There is something so incredibly special about BTS and ARMY, and I genuinely don’t think we realize just how rare it is.
Right now, I cannot think of another artist with the kind of power BTS has, and I cannot think of another fandom, not just in music, but anywhere with the kind of power ARMY has.
BTS came from a broke, practically unknown label and built an empire from the ground up, and they built it on their art. They never had to compromise the quality of what they wanted to create. They made music that resonated across generations, cultures and languages, and after everything they have achieved, the thing they continue to prioritize is staying true to themselves, their identity and their art.
And ARMY was never built on a TikTok trend or some fleeting moment of hype. ARMY was built by people who genuinely fell in love with music. People who took the time to listen to BTS, understand their discography, understand their artistry, understand the members, and understand the love and respect they have for one another.
There is something so authentic about BTS; the way they respect each other, love each other, create together and exist together. They have never needed to pretend to be something they aren't. They are simply themselves, and that authenticity is a huge part of why people have stayed for so long. And look at what that has created.
ARMY is one of the most powerful fan-driven communities in the world. When it comes to showing up, streaming, voting, buying, attending concerts, supporting projects, spreading music, there is an incredible force behind this fandom and we can improve even more. Artists dream of having this kind of connection with their audience.
And I think that is exactly why the industry will continue trying to put BTS into boxes.
BTS built something enormous without needing to hand over their power to the institutions that once decided what they were allowed to be. They don't need permission. They don't need validation. And they certainly don't need to give the people who tried to diminish them a piece of what they built. We've seen attempts to segregate, categorize and diminish BTS for years, and I don't think those attempts are going anywhere. If anything, as BTS becomes bigger, we will probably see more of them.
But ARMY is becoming more aware too.
And that's why I think we need to start choosing our battles.
Speaking up against an industry that genuinely discriminates against or undermines BTS matters more than fighting pixels on a screen. Building a positive narrative around BTS is more powerful than endlessly amplifying a negative one just to fight it. Our energy is valuable. We should be asking ourselves where that energy can actually create an impact.
We don't need to isolate ourselves anymore.
Don't be afraid to enter other music spaces because someone might be racist or xenophobic toward BTS. Don't be afraid to talk about their music outside the little bubble we've created for ourselves. BTS has reached a point where a random hate account's opinion is not going to determine their legacy. We need to embrace how far they've come and move forward with that confidence.
Have fun. Make people look at ARMY and think, I want to be part of that.
Let people see a fandom that is passionate, creative, loud, welcoming, ridiculously energetic and genuinely having the time of its life. Let people experience the joy of BTS instead of constantly watching us fight over people who were never going to listen anyway.
We are ambassadors of BTS's music. We are ambassadors of the world they built and the art they have given us. So let's act like it. Let's take their music everywhere. Let's talk about the songwriting, the production, the performances, the vocals, the rap, the choreography, the artistry. Let's introduce people to the things that made us fall in love with them in the first place.
NEVER FORGET WHEN NAMJOON SAID:
🐨There are ppl who just pray with a bottle of water in their home 'please BTS just go fall down, break & collapse'
🐨okay guys for 2/3 yrs we have been apart
🐨u had ur little fun so now knock knock pew pew
ICONIC🔥
The arirang tour has unlocked a new type of greed in me, my dream was to see them at least once and now it’s to see them as many times as possible, I absolutely understand everyone going to every show they can bc my heart yearns for the same
taehyung is a much better person that i ever will be cause if i just looked like this then best believe nobody would be hearing the end of it or have a peaceful day as a matter of fact
RM: We are treating this moment as our new start...this is definitely gonna be a new chapter for BTS."
BTS 2.0 genuinely feels like a rebirth. ARIRANG feels like the beginning of a completely new BTS era; one where they’ve returned to their roots, but they’re not the same artists who started there. They’re older, more mature, more confident, and far more secure in who they are.
And perhaps the most beautiful part is that they have nothing left to prove. After everything they’ve accomplished, They’re simply making the music they want to make, telling their stories, embracing their roots and continuing to grow while somehow becoming bigger and bigger in the process.
It really does feel like we’re witnessing BTS being reborn, without them ever having to become anyone other than themselves.