Tiffany CondeYou don’t have to be an ardent fan to admire how BTS, or Bangtan Sonyeondan, transcends language barriers and bridges the gaps to unite their fans across the world. Even in this time of social isolation, these Korean singer-songwriters are giving some much-needed respite and hope for people who are stuck indoors. Here, we take a look at what the K-pop group is doing in quarantine, and how they’re making sure that the show goes on from a distance.
Kicking off the weekend with Bang Bang Con
Image credit: BTS Official Facebook Page
In a time when concerts and music festivals have been called off across the world, Korean boy group BTS threw their fans a lifeline with the release of Bang Bang Con: an online series featuring exclusive footage from their past concerts, beginning from The Most Beautiful Moment in Life all the way to their Love Yourself tours.
Millions of BTS fans (collectively known as ARMY), tuned in to watch the livestream on the BangtanTV YouTube channel and the fan community app WeVerse from 18 Apr to 19 Apr 2020. What followed was a weekend of exuberant singing, sick beats, heart-pumping choreography, resounding fan chants, and a sea of light sticks filling the screen.
For 24 hours during the COVID-19 outbreak, these K-pop superstars and icons made you feel as if you were on the stage with them.
Image credit: BTS Official Twitter Page
For those who don’t know, BTS is a K-pop group that has taken the international music scene by storm. These “Bulletproof Boy Scouts” consist of seven members: RM (Kim Nam-joon), Jin (Kim Seok-jin), Suga (Min Yoongi), J-Hope (Jung Ho-seok), V (Kim Taehyung), Jimin, and Jungkook. They are managed by Big Hit Entertainment in South Korea.
As a casual fan and listener of BTS, it felt refreshing to dive back into the exhilarating performances and vulnerable songwriting that the group is known for.
Also read: 18 K-Pop Songs You Need to Add to Your Home Workout Playlist
Performing for The Late Late Show from their dance studio
Image credit: TV10/TenAsia
After Big Hint Entertainment postponed the North American tour of Map of the Soul: 7, many ARMYs were saddened that they would never get to witness their faves in person. Luckily, the quarantine hasn’t stopped BTS from turning in show-stopping performances for their fans.
Earlier on 30 Mar 2020, BTS joined the list of musicians at HomeFest: James Corden’s Late Late Show Special and performed their 2019 banger “Boy With Luv” from their dance studio in South Korea. Take a look at it below:
In light of current events, BTS group leader Kim Namjoon, also called RM, took this opportunity to dedicate a special message to the fans. “It’s quite a difficult time for everyone in the world right now,” said RM. “We’re so grateful we can connect with you from here. It may seem like we’re isolated but we’re still connected through our shared experiences, courage, and laughter.”
Working on a new album and a docu-series
Image credit: BTS Official Facebook Page
Between dropping Bangtan Bombs (short video clips of the members engaging in fun shenanigans behind the scenes) and making their fans scream every time they post a selfie, the Korean phenoms have been staying busy. They still practise their dance routines and regularly delight their fanbase with photos on their personal VLIVE and Twitter accounts. Just recently, for instance, the group commemorated the 100th episode of their weekly variety show Run BTS!
Image credit: BTS Official Twitter Page
Big Hit Entertainment is also planning to release Break the Silence: Docu-Series. This multi-part documentary tells a story about the journey of BTS, taken from the Love Yourself era to the global stadium performances of Speak Yourself. The first episode will be available for streaming on 12 May 2020 on WeVerse.
Meanwhile, the band members are making certain that their fans stay entertained during the quarantine. Two of the members, Jimin and RM, even tried their hand at whipping up dalgona coffee! Like so many of us, they learned that whisking for the right consistency is much harder than it looks. Your idols: They’re humans, too!
Image credit: BTS Official Facebook Page
Of course, that’s not all they’re brewing! RM, the leader of BTS, has dropped hints on Twitter that he and his bandmates are currently working on a new album. While they haven’t shared any concrete details yet, it makes sense that they’re continuing to work persistently on their music, given how prolific the group has been throughout their career.
During the last few moments of Bang Bang Con, a message flashed on the screen: “In June, BTS will return to ARMY’s rooms once again.” The timing of this announcement is particularly exciting, as BTS will be celebrating the seventh anniversary of their K-pop debut on 13 Jun 2020. We can only speculate on what this record-breaking supergroup has lined up on this special date. But we already know it’s going to blow us away!
Also read: 7 Ways to Experience Seoul as a K-Pop Fan — Aside From Visiting the Big Three
Staying at home gets easier when you have the talented and charming boys of BTS to keep you company. Be careful, though. Once you start looking up the names of members out of “curiosity,” there’s no going back!
Featured image credit: BTS | Official Facebook Page.
