edora

[edora @FikaRyding]

@molemates Traveling from Hungary, nationality is Mongolian 🇲🇳💜

[edora @FikaRyding]

@BLUSHINKOO I’m going alone bloc D row 32 🥹

[edora @FikaRyding]

@hoseokyd Same💜💜💜

[edora @FikaRyding]

@_BTSBELGIUM So my friend can use night train, even she has no concert ticket? Right?

[Jimin Global @JiminGlobal]

RM shared that “they don’t know ’bout us” was inspired by conversations with Jimin about emotions, perspective, and how people perceive them!

🐨: “Um, ‘they don’t know ’bout us’ is a song that Jimin really checked up on and worked on a lot.

Jimin always said that through this session, he really improved a lot. Not just in singing, but also in learning vocals and writing melodies too.

Before making this song, me, Jimin, and the songwriters there had worked on another song called ‘Weak.’

While talking about what kind of story we should tell, I brought up the phrase, ‘You make me weak.’ That was what I had in mind. But actually, it was something directed toward you guys.

‘You make me weak.’ It’s something you’d say to someone you love. ‘You always make me weak.’ But that feeling can be both bad and good, kind of like normal emotions.

[….]

Then Jimin asked me, ‘Hyung, why is it “You make me weak”?’ Why does it make you weak?

And I said, because people… they actually don’t know us. They can’t know us. Even I don’t fully know myself.

While talking about that, I think Jimin found that idea really interesting.

The idea that:
‘People make me weak because they don’t really know me.’

The next day, Jimin and I ended up splitting into different rooms, and I think there, with DOC and some sampling they brought in, they turned it into ‘they don’t know ’bout us.’

If you watch the performance, there are all those eyes and faces appearing on the iPad or tablet screens.

So originally, this song actually started as something written for ARMYs, but in the end, it became a really aggressive song directed at people outside who don’t really know us at all.”

[colin @colin_goldmund]

There seems to be a surge of backlash toward BTS lately from people clearly rattled by how massive and successful their concert tour has been so far. The usual insults are back again. Questions about their masculinity. Mockery of ARMY. The same tired assumptions.

It reminded me of something that happened a few years ago. One of my male students, after finding out I was a huge ARMY, asked me if I was gay.

Now, in Korea, the relationship between teacher and student is traditionally built on a fairly rigid hierarchy. Students usually do not speak casually to teachers, challenge them, or ask personal questions. But I have always been a different kind of teacher. I treat my students warmly and as equals, and tell them to ask me anything. They do not even call me seonsaengnim. They call me saam, a more casual and affectionate way of addressing a teacher.

So when he asked me that question, I did not see it as hostility. He was curious, not malicious.

I told him that I support gay rights and equal marriage, but loving BTS does not make me gay. I told him that I love BTS because of their extraordinary writing, rapping, singing, and dancing talents. That I love the sincerity and meaning in their lyrics, and the way they consistently treat people with kindness, warmth, and positivity.

And of course, because I am me, the poor student then had to sit through a very long lecture from me about masculinity and how narrow definitions of it can limit people.

To this day, I still find it strange that some people think appreciating artistry, emotional honesty, beauty, or kindness somehow threatens masculinity. If anything, BTS helped expand the idea of what masculinity can look like for millions of people around the world.

And then there is the mockery of ARMY itself. Some people keep repeating this stereotype that ARMYs are lonely women with no lives who pour all their money into BTS. The assumption is not only lazy, but honestly disconnected from reality.

First, there are many male ARMYs, like me. On Korea’s music streaming platform Melon, around 35% of BTS listeners are male. I even checked the listener statistics for “Swim” today (May 12, 2026), and men made up 37% of the listeners.

Futhermore, the ARMYs I have met are some of the most socially active, accomplished, and creative people I know. They have vibrant family lives, meaningful careers, and talents of their own in writing, art, music, design, education, and countless other fields. One ARMY friend from America who visits Korea often holds a major executive position while also involved with multiple organizations.

No, people do not love BTS because they are lonely. We love BTS because they represent the kind of humanity we want to see more of in the world. Empathy. Hard work. Vulnerability. Kindness. Emotional honesty. Growth.

Being ARMY has enormously enriched my life. Without BTS and ARMY, how would I have ended up with close online and offline friends across the United States, Americas, Africa, Europe, Oceania, and Asia? The fandom opened doors to human connections I otherwise never would have experienced.

And it is funny to watch some men mock women for passionately following BTS when those same people spend enormous amounts of time, money, and emotional energy on football in America or soccer in Europe. Nobody calls them lonely for flying across countries to watch matches, memorizing statistics, wearing jerseys, or centering weekends around sports. Human beings naturally gather around the things they love. Music is no different. BTS is no different.

As for Jimin’s hair, which is somehow also causing backlash, I love it. It immediately reminded me of Brad Pitt’s hair in Troy, where he played Achilles. Achilles was supposed to be a Mediterranean Greek warrior, yet nobody complained that Pitt had flowing Swedish blonde hair down to his shoulders. People accepted it because he looked charismatic and amazing on screen.

That is exactly how Jimin looks with his long blonde hair. I hope he keeps it throughout the entire concert tour.

[moon @poetrysmyg]

i think the reason why bts often makes me so emotional is because they’re literally just 7 best friends who dreamed really big and against all odds made it?? and every time they think they’ve reached their peak, they peak even higher??? idk man i just love them a lot

[Angelina ⊙⊝⊜⁷ @Angeliinaaax_]

Nothin for kpoop

[edora @FikaRyding]

@AboutMusicYT And the haters are still whining about them in this comment section ahhaha…Calling them sajaegi frauds calling armies toxic crazy… go ahead and hate us more, we will rise up even more

[The people need BTS! @JoonzDiamond]

kpop stans problem is that they wanna outdo BTS so badly they cling to anythang so their favs can have the appearance of relevance.

“They drew this crowd! They ate chicken first! They smiled at the frog in the street first!”

None of that negates the fact that BTS paved the way

[𓂀 @samaazzing]

Reading “ youth is never coming back “ as a teen vs in your 20’s is so different like BTS fucked me up with that.
Cause yall.. youth is indeed never coming back.. like never..

[ksj era☆ @areaksj]

sitting these two together was the best choice lmao.

[gigi gojo ꕤ @polartaegi]

THE ONLY GROUP EVER FUCK YOU ALL

[mal 🪭 @lcvemcze]

he’s sexy as fuck but he’s gotta act like a grandpa every 5 minutes or he’ll explode

[rae⁷🫧㉧㉣㉣ @wispyoongi]

i understand why everyone hates armys so much. we are so fucking spoiled. seven jaw-droppingly gorgeous, kindhearted, mind bogglingly talented members who love each other DOWN, a flawless group discography AND seven perfect, unique, interesting solo careers. endless content.

[maya⁷⊙⊝⊜ᴬʳⁱʳᵃⁿᵍ @maayaalicious]

@Variety ☺️

[billboard charts @billboardcharts]

BTS’ ‘ARIRANG’ Spends Second Week Atop Billboard 200 https://t.co/AK7FLbfnVk

[edora @FikaRyding]

@kartoshkatc @Zeroohclock_ Yeah like ur face