Borasaek Vision Magazine Volume 2, Issue 3

O L .

2I S S U E#3 MA Y2 0 2 1V

BVM

Bo r a s a e kVi s i o nMa g a z i n e FREEOFCHARGE

Hello to our lovely readers. 안녕하세요, and welcome back! It’s hard to believe that we’re halfway through our Volume 2 issues already! Yet, here we sit at Issue 3, midway through our second year’s journey.

As always, the entire team has worked hard to bring this issue to you on time and with as few hiccups as possible. Nine issues into production, we have in many ways perfected our process so that each publication goes more smoothly than the last. There has been much growth, much trial-and-error, and many hours of meetings and discussions to get us to where we are today.

This past year has been difficult for us as humans and us as an organization. We have had many stresses in our outside world. They have affected us deeply as people, and they have affected us as a team. However, the beauty of this organization is in our commonalities, which make us stronger not only as colleagues but also as friends.

The one strongest commonality is our love for BTS. Our fandom unites us and strengthens us. Therefore, many of our articles in this issue discuss some aspect of fandom: either relating to the idea of fandom as a general term or specifically to the fandom of ARMY. Perhaps, in reading these articles, you will find something that you hadn’t thought of before. Perhaps something here will resonate with your current understanding of ARMY and show you something new.

Growth and understanding are constant processes, and as the fandom itself grows and changes, so too will evolve our understanding of it.

An integral part of our fandom is the creation of content about BTS. None of that would be possible without you, the readers who view it and interact with it, so it is only appropriate that this letter concludes with a well-earned “thank you.”

Thank you, and 보라해요!

Borasaek Vision Planning Team

Joke’s On You!

1

ARMY: Redefining Stan

5

Stumbling Upon BTS

9

Loving Otherness

Into Uniqueness

13

Bangtan Universe Primer

17

Game Corner

23

Borasaek Vision

JOKE’S

!

N U O YO

Written by Vera | Edited by Clare | Checked by Aury | Designed by Kels In ARMYs’ life, there are times when we

trickster-like desire to impress us and catch

feel extremely grateful for BTS’ presence.

us off guard. Let’s see how ARMYs cope

We reflect on what they mean to us with

with that.

teary eyes, and we feel connected to those wonderful seven human beings, as

... How It All Started ...

well as to each other in the fandom. But this article is not entirely about those

The very first indication of the secretive

times. Those moments are put aside when

and thrill-inducing mannerism of BTS and

the clock strikes 12AM KST, when our mind

Big Hit showed itself before debut already.

is blown, and our wigs are snatched –

Taehyung being a hidden member had

or when we put on our clown makeup.

some underlying reasons, for sure, but

We might feel connected to each other,

his reveal one month before debut was

though, through our panic and excitement

nevertheless a surprise for fans. Other than

that we share together on social platforms,

that, from pre-debut days to the end of

but, in those moments, it’s easy to envision

the first album series, we saw BTS working

BTS sitting in their rooms, roguishly

extremely hard on improving their skills and

snickering at our cluelessness and our

showing what they’re all about.

unfathomable awe.

These days were characterized by their This might not be the most accurate

logs, tweets, and blog posts, showing their

representation of what the boys are

life and connecting with their fanbase

going through when new content drops,

on a more personal level. The narrative

but there’s no denying that BTS has a

to their songs was not always light, but

1 | Joke’s On You!

Borasaek Vision it was fairly straightforward. Still, one has

The real storytelling and universe building

to wonder just how far the plans for the

became dominant in BTS’ production in

Bangtan Universe (BU) go. In the “No More

the HYYH, Young Forever, Wings, and Love

Dream” dance version MV, we can see a

Yourself eras, with all sorts of exciting

sign saying “Stigma” over the upper right

mysteries, such as the highlight reels,

wall. This could be a complete coincidence,

notes, or Smeraldo Flower Shop. We could

of course. However, professor Lee Ji-young

say that the “I NEED U” MV and “화양연화

pointed out that Bang Si-hyuk, being a huge

on stage : prologue” were the beginning,

influence on BTS and being the perfectionist

the appetizer, that left fans with many

that he is, has always carefully planned and

questions and an interest to learn more.

planted hints, connections, and symbols in

We received a vast amount of content

their music videos, as mentioned in a 2020

through these album series, culminating in

NPR feature article about

the Save Me webtoon, and coming to an

Bang PD.

end with the Love Yourself era... Or so we thought. Now, with “Film Out,” it seems that

This incredibly intelligent intellectual,

things are not over yet. Whether it was just

however, couldn’t possibly have single

a tribute to the BU or a sign of what’s yet

handedly orchestrated the ever unfurling

to come, ARMYs will surely be excited for

rabbit hole that is BTS’ lore. The BU and

whatever the boys prepared for us.

non-BU elaborate plots are managed by a creative team. While the boys were not necessarily a driving force behind the plans for BU (and how could they manage that on top of their already extremely busy schedules), they were always given a chance to express their opinions and ideas, as we were assured in Mr. Herman’s 2017 Billboard interview of Big Hit’s staff and creative team members.

Just the beginning of the surprises...

HIDDEN MEMBER REVEALED! V--> Image credit: BTS Twitter

Joke’s On You! | 2

Borasaek Vision for almost every music video and concept.

...ARMY Experience...

ARMYs notice every little detail that could be Every ARMY’s experience is a unique

a potential lead. In a 2017 interview for 10asia,

one, but all the nervous energy and

Jung Kook acknowledged that ARMYs got

excitement from waiting for new content

many things right with their theories, and even

is put to good use. Usually, we cope by

thought of new ways to interpret the clues. Let

talking to each other on SNS, and these

it be a reminder that the boys might not be so

conversations can bring out a lot of

clueless about what goes on in the fandom.

enthusiasm in people. Some ARMYs make

Unfortunately, we will probably never get any

amazing video compilations, some put

real answers or affirmations of the theories

their energy into painting, making digital

from them. Granted, it is probably better

or physical art, writing, singing, dancing.

that way, because BTS’ artistic expression

Especially lovely are the ARMYs who

relies heavily on fans’ interaction with and

decide to thoroughly educate themselves

interpretations of their art, giving it many

on a BTS or comeback-related topic, and

more meanings than it could have ever

then pass their knowledge onto others

achieved alone.

in the fandom. Of course, streaming is another way to calm the nerves before

Having said all that, we also get things wrong.

the storm, though going on a BTS binge

Our “clown” moments have been aplenty,

(watching all of the previous content while

probably due to overthinking everything,

searching for clues) also helps.

which is of course what BTS’ and Big Hit’s

Image credit: “Persona” MV

behavior has primed us to do. How many of you Of course, ARMYs are very good

remember thinking that the next albums after

detectives and theorists, when it comes

MOTS: Persona will be called “Shadow” and

to the crunch. There are theories now

“Ego?” The thing is, they actually might have

“What “What does does itit all all mean? mean?

?””

Borasaek Vision released these albums – but then again, life

Ultimately, what BTS and their production

happens, plans change. At the MOTS: 7 press

team give us is something very valuable.

conference, RM talked about their original

They made a space for our creativity,

plan to release the corresponding songs on

an opportunity to play, connect the

two different albums. Moreover, how many of

dots, exercise and sharpen our minds.

you remember getting excited for the first

This space is a playground that keeps us

countdown of “Dynamite,” only to find it to be

enticed, and although it is basically a very

a pre save on Spotify. Or perhaps let us recall

clever business move, it has a wholesome

the incident of ARMYs showing up in Picadilly

nature about it, too. What matters is how

Circus for CONNECT, BTS only to find

we work with this space and what we

nothing was supposed to happen there, or

create there.

thinking glitches in videos were comeback hints (#BTSGlitchParty)?

In these and many more instances, we were so excited, thinking that we cracked a code; we thought we had an idea about what’s planned for us. Clearly, that was not the case. Still, we

So let’s create a better world for ourselves!

are used to laughing about these incidents on Twitter every now and then, and that makes us connect even more; we are in these moments together, dear fellow ARMYs. ...Silver Lining...

The idea of BTS cackling at our confusion, the feeling of being a clown for having a wild imagination, these ideas are quite insignificant in the big picture. For sure, the feeling of being “played” by BTS (meaning they snatch our wigs all the time) or “tricked” into a false sense of security is a very real part of being in this fandom. Having your breath knocked out of you after finally seeing what the boys prepared for us, or after things click into place after you realize the meaning of a scene or a symbol, that is our daily life. But the thrill is what makes being an ARMY so fun.

Image Credit: “Film Out” MV

Written by Yatri | Edited by Esma | Checked by Clare | Designed by Aralika

Oxford dictionary defines a fandom as “the fans of a particular person, team, TV show, etc. considered together as a community.”

ARMY is a community and their people are BTS. Meanwhile, standom means a fandom of stans, who are extremely obsessive fans of a person, group, character, or creative work, particularly those whose fixation is unhealthy or intrusive. Going back into the history of the word Standom or Stan, we find its link to Eminem’s song “Stan.” The name itself comes from a fictitious account of the rapper’s overly obsessive fan named Stan. It is also assumed to be a blend of the words ‘stalker’ and ‘fan.’ All fans come across this term at some point, and ARMY are no exception. Let us take a deeper look into this fandom.

BTS has surpassed many remarkable milestones, from being the first Korean artist to be No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 to their allsold-out global stadium tours. Due to these achievements, they have acquired the prefix of “Korea’s first.” Everyone all around the globe, including the BTS members themselves, have always pointed to one constant, strong driving force behind all of this: ARMY. ARMY, BTS’ fandom is one of the biggest fandoms in the world. The fandom has been known to make a significant impact in the world alongside BTS, and this community can be a fun place to grow and learn as long as one engages in a healthy way. ARMY develop safe spaces to love their idols, have deep discussions, and create their own content for other fans to share their passion and motivate each other. They also try their best to follow the messages that the band share through their music and actions. Being a part of the fandom, we often come across terms such as ‘rabid,’ ‘toxic,’ ‘obsessed,’ ‘weirdly intense fans;’ but we all know most of the fandom is far from the colors of this particular palette.

Borasaek Vision

comfort and strength BTS provides. ARMY’s combination of passion and organization has not only surprised industry insiders, but has also touched their hearts. No one can deny that ARMYs are the number one advocate of BTS and their music.

Fans are people who shower their chosen object with dedicated affection. The object of affection generally ranges from product brands to celebrities, TV series, and movies. Looking from this perspective, fandoms are ‘communities of taste’ who share a common taste.

ARMY have proven over and over that they respect the privacy and personal space of BTS. In 2018, when BTS landed at LAX, all the ARMY lined up and held purple ribbons in order to provide a barrier for BTS’ security. This was named #PurpleRibbonProject, and the ARMY who participated were called #PurpleRibbonARMY. This was done so BTS could move through airports freely and more securely with less reliance on a wall of security around them. This project served to protect BTS and give them personal safety and space away from potential stalkers and invasive media. Many have voiced their appreciation for this project including fellow ARMY, BTS themselves, and media groups.

BTS and ARMY have walked hand in hand over the years to reach where they are today. It is a mutually beneficial relationship between BTS and ARMY, where BTS members want to share their story and help others through their pain and ARMY wants to reciprocate the Image Courtesy of Dispatch

ARMY: Redefining Stan | 6

Borasaek Vision

When people stop being open to new ideas and start to idolize their taste, it leads to the formation of toxicity. Every coin has two sides: while ARMY has a very positive side, there is also a dark side. There is no question that ARMYs love and value BTS for their bright personalities and devotion to spreading messages about mental health, teamwork, and love. However this extreme love for them and their work can lead to an unhealthy obsession which is followed by a lot of unfavorable actions. Every fandom has a few people who blur the boundaries between reality and imagination. Many call the unhealthy obsession stanning. In ARMY, one might find a lot of fans calling themselves STANS. The question here is, does it mean the same? The answer is no; the word has been redefined by ARMYs to “people who love BTS and care about them.”

Even though there are a few of the fans who have unhealthy obsession and practices, the current ARMY are always on their toes to help the baby ARMY with their journey and to provide right and accurate information. While unhealthy obsession can have a negative effect on mental health, it is many times perceived to be a source of help by these fans who have grown overly reliant on BTS’ presence. This unhealthy obsession is medically known as Celebrity Worship Syndrome, which is an addictive disorder where a person is overly involved and interested with the details of the personal life of a celebrity, which leads to dissociation and fantasy-proneness in the fans. Many times these fans perceive their idols as perfect dolls who can do no wrong.

BTS as celebrities have always tried to be as authentic as possible and have mentioned over and over that they too have flaws and are not perfect - even BTS can make mistakes. RM, the leader of BTS, said in his UN General Assembly 2018 speech,

The fact that BTS are not afraid to show their imperfections is what makes them relatable for people who come from so many different backgrounds. BTS’ authenticity, intelligence, thoughtfulness, and professionalism have, without a doubt, influenced ARMY. For anyone outside of ARMY, BTS are just a bunch of pretty faces who sing love songs and ARMY are just a bunch of teenage girls. In reality, they are much more than that. BTS’ musical works have references to not only some of the most renowned books, but also delve into a deeper understanding of a lot of psychological concepts and human experiences. For example, the song “Spring Day” is about experiencing loss, missing someone, clinging onto the youth, and carrying on through hardship. The music video references Omelas, a society from the book The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas written by Ursula K. Le Guin. Living in the Omelas were people who sought a type of unrealistic happiness that concealed a dismal truth.

This allusion is only one example of many. It proves how wisely and carefully their content is crafted, including song lyrics, music video aesthetics, and live performances, all created to produce a beautiful art made of distinct thoughts and emotions.

Besides the magnificent performance, music, and grandeur of the concerts, many people who have attended BTS concerts have noticed the diversity of the fandom.

Recently, an “ARMY Census” was conducted by a group of ARMYS to better understand the fandom as a whole. The census had over 400000 responses, which is still nowhere near the actual number of ARMY in this world. The survey showed that 50% of ARMY respondents were fans over the age of 18, majority being female. The most interesting part of the results was that ARMY are located in over a hundred countries and territories and that the fandom is also diverse in education and industry of employment. Diversity is a great asset in all the fields and is highly focused on while building a team. Even though there is always response bias in such surveys, we can say that ARMY is a diverse group, which is a great asset.

Borasaek Vision

A lot of people are in this fandom because of the meaning of BTS’ songs. For example, the title track of their recent album BE, “Life Goes On” carries deep meaning that ARMY and other listeners connect to. It is not just the younger generation that relate to such messages; it is also older fans, as was mentioned in a K-DOC titled “BTS with Dr. Jiyoung Lee” by Dr. Jiyoung Lee and in book BTS and ARMY Culture by Jeeheng Lee. All these different details is what makes BTS ARMY stand apart from other fandoms.

It is no trivial thing that BTS has become such a significant part of this neo-liberal age where getting through the day is difficult - just being yourself or living one more day without giving up is an achievement. In today’s world, in the face of so many problems, it is easy to submit to pessimistic thoughts and hopelessness; perhaps, without even realizing we have been waiting for a ray of hope in the form of such artists and heroes. Heroes who transcend language, race, and the walls of capitalism. The heroes of this age don’t need Superman’s cape or Iron man’s supersuit. Their strength and altruistic attitude stem from the genuine smiles and unspoken emotions held in the eyes of each of their fans.

ARMY: Redefining Stan | 8

Stumbling Upon BTS Written by Rebeca - Edited by Vera - Checked by Clare - Designed by Inglydy

Most ARMYs have an unforgettable story about how they found BTS. These stories tend to have at least two recurring elements: what content the person encountered first, and how the group changed their lives for the better. It might seem overdramatic, but so many people have reported feeling this way that we have adopted a phrase to describe the occurrence, “you find BTS when you need them the most.”

It is not rare for communities of any kind to use vocabulary that communicates their shared experiences. Using these words or phrases helps the individuals feel like they belong to the group and strengthens fans’ connection with each other ARMYs and BTS are no exception to this practice. There’s one more phrase with a similar intention that we can look at, “no matter when you found us,” which BTS use when talking to their fans. This one aims to make us all feel included and loved, regardless of when we joined the fandom.

Now, let’s take a deeper look at this phenomenon. Was finding BTS just a happy coincidence? Where do these phrases come from, and what’s their relevance?

Photos: Oficcial Facebook for BTS

Borasaek Vision

Coincidences Usually, our stories portray the moment we find BTS as one of good luck or magic, since it was unexpected and had a positive impact on us. But considering how many people have had a similar experience, we could ask ourselves if this is psychological, simply a coincidence, or if there’s something more to it.

Let’s consider coincidences for a moment.

There are various types, but we’ll be looking at the two that most reflect the ARMY experience, serendipity and synchronicity.

First, we have serendipity. Many of us already know it as the title of a BTS’ song, but we might not know what the word itself means. According to Bernard D. Beltman’s article “Meaningful coincidences, Serendipity and Synchronicity,” serendipity entails wisdom and chance coming together to find something valuable. Next, let’s look at synchronicity, a term coined by someone ARMYs are also familiar with, Carl Jung. It refers to meaningful coincidences, especially those that help the process of individuation, spiritual, and psychological development.

Without going deeper into both concepts, we can focus on the main difference D. Beltman draws between the two.

Serendipity usually has external world outcomes, while synchronicity has more internal consequences, with psychological and emotional value.

When we needed them the most With both concepts in mind, let’s think about stumbling upon BTS again.

One could argue that “when we needed them the most” implies that we were already struggling in some way and were looking for something to improve our lives, consciously or not. That desire, paired with chance, could be one of the explanations why we latched onto BTS. Maybe their motivational messages or the community and moments of joy they provide gave us the inspiration we needed to start making positive changes in our lives. Our minds were prepared to recognize these things as valuable and to receive them with open arms.

That being said, it’s still important to mention that rationalizing this moment doesn’t have to take away the magic of it. Chance was still a part of it after all; amongst the many things in the universe that could have helped us, we discovered BTS. This is just one possible explanation of many, and you can choose how to look at it in the end.

Now, let’s move on to the origin of the phrase. Curiously enough, though some people believed that RM had said it originally, we weren’t able to find any evidence of it in our research. We even asked fellow ARMYs, but no one had a clear answer. Some remembered seeing it as early as 2014/2015, but in our Google research, it didn’t show up significantly until after 2017/2018. It is very possible that, with a smaller fandom in the early years, this phrase wasn’t as widely used, and that once ARMY started growing, its use increased.

As for who said it first, it remains unknown. It might have been something that originated organically within the fandom or said in a video that we weren’t able to find. If anyone remembers it, we would love to know!

Borasaek Vision

No matter when you found us There are a few variants of this phrase, but in essence, it means that no matter whether you’ve been an ARMY since debut or since a few months ago, you are treasured and loved by BTS. But in order to understand why this phrase became necessary, we need to remember how much things changed after their debut in the American market and their subsequent global success in 2018–2019.

Before their big breakthrough, BTS faced hurdles, both economically and in their home country’s music industry. They debuted in a small company and were the subject of unfounded hate - it was a difficult way up for them and their then small fandom. As a measure of growth, we can look at their Twitter followers.

According to a timeline made by the BTS101 Media blog, they hit 1 million in June of 2015 and closed 2017 with 11 million. The fandom was growing steadily up till that point.

Flashforward to 2019, the year in which they presented an award at the Grammys, performed on Saturday Night Live, and held a sold out concert at the legendary Wembley stadium. The growth after that point has been exponential.

Now, BTS have millions of fans, 34 million following them on Twitter at the time of writing this article, and have been active for almost 8 years. It would be easy for newer ARMYs to feel sad that they weren’t there from the beginning or to think they are just one small person who doesn’t make a difference. That’s why BTS started using the phrase “no matter when you found us.” Because, to the members, all their ARMYs are important, and they want us to know it. Recently, RM repeated this sentiment on their “Let’s BTS” interview, explaining that we can all look back on the struggles of the earlier years because there’s footage for everyone to see, and that we all make the group’s success possible.

Borasaek Vision

What these phrases show In the end, what’s most important isn’t where the phrases are coming from, but rather what they are evidence of. These phrases are two faces of the same coin, and they are relevant to understanding the connection between BTS and ARMY. They showcase a relationship that is based on mutual respect, care, and gratitude for each other.

“We found BTS when we needed them the most” is ARMYs declaration of what a big difference we feel BTS has made in our lives. They might not have solved all our problems, but made us feel seen, understood, and capable of solving them by ourselves. We might not always realize it because we say it all the time, but the phrase is kind of like a thank you letter to them.

“No matter when you found us” is BTS’s thank you letter back to us for believing in them, trying our best to support them, and giving them wings to fly as high as they do now. They care for their fans and appreciate them, and they don’t want any of us to feel excluded, no matter how many millions of us there are. That sincere gratitude is just one part of what people love about them.

Stum b was ling up a me on B coin aning TS c f i u d l e for n c us a e them nd fo alik r e.

Photos: Oficcial Facebook for BTS

Stumbling Upon BTS | 12

LO

T H O E R G N N I E SS V

BTS has been raising awareness about critical issues for the majority of their career. Starting with addressing the difficulties people face in their youth in their School Trilogy, BTS went up to the top of the pyramid of success by bringing the Love Yourself trilogy. Orbiting around the theme of selflove, BTS brought up the importance of selfacceptance in order to live alongside ourselves and to be able to love our closest ones completely.

But what comes next?

What’s the next step we could take after accepting ourselves the way we are? The following lyrics of “IDOL” might bring us to the next part of the journey.

“There are tens and hundreds of myself in me.

I welcome another me today. They are all me after all. So I just rather run with it than worrying.”

-BTS, IDOL

13 | Loving Otherness Into Uniqueness

BTS introduced us to what comes next after achieving self-love and self-acceptance in the form of the “Map of the Soul” series. Based on the Archetype by the famous psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Carl Gustav Jung, BTS saw this as the next step after accepting ourselves, or in many cases, a helpful tool for us to understand and accept ourselves more.

Written by: RAM and Shelley Edited by: Vera | Checked by: Esma Designed by: Zai

T O N UNIQ I UENESS

PERSONA, SHADOW, AND EGO

However, getting too closely Understanding and identified with this accepting the values, archetype can lead flaws, and aspirations in individuals to lose sight our lives is the first step of their genuine selves. into loving ourselves. As “Intro: Persona,” “Filter,” and it is not exactly an easy “Moon” are three songs journey, BTS recommends that we could associate learning these three with this archetype.

Archetypes by Jung as a That leads us to Shadow, tool to guide us through the darker trait, the the “Map of the Soul” series. The majority of the opposite of the Persona. It contains repressed ideas, songs in this series are weaknesses, desires, envy, based on these hate, aggression, prejudice; three archetypes. everything that we have Persona is about how denied in ourselves.

Jung we present ourselves to said that the Shadow, the world, the different in being instinctive and masks we wear in various drives us to project rational, social situations. This into others and attribute acts as the shield of the to them all our evils, Ego that developed to wrongdoings, and inferior contain all of the things, qualities that we don’t including emotions, that want to admit in ourselves. are not considered socially “Interlude: Shadow” and acceptable. Personas are “Inner Child” are two formed by the rules and Shadow-based songs fostering provided by our in the “Map of the Soul” parents, friends, families, series, with the first talking and society to allow people about the negative side to adapt and fit into the of shadow, and the latter environment they are in. about the positive side.

While the Persona and Shadow are part of the unconscious, the Ego represents the conscious mind that is responsible for decision-making, choosing which stimuli to respond to, or which instinct to satisfy as needed, including the choice of what we want to do in the future.

“Outro: Ego” and “ON” is the perfect example of this archetype.

Through the brief explanation about the three archetypes, BTS suggested we acknowledge our Persona, face our Shadow, and choose our Ego in order to understand ourselves better.

Let’s take “My Time” as an example to make the concept easier to understand. In this song, Jung Kook talks about the loss of his teenage years under the spotlight as an idol (the Shadow), and the mask he had to wear

Loving Otherness Into Uniqueness | 14

Borasaek Vision

at such an early age to meet the expectations as a member of BTS (the Persona). But despite the consequences and sacrifices he had to make, Jung Kook’s Ego chose to continue forward, because being an idol was his dream all along. Despite everything he had lost, he still reached heights which most people don’t have the luxury to achieve.

SELF-LOVE IS NOT… … selfish at all. Selflove is one of the things an individual strives to achieve, but it is not an excuse for us to accept our bad behavior and wrongdoings. In fact, with clear self-love and strong self-acceptance, it would be easier for us to realistically evaluate our wrongdoings and areas we have to work on in order to replace our bad behavior with a more positive attitude and avoid making the same mistakes.

Don’t mistake selflove for the lack of ambition to improve under the

protection of “accepting ourselves as we are.” Selflove should include striving to be the best version of ourselves by taking new opportunities, broadening our networks, feeding our curiosity, taking up new challenges, exercising, and many other things to be a better person.

Self-love isn’t easy, and not all people have a strong will to accept themselves. Not everyone is able to coax themselves into seeing their value, and that’s where our role as decent human beings comes into play. We can help them recognize their own worth.

The journey of self-love for each person is different; not everyone can drive down this road on their own. Some people might need gentle coaxing, and some people might need a slap to realize their worth; some people are motivated by criticism, and some people thrive with compliments. Either way, we’re very much welcome to make an effort to understand their driving force and help them,

especially when it comes to our loved ones.

Self-love is also not limited to just ourselves. Following the example of BTS, who advocate this message through their career, we, as their fans, are very much welcome to spread this message to others, to encourage each other to see their value and worth.

ARMY SELCA DAY On the first Tuesday of every month, there’s an event called ARMY Selca Day, or ASD, a tradition where ARMY show their creativity by recreating a pose of a BTS member in a picture of their choice.

It’s a good opportunity for us to compliment each other and to see our value through someone else’s eyes.

Through this event, we can recognize the obvious uniqueness in every individual, as ARMYs come from all over the world. It makes us realize that no matter how different we are from each other, we have things in common that we can celebrate: being an ARMY and loving the same seven artists, BTS.

Borasaek Vision

are many opportunities to promote this message. This includes appreciating and supporting artist ARMYs with their artistic creations, or helping to develop and encourage ARMYs in their respective academic pursuits. Participating advise you to block in or demonstrating and report, and to support for campaigns be honest, this is about self-love, or probably the best community-based projects advice that can be designed to improve the given for any form of health and well-being of its negativity or toxicity community members. that may find its way The ability to take the onto your timeline, precepts that we’ve whether it is targeted gained from our exposure at you or not. Honoring to BTS and extend them yourself by choosing to others in a good way, in not to engage with a right way, in a “borahae” negative behavior way, will allow the With a social media such as this is something uniqueness of each person, event such as this, and that we, as ARMYs, can whether they are ARMY a Twitter account that encourage and foster or not, to shine through. boasts more than 30 amongst ourselves and us, is one This, for million followers, there is towards others. way of “loving always the off-chance otherness into that some comments THE UPGRADE uniqueness.” shared as part of ASD may Hence, what is the next not be as encouraging or step after self-love? complimentary as they could be. There is even the Of course, as is for other good things in the risk of negative feedback being received from people world, it’s passing on the who believe it is their right message to others and to mock or ridicule another encouraging them on their own journeys of self-love. human being. Most ARMYs It’s easy and won’t cost who understand the true us a penny. In the ARMY nature of ASD will simply community itself, there

BANGTAN UNIVERSE PRIMER Written by: Basabdatta Edited by: ESMA Checked by: VERA Designed By: Connie “Bangtan Universe” is a diverse and complex cinematic universe that draws inspiration from the likes of Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars. There are little clues, hints, spoilers, storylines, and symbolism hidden in the components of the universe. As a new ARMY or someone who has just been introduced to BTS, it can initially become overwhelming, simply because of the vast amount of content available.

The required venture, then, is to connect the dots between the content, characters, and their storylines. To cruise through this fantastical world of BTS, let us acquaint ourselves with when and how the “Bangtan Universe,” “BTS Universe,” or simply BU was formed.

Borasaek Vision

The official BU logo was used for the first time in the BTS Wings Concept Book in 2017.

Big Hit and BTS had always envisioned BU to make an impact like the MCU or Star Wars franchise. BTS wanted to create something that would transcend time and memory, that would become a legacy for the upcoming generations to read and listen to, long after BTS is gone. RM had repeatedly stated this while explaining the origin of their “I NEED U” and “Run” MVs. In August 2017, posters of each member’s fictional characters were revealed at the start of the “Love Yourself” era. During this era, the “BU content certified by Big Hit Entertainment” tag was added to all the MVs and short films that were part of the BU. Since 2015, all albums had been a part of the BU until “Dynamite” was released in August 2020.

And then came BE, which was also not a part of the BU. In the “BE-hind story,” Jin had explained, “[BE] It wasn’t part of BTS Universe and it was really natural so I think it felt more comfortable. We can’t forget about the universe but we should make albums like this to take a break once in a while where we all participate together.” After a break, BTS seems to have returned to the BU through “Film Out,” their OST 19 | Bangtan Universe Primer

for the Japanese Movie Signal.

The track is also a part of BTS’ upcoming Japanese Album BTS, The Best, which will be released on June 16, 2021.

The BU storyline is a marvel in itself! The story revolves around seven boys who are experiencing life together.

The story beautifully portrays the challenges of life, the little triumphs, the grief, the pain, and most importantly love and friendship. BU is an expression of self-love and finding who you are. These seven best friends have their fates intertwined through the good as well as through the rough times. They go their separate ways and suffer a great deal on their own, only to realize one of them could go back in time and change the past. But whether he will be able to save them or not is the question the whole BU is centered around.

The BU contents are categorized into the canon and non-canon. Even though the content is non-canon, there could still be references to the canon themes and backgrounds.

Whether something is canonical or not is determined by Big Hit Entertainment (Now Big Hit Labels) listing the media as canon via a text description or the BU logo.

Photos Courtesy: BTS OffIcial Twitter & hybe Labels Youtube CHANNEL

Borasaek Vision

The BU content list that ARMY should cover for better understanding of the plots: 1.

The Music Videos (MVs) and short films The MVs and short films are the best way to get started on the BU content. They will give you an idea of the initial plot that was released through an MV. Visual contents are easier to follow and will give you in-depth knowledge about each of the characters. And BTS’ impeccable acting skills are on full display in the short films and MVs. 2.

“Save Me Webtoon” This is a small webtoon of 15 episodes published collaboratively by Big Hit Entertainment and Naver Webtoon’s digital content subsidiary LICO.

3.

HYYH Notes “The Notes” are a major part of the BU narrative and were released in two separate books and album notes. “The Notes” had been released since the “Love Yourself” era and has continued through the Map Of The Soul era. Now, “Film Out” seems to be taking the storyline forward.

4.

“Smeraldo Books” The “Smeraldo Books” were introduced before the Love Yourself: Her album and provide the background story of the mythical “Smeraldo” flower, which makes an appearance in the BU and is the main inspiration behind the song “The Truth Untold.” The posts had been modified quite a few times since 2018. The “Smeraldo Books” are essential to understand BU, as it links BU with the real world, despite the storyline being fictional.

Borasaek Vision

Timeline of BU Contents The contents were sequentially released as follows: “I NEED U” Official MV (Original ver.)

“HYYH on stage: Prologue” “Run” Official MV “I NEED U (Japanese Ver.)” Official MV “Run (Japanese Ver.)” Official MV “EPILOGUE: Young Forever” Wings Short Film #1 “BEGIN” Wings Short Film #2 “LIE” Wings Short Film #3 “STIGMA” Wings Short Film #4 “FIRST LOVE” Wings Short Film #5 “REFLECTION” Wings Short Film #6 “MAMA” Wings Short Film #7 “AWAKE” “Blood Sweat & Tears” Official MV “Blood Sweat & Tears (Japanese Ver.) Wings Concept Book “Love Yourself” Poster “HYYH The Notes: Seokjin” Highlight Reel ‘起承轉結’ HYYH the Notes from Love Yourself: Her “Euphoria: Theme of LOVE YOURSELF 起 Wonder” “HYYH The Notes: Jungkook” “FAKE LOVE” Official Teaser 1 HYYH The Notes from Love Yourself: Tear “FAKE LOVE” Official MV (Extended ver.)

“HYYH The Notes: Seokjin” Comeback Trailer “Epiphany” HYYH The Notes from Love Yourself: Answer “SAVE ME” Webtoon HYYH THE NOTES 1 book HYYH The Notes from MAP OF THE SOUL: PERSONA BTS (방탄소년단) Universe Story - Netmarble: New Game Official Concept Art Teaser HYYH The Notes in MAP OF THE SOUL: 7 21 | Bangtan Universe Primer

Photos Courtesy: BTS UNIVERSE STORY FACEBOOK & BTS OFFICIAL FACEBOOK

Borasaek Vision

ARMY has always been an integral part of BU. Each time a new MV or short film is released, ARMY from all over the world come together to dissect and explain the theories behind the MVs. BU has given rise to different genres of fan-fiction and theories in the social media sphere. There have also been discussion forums formed to debate on the BU content, and the research done for it is even included in academic works.

Additionally, BU has been given the form of a mobile game, where ARMY can interact with the fictional characters and can

even develop their plots and storylines, making the experience personal and intimate.

Since their debut, BTS and ARMY have been together. Through the “Bangtan Universe,” ARMY can interact and experience the fictional world of BTS. Though this interaction is fictional, there are often instances when ARMY can relate to the plots as the characters develop and learn to overcome their fears. Thus, BTS is helping ARMY to embrace themselves and take on hurdles, not simply through music but through a full-blown fictional universe as well.

BTS Bangtan Boys Wings

23 | Game Corner

Lost Awake MAMA Reflection

Stigma Lie Begin

Borasaek Vision

Answers: Jungkook’s phone case | Jimin’s hair | RJ in the painting in the back | Yoongi’s sleeve | The color of the striped shirt near Jin | BT21 stickers on the cupboard | Taehyung lip piercing | Namjoon’s earring | Towels above the dryer | Shooky plushie under the dryer

Game Corner | 24

Design, Alex Planning, Anna Copy Editor, Aury Design, Euni Design, Kels Research & Social Media, Miranda Writing, Shelley Assistant Copy Editor & Design Support, Mheer Assistant Writing, RAM

Writing, Alapadma Design, Ale Writing, Ananya Writing, Antonella Design, Aralika Editing, Ash Writing, Basabdatta Design, Bella

Editing, Clare Design, Connie Design, Deens Writing, Endang Editing, Esma Research, Gita Social Media, Inglydy Design, Lau

Writing, LP Writing, Mei Design, Nessa Writing, Rebeca Writing, Tobing Research, Trina Editing, Vera Research, Vy Design, Zai

“We will walk the borasaek road with BTS with love and trust, until the end. ”

All videos, songs, images, and graphics used in this digital magazine belong to their respective owners, and Borasaek Vision does not claim any rights over them.

Copyright Disclaimer: under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.

If you have suggestions or questions, feel free to get in touch. borasaekvision@gmail.com Email @borasaekvision Twitter-Facebook -Instagram https://borasaekvision.wixsite.com/home/ Website