Rambling thoughts thread:
In the past, BTS’ albums were within narrative arcs, in trilogies and within a larger “Reflection of Youth” arc — all conveying their authentic personal stories through music and art. That big “narrative arc” (theoretically) ended w Map of the Soul and +
a “final” “finding of self”.
MOTS was (originally) meant to be a trilogy (persona, shadow & ego) but we got the masterpiece MOTS:7 instead of two separate (probably) EPs.
Now, BTS have mentioned “New Chapter” a lot (JK @ AMAs, Joon @ Variety, Joon @ PTD press con) and BHM too +
(At this point, I think we’re all more than half expecting the next album to actually be called “new chapter”🤪😂🤡)
But, interestingly, +
Back in June 2021, for Festa, BTS & BH used the idea of books and chapters for the table talk of their, and ARMYs’, story:
Book 1: Our Story
Ch 1: BTS Now (off-air life during the pandemic)
Ch 2: Memories with ARMY
Book 2: Stop & Run
Ch 1: Changed Life
Ch 2: Comeback (Butter) +
Book 3: BTS’ Future - The moment we meet again.
The theme of the Book 3 keywords had BTS talking about their hopes and what they imagined for the future, meeting ARMY face to face again, and the kinds of messages to tell ARMY about their feelings, the moment etc🥺 +
Remember, this Festa was also when BTS looked back & directly spoke a little abt past hardship & later explained they finally did bcuz those chapters are over. They’re ok, maybe it was necessary, but ignoring them like it had never happened would be like saying "that's not them"+
With the theme/arc of the “books/chapters” from June 2021, it’s especially interesting to me how Joon described: 1) their past (feeling limited, facing invisible walls, fighting and working hard with all their hearts in every moment), that added up to get+
2) the miracle of where they are today with ARMY (the present), and 3) how they now feel they’re really at the beginning of a new chapter (the future), at the PTD press conference.
His description/answer seems to kinda follow a similar arc to the books/chapters from Festa…+
🤔🤷♀️
Also, so many of us commented on how, while in America, BTS seemed so much more comfortable & confident. They’ve known for years they make history w us, but the (polite) flexing and emphasizing BTS’ and ARMYs’ (real) power in interviews was done in way that seemed…new for them +
And interestingly, they said they’re not afraid anymore (Yoongi & Hobi)
BTS hv actually talked quite a lot abt fear over the yrs. Someone pointed out to me on the below thread how BTS communicating having no more fear now aligns with their messaging about a new chapter 🤔🤷♀️+
Idk. Whatever it will be, it seems to me like BTS’ new chapter is one they’re really looking forward to, with confidence and without fear. I hope the music industry is terrified by that. They should be.💜
🧐Well what JK meant to say was “focus on enjoying every moment”. Which reminds me of something Joon touched on back in 2018. How worries, having “troubles” (ie, fear/pain?), prevented him from enjoying moments he felt he should. BTS without fear is free to enjoy every moment…🤷♀️
So Namjoon’s IG posts today reminded me to rebuild a thread off my old acct from after he shared a first look @ Rkive in the new Yongsan building. (Because Yun Hyong-Keun)
[Rebuild]
First, some things don’t change🥺Joon’s trio of framed desk pictures have been the same for yrs +
1) a picture of ARMY from 5th Muster in Busan 2) *THE* @BTS_twt family photo 3) Yoshitomo Nara’s Poindexter, 2010, charity postcard print +
1) Picture of ARMY
Joon has explained that he keeps ARMY on his desk, next to him. In his January 2021 VLive he said if he thinks we will all meet again one day, everything becomes fine, and he always looks at this picture…+
BTS’ 1st US TV performance was actually filmed March 2017 & they were rly worried bc the stage was tiny🥺In talks w the show BTS’ team said what mattered was what BTS wanted & BTS had to decide. BTS agreed to perform in the space but wld review, approve AND cld edit out anything+
So a couple things:
- Commonly spread info is that Nov 2017 AMAs were BTS’ US TV debut. *Technically* it wasn’t.
BTS filmed The Secret Show for JBTV in Chicago in Mar 2017 (it broadcast (only on a handful of stations) in June 2017). The 2017 AMAs *were* BTS’ US national TV debut+
- Was reminded of this often overlooked fact since the tl brought up ⤵️ pic bcoz of how much seating BTS has at the AMAs w “they’ll still squish together” & “ottoman on coffee table!” etc😂
- so the reason, at least for the ottoman, is bc they’d cleared space in the hotel room +
I was rereading Joon’s Nov 2020 BE Interview in WV mag to check something (else), but his answers here struck me again, especially in retrospect:
“I used to be attuned to speech and focus on language and auditory textures, but now I can look at my thoughts from many diff angles
+
“…I think [studying art] gave me an eye for looking at the world in one long, continuous stroke. So now it's become a little challenging for me to write lyrics these days. I've become more cautious…
I used to have so many ideas pouring out that it was hard to pluck one out…
+
“But now…l sense that the rhythm of my creativity is slowing down more & more. That's the source of my dilemma. I'm only 27…I still need to wander around & get tripped up a little…Or maybe BTS experienced so much in the past 7yrs, that now it's time for us to take a breather?”
[Thread]
“though I always tell myself that
I got better, stronger, to trust & believe in myself, I still end up collapsing & it's very difficult to do anything abt it…
+
Namjoon Fancafe 20160510 ltr after May 7/8 start of The Most Beautiful Moment in Life On Stage: Epilogue tour
“And I still feel afraid. A lot of you guys probably feel the same, right? There's nothing more terrifying than properly admitting that you are "afraid"…
+
Namjoon Fancafe 2016.05.10
“But now I've come to realize little by little that there are so many people standing by my side. I've thought over and over that from now on, I want to offer you my hand and help you up whenever you fall down…
+
Namjoon Fancafe 2016.05.10
This narrative is annoying & the number of likes tell me 21k people haven’t bothered to watch the full original content, but instead blindly believe out of context screenshots. Why? Because this fits whatever victimization story they’ve made up/been told?🙄🤦♀️
[Thread] to clarify+
The 1st draft of the House of ARMY script had Jin playing a cuckoo clock & deliveryman. He asked to also play a TV. Instead the skit was revised to also include banana & flower roles (no TV)
It was hilariously ridiculous and he and Jimin struggled to not laugh throughout filming+
One *could* take a screenshot of the editor caption saying “he’s embarrassed” to use out of context, to say he was “hurt” by how it was scripted. But that is hugely speculative and totally ignores all the other footage of him laughing & having fun while dressed as a silly banana+
I can almost understand how, if someone only started paying attention to BTS post 2018, they cld (v mistakenly) believe ARMY has always been big/powerful, or BTS had a powerful/big label. Those opinions & beliefs are from ppl who’ve never learned anything of BTS & ARMY history +
BTS have been careful since late 2017 of their influence and of thinking/referring to themselves as underdogs, but that doesn’t erase their/our history.
For example:
+
In early 2018, when discussing BTS’ lyrical use of the baepsae motif Yoongi said
“We’re very careful about calling ourselves baepsaes now. But the reality is that that’s where we started and that’s where our roots are.”
+