Volume 01 Issue 07 part 2 (BTS)
Map of the Soul: 7: ON:E concert
This was the most fun weekend I’ve had since the pandemic started. All in all, I watched the concert (Day 1 and Day 2) a grand total of six times. If that seems insane to you, from Saturday evening to Monday morning, I was messaging non-stop in a group chat with Cam, Ishy, and Raissa because we were all watching the live streams and replays at the same time. So much fun! On top of that, I had side chats with Christine, Des, and Lilia; Rica; Aia; and Trish, who were watching “with” me at one viewing or another. And of course, ARMY Twitter, the party I never want to leave.
There will be write-ups from entertainment journalists about what a feat this was for BTS, that they delivered a virtual concert -- that was not just “almost as good as a live concert” but actually a kind of concert they’d never be able to do live! -- to close to one million paying customers across 191 countries. (BTS world domination!) The innovative and groundbreaking use of augmented reality and extended reality technology they used. How genius and special it was to raffle off tickets to be “live on air” to ARMY - so that the boys could at least hear and see the crowd’s energy, if not feel that in person. The setlist that was a gift to quarantine ARMY like me, a journey through their discography starting with a taste of their early work, to their individual solo performances of songs on the latest album. That they think of everything, literally everything, down to the smallest details like the backup dancers wearing masks 100% of the time in a way that makes sense for the performance; you don’t even really notice that it’s for COVID protection. How powerful and thirst-inducing it was to see them perform old hits with new (hot!) looks.
What I want to remember is how I felt watching it: how devastated I was for them, going into Day 1, that they wouldn’t experience the high of performing for a crowd. How impressed I was that they killed it, absolutely smashed the choreography and vocals, made our brains leak out of our ears with the visuals. And then how Jimin broke down in his final remarks about why this pandemic is the way it is, why is this happening to him - and that we cried tears of frustration along with him. He put into words the helplessness a lot of us have been feeling in our own lives, and that moment was so raw and honest. What other artist would end a concert like that? Only BTS would dare to be so human and deeply vulnerable.
The members must have seen from online chatter how happy ARMY was with Day 1, because Day 2 concert felt a lot looser and brighter. They seemed more relaxed and confident. The production quality went up a notch, too - better lighting, better audio, better camera work, and Jungkook’s outfit change that broke the internet.
For me, the most moving part was Day 2’s final remarks. Jin’s really struck me, because on Day 1, he mentioned feeling it was only 50% fun because we were connected to them through a screen, not in person. On Day 2, he flipped it to: “Next time we see each other again, we’ll be two to three times happier.” It’s a subtle shift, but says so much about what they value, how they hope to inspire us. We can be happy now and look forward to being two to three times happier in the future, instead of living half-lives today. Incredible.
They must have talked as a group after Day 1 about wanting to end on a hopeful note - because all of their speeches on Day 2 focused on how much they missed ARMY so much but, as RM said, “At least, we can do this.” When speaking about how grateful he was for the technology that enabled us to experience the concert without latency, RM continued, “I’m so happy. I have no religion, but I thank God we are living in 2020.” What a subversive, inspiring thing to say about a year we all want to move on from. “We are literally strong. We’ll find a way, we always have. If there’s no way, let’s redraw the map, the whole map, again.” This is some true leader energy. Kim Namjoon, I would follow you to the ends of the earth.
My chats were flooded with worry for SUGA during the opening number on Day 2, because he clearly had a problem with his left shoulder. Sure enough, the first chance he got, he reassured us that he was fine now, nothing to worry about. How do they always know what we’re thinking? The artist-fan connection between BTS and ARMY is so strong; I have never seen or been a part of anything like it. Aside from ARMY on screen and singing along, their last song had ARMY in floating AR cubes filling the stadium. They ended the concert with a title card saying: “We are together/We are forever/We are not seven/With you.” I sobbed! They miss us so much!
Two insights on Twitter resonated with me after we left Day 1 concert broken:
@MicheBangtan: “It almost feels weird to cry over someone else’s dream. I’m crying because BTS didn’t get to do the tour THEY wanted to. I’m crying over THEIR dreams and losses. But they became my dreams FOR them so they’re my losses too I guess. Maybe that’s why it hurts this much.”
@gigglygukk: “Someone said that when we miss BTS, we watch vlives, old videos, compilations, etc. But when they miss us, what have they got to do? … I’ve never been in this much pain.”
We’re used to consuming BTS content through our own devices, seeing them through a screen. But they’re not used to seeing ARMY through their screens. I hope they’re able to let go of their regrets and frustrations about the concert and rest well knowing that they were able to make almost a million paying customers (not counting watch parties and illegal streamers!) feel alive, happy, and hopeful again, if only for a brief weekend.
Everything they do is for ARMY, that much is evident in every decision they made for this concert. I’ve been a big fan of a couple of artists in the past but have never felt that they thought about us, cared about us, took what we wanted into consideration. I’ve never felt that my participation mattered in some way to their success. In my experience, fandom has always been a very passive consumption-type of relationship. BTS hits different though. I must have streamed Dynamite and Savage Love Remix 200 times the past week - because ARMY wants to give BTS that achievement of a simultaneous #1 and #2 on the Billboard charts. They got it late last night - the first Asian act to do so ever, and one of only five acts in history. And today is Jimin’s birthday! Since Dynamite came out, all the boys were at #1 on their birthdays; it’s ARMY’s birthday gift to each of them. If they’re happy, we’re happy. This relationship and this connection is real, both for them and for us. That is so wild and thrilling, and I’m so lucky to be a part of this community. Anyone who isn’t yet a fan is missing out, for real. This weekend confirmed it: I’m in this Bangtan Sonyeondan shit for life.
Read part 1 of last week’s newsletter here (regular non-BTS content) and everything I’ve published about BTS here. The next issues will land in your inbox if you subscribe using this button. Thanks for reading!
I purple you,
Pinky