Volume 01 Issue 04

September 14-20, 2020

My sister-in-law gave birth yesterday! Finally, we have a baby in the family! My sister is also expecting her baby in a few weeks, so very soon we will have TWO babies. It’s been such a tough year, so isolating, and yet it was clear to me from the beginning that no errand or socially distanced meet-up would be worth risking harm to the babies. They’re not yet home from the hospital, so I haven’t met him yet. I used to schedule my weekends around which friend’s kid to hang out with, so the past six baby-deprived months have been brutal for my mental health (on top of all the other shit). Now we have one I can cuddle any time!

Baby ARMY⁷

Immediately after sending last week’s newsletter, I spent the rest of Sunday evening learning the choreo to Dynamite. It’s supposed to be one of the “easier” ones to learn but nope. LOL. I thought I was done with explainers after posting two weeks’ worth of context and baby ARMY guides to BTS [explainer 1, explainer 2] but I have come to realize there is another important aspect that I have yet to cover in full: ARMY.

ARMY is the name of the BTS fanbase. Here are two good articles about ARMY -- Vox and the New York Times -- but basically, ARMY stans BTS and, equally important, BTS stans ARMY right back. Watch any award acceptance speech; they never fail to thank ARMY. Jungkook has ARMY tattooed on his knuckles! (This link also taught me that it’s a tribute to his hyungs; I’m crying...)  BTS shares so much of their “real lives” on apps like WeVerse (replying to fan posts or sharing their own thoughts) and Vlive (for vlogs and other videos) because it helps them cultivate such a deep relationship with fans. In return, ARMY rewards them with non-stop streams and new purchases of music, boosting BTS to the top of the music charts, helping them win metrics-based awards. ARMY understands how the different platforms’ algorithms work -- for example, that streams on Spotify get disqualified if you’re looping a track or album, because that’s bot behavior -- and puts together guides for baby ARMY to “stream like a human.” Pro tip from Ishy: If you wanna help, stream Dynamite from the official artist page (the music video on Youtube, or official track/remixes on Spotify), twice a day. Other videos/accounts/tracks don’t count towards Dynamite’s official numbers. Or look for a playlist that says “Dynamite Streaming” so it’s already optimized. Don’t loop! More info in the guide above, it’s honestly so fascinating. These people are obsessed with metrics and strategy.

As far as I can tell, there’s no “leader” - ARMY operates via some sort of hive mind. Upon advice from Ishy and Mara, this week I revived an old public Twitter account to officially join “ARMY Twitter” to get more insight and see the jokes. How do you know if an account is ARMY? One of the clues is a little superscript 7 on the display name, because there are 7 members. I would literally have never noticed it, but then Aidz called it out, and so I immediately changed my display names. HAHA. I changed the heading of this section, too, so you can see what I mean.

A few early observations about ARMY: there is a concerted effort to stan all 7 members (“OT7”). It is okay to have a bias, but not socially acceptable to choose one member and bash the others, or wish the group disbands so that your bias can go solo. ARMY takes their role very seriously; I see reminders like, "Don't spread negativity under any Grammys post. Don't forget, we are responsible for the boys' reputation. Be as polite as you can." (Suga has announced that they want to win a Grammy. So far, every goal Suga has declared for them has come true. But Grammys nominations and winners are voted on by the Recording Academy, and therefore fans can’t influence it either way.)  ARMY translates every tweet, every post, every appearance, every interview, every video that gets uploaded. These translations are the reason that ARMY is global, that a K-pop band can go on a world tour with songs that, before Dynamite, have been partly or fully in Korean!

BTS would not be as big as they are without ARMY, and they consider every new milestone they reach as a shared success. Reacting to their Dynamite #1 on Billboard, they posted a screaming video with the hashtag #OurARMYreceivedanaward and RM tweeted “Teamwork makes the dream work” - a statement he tweets for every big success. They had to cancel their world tour this year, and one of their early big appearances was the Youtube Class of 2020 event in June, where they shared their message for graduates. (Jimin’s made me cry: “I hope you are all doing well, but if things are not okay, even in the slightest, we send you our most sincere consolation with all our hearts. Remember there is a person here in Korea, in the city of Seoul, who understands you.”) One of the songs they performed was Spring Day, a song about the grief of missing someone; yearning; longing to see them again once winter is over. They performed Spring Day a second time at the iHeartradio music festival this week. They haven’t performed this song in years, and now they’ve chosen it for two performances in the span of a few months! Talk about a message to fans! I keep saying BTS is so profound, but it’s really true. They’re so chaotic on some shows like Bon Voyage and Run BTS, but then turn around and deliver such a heartfelt and meaningful message like this. I love it. The duality!

Also, BTS donated $1 million to Black Lives Matter, and ARMY matched it within 24 hours. (Here’s an explainer with infographics about how exactly they did it! Fascinating. It also includes a map of the ARMY Twitter ecosystem, which is wonderful to see laid out like this.) ARMY is also responsible for that Trump rally that nobody went to. You’re probably familiar with these headlines already; I heard about these before I knew what BTS was. I just knew “random kpop band’s fans.” But I -- and now you, too -- have a better idea of who exactly ARMY is and how they wield their power. Anybody can be ARMY, by the way. As long as you enjoy the music, you’re already baby ARMY.

Videos I enjoyed this week:

• Aia and I have been on a “Kookie binge” this week (Jungkook is affectionately known as ‘Kookie’ among ARMY). My favorites are Jungkook and his hyungs at his entrance ceremony and his high school graduation, and two videos from the event where Jungkook dueted with Charlie Puth on “We Don’t Talk Anymore.” In the first video, Jungkook pulls aside his (young, female!) English tutor because he was panicking about needing to make small talk with "Puth-hyung" (!) in English (7:55). I immediately started writing a romance novel in my head about a young K-pop idol falling for his English tutor. It also puts into context why #JungkookEnglish trended on Twitter when they guested on Fallon earlier this year: because he answered the Q&A in full sentences in English!! (5:18) (Aside: Lainey Gossip has an excellent analysis of the BTS takeover of Fallon’s show — the entire hour! That’s huge! — highly recommend.) The second video from the Charlie Puth event shows a lot more of the behind-the-scenes, including the moment the hyungs cheer him on with silent fist pumps from off-camera (23:55) , and RM exclaims “That’s our kid!” with such pride in his voice (26:21). I dieddddd and then rewatched these videos multiple times. I also love that on In the Soop, their current reality show where they’re on a staycation (yes, really) Jungkook talks to inanimate objects like he’s a Disney princess. 

• This clip from the Bangtan bomb/stagecam of their iHeart Dynamite performance where V “acts normal” while Jungkook does his part. What a dummy, I can’t resist him lol.

• This behind-the-scenes of them getting ready for the VMAs Dynamite performance. V has the nerve to look the hottest he’s ever looked and then comment on his “puffy face” because he ate black bean noodles at 3:00 a.m. Rude! He also plays with Jungkook’s hair and earrings; it’s super cute.

• The recent America’s Got Talent Dynamite performance might be the best yet, because the camerawork shows them at their sparkliest, most attractive, most talented. I’ve heard of multiple people starting their baby ARMY journey because of this video!

• This week, they gave a Message to the Young at Korea’s first Youth Day and presented the South Korean president with a time capsule to be opened 19 years from now. I was taken aback by how openly they confessed to their feelings of inadequacy, vulnerability, self-doubt. I keep feeling panicky when I watch videos of them talking this way, I think just because it’s so unusual. Zayn leaving One Direction was traumatic as hell and I am terrified that the same thing is going to happen again with BTS, but acknowledging their feelings is a healthier way for them to deal with the tough aspects of their fame. The speech itself is beautifully written, too. So profound!

• I have watched this V/Taehyung WAP edit a creepy number of times. We’re still in the middle of a pandemic, I NEED THIS. Leave me alone!

Once again, I have gone on for too long about BTS. Will next week’s be shorter? Who knows! Basta masaya ako, yun na yun!

Shop Small, Love Local

I saw Isa post about butter chicken a few months ago, made by her friends Nikki and Bebo at @bebos.cc on IG. After confirming with her that it isn’t spicy, I ordered so I could try for myself. Butter chicken always reminds me of London, specifically Dishoom, one of my favorite restaurants. Dishoom’s butter chicken is my favorite ever; even though it’s spicy, it’s worth risking my allergies for. Happy to confirm that Bebo’s butter chicken is deeeelicious, so rich and flavorful! I’ve ordered it a second time this past week and am already thinking about when to place my third order. They have other kinds of food too - peri peri chicken, hummus, vegan adobo, etc. It’s legit. TRY IT! If you like it, I’d love to hear about it.

Currently…

Feeling excited for and proud of a new project I’m launching at work in a few weeks. Weirdly, even though I’ve felt like shit this whole time, there have been a lot of work achievements that I couldn’t have dreamt of before. I overworked myself this year because work was the only area where I could have some control. I really struggled with setting boundaries on my time and energy, and for a few months, I was working 11-12 hours a day. (BTS changed that, lol)

Donating my Harry Potter books to a network of high school libraries, along with a lot of books from my teenage years. The HP books brought me joy when I first bought them; I distinctly remember reading Book 7 in Araneta Coliseum while waiting for that day’s Ateneo basketball game. I read almost exclusively on Kindle now so if I want to read the series again, I won’t be reading a hardbound version. May those high schoolers find the same wonder and magic in the series as I did. (And may they realize that they can still love Harry Potter while denouncing She Who Must Not be Named. As I told Aia, fuck JKR, Jungkook is the only JK now haha) If you want to donate books, I’m happy to help facilitate your donation. The librarians will do the sorting so feel free to send even the “adult” books. Let me know!

Reading a bunch of Meg Cabot books - I hadn’t realized she continued the “Boy Meets Girl” series in recent years! I also liked the new book she just released this month, the second in the “Little Bridge Island” series. In between, I snuck in “Majesty” by Katharine McGee, the sequel to “American Royals.” Also enjoyed it! Next on my list is “Luster” by Raven Leilani. I hope it lives up to the hype.

Wearing this excellent ‘Per My Last Email’ sweatshirt from Phenomenal Woman Action Campaign, whose founder and CEO is Meena Harris. Meena is Kamala’s niece; a phenomenal woman in her own right. She used to be the head of Strategy at Uber! And their whole family is gorgeous and smart and talented. Can you tell I have a girlcrush on her? She wrote a children’s book called Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea, a book about coming together for a common goal; the most famous quote is: “No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.” It’s great, she’s great, love everything about her.

Grieving the end of Thirst Aid Kit, one of my favorite podcasts. Bim and Nichole have taught me so much about lusting out loud, why we thirst, what it says about us that *these* are the men (or women!) we’re thirsting after. I paid *and woke up early* to attend a virtual live show of this podcast, that’s how much I love it. Worth a listen! The Chris Evans, Joshua Jackson, Jason Mantzoukas, and Wilson Bethel episodes are particularly great. Bim and Nichole are so talented and I’d follow them anywhere.

Longreads

Buying Myself Back -- Emily Ratajkowski, The Cut.
“When does a model own her own image?” If you read just one of the links in this section, make it this one. Emily Ratajkowski (@emrata on IG) was always a pretty face but after reading this, I realized she’s so much more than that. This is sharp and raw and devastating.

Why Goodreads is bad for books -- Sarah Manavis, New Statesman.
This gets at many of the reasons why Goodreads is a pain to use, AND offers an alternative. Signing up for the StoryGraph immediately!

‘My Limited Experience With Love Has Been Totally Humiliating’ -- Heather Havrilesky, Ask Polly.
“I believe in love. If you do too, then feel that and live it and talk about it and never, ever be ashamed of it. This world needs us. If you have the courage to stand up for love, to give your love generously, to lead by example, to throw your love out there without worrying about who loves you back, then do that. Let someone else hang back and feel ashamed. That’s not you. You greet the sky with open arms. You embrace whatever comes next. That’s how love finds you.”

Stop Expecting Life to Go Back to Normal Next Year -- Aaron E. Carroll, The New York Times.
“Too many are relaxing because they think that salvation is just around the corner. That’s possible, but certainly not probable. It would be better to prepare for a difficult 2021 and be surprised by its being easier than to assume things will be easier and find life is still hard.”

I Don't Want Kids. But The Pandemic Has Made Me Miss Them A Lot. -- Anna Holmes, BuzzFeed.
“I’d be lying, though, if I didn’t say these video sessions don’t create a certain sort of grief, a grief of both distance and time. My kid friends are simply growing up and doing so ‘without’ me, and nowhere is that more evident than in the FaceTime sessions I try to schedule with some regularity but which underscore again and again just how rapidly time moves at the same moment in history when the coronavirus has seemed to slow it down to a fugue-like crawl.”

Honestly, I'm just tired. -- Morgan Sung, Mashable.
“For me, accepting the fact that I'm in the hell zone gives me a chance to recharge. Is it enjoyable? Not particularly. I'd rather not deal with it at all, but suppressing this ongoing exhaustion will only make it worse. You do not need to be on top of it all of the time.”

Class Of COVID-19: The Horrifying Sadness Of Sending My Kids To College During A Pandemic -- John Paczkowski, BuzzFeed.
“Masked, we exchange a look that I can’t quite describe, but it is simultaneously sympathetic and scared. ‘He's never been away from home before,’ she says, ‘and this...’ she gestures generally at the incalculable everything of the current moment. She trails off without finishing the thought. She doesn’t need to. And anyway, she is clearly trying not to cry. I know this because I am also trying not to cry. It is much harder than I thought.”

The Crushing Reality of Zoom School -- Dan Sinker, Esquire.
“The lesson we refuse to learn with COVID-19 is that decisions we make today have no bearing on right now, but have a huge effect in a few months. ... The entire point of the shutdowns was to buy time, to make plans, to lay a foundation for a return that would work. All that time got flushed away by a president more obsessed with hyping miracle cures than doing the hard, thankless work of grinding out a workable plan with scientists and educators and then funding it at a level that could make it actually feasible.”

Until next week! Feel free to share this newsletter, it’s open to the public. I always get excited any time people engage with me about things that I post, so please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts. Unless it’s mean or mansplainy: in that case, no thank you. <3 If this is your first time reading this, you can subscribe via the button below and then the next issues will land in your inbox.

Yours from afar,
Pinky