- but BTS do not shy away at the
Image courtesy of Big Hit Entertainment
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challenge and manage to stay true to their identities and culture, even when overseas. Ultimately, BTS’s popularity has been noticed by multiple organizations, brands, and campaigns across the globe -- but the group chooses their projects and collaborators carefully. Their respect for their fans shows when they refrain from telling fans specifically how to act. Rather, they promote certain causes, sentiments, and messages through their own actions and music. As artists, BTS recognize their enormous influence, and they understand the responsibility that they hold whenever using it. Such consciousness and respect for fans may be rather rare -- but BTS seem committed to ensuring that as advocates and ambassadors, they are using their power for good.
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WELCOME WELCOME FIRST TIME WITH BTS ARMY?
Back in 2013, ARMY was introduced as representatives for youth. But is that all they are now? With BTS completing seven years, it can be easy to forget that their fandom, ARMY, took years ago as well. While the septet has steadily earned themselves the title of ‘Global Artists,’ ARMY has equally grown to become a force to be reckoned with. On July 9th, almost a month after the group’s debut back in 2013 under Big Hit Entertainment, the BTS fanbase was bestowed with a name to call their own: ARMY (아미). It is an acronym for “Adorable Representative M.C for Youth.” What does it mean?
call out their society and its intent that thoughtlessly sidelined the dreams of adults was less human and more robotic, often treating the youth as a light that couldn’t determine its own path or shine by itself. Since the members themselves were teenagers and young adults (Jungkook was 16 and Jin was 21 at the time of debut), the voice of reason to adolescents who were were equally angered and appalled at not being valued and understood by the world.
“Dream, though your beginnings may be humble, may the end be prosperous...” - AGUST D (SUGA), 2016
MC (or emcee), an abbreviation for master of ceremonies, is traditionally used to presents performers to the audience. Moreover, to young BTS’ own Bangtan Sonyeondan (방탄소년단; translating to Bulletproof Boy Scouts in English) depicted in their logo by a bulletproof vest, the English term ‘army’ was also a thoughtful callback to their military-esque theme. By this association, ARMY was not just a unit that would work in tandem to support the group’s beliefs, but also a torchbearers for a voice now given to youth. Welcome, First Time with BTS ARMY? | 7
Perhaps, amid the determination to brave the strong winds, it’s the growing wings of youthfulness that made these representative MCs adorable too. A contrasting personality that allowed this bubbling group to accept that people are not unidimensional, treating them more as the humans they are than the for individualism. Over the last seven years, BTS has consciously weaponized their artistry to plagued society for generations. In their formative years, the septet dedicated a part of their discography pointing out the failing
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education system, which in turn left young adults unemployed in a dwindling economy that has no room for dreams or aspirations. The raw emotions of anger, disappointment, and unhappiness with a fighting spirit to carry on was laid out for anyone who cared
English language-dominated award show. The rising fandom had only just found its ground and would not back down - if ending a six-year winning streak of International
to listen and connect.
Popstar Justin Beiber wasn’t proof enough. Fans drove home their point that Asian representation needed to be placed on the
This display of honesty and righteousness
table, and stereotypes were meant to be broken.
earned BTS its fans. Even as the years went by and the group was no longer exclusively tied to its hip-hop roots, the surge of fans never stopped coming. A simple reason could be that the seven Korean men, now in their early and mid-twenties, while keeping up with the trendy pop culture have never strayed away from their socially conscious morale.
In hindsight, it could be said that an unforeseen cultural movement had been put to motion.
“Please, ARMY, remember what we say: Love myself, love yourself.” - Kim Namjoon (RM) 2017 BBMAS
In the year of 2017, by bringing BTS their very first Billboard Music Awards win, the fandom ARMY saw the fruits of their labor upon managing to place a Korean boy band on the Western media’s radar. Following the release of their album Wings and successive sold-out arena shows, the BTS fanbase had seen steady growth, fighting tooth and nail online to crown their group Top Social Artist. Not everyone was accepting of this win though. For BTS ARMY, the historic moment also gave them their first bitter taste of heavy racism online owing to the “Asians” they chose to support in an otherwise
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Following the BBMAs win, alongside BTS’ soaring career, the ARMY grew just as exponentially. The Love Yourself series that followed after, however, became a turning point that redefined BTS’ capability as artists with a greater power to influence. Their anger at the system from the past had now been remolded into a softer, understanding maturity that was empathetic of the world around them. Moving beyond criticizing the society, the septet was now widening its sight by trying to provide solutions in a world
workings of an individual. The idea to love oneself isn’t limited to the fleeting youth. Self-love is a practice that needs to be carried out as a life-long endeavor; and whether you’re 15 or 65, you deserve to know and be reminded how valuable your self-worth is.
that struggled on the daily.
platform in an initiative championed by their own idols. Long before gaining financial stability, BTS had always been involved with
In a 2018 interview with the South Korean
BTS’ partnership with UNICEF for the Love Myself campaign and the #ENDViolence movement opened doors for ARMY to bring forth their philanthropic side on a larger
newspaper JoongAng, Bang Sihyuk, founder and co-CEO of Big Hit Entertainment, described how he originally envisioned BTS as a gentle, sympathetic idol group who could lead their fans: “I recently came across a
charities and supporting causes as they grew.
company document from [2012,] the year before BTS debuted, in which we were debating what kind of idol group to create.
ARMY nurtured itself with a sense of stability and responsibility, a reflection of their idols. With multiple fanbase accounts
It said, ‘What kind of hero is the youth of
established online, be it organizing streaming
today looking for?’ Not someone who dogmatically preaches from above. Rather, it seems like they need a hero who can lend them a shoulder to lean on, even without speaking a single word.”
parties or imparting cultural knowledge amongst others, the BTS ARMY moves as an organized system. And when it believes in a cause, it doesn't shy away from putting its collective power to use for the greater good.
What kind of hero is the youth of today looking for?
Since the members stopped accepting gifts from their fans in early 2018, ARMY has shifted its focus on providing to the less
Through their songs, predominantly sung in Korean, BTS proved that music was a universal language. No matter what tongue
fortunate in the name of BTS. Now instead of splurging money on buying BTS expensive and branded valuables (or even a gold bar!) for each of their birthdays, their ARMY has over the past years donated to wildlife centers,
one spoke in, music could certainly break through those barriers. With the new era, BTS had seamlessly positioned themselves as artists for all ages, genders, sexualities, races, and the many differences that go into the Welcome, First Time with BTS ARMY? | 9
ARMY is no different. With a fanbase this global and massive,
ocean clean-ups, tree plantations as well as orphanages. However, their good deeds are by no means limited to birthday celebrations of their idols.
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In many instances helping hand (or tweets) to support fundraiser campaigns on Twitter. The fandom has also donated in support of refugees, educational spaces, and thirst reliefs. Most of these causes usually have no correlation to either BTS or ARMY. The fandom, generally through the conduit of ARMY-led unofficial organizations like One In An ARMY, merely uses its online platform to cultivate and nurture a compassionate environment - often without any prompt. It can of course be argued that it is BTS’ selfless message to ‘improve someone’s life; even just a tiny bit could be enough’ that propels ARMY to willingly put in their uncompensated time and energy for greater purposes. Recently, following BTS’ donation of $1 million to the Black Lives Matter movement, saw ARMY work together to #MatchAMillion
stans, be it providing tutors (ARMY Academy), bringing forth researched articles (Borasaek Vision Magazine), or contributing funds to buy BTS’ music. This generosity is also extended towards artists or hosts in the industry who treat BTS with respect, maybe during a collab or a show, by sending across banquets, cupcakes, or donating to the charities they support.
“Why isn’t everyone’s fans doing this? Can you imagine if everyone’s fans thanked them by organizing charities in their name? What a better place the world would be.” - Halsey Zach Song show, talking about ARMY and showing their appreciation to her by donating to charities in her name
by raising the same amount as the group’s donation within the span of 24 hours. The fandom that had already been actively
However, amid all good, the BTS ARMY houses its own set of problematic behavior, “cancel culture” being the most infamous
donating and spreading awareness about the
one. This could imply that no amount of
movement found further motivation through their idols’ charity.
apologies or self-reflection could help one redeem themselves. After all, once something is up on the internet it never quite washes away, and Twitter threads meant to “expose” someone only further pushes this narrative.
As a community, ARMY also operates to use its expertise and resources to help fellow
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Reacting without thinking through is also a recurring pattern noticeable within the fandom, allowing a minuscule issue the room to unnecessarily explode further. The speedy growth of the fandom has also spurted an unhealthy number of ‘solo stans’ and ‘delusional shippers’ in its wake. However, it’s important to realize that the majority of the ARMYs are open to discussions and constructive inputs, and try to block malicious stories and clout-chasers. The voice of the minority does not necessarily speak for the entity. While ARMY braces itself for another seven years to journey down the flower path with BTS, the fandom has managed to lose the spaces between its acronym to wholly embody the true purpose of “ARMY”. We can’t wait to see how this powerhouse, which truly has evolved into a movement of its own, grows.
“[...] If we [BTS] could reduce your pain from 100 to 99, 98 or 97, that makes our existence worthy.” — RM, 2017 Wings Tour Finale
Written by | Mei Edited by | Mheer Checked by | Aury Designed by | Alex
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G N I T A R B E D L A E O C R E L P R U P s l e K y ned b
g i s e D ury |
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| h s A ed by
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Everyone celebrates something— anniversaries, birthdays, independence days—and FESTA is the celebration of the
song or two, pictures of the band together (dubbed as family photos), choreography
Road.’ In other words, it celebrates the birth
party between members that ARMY can watch to commemorate the occasion.
of multiple gifts, from new photos to entire songs and music videos, in the span of about two weeks at the start of June all the way up to the thirteenth — BTS’s debut date.
FESTA celebrations: ARMY partake in special projects of their own to showcase their love and appreciation for BTS who reciprocate with their own special content. Celebrating the Purple Road| 13
COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the little on celebrations. For the sake of safety, precautions. BTS, perhaps to make up for the postponed world tour, added a live online concert, Bang Bang Con, to this year’s FESTA celebrations on June 14th.
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In addition to quenching the fans’ desire to see them perform live, the broadcast broke a number of records—as expected, considering the occasion.
going through each of their music video sets as if reliving the journey. In addition to this, numerous activities involving all
Like the FESTA events before this, a new song was released as part of the
recreating their birthday party from the
titled “Still With You.” With the world as it is, Jungkook expresses his nostalgia towards ARMY with a promise to see them again and remember them while he is unable to do so. During previous FESTAs, ARMY has been gifted with songs such as “Tonight,” “DDaeng,” “4 O’CLOCK,” “So 4 More,” “I Know,” and more. Oftentimes, these songs give ARMY snippets of BTS’ lives as they aren’t centered around an remixes and alternate versions of songs from their albums!
by RM in an interview regarding the Map of the Soul: 7 album, because it has been seven years since the band came together and since they even have seven members. With that in mind, the FESTA seemed to have a good amount of nostalgic content. packed part of FESTA 2020 was the “We
a special magazine called “Bang.Talk.” “Bang.Talk” featured photos from their year as well as their albums, drawings, and FESTA where they released choreographies of “Adult Child” and “Beautiful.” On the second FESTA, V and J-Hope released their supposed to happen during the second FESTA, but was unfortunately rescheduled because of the MERS outbreak. BTS also held a fan art contest for ARMY, and released the “We Are Bulletproof Pt. 1” studio version, which is a song meant for
special “Bangtan Bombs,” and the acoustic also showed “Behind the Scene: ARMY ZIP Showing.” RM and Jungkook’s “I Know” was also uploaded during this FESTA. Unlike its predecessors, the fourth FESTA
versions of the members who are seen Celebrating the Purple Road | 14
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divided into two steps: “Step #1: Stars” featured Jungkook and Jimin’s cover of “We Don’t Talk Anymore” and also an exclusive stage cam of “Outro: Wings” from Tour.” “Step #2: At Home” highlighted “4 party showcased the teamwork of Team R&V (RM and V), Team 3J (J-Hope, Jimin and Jungkook), and Team Sin (Jin and SUGA). BTS held a “BTS News” event, which showcased mini-interviews of the opening ceremony included the Brit Rock Remix version of “Spring Day,” the same version that was sung at the 2017 KBS boys also had a dinner party wherein they answered questions while eating and had prom as the theme of their annual home party. Lastly, they created “A Small, Good that make each member happy in individual lists. “Bangtan News” was again featured on their sixth FESTA, along with “Bangtan Attic” which is similar to their dinner party, also premiered the exclusive self cam of “Anpanman’’ at New York during their Love Yourself World Tour and the piano version of Jungkook’s “Euphoria.”
summer version of “Airplane Pt. 2” with Celebrating the Purple Road| 15
clips from their “2018 Summer Package,” and “Map of the Song: 7,” wherein BTS members sang karaoke versions of their “BTS Birthday Party” where they recreated had the “Answer: BTS 3 UNITS,” which highlights interviews about the tracks and units of “Respect,” “Jamais Vu,” and “Friends.” While BTS shower their fans in special content, ARMY makes sure to show their support and appreciation for the boys too. One of such presents from their fans is a song titled “Healing.” It was put together by ARMYs from all around the world, from the melody to the lyrics and the music video, in order to thank the boys for all they have done for their fans. In the lyrics, BTS are called ‘healers’ who contributed to the
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growth of individuals through their music and became companions of sorts to them.
consists of a plethora of clips from content BTS has previously uploaded including G.C.F videos by Jungkook and clips from concerts. Following the end of the song, clips of many ARMYs shared what they learned from the boys and their own journeys along the Purple Road. Even before the start of this journey, BTS had intended to walk the Purple Road for a long, long time. According to Jin, they had renewed their contract with Big Hit on the contract on the 13th. FESTAs are events that grow every year as more individuals
already renewed their contract once more, the boys have made it abundantly clear that the Purple Road is nowhere near its end.
in the road, more achievements and more ARMYs to join in the coming years, and hence many more FESTAs for us to celebrate. So, as the Borasaek Vision’s motto goes, “We will walk the borasaek road with BTS—with love and trust, until the end.”
HAPPY FESTA, ARMY!
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+ Y A S M R B T= Celebrations Like No Other Written by Euni | Edited by Aury & Mheer | Designed by Dypra
“Most importantly, BTS’ music also encourages us to celebrate our own lives.”
The BTS and ARMY connection goes far beyond the usual idol-fan relationship. In what aspect is it different, you might ask? One is that BTS and ARMY celebrate everything together. From winning major awards to birthdays, this in itself sets them apart from other idols and fans. May it be big milestones or small ones, every kind of event is worth acknowledging. Celebrating the BTS Way BTS are known to be artists who engage with their fans on a deeper level than most. They create heartfelt songs meant to act as letters and write long messages and speeches dedicated to their fans. They share their deepest thoughts and open up parts of their personal lives to ARMY and find ways to make them feel special in countless ways. BTS + ARMY = Celebrations Like No Other | 17
However, there are instances that stick out more than others, proving that BTS goes to greater lengths to show their appreciation and love for their fans than most other artists. Last year, BTS had the opportunity to attend the 2019 GRAMMY after-party. Everyone expected the boys to attend and have fun while broadening their connections in the industry. But they didn’t. Instead of hanging out with popular artists from the international music scene, BTS upheld their tradition of celebrating with their fans via a live stream on the VLive app. This isn’t the first time they hung out with ARMY after a major music award. BTS also did not attend after-parties for either the 2017 American Music Awards or the 2018 Billboard Music Awards. Instead they went back to their hotel room, turned on their VLive account, and hosted a live stream to talk to ARMY about the events.
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These VLive live streams are something that ARMYs never seem to expect, but always hold close to their hearts. In Korea, BTS also shares their Daesang wins with ARMY - since their first win up until the most recent one. During these achievements, BTS expressed their emotions to ARMY as candidly as they could. They always make sure that ARMY is there by their side to celebrate these huge milestones. That being the case, of course, BTS celebrate their small moments with ARMY as well. The small milestones matter just as much as the big ones, something BTS clearly believes in. After all, “Boy With Luv”’s Korean title is “A Poem for Small Things.” The boys give us glimpses into their personal lives all the time. The surprises they give to fellow members during birthdays, the fun they have spending time together - ARMY is almost always there to witness these beautiful moments in their lives.
VLive and Bangtan Bombs are only some of the platforms BTS and ARMY use to celebrate these moments together. No matter how sweet and simple the milestone is, it still calls for a BTS and ARMY celebration. These celebrations teach ARMY to enjoy even the smallest of things; as mentioned in the first paragraph, every milestone is worth memorializing and BTS is the perfect example to show us how to do so. Most importantly, BTS’ music also encourages us to celebrate our own lives. They even commemorate themselves as a group through the annual FESTA, a two-week festivity to honor their anniversary. BTS made ARMY feel like we’re friends, we’re family, by sharing with us the most important moments of their lives. In return, ARMY also shares a toast with BTS.
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“BTS has been active on social media from the jump, recording video diaries, post-concert chats, and responding to questions on their fan cafe and Twitter. This gave the sense, particularly if you followed them early on, that you were in the trenches with them. What results is an effective feedback loop: ARMY members are the ultimate cultural ambassadors, translating BTS’ Korean variety-show appearances into various languages, making video compilations, and evangelizing. What’s good for BTS is good for the ARMY, and rooting for them feels like rooting for yourself.” -E. Alex Jung, Oct. 2018; Vulture News The impactful influence BTS has on ARMY makes the fandom want to give back to the seven boys. They do this by celebrating together with and for BTS’ lives. Celebrating the ARMY Way ARMY is a diverse fandom with members coming from different places across the globe. We differ in culture, age, profession, and beyond, but our love for BTS binds us together. ARMY truly appreciates how BTS makes us feel like we’re part of their family, and our way of showing that appreciation is by giving right back. With the unmatched organization, power, and creativity of the fandom, we are able to hold successful events both online offline to celebrate our bond with the seven boys. Whenever BTS releases new music, ARMY is already armed with their streaming apps, ready to stream the new release nonstop for 24 hours. BTS + ARMY = Celebrations Like No Other | 19
They create streaming parties to boost the views of BTS’ latest music video. "Boy with Luv," the three music videos of “ON,” "Idol," and "Fake Love" made it to the list of most-viewed online music videos in the first 24 hours on YouTube. That being said, ResearchBTS is a fanbase solely dedicated to documenting data and insights on BTS and ARMY’s highlights, activities, and significant moments. According to them, “The BTS ARMY fandom continues its reign as the most active and visible fandom on social media, especially on Twitter where it creates worldwide trends almost every day and often multiple times a day.” Just in April this year, there were more than 170 worldwide trending hashtags on Twitter related to BTS, in February ARMY created more than 200 hashtags, while in March it was at least 140 hashtags. ARMY also uses various social media platforms, especially Twitter and Weverse, to share fan content they have created from fan arts to fanfictions, to song/dance covers. ARMY treats this content as gifts for BTS, to show how they will always stand alongside the boys. This content is also another way for ARMY to celebrate amongst ourselves. We meet other ARMYs, create new friends, and celebrate together whenever BTS earns achievements, or even just cheering about the little things. Fan content is a great way to develop the fandom’s camaraderie and show that ARMY is always there for BTS. There are also numerous fan organizations under the ARMY umbrella.
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As the fandom grows bigger each day, more and more people come to see why BTS and ARMY have grown to be as powerful and influential as they are. This is a positive thing; maybe this will start a culture of artist-fan relationships that go deeper than the current kind. Fan organizations are some of the best examples of how fans celebrate together as ARMY. Through forming and joining ARMY organizations, we celebrate our love for BTS by arranging online and offline events, sometimes releasing our own online content as well. In a way, we are able to create an impact in the lives of other people as well. One recent example of this incident is the recent #MatchAMillion fundraiser. The #MatchAMillion fundraiser was a celebration of both the Black Lives Matter movement and BTS’ stance thereof. Think about how ARMY was able to match BTS’ $1 million donation to the movement in just 24 hours. That is quite an impactful feat, one that we only achieved because we are used to coming together for streaming parties and online events and celebrating anything about BTS. In BTS’ UN speech in late 2018, RM encouraged us to move beyond loving ourselves and speak ourselves. #MatchAMillion is indeed all of ARMY coming together to speak themselves. The Importance of Celebrations Commemorating things together is a big part of the BTS and ARMY culture, a tradition that has been ongoing since the start of their career.
At the end of the day, BTS and ARMY will always be there for each other. Enjoying together deepens our connection and makes it harder for people who are against us to pierce our relationship. This unique bond helps us find something we feel confident in, and that is what BTS wants us to have - self-love. RM told us he used us and our little celebrations to love himself, and that through similar ways we too can learn to love ourselves. These celebrations are a way for us to strengthen bonds, which is especially important during these divisive times. We may be judged by people who are not ARMY because of these moments of joy, but we should not let them stop us. The best thing that ARMY can do for BTS is to be there by their side, just like how BTS does the same for us. We cannot stop non-fans from saying things about us, but what we can do is ignore them and move on. What matters most is that we continue to do what we do best - create content the boys will surely love. This is the part where I say, go forth and enjoy! Don’t let anything stop you from celebrating BTS, just like they never miss an opportunity to celebrate ARMY. BTS + ARMY = Celebrations Like No Other | 20
Eight years ago the world of fandom, at that point still K-pop was balanced on the unnamed, was beginning to gather momentum, already falling in love with the boys be, and it won’t be the last. It of BTS. As the boys prepared was, however, without doubt to debut, their fandom was gearing up to represent and almost entirely unique. them in the world of K-pop, preparing to take the world by It was unique because the storm alongside the group it precipice was virtually was purpose-built to support. unseen, and when the genre tumbled over the edge, it was entirely unexpected.
AA RR M M YY
The TheForce Force Forceof of ofNature Nature Nature The
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The Force of Nature, ARMY | 21
established by 2012, and a number of groups had already come and gone by the time that year rolled around. Some of the groups are still extant, some of them have disbanded, and some of them supposed “seven-year curse” in the genre which a number of groups did not survive – essentially, this means that they disbanded once their end of their terms. Similarly, K-pop fandoms had become more settled and deep-rooted by 2012, along with all their strengths and weaknesses.
Alex, Veteran ARMY I came across BTS while on a month before, and while I was on a music run, I came across the MV for “No More Dream.” It pretty much my playlist. I was honestly super curious about what they would bring. In a lot of ways, what BTS was bringing to the table was a change of pace. It was refreshing to see a more hip-hop oriented group coming out of K-pop. At the time, most K-pop acts were blinding, colorful, and over-the-top – BTS
However, in 2012, a new company was established, to them, and I was excited and a new boy group was to see what would happen. getting ready to debut. A new
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It wasn’t all sunshine and daisies, 2014 to 2016 was a particularly bad though. Initially, because we were a baby fandom, the older, existing fandoms (the process of buying your own albums didn’t see us as a threat whatsoever. to make it look like you’re selling well), and BTS was almost taken to court over the older fandoms – until them, despite the fact that they were BTS started to pick up. untrue. It was during that time that there were also accusations of plagiarism, and Twitter was a mess. Antis kept BTS, though not from lack of trying. hashtags trending to keep the issue fresh Being an international fan, in the early (Plagiarism Boys was one of the hashtags days, it was pretty hard for me to do I remember), even on the days of their important concerts. ARMY tried their available on my phone’s OS because best to counter it, but because it was still Google Play wasn’t available in my choose from outside of the usual, such as promoting their MVs, and trying reason: there was a lot of bullying online. Being ARMY opened you up to criticism, As they gained popularity, so the outcomes were generally not people started coming up with pretty. But ARMY is resilient, and we more and more interesting ways toughed it out like the boys did. We found to tie K- and I-ARMY for fan strength in the numbers we had, and projects, especially when we got before we knew it, we were multiplying.
around to streaming playlists.
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pride to be an ARMY. Although the hate was super emotional and memorable. has not stopped, we know now that we have our boys always backing us, and being recognized despite all the hardship our strong framework of intellectuals they had been subjected to. It felt like always comes through in the clutch. karma came around full circle. I still stand by this today, wherein for every time something rises up against them, they somehow are rewarded by Anna, Recent Recruit being the unprecedented recipients of something or the other, especially Like Alex, I also stumbled across BTS on internationally, as a K-pop group. It’s YouTube; however, I distinctly wasn’t astounding, the way they keep one- looking for new music when it happened. upping themselves just when we think In fact, I didn’t listen to much music that they are unable to climb any higher. beyond soundtracks at the time and a It felt like their work and our work couple Indie artists. I wasn’t looking for was worth the challenges we faced. new types of music at all. In truth, I’d lost much of my joy in music, and it wasn’t Ultimately, being an ARMY hasn’t until BTS ads assailed me on YouTube really changed. In the early days, it that I discovered I could like music again. ARMY without getting attacked for the support. It’s still the same now, except well into their careers and when ARMY we’ve got a sturdy backbone, strength was already large and well-established. in numbers, and now it’s a point of In some ways, this was a blessing, but it was also a double-edged sword. a wealth of knowledge, but also a regular reminder of everything I had missed: more veteran ARMYs had seen Jungkook graduate high school and wear this as a badge of honor; others break
through
barriers
unheard
in which I will never get to share.
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I’ve heard of ARMYs talking about FOMO (fear of missing out), but for me, I was less experiencing the fear of missing out on things to come, but rather experiencing the regret that I had missed so many important things – RAHMO (regret at having missed out). the fact that I was never going to be able to capture those moments – that I had experience, I would say without question missed them and would never be a part of that these antagonistic ARMYs do not them. I worked through as much of their make up the majority of the fandom. back catalog of music as much as I could and did my best to read up on interviews hardships – most of which I have void of knowledge that I had, but there never seen and can only experience was always the lingering, overwhelming feeling of trying to catch up. comments that because newer ARMYs weren’t there, they can’t understand Getting over this feeling was a everything that the boys went through and that ARMY went through – and ongoing in some ways. I can never be that is all completely true. However, part of the things that have already based on how the boys have been happened. I can only move forward and treated recently in the Western be a part of the events that are to come. Whether by good fortune or by fate, all the ARMYs I have encountered have been nothing but welcoming and kind. While the existence of discrimination and bullying in the fandom is undeniable – and I would fall into one of the ostracized categories as a plus-sized person – based on my
Fanwars are still happening and antis are still active – I’ve witnessed some in recent months, where anti behavior is obvious in the interactions between two in the fandom itself and spaces things
only
ARMY
can
address,
The Force of Nature, ARMY | 24
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can also become a force of change in the Despite being new, I believe the feeling world, carrying BTS’s message beyond of being ARMY is essentially the same the scene which had originally been set. as it was at the beginning. I may not To do this, have experienced the hardships that every ARMY, new and old, BTS faced previously, but I understand regardless of age, nationality, them. And I recognize that there are creed, or color, has a part to play. more hurdles to conquer as they gain popularity in the West, where the odds are still very much stacked against them. are many more awards for BTS to earn and more barriers for BTS to break. As ARMY has grown, so too has our role in making the changes we want to make. work to do. Being an ARMY in the early More than just giving support, ARMY is an essential character in the story now, this is true. Newer ARMYs don’t of BTS. But to make the changes that have to face the same obstacles as early we want to make, to embark on an ARMYs did to claw their way to the head impactful and meaningful adventure of the pack. However, newer ARMYs with BTS, it is going to take all of us. have added their voices to the existing storm and swelled it to enormous proportions...proportions that cannot be ignored in the face of their thunder. is, and will continue to be is amazing in and of itself. We were purpose-built of our creation, but since that time, we have expanded exponentially into charitable to the artistic. ARMY has become more than what it was, and yet, it is less today than what it could be tomorrow. Our main function was to support BTS, and it still is. However, as the ARMY fandom has expanded, so too has its mission. We can support BTS, but we The Force of Nature, ARMY | 25
Written by: Anna & Alex Edited by : Esma Checked by: Aury Design by: Connie
On meeting with someone for the first time, what is the one thing that you need to know how to do? How to introduce yourself! By now, you should have already learned how to say hello (안녕하세요) from the second installment of Korean 101. Let’s take a look at one of the most famous BTS introductions from the youngest member, Jungkook. “안녕하세요 저는 방탄소년단 황금 막내 전정국 입니다!” Let’s break this sentence down. What words do we have here? You should recognize at least four words: 안녕하세요 - Hello 저는 - I 방탄소년단 - BTS 전정국 - Jeon Jungkook But what about the remaining three? 막내 is a common word, especially among the Kpop community; you might know the romanized version “maknae” meaning the youngest, either of a group or of siblings. Jungkook is the 막내 of BTS. 황금 (also known by its shortened version 금) means gold, or as it’s used as an adjective attached to 막내 전정국, the English conjugated word would be “golden”. One method I use to remember 황금 (and Korean 101: Introducing Yourself | 27
also to learn many other words) is by linking 황 to the word 왕 meaning king and 금 to 꿈 meaning dream. 왕) dreams (꿈) of gold (황금). Notice that the adjectives in the phrase 황금 막내 전정국 are all before the noun. Based on this example, we can conclude that in basic sentences adjectives use the same grammatical structure as English. By adding adjectives before nouns, voila, you can start being more descriptive! 입니다 is used as the verb (remember Korean grammar order is Subject, the sentence and might be somewhat complicated at first, 입니다 is the conjugated version of 이다 meaning “to be” another way to conjugate 이다 is 이에요. We will discuss conjugation and Korean language formalities in a later Korean 101 article, but right now all you will need to know is that the ~ㅂ니다 and 이에요 ending is a way of making the sentence sound polite.
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If you were to use the base form 이다, this would come across as very rude, so to play it safe we will continue to use 입니다 or 이에요 to end our introduction. Another way 입니다 can be translated is “am” or “being”. If we simplified Jungkook’s sentence to 저는 전정국 입니다, the sentence would be directly translated to “I Jeon Jungkook am”. So how would you introduce yourself? Well, by following this pattern “저는 <name> 입니다”, you can’t go wrong. Have you noticed yet that language learning is a lot about breaking down and replicating patterns and phrases? When you practice your Korean, and when you watch a K-Drama or listen to Korean music, try to pick out the patterns in their to do is break down the phrase and you can add it to your building vocabulary reservoir! You can also use the word 입니다 in a variety of introductory sentences by replacing your name with another noun or adjective, say a job, or your age. Let’s practice! I will write out a small introduction by using some of the words provided below, try and decipher it: 저는 케이틀린 입니다. 저는 22살 이에요. 저는 대학생 하고 알바생 이에요. 저는 뉴질랜드 사람 이에요.
Did you notice in my example introduction I used two nouns in the one sentence? Let’s have a look at that again: 저는 대학생 하고 알바생 이에요. Notice the little 하고 is one way to say “and”. You can use it to list off a number of different nouns in the one sentence, giving your sentences a little extra something to mix up the repetitive nature of 입니다/이에요. Now you try! Let’s see if you can come up with an introduction for yourself. Try and say your name, listed are representative of our staff here at Borasaek Vision Magazine. If you can’t find your nationality try searching up your country on Naver Dictionary and attach 사람 to the country name. Directly translated, attaching 사람 to a country name means <country> person, for example, 뉴질랜드 사람 means a New Zealand person (that’s where I am from!). Or you can tag us on our twitter @borasaekvision and I will help you find out how to say your nationality in Korean. So how did you go? Keep practicing your sentences, write out new ones, and say them out loud. You can even share your introductions with us using the hashtag #BVKorean. Stay tuned for the next Korean 101 where we will explore my favorite 한국어 verbs 있다 and 없다!
Recommended by BTS | 29
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Game Corner | 31
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Game Corner | 32
Written by Miranda
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Game Answers 1. Jin’s socks 2. RM’s top 3. Jungkook’s hair 4. Yoongi’s pants 5. V’s shoes
6. J-Hope’s shirt 7. Jimin’s jumper 8. Left pipe 9. Jin’s hat 10. V’s pants
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