Looking through the 100+ songs of BTS, you will find a variety perfect for every kind of mood. From high-energy songs to chill vibes, rap-heavy ones to ballads – they got it all.  And the list will definitely not be complete without those songs that give love, positivity, and comfort for ARMY and for everyone willing to take a listen. 

I listed down my top 10 (in no particular order) BTS comfort songs in this blog entry – songs that give off healing and just wraps you like a warm blanket to get you through the bad days. I wrote down portions of the lyrics (translation from fellow ARMY at https://doolsetbangtan.wordpress.com/) to give you an overview and embedded youtube videos so you can have a good listen if you're interested.

1.  Answer: Love Myself

“You’ve shown me I have reasons I should love myself.”

“Why do you keep trying to hide under your mask, when even the scars made by your own mistake mark your constellations”

2. Magic Shop

“On a day you hate being yourself, on a day you want to disappear forever, let’s build a door in your mind. Once you open the door and enter, this place will wait for you. It’s okay to believe Magic Shop that will comfort you.”

“You gave me the best of me. So you’ll give you the best of you. You found me You recognized me. You’ll find the galaxy inside you.”

3.  Mikrokosmos

“In a dark night, (don’t feel alone) Like stars, (we shine) Don’t disappear because you are one great existence. Let us shine.”

“Perhaps, that tonight is yet again making such a beautiful face is not because of those stars nor the lights but because of us.”

4. Spring Day

“The morning will come again Because no darkness or no season can last forever.”

“If you wait a little bit if you spend just a few sleepless nights, I’ll come to meet you.”

5.  Life Goes On

“Like an echo in the forest, another day will come as if nothing happened. Yeah, life goes on. Like an arrow in the blue sky, another day will fly by. On my pillow, on my table Yeah life goes on Like this again.”

“Although everything is paused, don’t hide in the dark because the light will shine again.”

6. 2! 3!

“It’s okay When I say one two three, forget it. Erase all the sad memories Hold my hand and smile.”

“I hope everything changes once I say It for a better day because we’re together.”

7.  00:00 (Zero O’Clock)

“But still, this day will end When the second hand and the minute hand overlap, the world holds its breath for a very brief moment Zero O’Clock. And you gonna be happy.”

“Like that snow that just settled on the ground, let’s breathe as if this is the beginning. And you gonna be happy. Turn this all around, A time when everything is new, Zero O’Clock.”

8.  A Supplementary Story: You Never Walk Alone

“Though I’d get tired and hurt sometimes, it’s okay because I’m next to you. Because, you and I, if we’re together, we can smile.”

“These wings, although they came out of pain, are wings towards the light. Even if it’s tiring and hurting, if I can fly away, I’ll fly.”

9.  Epilogue: Young Forever

“Forever we are young. In the fluttering flower petal rain, I wander and run in this maze. Forever we are young. Even if I fall, get wounded, and it aches, I run endlessly to my dream.”

10.  Epiphany

“I’m the one I should love in this world. The shining me, the precious soul of mine. I realize only now, so I love me. Though I’m not perfect, I’m so beautiful.”

"One day, the world stopped without any warning," sings Jung Kook on the first line of BTS' BE's title track "Life Goes On." 2020 has seen a tumultuous shift in how we deal with our everyday lives brought about by the COVID-19 crisis. And the world in a way indeed stopped. No different from us, BTS also experienced life in quarantine. The group was supposed to go on their stadium world tour last April, but plans got cancelled due to the pandemic. Given the circumstances, the boys had to make do of the time they have and decided to document their feelings during such difficult times and give fans a gift – “BE.”

"BE" is a documentation of their life during the pandemic released last 20 November 2020. As an ARMY, I highly anticipated this release. It is after all one wherein the boys participated most - from writing, composing, and producing to the concept photos, the album design, and the MV. It is something that the boys poured their hearts and souls into while sharing the whole process with ARMY through live videos.

"I'm at the office. So yeah, had to hold back the emotions. But gosh, this song. And the album. Blue and Grey now playing. Huhu. What have you done, BTS?" This was my exact tweet when I first listened to the album. The emotions this album gave us were something else.

"Life Goes On" perfectly encapsulates the feelings we have when time seemed frozen, and the world seemed lifeless. It gives a melancholic mood while giving off positivity. With lyrics such as “There’s no end in sight. Is there a way out?” which perfectly summarizes what we all are feeling right at this moment. (Will this pandemic ever end?) “Like an echo in the forest, the day will come back around as if nothing happened. Yeah, life goes on. Like an arrow in the blue sky, another day flying by. On my pillow, on my table Yeah, life goes on like this again” as its chorus plays, giving us a ray of positivity as we sing along. 

"Blue & Grey" – the song that was supposed to be a part of V's mixtape – comes next. The emotion this song gives with those delicate vocals and rap parts was something else. This song is probably my favorite from the album. I felt all the feelings it was trying to portray without even reading the lyrics. It hit hard and got me teary-eyed on the first listen. When V started the song with the lyrics "Where is my angel?... Someone come and save me, please." It's just... I can't. And when the chorus part that says: "Oh this ground feels so heavier. I am singing by myself. I just wanna be happier. Would this also be greed?" played, I was not able to hold back - I really cried. As V said (in his Weverse Magazine interview), "I wrote “Blue & Grey” when I was at my lowest point, when I was actually asking whether I could keep going with my work or not. Even the fun parts of work became a chore, and my whole life felt aimless." Somehow, it was his way of getting over his problem, and he is in a better place now.

"Telepathy" sets you into some sort of party mood. You cannot help but vibe with this dancy tune. The autotune (which was not used to cover up bad vocals, but as a creative flavor) added a different color to the song’s overall ambiance. (Why did Suga keep in it the back all these years? Or maybe it is just waiting for the right moment to be finally released?) The song is perfectly fitting for this album. According to Jin (during the global press conference for "BE"), the lyrics describe the sad reality where BTS cannot meet fans due to the pandemic.  As Suga starts the song, "In the days that feel the same, I'm the happiest when I meet you." It is also telling that even though BTS and ARMY cannot be together physically, they are still together in heart and in mind.

"Dis-ease" the sixth track on the album, talks about the love-hate relationship with work as a disease. As J-hope shared (in his Weverse Magazine interview), "When I was working, I’d say, “Ugh, I need a break,” but then we took time off and the words, “Ugh, I want to work,” jumped out of my mouth!” That’s what made me think more closely: “Why is this bothering me? I have a chance to rest—just take it. Why do I feel like I need to work under these circumstances? Is this an occupational disease?” I felt like this was a part of me that I could express at this point in time." Although it talks about such a thing, the scratching and the beat of the song urge you to get over it and stay positive. As the lyrics tell us, "There's no eternal night. I've become stronger. Fireworks are bursting. I will never fade away."

The upbeat songs continue with "Stay." This subunit song by Jin, Jung Kook, and RM was originally meant for Jung Kook's mixtape. This EDM track –  reminiscent of their song So What – makes you want to jump out of your seat and dance. Just as Jungkook said (through a Weverse Magazine interview), "We imagined we were performing for the fans while we made it, jumping up and down with them." This song sends a message that even though we're far apart, we always stay together – "Wherever you are, I know you always stay." as the song goes.

Lastly, the song that was such a bop you never get tired of –  "Dynamite" –  their first all-English song. Although they were not sure if the song would be included in the album at first, it was a good way to end it. As its lyrics go: "I'm diamond, you know I glow up" and "Shining through the city with a little funk and soul. I'mma light it up like dynamite." The bright and positive atmosphere and message that this disco tune gives off was the perfect way to end "BE" which talks about going through tough times and life going on during this pandemic.

“BE” is a project album and is thus not part of the whole Bangtan Universe or the story they create with their releases. And although it does not give the bang that Map of the Soul:7 gave us last February, this album was a welcome gift. It is simple, but not quite, and full of emotions. It gives nothing short of what the boys wanted to convey – a message of healing and connecting with fans despite not seeing each other.

“BE” is like a warm hug. The comfort we never knew we needed. A reminder that despite everything, life goes on – this too shall pass – and a better day will come. As J-Hope sings in “Life Goes On,” “Let us thread tomorrow with today. Stopped for now, but don't hide in the shadows. Once again, daylight will glow.”

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.

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. 

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!