Black Swan at The Late Late Show with James Corden

I can barely remember how it all started, but from what I recall, it was Fake Love that I first saw on YouTube. If I’m not mistaken, BTS was performing on an American show at the time. The member who was always at the center immediately caught my attention — Jungkook. Let’s be honest, he is one good-looking guy.

Still, I didn’t feel like looking further into the group. When I later heard IDOL — super catchy — it initially came across as a little boastful. At that point, I didn’t understand the lyrics, nor did I make any effort to. I didn’t want to like them simply because they were famous. I didn’t want to jump on the bandwagon. No, I am not that type.

My next encounter was probably Boy With Luv. I clearly remember V’s blue hair, which caught my attention. I know many were captivated by it. That was when my interest began to grow. Who could resist singing along to “Oh my, my, my… Oh my, my, my…” while watching them performing and having fun on stage?

The Boy With Luv era marked the turning point. I started watching more performances, music videos, and random clips on YouTube. Gradually, my curiosity deepened. Little did I know that I would become a full-pledged ARMY, the name of BTS’s fans. I started digging deep into the lyrics and began reading English translations of their songs, watching videos about their journey, learning about their struggles and achievements. Fast forward to a few weeks, and I found myself downloading apps because of them — VLive, Weverse, even Superstar BTS — along with an app with all English translations of their songs.

Many people categorize BTS as just another K-pop group or pop group known for catchy songs and attractive visuals. Choosing not to look deeper may lead to misconceptions and stereotypes. Some assume K-pop is only for teenagers or dismiss listeners as immature.

I used to be somewhat guilty of surface-level assumptions too — though I had listened to K-pop for years. But when I truly paid attention, I finally understood the hype and was captivated. That was when it hit me: these aren’t just catchy songs. Their music carries depth. While many songs today have lyrics that sometimes do not quite make sense, BTS consistently includes powerful and deep messages in their work.

Their music is far more than what we simply hear or see. In one of their interviews, J-hope stated that “Bangtan (Bangtan Sonyeondan is their name in Korean) means to be resistant to bullets, so it means to block out stereotypes, criticisms, and expectations that aim at adolescents like bullets, to preserve the values and ideals of today’s adolescents.”  You may say that what they tell us through their songs is anchored in this meaning in some ways. Past the bops and the catchy tunes are poetry—lyrics that talk about society, struggles of the youth, self-love, finding oneself, and many more.

Past the visually stunning music videos and complex choreographies is a genuine passion for music and a sincere desire to create positive change. The boys are not in great pursuit of records after all. As Jin shared during the press conference held for their album Map of the Soul: 7, “Results and records are important, but if people draw happiness from our music, that would be the greatest result we can achieve...” Suga emphasized that “..purpose is more important than the goal…”

At the heart of it all is authenticity. These guys love music. As RM once said, "Music transcends language. BTS communicates with our fans by staying true to ourselves and believing in music every day." And perhaps that is their true strength—not just in the music they create, but in the sincerity and purpose behind it.

Aside from their deep love for music, what even fascinated me was their personalities. Beneath their intensity and drive when performing are their humble and fun selves. These boys are definitely goofballs and crackheads, and they are unapologetically themselves. You simply will not be able to resist their charms. Watching their weekly variety show Run BTS! (if you’re looking for a good laugh, this is for you), their travel show Bon Voyage (they will definitely show you beautiful places and show their genuine bond), and snippets of behind the scenes with Bangtan bombs and BTS episodes on YouTube will give you a taste of who they really are as musicians and as regular people. 

Watching their movies and documentaries reveals something more: behind the success and the fame are years of struggles, sacrifice, and resilience. And despite all that they have achieved, they remain grounded and continue to be the humble boys they are.

Above all, their love for ARMY is evident. In every award acceptance speech, they never fail to mention ARMY and express sincere gratitude. They constantly remind fans that they wouldn’t have come this far if it weren’t for their fans. They always make us feel that we are a part of them, a part of their success, of who they are now. I haven’t been to a live concert, but watching clips and fan cams will tell you that they truly treasure us ARMYs – you can see it in their eyes when they look at the crowd, you can feel it through their smiles while having fun, you can hear it when they are making their ending messages. The admiration, the gratitude, the love, the care, the sincerity, the genuineness – it's all there.

All of this — the music, the meaning, the personalities, the humility — is what drew me in and what will lead you, too (if you give them a chance), down the BTS rabbit hole, love the boys, and make you stay in this Bangtan Sonyeondan sh*t for life.

 

P.S.

Whether it’s the banger “Did you see my bag?” which you might have thought to be cocky but turns out to be a confident diss track, the empowering “Can’t stop me loving myself,” with the colorful mv or the irresistibly catchy “Oh my, my, my…” — it doesn’t matter when or how you became a fan. As RM once said, "There are many people who became our fans recently. No matter when you became our fans, we are always thankful for your love. It is your love that makes us glow.”

And perhaps that’s the real reason people stay.

The closest I got to them boys in Korea.

Happy ARMY day, fam! Borahae!