SEVEN WITH YOU.
I was skeptical before about what to write, or how to even get started, so instead of writing about BTS, I wrote about Armys.
It’s nine years today, nine years of producing amazing music for every Armys in the world, nine years of teaching us we should love ourselves first, nine years of battling Asian hate crime, nine years of performing, and in all honesty, you’ve been amazing.
BTS is impressive in so many ways: their sales, their streaming numbers, the records they break, but one thing is above all these, the love they have for Armys. If there’s anything BTS has always told Armys to do is to learn to love themselves.
What does it mean to love yourself? I’m not sure. Who can define their own method of loving themselves?”
I’m not sure what RM means when he talks about the “self,” but it’s evident that he’s not talking about the ego or an external character. And when you combine it with other things BTS has said in interviews and in their song lyrics, notably those co-written by RM, you get a sense of what he means.
It’s all too easy to mistake self-love with selfishness. It’s possible to love yourself at the expense of others, but that’s not what BTS is implying
We’ve seen a lot of criticism on Twitter calling us “ Crazy girls”, “ Toxic”, ‘obsessed’, ‘hysterical’ and ‘irrational’ because of our dedication), but not one of them has asked why we go to so much length to defend the boys.
The emphasis is on what the supporters do for these guys, but there isn’t enough information to explain why the fans are prepared to go above and above in their support. It often reads like ‘Look what these people do for pop stars who don’t even know them!’ without the context. Aren’t they a little insane? Let’s have a good laugh at how ridiculous and obsessed they are!’ And, while we understand it was not your objective, it is the perspective that is frequently conveyed to the public about who we are.
This isn’t a figment of our imagination. You can google and see how often the terms linked to ARMYs are words like ‘crazy’, ‘weirdly intense’, ‘unstable’, ‘hysterical’, ‘screaming’, ‘toxic’, and ‘unhinged’ because of the unusual level of support we show for BTS. Your article did not use these terms (well, except one), but the way the actions of the persons interviewed were presented without the context of ‘why’, still implies more of the same. It’s important to have the context for why we do what we do or respond to how we have to certain things, because without it, any response (even ARMY’s response to this article) seems to make no sense to the other party, and therefore gets categorized and dismissed as unreasonable. So I hope that this letter provides some context that helps in that regard, and that future readers will not see ARMY’s actions on behalf of BTS as crazy or ‘weirdly intense’ but as dedicated and supportive.
We accept criticism when it is fair and justified as a community, but painting the entire fandom in the same light as the actions or ideas of a few who admit to or believe in extreme habits is something we cannot in good conscience overlook. I want to address some of the flaws we discovered in this essay in the hopes that future articles about BTS or ARMY will be more balanced and knowledgeable.
Many people believe that Army is “crazy/obsessed with them, preoccupied with streaming numbers, and out of touch with reality,” and they set out to prove their point.
However, by omitting to provide context and including what many would consider odd opinions as if they were indicative of the fandom, it was still a serious misrepresentation of ARMY, our actions, and our motivations. We ARMYs know how incredible BTS are, and how much they struggle every day to help others around the globe since we see the lovely, kindhearted nature of this fandom on a daily basis.
One thing is certain. We ARMYs are committed to BTS’s success and will go above and beyond to ensure that they are given the attention and respect they deserve. The reason for this is that we’ve gotten to know seven kinds, thoughtful, humble, talented guys who write songs with the intention of using their personal experiences to help others, who thank their parents whenever they can, and who encourage people to never give up, and console each other when things get hard or scary for them — something they don’t hide or pretend isn’t happening — and whose goal is to be the kind of artists whose music moves and helps people.
Despite this, they have been subjected to unjustified prejudice, disdain, and discrimination by the industry and the general public since their debut. We who believe in them know they are fantastic artists with a powerful message, and we want them to be recognized and acknowledged on par with other artists. While other musicians of their caliber are treated with basic respect by default, BTS has had to battle for it at every turn. We, as their fans, strive to help them overcome prejudices directed at them by going above and beyond “the norm” to express our support and to convey to them that their hard work and sacrifices, sincerity, and struggles to consistently improve themselves and create quality music are not unheard and unappreciated. We want them to know that, despite the efforts of those who want to keep them hidden behind language boundaries and various societal expectations, they are having a good impact on people’s lives all over the world.
We will stream more than many, vote more than some, and set and break goals if we are ready to go the extra mile. This isn’t to say that we just listen to their music without thinking about it; their lyrics and music are very important to us. We don’t care about things like Youtube views and streaming records for the sake of them; we care about them because they allow more people to be curious enough about BTS to give them a chance, listen to them with an open mind, and, at the very least, respect them instead of dismissing them as “just pop,” “something for hysterical teenage girls,” or “that Asian stuff I don’t understand. We want people to hear their music, respect their artistry, and benefit from their messages as we have.
We’ve learned about them, their ideas, their challenges, their bond, and how much they care for and support one another. They do not disparage anyone, do not promote violence or drug misuse, respect women, and encourage their fans to love and accept themselves. Millions of fans have found solace and inspiration in their lyrics, as well as the example they set in believing in themselves and pursuing happiness. Nonetheless, they have been since the start of their careers:
-Despite being mocked for its social standing (a little company with no financial support), Hybe now has a revenue of over 1.2 trillion dollars.
- Despite being mocked for their appearances and names, they have become global marketing ambassadors for Louis Vuitton and other luxury brands.
-Their music was mocked at the time, but it has now won them Billboard prizes. Six music videos have crossed one billion views and have received over 200 awards.
-After being chastised for not meeting certain “idol” requirements, they devised their own.
- They were chastised for the way their followers cheered them on (and the fans were mocked FOR supporting them)
When they were known in the western world, they were mocked for their ethnicity, their language, and the fact that the majority of them do not speak English.
-Derided for their appearance — mocked for their “mad lunatic fans” — and their supporters endure repeated mockery and derision for being their fans as if the aforementioned traits make them unworthy of being listened to, and those who do are somehow defective.
Can you imagine how sensitive and exhausted ARMYs are to mocking at this point? It’s not acceptable that people who have never bothered to learn anything about BTS or its followers resort to cheap jokes at their and our expense as a form of amusement. They do the following in the clip from an Australian news show:
-Compared them to Kim Jong Un and nuclear weapons
- Criticized songs were taken out of context
- Showed a member’s voice cracking as a way of implying they had no talent
- Advised removing four members to make the group smaller — as if they were disposable or interchange.
We aren’t particularly sensitive to criticism. When some of our members act in an inappropriate manner, we are critical of ourselves and discuss and rectify ourselves. We’re particularly sensitive to mocking and unkindness directed at BTS. It’s not that we can’t laugh at ourselves. We frequently make jokes about ourselves and mock the guys in BTS. We make fun of them, and they make fun of us back. There have been moments when members of the media have made jokes, and we’ve found them amusing when we know the joke is done in a respectful manner. But it’s mocking and bullying to take potshots at someone who has no idea who they are, and neither BTS nor we deserved that treatment from those presenters, who were clearly inviting all of their viewers to scorn and laugh at BTS (and its followers) without knowing anything about them. That kind of “humor” is designed to make people feel bad about appreciating something they don’t understand. It’s not amusing; it’s just cruel. That’s why the reaction was enraged. Taking what was undoubtedly the finest event of their lives — being invited to speak at the United Nations — and reducing it to “probably about hair products,” and portraying them as “foreign and thus terrifying” by comparing them to “foreign and so scary”
Someone once said to Armys, “We don’t think logically.” That person may be speaking for themselves, but to say that on behalf of ARMY is categorically false, and if you’re interested, we can show you a library full of evidence that the fandom as a whole thinks and acts logically and deliberately, with clear goals and a desire to do something positive. Even when some people go off the rails, others will always provide suggestions and guidance on how to communicate and cope with the problems that develop. We do not promote nasty tweets, and those who do so are urged to stop because that is not how we or the artists we represent want to be represented. However, it is true that some people will always do what they want and reply to insults with rage and more insults. We attempt to help each other grow by understanding why and when it isn’t the best or most effective reaction, and we recognize that sometimes people need time to learn and improve their communication skills. Instead of discussing individuals that indulge in such behavior, it would be more accurate to highlight the ARMYs who seek to remedy it, because the former embodies what ARMY stands for, while the latter is still working on it.
However, we would caution individuals against mistaking self-defense and demand to remedy a clear mistake for malicious behavior. Nobody should expect somebody to be publicly attacked and sit there and take it just because “it’s only a joke” is a convenient excuse. It is reasonable to expect fundamental human respect as a starting point. Protesting when someone is publicly humiliated is not malevolent. Please accept my apologies for this. Why should we be any different? It’s the same treatment everyone wants for themselves, so why should we be any different? If something is wrong, we should be able to say so without being portrayed as a hysterical mob who can’t take a joke.
We’ve grown into a sizable fanbase. So even a tiny percentage of us voicing dissatisfaction with anything amounts to a significant number of individuals. We understand that the sheer quantity of people ready to speak up on behalf of BTS and one another can be overwhelming. However, there have been people — including journalists — who have purposefully provoked us in order to write an article or make a video with the narrative of a “crazed crowd of BTS fans attacking me just for stating [xyz].” It’s irresponsible and nasty, especially to the many people who gathered together because we understand what it’s like to be ostracized and admire BTS because of it.
ARMY also don’t believe our artists are “perfect” and can’t be criticized — this claim is particularly ironic because, while the K-pop industry used to set up idols to be perfect (i.e. “idols”), one of the things that have always set BTS apart from the industry is their openness and sincerity about their flaws and fears, struggles and imperfections, and how they are working to overcome them. They were free to be open and honest about their struggles. That won them a lot of respect while also assuring supporters who are going through similar difficulties that everything will be fine and that they aren’t alone. Not only that, but they absorbed early criticism from fans, educated themselves, and tackled things from a different perspective as they grew and learned, earning them even more respect and dedication.
I truly hope that my (albeit lengthy) letter helps you better understand the ARMY’s motivations and behaviors from the perspective of someone who is one and also interacts with ARMYs on a daily basis, rather than someone who had a one-time encounter with no context and thus made erroneous conclusions.
I decided to let other Armys speak their truth, below would be screenshots of people telling you how amazing BTS is.
Regardless of national, religious, cultural, or linguistic divides, this is the ARMY that considers each other family. This is the ARMY, which has completed approximately 300 global charitable missions this year alone. This is the ARMY that stands by one another in times of emotional anguish and mental health concerns, reassuring, encouraging, and consoling one another while being separated by countries. This is the ARMY that stands up against injustice, not only against BTS and ourselves but against anyone we witness being treated unfairly. This is the ARMY that is known as one of the friendliest to anyone who approached BTS or the fans with the bare minimum of polite or friendly interest (rather than animosity and derision) during their initial meeting.
BTS is one of our favorite groups because they strive to give the best of themselves to the world for whatever it’s worth in terms of helping others. They show compassion, generosity, hard effort, dedication, and integrity. They let others know that it’s okay to admit when you’re having difficulties. Someone who knows what you’re going through and will be there for you. They show that if conforming to unrealistic cultural expectations does not make you happy, it’s fine to stop and be yourself and do what you enjoy. They radiate love and gratitude for anything nice that comes their way, taking nothing for granted and prioritizing doing something in their lives that they can be proud of. Isn’t that deserving of a thousand percent of our support?
Happy 9th Anniversary Bangtan, thank you for changing our lives
Thank you for taking the time to read this, please listen to BTS’s new album, It’s an anthology called PROOF.
