Borasaek Vision Magazine Volume 3, Issue 1

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Hello to our lovely readers.

Welcome to our first issue for 2022! What are you looking forward to the most this year? Is it breaking free from the shackles of the pandemic, finally getting the chance to spend time with your loved ones without the worry of getting the virus? Or just getting the rest you deserve to regain for the months to come? Whatever it may be, we at the design team, and the other departments as well, hope that your wishes for 2022 will come through.

2022 will bring us both exhilarating opportunities to jump into or difficult challenges to overcome. One thing too that will always go hand in hand with opportunities and challenges are changes. The saying “change is the only constant in life” may be too cliché, but it is something that is proven correct. There will be major shifts in our lives whenever opportunities and challenges come along, and that itself is change.

Images courtesy of netmarble BIGHIT MUSIC Facebook

BTS may be global superstars, with countless achievements under their name, but they aren’t different from ordinary people. The boys we all love also experience change, whether as a group or as individuals. New, exciting projects are starting to happen for the group. New members are joining the ARMY fandom. New partnerships involving BTS and ARMY are flourishing. The list goes on and on, and we aim to spark a discussion about these changes through this issue. These are changes that would only move BTS and ARMY forward to a more successful year, hence, the design team decided to incorporate lines and arrows to our layouts this issue. To symbolize that these changes will advance us to greater, even bolder feats.

In this issue, let’s celebrate change. Change may be daunting, yes, but we believe it will also reap us fruitful rewards. Let’s claim that 2022 will be BTS’ and ARMY’s year. We look forward to celebrating more bountiful changes with you.

Thank you, and 보라해요!

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The Fall of Western Award Shows

BTS:

The Seven Colors of the Rainbow

BTS’ Growing Fandom: Tricky? Maybe

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BTS Revival:

ARMY Will Always Stay 13

Time Marches On 17

Fun Zone 23

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any music award shows in the United States have a historical, traditional connection with audiences that allow them to remain relevant on popular media. However, recent years suggest that this deeply rooted connection might be dwindling. In 2021, the Billboard Music Awards saw an all-time low viewership rating. Similarly, the VMAs saw a 30% drop in viewership in comparison to 2020. Finally, the GRAMMY awards experienced a significant decline in 2021, experiencing a 53% drop in viewership when compared to the previous year – the lowest audience viewership the award show has ever recorded.

These numbers are certainly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, which drastically challenged the extent to which such in-person entertainment events are organized and promoted.

However, these drops in American music viewership may also suggest an underlying shift in the viewership audience. Today’s music followers are no longer limited to the art and entertainment provided by corporate strategies and bureaucratic systems.

In 2020, BTS became the first Korean group to top the Billboard Hot 100 with their mega-hit, “Dynamite.” Since the success of Dynamite, their songs, albums and ticket

sales have continued to rise in the U.S., suggesting the presence of a direct U.S. consumer base that is interested and actively engaged with BTS’ music. This is in stark contrast to the expectations the music industry has of the typical U.S. consumer – the American “general audience” is supposed to contribute to the status quo of mainstream U.S. popular music, or music dominated by white, English-speaking artists. The music industry invests in the identities that appear the most profitable and relatable to the general public. However, this active shift in consumer interest from the industry standard to an outsider suggests that more diverse and minority communities in the US are actively engaging in popular culture – and the US music industry is failing to meet their needs.

The GRAMMY awards are a clear example of how popular music fails to adapt to societal and cultural shifts. BTS’ rise across the globe is in many ways a reflection of how music appreciation and enjoyment has shifted by accepting non-Western styles, visuals, and trends.

For example, while traditional US music critics might frown upon artists who mix genres and emphasize visual elements of their music, new audiences understand that these style choices are powerful advancements that make music enjoyable and accessible. These are the very elements that BTS has perfected: the genre-bending music, the emphasis on dance and performance, the The Fall of Western Award Shows | 2

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elaborate album roll-out activities, and the cinematic visuals which challenge the traditional, Western criteria by which “good music” is judged.

According to the Recording Academy, the GRAMMY awards are “the only music award in which nominees and winners are determined solely by creators themselves.” This is a rather elitist statement assuming that fans and viewers are not creators of art and therefore do not have the expertise to question the selected winners. But who are these “creators?” And can we truly trust that they know everything about music from all over the world?

The underlying biases that drive the assessment of “good music” are rooted in history, tradition, and politics. Naturally, if a selection committee of predominantly one identity judges the art of another identity, that “assessment” will be deeply uninformed and flawed. It is no coincidence that the majority of GRAMMY awards rotate among the same artists, labels, and styles each year. Most of the artists who win in the major categories are white, and artists of color 3 |The Fall of Western Award Shows

are still limited to genre-specific, identity-based categories that ultimately separate them from participating in the mainstream pop space of the white artists. Notably, the GRAMMYs announced they would expand their nomination list from 8 nominees to 10 in 2021 to recognize more unconventional, underrepresented artists alongside the industry standards. However, the expansion in nomination number did little, if anything, to provide space to artists outside of the usual picks.

Unless award shows like the GRAMMYs commit to drastic diversity changes within its establishment and voter base, non-Western artists such as BTS will not be properly recognized. Culturally, BTS’ music is at odds with the “norms” of what Western critics regard as purposeful, meaningful art, as that assessment will always be driven by a familiarity with historical pop trends established by white artists. However, in a hypothetical world where the recording academy was majority Korean instead of white, the results would be obviously different.

What this essentially describes is that the

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GRAMMY awards remain a limited, local award show focused on celebrating Western art in a context that presents Western art as the “best” in the world.

That system – built on, by, and for a particular identity – continues to position that same identity as the gold standard.

Those who challenge that standard must fight long and hard before the slightest bit of recognition is bestowed upon them.

This cultural discussion of the GRAMMY awards and its upholding of colonialist ideology in the arts ignores an important reality – the GRAMMY awards are not quite based on art at all. Over the past few years, multiple allegations have drawn attention to the unethical practices that influence the voters on who to cast their ballots for. These practices include artists and labels sending expensive gifts and even financial gains to voters in order to lure their way into votes. While not all GRAMMY award winning artists have won due to these practices, there is clear evidence that such award shows do not truly act as the artistic juries that they present themselves as. Ultimately, the GRAMMY awards is a business – one that must fulfill its financial and political obligations to the industry every year. But it can only maintain these significant roles if it creates a sense of utmost importance in the world of music.

Despite all of this, the GRAMMY awards remain one of the most important award shows in music – not for the

typical industry pop stars, but for the non-Western artists that continue to challenge and fight the system. For many non-Western, non-pop acts, the GRAMMYs are one of the only award shows that gives them a mainstream platform.

However, even then, the GRAMMYs segregated these artists into a “pre-show’’ that they treat as a rather glamor-less obligation. But this pre-show is where audiences can make a difference. In 2021, the GRAMMYs pre-show 13 million total viewers in comparison to the main show’s 8.8 million live viewers – unquestionably due to BTS’ appearance and nomination.

53% drop Not only did BTS draw a massive audience for themselves, they brought attention to numerous underrepresented, global, and independent artists who do not fit into the star-studded industry celebration of the main show. Inadvertently, BTS have disrupted what was expected of the system and brought their diverse audience to the significantly more diverse half of the award show. BTS have the opportunity to do this yet again. Whether or not they win the award this year, their presence has sent a powerful message to the music industry that standards and audiences are changing.

The Fall of Western Award Shows | 4

Writte n by Basabdatta E dited by Mheer Chec ked by E sma Des igned by Aralika

Like the seven colors in a rainbow, BTS is composed of seven members that have come together to form the beautiful rainbow of their discography. Each of the seven members comes from a distinct background and has a story to tell. Since they are musicians, it is only natural for them to tell these stories through their music. BTS members, since their debut, have always encouraged each other to explore those sides of their personalities that could not be captured in their group discography. Helping each other write songs, composing songs for one another, collaborating with fellow members on solo projects— BTS has done it all.

5 | BTS: The Seven Colors of A Rainbow

Respect for each member’s personal taste is also a key factor behind BTS’ success as a band. If you listen to BTS songs such as “Fake Love,” “Black Swan,” or “I NEED U,” you can distinguish the flavors brought to the songs by each member.

This uniqueness of each member is recognized and respected in their band albums as well. Since Wings, BTS has included solo as well as unit songs in their albums. Thus, even when they were not releasing music outside the band, they were given opportunities to grow and portray their individual styles. When we talk about solo growth, the most important idea is that music is a form of self-expression.

Therefore, it is not just about who they are as musicians, but also about who they are as human beings.

Suga and RM have been on the music scene even before they became a part of BTS. Both of them were underground rappers and had been writing songs since they were teenagers. During interviews, Suga often comments that without BTS, he would have been a music composer.

However, BTS has never restricted him from exploring that side of him as well. Min Yoongi aka Suga of BTS, is a well-known composer in not just Korea, but around the world. Apart from actively writing, composing, and producing for BTS, Suga has produced songs for renowned Korean artists such as IU and has collaborated with American artists such as Max, Halsey, and Juice WRLD. He also has another alter-ego, Agust D, who has another story to tell. But whether it is Suga, Min Yoongi, or Agust D, one thing remains constant – his passion for music.

Apart from being BTS’ leader, RM is another member who is an active part of the songwriting for BTS. With over 160 songs credited to his name by the Korea Music Copyright Association, RM is a familiar figure in the global music industry who has not only collaborated with Korean artists such as Younha and eAeon, but also artists such as Lil Nas X and Warren G. RM has never shied away from writing songs, whether it be for his own mixtape, or for BTS. Apart from writing for the whole band, RM has consistently helped the other members in their individual endeavors.

BTS: The Seven Colors of A Rainbow | 6

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J-Hope, the third member of the rap line, is another member who has been active in songwriting for BTS. He released his first mixtape Hope World in 2018 to show a lot of his personal colors and tell the listeners what he wanted to do. He then released “Chicken Noodle Soup (feat. Becky G)” to apprise his story of first learning to dance. There is high anticipation among ARMY that J-Hope might drop his second mixtape soon!

The vocal line members have also contributed to the lyrics of BTS songs, but maybe not as much as the rap line initially.

Recently though, the vocal line has become active songwriters not just for their solo projects but for BTS as well. For instance, the youngest member Jungkook is wellknown for his covers on Soundcloud.

During FESTA 2020, Jungkook gifted ARMY “Still With You,” a song he had written and produced along with Pdogg. Jungkook also turned producer for “Your Eyes Tell,” the OST of a Japanese movie. There is quite a buzz that Jungkook and fellow member V might drop their solo mixtapes soon.

V has hinted at this by playing snippets of unreleased songs on his social media.

Otherwise, V is also active in displaying his personal colors. Fos starters, he is the only member who had tried his hand at acting in the K-drama “Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth.” He is also a regular when it comes to singing OSTs for K-dramas and has released quite a few solo tracks over the past few years.

Jimin’s creation “Friends” is a track he wrote to commemorate his friendship with V and this track was recently used in the Marvel movie “Eternals.” Jimin has also released covers and individual tracks on Soundcloud. The eldest member Jin on the other hand broke the internet with his recent release “Super Tuna,” a fun song about his love for fishing. He also released his first individual OST “Yours” for the K-drama “Jirisan.” He and V had previously sung the OST “It’s Definitely You” for “Hwarang.” Jin released covers initially after their debut, but recently it has been his original works. Additionally, he has collaborated with RM and Suga for some of their releases and in the second season of “In the SOOP,” RM revealed that Jin has a few songs in progress.

In K-pop, it is quite normal to work on solo projects while being in a band. The K-pop industry has also normalized members of an idol group venturing out to different fields such as acting, anchoring, taking part in reality shows, and so on. There are a large number of idols who are successful actors, TV show hosts, and reality TV stars while being in a band. When it comes to music as well, K-pop has no reservations about an idol releasing individual music and the fans usually appreciate the artists exploring themselves in different areas.

In the west, this concept does not exist where going solo actually means straying away from the band. If a member of a band wanted to go solo in the West, it would either result in them overshadowing the band or leaving it altogether. For instance, Zayn, a member of the band One Direction left the band when he wanted to pursue his solo interests. Eventually, the band broke up as all the members wanted to go solo. A similar situation occurred in 2013 when the Jonas Brothers parted ways to explore different fields as individuals rather than as a band. It would be incorrect to say that this never happens in K-pop. Once in a while, a band whose members venture out to explore individual careers ceases to exist or disbands after a while. But it is a normal idea in K-pop for band members to have solo interests outside the group.

One of the possible reasons for this normalization is the strict allotment of positions such as main singer, main dancer, leader, visual, and so on. Each member knows exactly what their role is; as long as they fulfill that role, they are allowed to take part in any number of additional activities.

This system definitely gives K-pop idols the freedom and opportunity to explore areas other than singing and dancing and shows them a possible career path after their career as an idol is over.

However, this has its own disadvantages.

Especially when the groups are in their rookie stage, a member getting all the attention for their individual work outside the group often leads to them overshadowing their group. The group

becomes a remnant of the popular member’s accomplishments.

BTS has over the past nine years established a reputation for themselves as a group and has made it crystal clear that they wouldn’t have achieved anything if they were not seven. The seven members are unique in their own way and each is respected for who they are. This respect and brotherhood have helped them show their colors, both as a group, and as individuals. The examples of their strong bonds are abundant. Last year when Suga was absent from the group activities due to surgery, the members never forgot to mention him. History in the West suggests that a group that goes on a break is likely to disband after some time. So, when BTS announced they were taking a month’s break in 2019, the Western media speculated that it was the end of their journey as a band. Proving them wrong time and again, our seven men have proven that it is normal to take breaks, rest, and color the sky with their individual colors once in a while. But the sevencolored rainbow is here to last.

BTS: The Seven Colors of A Rainbow | 8

9 | BTS’ Growing Fandom: Tricky? Maybe

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BTS’ Growing Fandom: Tricky? Maybe | 12

ARMY WILL ALWAYS STAY Written by: Skylar / Edited by: Mheer / Checked by: Aury / Designed by Inglydy

Photo Facebook

BTS REVIVAL:

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‘All things come to those who wait,’ a phrase that has been tossed around for centuries, repeated as a reminder to hope and look forward. After having seen the final cancellation of the Map of the Soul 2020 tour, many ARMYs felt lost, leaning on one another and their Bangtan Idols for whatever came next.

With the topic of military service looming overhead and their last full length album released in 2020, articles came in flocks, headlines reading to the tune of “BTS’ Future Depends Upon If They Can Get Out Of Military Service”. This seemed to give the impression that BTS and ARMY could be left as things of the past based on if the group were to take a break to fulfill their time within the military. These types of articles were not normally discussed with the same tone for other groups whose members take

a break for military service.

The group had already, since as early as summer of 2020, expressed feeling the effects of not seeing their fans and that the prolonged extent of the pandemic was proving to be hard on those holding on dearly to hope for future concerts.

announcement of four scheduled in-person shows.

Permission to Dance: On Stage was set to take place in Los Angeles, USA and saw tickets sold out before even reaching the general public through the TicketMaster sale platform. The demand was so overwhelming that the concert As we enter into our third sold additional tickets for year of the pandemic, many ARMYs to watch the concert music fans around the world broadcasted live all four nights wondered how soon it would in the Youtube Theatre that was be until they connected once adjacent to the stadium. This again with their favorite artists gave opportunity for even more in concerts. Artists themselves ARMYs to enjoy the experience. pondered if there would be any In addition to all of this, the fans left for them when they finale performance on the returned. COVID-19 left a lot fourth night was pay-to-view of people around the world live streamed across the world hopeless and searching for for all ARMY to enjoy on the something to keep them moving Weverse App, no matter where forward; BTS and ARMY relied they tuned in from. on each other.

Despite the astounding interest, For both, the first glimmer this group who hadn’t seen their of hope came from the fans in roughly two years had BTS Revival: ARMY Will Always Stay | 14

their own worries about coming back to the stage. These were the first concerts that would see BTS and ARMY reunited.

During the concert, we saw the members express their concern that they felt that there wouldn’t be ARMY left after their time apart. During each individual member’s mentions this topic of thankfulness to ARMY, for staying beside them through thick and thin, was conveyed.

Jungkook even said, during the final performance, “Nothing…

Nothing…Nothing can stop ARMY and BTS’’. The repetition drove home the loyalty between ARMY and the members. Being at a distance had left them just as worried about their return

to the stage as ARMYs, but they held onto hope the same.

This was previously mentioned as far back as summer 2020, on BTS In The Soop, when V expressed his concern over the distance that seemed to sit between ARMY and BTS, and the unknown of the future. In a talk with Jungkook, V described that he often went to Vlive, or to talk with ARMY on the Weverse App to connect. Both members shared the sentiment that it wasn’t the same feeling as seeing their faces, and getting to perform for them on stage.

The members now each hold their own instagram accounts to connect with fans on another platform.

To their surprise, just as ARMY had stood by them from their debut, ARMY had waited for them till they could safely return to the stage. Beyond this, their fanbase seemed to grow exponentially. The band’s first all-English single, “Dynamite,” opened up BTS to many as Dynamite flooded radio waves and seemed to extend a hand to reach new ARMY from all over the world. For several 2020 ARMY, Dynamite was the gateway to BTS. In quarantine, with plenty of time to binge years of missed content, the numbers seemed to multiply overnight. Bangtan rose to even more international fame with “Life Goes On” and “Butter”

landing multiple Billboard Hot100 #1 hits. Those who flocked in, after they dove deep into their discovery of the band, stayed due to the message they were sending and the joy they spread with their music. Music trends rise and fall, but not many bands carry a message of love and kindness that garnered them such a devoted fanbase.

world. It is easy to state that they’ve cemented themselves within history as influencers, musicians and humans. Living in a digital world as ours has become today, seeing how quickly trends come and go, it is not unthinkable that the members of the acclaimed band would feel as though their fanbase could just cease to exist one day. It’s been BTS’ success, a very popular felt by numerous groups that topic of discussion, continued have come and gone, fans to soar over these past few shrinking into niche realms of years. Now holders of several the internet. Comebacks aren’t Guinness World Records such unheard of, but are few and as Best Selling Album in South far between. Bangtan stands Korea (Map of the Soul:7), out in these standards, in both most followers on Instagram for their ongoing longevity as the a group, and several accolades ninth anniversary of the group for the track “Butter”. 2021 approaches and in the strength saw BTS attend the United of their Love Yourself campaign.

Nations General Assembly and The message of Love Yourself, speak about the ‘Welcome seemingly simple in the idea, Generation,’ climate change, comes across with a level of and digital communities. genuine care that ARMY feels is special to BTS. It is unlikely As Special Envoys to President that we will see ARMY fizzle out Moon of South Korea, BTS once anytime soon, military service or again stood in front of the world their current break aside, BTS and spoke as representatives will live in the hearts of ARMYs of their country for causes across the globe for decades to they felt were important to come. highlight in our ever changing Photo Facebook

As with any musician’s fanbase, it will experience change. As time passes ARMYs may leave and more may come. What makes BTS standout is their longevity. Since their debut in 2013, they have continued to soar in popularity, and they show no signs of stopping.

Hope is on the horizon once again with the announcement of the Permission to Dance: On Stage concert set to take place in Seoul in March 2022.

Despite aforementioned fears, it seems that the pandemic has only seen an increase in their popularity. This does not go unnoticed by fans, who acknowledge their hard work and saw them off after their performance at Jingle Ball 2021for their second ever official extended break.

The music and message of BTS is proving to be one that transcends time and dynamic trends. While the pandemic has seen many things come to an end, for Bangtan it was a revival. This was a reminder that just as BTS sings to us their promise, ARMY too will always stay.

Time Marches

On

Written by Shelley | Edited by Aury |Checked by Mheer | Designed by Zai

Believe It or Not It’s hard to believe there was a time when the seven BTS members wore large name tags on their clothing because no one knew who they were. While their initial introduction may have been unscheduled, there is no doubt that BTS was meant to be on the stage. Now in their ninth year, BTS are global artists, with superstar status, entering the next dynamic chapter of their professional careers as artists. Once they were relative unknowns, burning up the stage with their fiery passion. Now, their names are on the lips of millions of dedicated fans, and still, they burn the stage with passionate charisma.

Through their music, BTS has shown us that we have

reasons we should love ourselves, encouraging us to find our place in this world by ‘speaking ourselves’.

The members are older and wiser now, but their messages of hope, sincerity, and resilience are timeless.

Spanning the entirety of their career timeline, their collective desire to move the hearts and minds of people with their music and heartfelt messages is still paramount.

The only difference is that they now speak from a global platform, transcending borders and boundaries that other artists can only dream of.

Once, BTS’ maknae line handed out 200 flyers on the streets of LA to promote

their free concert as part of their “American Hustle Life” reality show. Now, their reputation precedes them, and they sell out entire stadiums – such as Wembley in 2019 with a seating capacity of 90,000 in a mere 90 minutes. The recent Sofi stadium experience was phenomenal; tickets for four shows sold out in the pre-sales, resulting in no general public sales despite what was originally planned and announced. While this was disheartening for the thousands who missed out, it’s another indicator of how far BTS has come since its early days.

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Timeless & Trendy Time, for the most part, has been presented to society as an abstract concept. An idea that exists in the constructs of past, present, and future; clocks, calendars, and other timekeeping devices. Yet, BTS has shown us how beautiful and tenacious this concept can be when presented in the form of lyrics, dance choreographies, or music video storylines.

When the seven BTS members were first

this line from their debut track “No More Dream” Time is an ever-present reminding us how precious theme in BTS’ repertoire time and our lives are – of content, which includes Even if you live only one their albums, music day, do something. Or it videos, mobile games, can be a more subtle and and web series. In fact, refined approach, such the Bangtan Universe as these lyrics from their (affectionately known as title track “ON” in their the BU) is symbolic of fourth Korean studio album alternate timelines and MOTS:7. While the line in lives, incorporating the question consists only of notion of time travel. In four words, encapsulated reality, though, you could within these lyrics – Bring choose any BTS song and the pain on – is a career’s be bound to find at least worth of struggles and one reference to time in hardships, as experienced the lyrics. by the septet since their At times, this reference may debut in 2013. be explicitly stated, such as An Ever-Present Theme

19 | Time Marches On

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introduced to the public domain, the eldest member, Kim Seok-jin, was a reserved 21-year-old young man who had only been singing and dancing for just over a year. Now the hashtag #WorldWideHandsome can often be seen trending on social media whenever Jin does something that catches the fans’ eyes. The maknae – or youngest member – at the time of their debut was Jung Kook, a very shy, yet extremely talented 15-year-

old boy from Busan. Dubbed the #GoldenMaknae by RM in one of their earliest vlogs, over the years Jung Kook has demonstrated that he is indeed a force to be reckoned with when it comes to talent, innate abilities, and skills.

now – when the ‘universe’ is theirs for the taking – the so-called ‘glow up’ of each member has been markedly noticeable. They haven’t just matured agewise. They’ve also matured in their knowledge and understanding of the worlds in which they live, In between Jin and Jung both as themselves and as Kook are five more talented their stage personas.

In fact, BTS members. In order of while these two elements of their ages, we have Jin, themselves have become SUGA, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook. From their more naturally entwined over the years, there are still earliest days as rookies to

Time Marches On | 20

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aspects of themselves that remain personal and private, and that is important too.

seven members became eligible to continue functioning as a septet until December 2022.

If you were to watch a string of live performances from 2013 to the present day, it would be easy to see that not only have their performance skills become more refined over time but so too have their personalities. In a 2021 reaction video to BTS’ hit single “Butter,” Performance Director Son Sung-deuk commented that as “they release more albums, their maturity gets upgraded every time.” He then went on to say, “there is that energy they give off when dancing perfectly in sync, but now their individual aura and charms are so strong.” A timely acknowledgment that while achieving perfectly synchronized dance moves may have been a priority in the earlier days, now it’s easier to see that just with the seven members’ presence alone, BTS’ enigmatic charm and charisma cannot be contained.

The subject of enlistment is not new to the ARMY fandom. Jin’s enlistment has been a newsworthy mention for a while now, to the point that it has even been sensationalized by foreign media outlets. Yet, serving in the military comes to all able-bodied, male Korean K-pop idols at some point in their careers. For many, military service is seen as a hiatus from their idol duties, not a tearjerking, career-ending tragedy as is painted by those less-thaninformed media outlets looking for the next big scoop. Shinwa, Super Junior, and Shinee are all classic examples of K-pop groups that continued their careers postservice. Likewise, K-pop idol groups can continue to produce music and perform, albeit as subunits, while fellow members are serving, such as boy groups BtoB, Exo, and Winner.

What Lies Ahead?

There is always speculation when In November 2021, Arirang News it comes to BTS and the touchy announced that “all BTS members subject of military enlistment, such as the possibility for the members have applied to postpone their to all serve together, or to serve enlistment until 30, with the amendment to the Military Service in units, but until anything is announced by the agency itself, Act for outstanding persons in nothing is confirmed. One thing is the field of pop culture and art.” for certain, the members are very This was an extremely important much co-creating their futures, announcement as Jin was designated to enlist the following and with the counsel and support of their families and agency, BTS month. With this application, the

21| Time Marches On

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will do what is best for BTS. As for ARMYs, some may struggle when the time comes, but the support and love for BTS will continue.

Ode To Time As time marches on, some things remain unchanged, such as BTS’ passion for music and love for ARMYs.

At the same time, some things will never be the same again, such as the life of an ARMY after falling down the proverbial rabbit hole that is BTS. But for now, the Southern hemisphere prepares to welcome in the colorful undertones of Fall, while the Northern

hemisphere prepares for its “Spring Day” to arrive.

These lyrics from BTS’ “Interlude: Wings,” as interpreted and translated by Korean educator and Twitter user @ColinSH3, become a poignant reminder of why BTS’ music transcends borders and transforms lives.

I have faith in me The adversities of my life Have helped me develop my wings I have faith in you Our present may seem humble But prosperous our future shall be Fly, fly up in the sky Fly, fly get ‘em up high Yo, man, you chose this journey So don’t be daunted It’s just the beginning

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