Girl With Luv
Words by Casey Hynes.
Obsessing over a musician or band is seemingly an adolescent right of passage. From 12 years of age onwards, I remember my friends and classmates becoming devoted to a multitude of artists: Beyonce, One Direction, Justin Bieber, Jonas Brothers, My Chemical Romance. And Jedward, funnily enough. This is an unsurprising fact of life. Music somehow connects with us all in a way that is unexplainable. Something about the combination of words and sounds tickles a spot right in the back of our head, and we like it. If it happens more than once from the same source, we’re hooked.
Everyone around me in my teenagehood had their idol. I enjoyed many artists, connected with the music of so many, but I don’t remember being gripped by any in the same way as my peers. I loved their music and their artistry, enjoyed finding deeper meaning in their lyrics and screaming along to their songs with my pals. But I was more of a casual devotee than my friends.
One day, in late 2015, while trawling through YouTube for something to watch, I came across a Fine Brothers’ video titled: YouTubers React to K-Pop Part. 3. I clicked into it because Dan and Phil and Charlie McDonnell were featured (which should have been a sign, honestly), and my life has not been the same since. Which sounds very dramatic, but it’s true.
Dope music video.
The first K-Pop music video they reacted to was BTS’ ‘Dope’, and I was mesmerised. It was fast-paced and catchy, and the dancing broke my brain. From there, like a stone rolling down a hill, I tumbled down a path of no return. Quickly, and very happily, I was submerged. I knew all of the members’ names, and I was watching their music videos and listening to their tunes during every spare moment. I had never even heard of K-Pop before, and starting with this video and with BTS, I had a new world of high-quality music to explore. Phenomenal groups like Day6, Twice, EXO (I have not known peace since witnessing Baekhyun and his stupid, sexy lip piercing in ‘Monster’, and it’s been 6 years) and Mamamoo, and great artists like Chung Ha and Taemin (member of the group SHINee, solo artist and King of my heart) all have premium spots on my Spotify playlist. But none have knocked BTS off of my top spot.
I can’t really tell you why. There are so many astounding artists in the world who create powerful, emotive music and are just as talented as BTS, but there’s just something that captures me. BTS and I just click, and there are many people who would agree.
Language barrier, cultural differences, physical distance. Even age, in some cases, though fortunately for me the gap in mature understanding isn’t that wide - Seokjin, the oldest member, is 4 years my senior, and Jungkook, the maknae (youngest member), is 4 months younger than me. It is incredibly easy to connect with the emotion and thought behind BTS’ music (if you haven’t cried to ‘Epiphany’ at 4 am, you’re living your life wrong). Often using catchy, beautiful or enticing sound to contrast serious messaging, as seen in songs like ‘Pied Piper’, ‘Whalien 52’ and ‘Spring Day’, BTS are no strangers to creating bops with meaning.
The fact that the Bangtan Boys are amazing performers further seals the deal, who push themselves to the limit in every aspect in order to put on a fantastic show for their ARMY (the name given to their fans), the group always thankful for their fans’ support and devotion. This gratitude and hard work, more than anything, just makes you want to support them even more. In 2019, three of us travelled to London for the second night (yes, THAT night) of their ‘Love Yourself: Speak Yourself’ tour in Wembley Arena and I have honestly never spent my money in a better way (fuck you, tuition fees). The boys’ superb artistry, combined with their team’s unreal visual and production skills blew us all away, and we left loving them even more.
BTS at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards.
More than anything, the seven members of BTS all just seem like really good people. The group do so much work for good, campaigning alongside UNICEF to promote self-love and self-acceptance, and often donating to good causes on their birthdays. Some could say that their goodness is manufactured in some way, and I’m sure that that’s probably true to some extent - we can’t all be nice all the time. But, if you’re a fan, you know that anyway. All of the members, especially rappers Kim Namjoon (RM) and Min Yoongi (Suga), are all open about their struggles, and their perceived shortcomings. Even recently, in an episode of their online series ‘Run BTS’ - a series of videos where BTS get to complete challenges as content for fans - each member spoke about their biggest flaws: a lack of patience, decreased concentration levels, not thinking about things deeply, bluntness, a lack of responsibility and immaturity. Despite having the devotion of thousands, all of them are self-aware and, perhaps, way too hard on themselves. And honestly, what’s more relatable than that. At their heart, despite the fame and the money, they’re just a bunch of nice, normal boys.
What can’t be denied is that the bond between the seven is genuine, built through years of working and living together. Team work, in their case, truly makes the dream work. Documentaries like ‘Burn the Stage’ show us that, of course, the members do not always get along. But they work through their disagreements, like a healthy family does. No drama, just love. That stability and connection is gripping, and when you’re listening to the group, it makes you feel like you’re part of something much bigger than yourself.
Maybe that’s why I love them. Maybe not. I don’t really think there’s a need to question why. They’re just good, and their music and their work inspires a devotion in me similar to the adolescent adoration of my friends for their own groups. We obsess over music often for one clear reason: emotional connection and support. The love isn’t going anywhere - I’ve listened to BTS since I was 18, and I turned 24 in April.
BTS are IT for me. Maybe I’ve finally finished puberty.
