BTS Fan Experience: My Journey into ARMY Life

I never thought I would be a big fan of anyone in K-Pop until I discovered BTS (aka Bangtan Sonyeondan). I got swept into the world of these guys during the pandemic and I have never looked back. Their story, music, and what they represent are what resulted in my becoming part of the fandom known as ARMY. Allow me to share with you my story of becoming a fan of BTS.

If you asked me ten years ago if I could ever picture myself as a fan of a K-pop group, I would say it was possible but not likely. I enjoyed listening to and watching groups such as 2NE1 and Super Junior years ago. Despite that, I never devoted any time or effort to pursuing the K-pop fandom. I guess you can say I was more of a casual fan than anything. As for BTS, I had no idea who they were apart from seeing a young BTS in Arirang during their early years.

In 2017, my niece introduced me to BTS. I was not interested in the beginning, but they grew on me. Soon enough these seven men got my attention and admiration due to several things:

Talented Singers and Performers

One of the first songs I discovered was the song Mic Drop, particularly the version remixed by Steve Aoki. I have heard the song many times and have seen them perform it on various stages and it never gets old for me.

With this one song, I was able to see every member’s talent as a vocalist or rapper as every one of them has a part in the song. Since then, I have looked up their other work. The synergy that they have and how completely in sync they are whenever they dance always leaves me in awe. Several years and many different performances later, I am still amazed by them. The group was not only good but they kept getting better and better with every song that they came out with.

Diverse Musical Styles and Meaningful Lyrics

As a writer, I cannot help but appreciate the lyrics of their songs. The lyrics I have read are only translations, but that did not stop me from appreciating them. The lyrics would make anyone realize that they are not churning out generic pop songs. Their songs are not afraid to talk about sensitive topics such as mental health and self-love. Their songs run deep and feel very personal. This is one of the reasons why their music connects well with so many people.

Spring Day is a classic example of a BTS song that has moved many with its lyrics and meaning. It is so good that even years after the song's release it is still a favorite that resonates with fans today. Its lyrics were a comfort to me during the pandemic.

The morning will come again
No darkness, no season can last forever - Spring Day, BTS

Apart from good lyrics, their albums also have well-planned themes and messages. They also have a diverse style of music. It does not seem fair to limit them to the K-Pop category because of that. Their songs encompass so many different genres and are not limited to pop. Apart from pop, their genres include rap, EDM, trap, R&B, rock, and many more.

Here are some examples of their songs and their respective genres:

Unbeatable Performance Stages

BTS have had humble beginnings and their earlier performances reflected that. But as their music and artistry grew, so did their performances. Every awards show stage they have presented has shown that they love putting on a good show. Their performances make the viewer feel like they are in one of their concerts. They have since become known for giving an all-out production every time. They always have huge sets, tons of backup performers, and special effects when they do their performance stages. All these complement their already top-level dancing and singing. The best example would be their MAMA 2019 performance which lasted around 30 minutes! Blows me away every time I see it!

Authenticity and Connection to their Fans

Each member has a different personality. This is evident when you watch their shows and live streams. It makes the group relatable because there is always that one person you can relate to at any given moment.

What strikes me the most is how they seem to be very authentic and down-to-earth human beings. It's not what you'd expect from the biggest musical group of their generation. This humility is a huge part of the appeal and the charm that endears them to fans like me even more. There is a sincerity in the connection they have with ARMY through their lives and social media. It's something I have not seen in other artists I have been a fan of. The best way to see this in action is via their show Run BTS.

Because of this authenticity, people have seen BTS as positive role models. This group has made such a positive impact on society through their music. The messages they share and represent have influenced people worldwide.

Messages and Inspiration

The music and lyrics released by BTS often resonate with a lot of people. Their songs become a source of inspiration for fans who learn from them.

It is even more admirable that, unlike many other groups, members of BTS write and produce their songs. This means that the message that they are sharing is authentic to them. It gives them a different kind of personal connection to the people who listen to and love their music.

I have known about and admired BTS as early as 2017, but I don’t think that I was a fan until the pandemic hit in 2020. The sense of connection that I felt from their music was such a comfort. It gave me inspiration and motivation during those uncertain days of the pandemic. I’m sad that I wasn’t this much of a fan earlier, but I am glad that I found them (as they say) when I did.

Seven Superstars for the Price of One

Chapter 2 of BTS was able to prove that by being a fan, you get seven amazing performers in one group. Seven for the price of one!

Every member has shared their solo projects and proved to the world what they can show as solo artists. Fans (and non-fans) are discovering that other artists should be glad that BTS has chosen to be part of a group. What chaos it would be with all the members charting at the same time if they were all solo artists!

Each member has proven that they have the talent to go solo and make it to the top charts on their own. Imagine if they all did this at the same time. No one else could get into the charts because it was full of their songs!

I cannot help but wonder at how good they are as a unit. It takes a lot to be able to contain all that diverse talent into one group and come out with something like BTS.

The Fandom

Becoming a fan of BTS means also being part of the BTS fandom experience. It means being part of ARMY, the name for fans of BTS. I have encountered my share of the toxic types of fans, in my early days as an ARMY. As time passed, I have come to see that those people do not represent the entire fandom.

I love how everyone shares information about the group and their music. Everyone gives new fans the chance to catch up and learn more about BTS as new things keep coming up. When I attended an Agust D show (that still counts as BTS), I also got to experience first-hand how the community is. It is like nothing I have ever experienced as a fan of anything, and I am grateful that I am a part of it.

ARMY is such a great group of people. There are fan-made videos that educate people about the group and what they represent. There are also videos giving context to things that get lost in translation.

ARMYs also share real-time English translations for non-Korean fans during live streams. There are also translations of social media posts and any related Korean articles. ARMYs also share recipes and give information about the food and drinks BTS shares and loves.

The effort and the love that goes into doing this is something that I appreciate a lot. It would have been difficult to go through everything without all that effort from them.

2025

While I enjoy all the solo work, I still look forward to their reunion post-military. I cannot wait to see the music they will come up with after living outside of the entertainment world.

I’m sure there will be so much more to enjoy from the group as soon as they come out with new music post-enlistment. They have all expressed interest in continuing with music as a group until old age. I for one would be happy to grow old with them.

If you are a fan like me, I’m sure the reasons I gave about why I became a fan of BTS are things you would agree with. To non-fans, I hope the reasons I became I fan would be able to pique your interest and get you to see for yourself. Let me know in the comments if I managed to draw you in!

Let me end this by sharing an episode of the Fandesals Podcast that discusses BTS. If you understand Tagalog, this could be an episode for you. Give it a like if you enjoyed it!

Fandesals, Music, Reviews