Year after year BTS are extremely busy, but 2022 has arguably been one of the most impactful years yet. The conversation about BTS’ enlistment in the military has been ongoing for for a long time. It had been argued that they should be exempt because of what they have contributed towards South Korea’s economy, and the fact that they are cultural ambassadors. They have worked with so many brands and have also done campaigns with Unicef. BTS themselves never said they should be made exempt, in fact they said many times that whenever the time came for them to serve, they would be ready. They announced in an emotional VLIVE broadcast this summer that they were going to be taking group activities to focus more on solo projects. However, their words were misinterpreted, and suddenly were articles popping up everywhere saying they were disbanding, which was never actually the case. They then made a follow-up statement clarifying that they weren’t breaking the group up. The military enrolment statement was made public on October 18th.
April
Grammys 2022
BTS got their first Grammy nomination in 2021 in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category for Dynamite. They were nominated again in the same category for Butter, but lost to Doja Cat and SZA. I love Kiss Me More, I think it's a great song, but I thought it was an odd category for it to win in. BTS are known for their energetic, choreograph heavy performances, and they always sing live too, which is no small feat- which are two components that make a really performance great in my opinion. The thought that goes into everything in terms of the costume design, stage design, concepts etc, it's all part of it.
That That - PSY (produced by and ft. Suga)
That That is such a tune, I loved the video concept, the choreo was immaculate too. Yoongi is so impressive as a producer, he also often doesn't get enough credit for his dancing ability! In the words of Kris Jenner, you're doing great sweetie.
Min Yoongi and Park Jaesang!
Everybody get ready, set, go
I've got better at taking punches, those who tried to hit me with words must feel uncomfortable
Those who prayed for me to fail as you wished
Gather them together and smack them lightly
Suga’s collab with PSY came out in April, and honestly, I was shook I think PSY was a lot of people in Western countries’ introduction to K-pop. He’s incredibly talented and seems like a nice guy. Yoongi isn't afraid to call out the people (including his own industry peers) who claimed he couldn't be a serious musician or rapper because he was an idol. BTS' impact and success is unprecedented and they have broken down global barriers, reaching people all over the world. According to a 2021 survey, the 10 countries with the most BTS fans are Mexico, Taiwan, the United States, Brazil, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, South Korea, and the country with the biggest fanbase in the world (accounting for nearly 21% of the overall Army fanbase worldwide) is the Philippines! I was really surprised that South Korea was ranked second.
June
Proof
BTS' first anthology album Proof was released in June. The music video for Yet to Come is really touching, there's so many references to their past.
Solo Projects Announcement 💜
BTS have been together for 9 years, debuted in 2013. This of course isn't counting the trainee period. He talked about the idol process doesn't give you a chance to grow as a person and understand who you are. When you think about it, K-pop bands and artist typically put out new music every year, which is very different to Western artists, who usually take breaks for a year or two in between, to focus on other things, personal development etc. This of course depends on the artist, and Western artists too are often overworked (we can see this with Britney Spears, who worked non-stop from 1998 to about 2004, which was when she decided to take a break, had two children and was then torn apart by the media and criticised relentlessly). We're all human beings, we all need to take some time for ourselves and not always be focused on work and other difficult things life can throw at us.
July
Jack In The Box
The next solo release to drop was J-hope’s album Jack In the Box. I was really excited about this; I love all the BTS members, but I have a real affinity for Hobi. The aesthetic and style of MORE was so not what I expected from him, it was very dark, it had almost a horror vibe to it. I really love Safety Zone. He was the first Korean artist to headline Lollapalooza.
Dedicated my entire twenties
Living up to this immeasurable life
I see everything, but I respond
As if it is telling me to look back at myself
The ringing in my ears is growing
The world is changing fast
At that moment, I find solitude
It's painful as if there are no allies
My life is becoming my enemy, it is getting lonesome
Safety Zone is such a sad song. Hobi seems to be reflecting on his identity, how he's dedicated a lot of his youth (he's 28 now, became a trainee in 2010) to being in the K-pop industry.
Support from people I trust?
(It's cold when they turn their backs on me)
The people who led me?
(If I think about it, it's fear I recall)
Those who share blood?
A sense of duty that cannot be confided
I like animals better than people these days
But I feel self-destruction
It's like the sunset before passing
(Shine, goes dark)
A light to soothe the deep night and dawn
(Right, for mine)
Where's my safe zone?
Tell me if you know
Cuties 😇
September/October
Balming Tiger 섹시느낌 SEXY NUKIM ft. RM
Absolute tune. I love the video. Talked about Sexy Nukim a little bit more in depth in this post. Namjoon performed this live and everyone lost their minds. You're killing it Namjoon.
Get u a supportive bestie like Hobi
October (present)
The Astronaut
Jin made an appearance on Youngji's show, where idols/celebrities get drunk with her and have a laugh (basically). It was really entertaining. Yesterday, the 28th of October, Jin released The Astronaut. I love the song, the video was beautiful, there was a lot to think about in terms of symbolism and there's already a lot of discussion online about it, fans are comparing theories.
It's been suggested that the Stop signs to signify the feeling that fans have about Jin going to the military. It's like a message from the universe asking him to stay, but he can't because it's a duty men in Korea have to fulfil. It's also been suggested that the little girl in the video represents the fans, but also the other members of BTS. He's been with Jungkook since he was 13 (and Jin was 18) and always jokes that he raised him. BTS are so open about how much they are each other's support system, they've gone on this journey together. How amazing is it that each member has 6 other people who have experienced the same things? They can help each other through it all.
When I'm with you
There is no one else
Jin's genuine love and appreciation for his fans is so sweet and meaningful. He has spoken many times about not wanting to show his darker, sadder side to the fans, because he doesn't want them to feel sad when watching him. A lot of the members of BTS are open when it comes to talking to sadder subjects that we usually prefer not to dwell on. I think they're as open as they can be. There are things they can't share publicly, but they always find ways of communicating a message when they want to.
Chris' speech was lovely, so well said.
About 6 months ago, one of the members called me up and said "I have to leave the band in December for 2 years and join the army in Korea because that's the rules there. I need a song that says goodbye to everybody for a little while and says I love them that I love them." Because like all bands, we need you. It's you that really does everything, it's you that does the magic. And so I said, "Okay we'll do a song together" and instead of being worried about it, I feel so excited about it, so grateful for this relationship that we have with BTS.
So emotional 🥲
We'll miss you Jin, see you in December 2024 ❤️🩹 I'm looking forward to seeing what Jimin, Tae and Jungkook reveal to the world. Also looking forward to Namjoon's album, which is expected to be released soon.
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