The BTS Connection

I Stumbled upon BTS in 2016 when they released their Wings album. There was this sudden over-hype about a Korean boy band sweeping away tons of awards, and like any regular cat, my piqued curiosity had to be satiated. At that time, K-pop was a very foreign term to most people and there was also this notion of all oriental Asians looking the same.

Well, I’m not proud to admit it, but I was the same. I had some rudimentary knowledge about Korean culture, but that wasn’t enough for me to believe that their music was going to be something I would prefer. I am not the kind of person who likes everything. I pride myself on having a very peculiar and different taste.

So, I opened Youtube and searched for their Blood Sweat and Tears song (because that was all the rage) and Oh god was I blown! It had a bazillion views in just a couple of days!

My mind was whirring at a million miles an hour when I saw that music video.

First, like many normies, was, “Why do they all look the same?” But I couldn’t help shake the feeling of “is there something else to this?” What’s all the hype about? Sure, their music was really catchy (of course I don’t get the lyrics), and yes they are handsome and their videos are beautifully shot but that is something which many artists out there are capable of. So why them? What do these 7 boys have that others don’t?

I scrolled down to look at the comments in search of an answer (force of habit), and quite admittedly, had a very fascinating read. There were many theories about what the video meant and what everything in the MV signifies. My intrigued soul got deeper into it and after watching almost 10 of their videos I realized what it really was. That feeling that I wasn’t able to comprehend before.

It wasn’t their charisma. It wasn’t their performances either. It was the connection, the comfort and the Zen.

The emotions and the feeling of being heard are what drew me towards them. It was like I was lost for such a long time and I had finally found that place, my ‘home’ where everyone is the same.

Maybe we are broken or still struggling, maybe we’re lost or tired but there they were, telling us that we understand you and for us, you matter the most! That’s what BTS has told me and all the army out there. Because they too, have been there, and have suffered much more than we can ever imagine.

Going through a rough patch, ‘Spring Day’ was that consoling hug that told me it’s going to be okay, and ‘No more dream’ told me to get up and work hard. ‘Bulletproof’ was a reminder that we are all in this together and ‘Love Yourself’ was that wake-up call of choosing yourself before everyone else. They are always present to support me in every kind of situation I face. One song and everything just falls into place, rather magically.

Along with their songs, their candid moments and their nature altogether just shows how real everything is. How very normal, clumsy and lovely they are. How they seem so far yet are so close. They have turned my heart purple and I haven’t stopped loving them ever since.

These boys have helped me get through so many tough times. I’ve bawled my eyes out many times while listening to their songs. They have been my reassuring pat on the back and nobody will be able to replace the sense of Euphoria that they give me. They will always be my light and my ever-lasting hope.

BTS resonates with so many people out there. You might have your (quite justifiable) reasons for hating them, as is the trope with every famous artist, but you just can’t ignore the effect their personas have on everyone.

This was just my story of BTS.

In the end, it’s all about that pure and genuine connection. I hope you will find your BTS soon.