HAPPY 13TH BIRTHDAY, BTS!!! You're officially a teenager!
This is my 9th FESTA, and to celebrate, my friend Iris and I went to the theatre to watch the ARIRANG World Tour in Busan Live Viewing, which was AMAZING (they played "Dimple," "Ddaeng," AND "Magic Shop" for BTS Karaoke tonight!!!) except for girl sitting behind us who quite literally SCREECHED LIKE A BANSHEE every time Jungkook came on the screen. (I get that you're excited and I agree that Jungkook is a delicious specimen of a man, but please save your voice for an actual live concert, not a live viewing of a concert at a theatre because YOUR VOICE DOES NOT GET DROWNED OUT IN A THEATRE.) Oh, and Iris also got me a pack of the BTS x Oreo cookies, which taste exactly like brown sugar boba with a hint of maple and are delicious AF (and I have to limit myself to one per day because WOW THAT IS A LOT OF SUGAR). They're supposed to taste like hotteok, which is slightly nuttier and more cinnamon-based, but hey, close enough.
I can't believe it's already been 4 years. Their last FESTA dinner together was bittersweet and emotional and marked the end of an era. That having been said, I think they've been able to explore who they are outside the comfort of their group, and really grown up as independent people, artists, and musicians. And now that they're back together, BTS 2.0 is stronger than ever and taking over the world once again as if they'd never left. I am so glad I stayed on this roller coaster with them.
Further proof that packing is a universally hated task. I hate packing even for a weekend trip, so I can't even imagine having to pack for a world tour. Apparently it doesn't matter how rich and famous you are or how many assistants or managers you have. They won't help you pack, either.
I love how Yoongi has become such a pure guitar nerd. Like, you can tell he would just love to start a YouTube channel showcasing guitar gear. That's all to say that I can't wait for a BTS rock side project… (Oh, and hey, Red Hot Chili Peppers.)
Okay, the headband he puts on before washing his face is such a throwback to my teenage years. Even the way he looks at himself and scoffs at how ridiculous his hair looks with it on is accurate…
Also, I'm pretty sure his "casual" outfit costs, like, half my annual income.
Yes, I really did just watch Kim Namjoon read a book for six minutes. On that note, I wonder why he hasn't gotten laser eye surgery. I also have really high eye prescriptions and if I had the money, I would absolutely be getting it. Not to mention, it's a third of the price in Korea than it is here. Maybe his cornea is a weird shape...
It quietly snuck up past "Fake Love" and "ON," but I can safely say that the "Hooligan" aesthetic is officially my favourite now — across all members. I mean, these fits? In leather and metal?! Fucking GOD-TIER. 11/10, A+++, and a hundred gold stars to whoever styled them for this.
God, I cannot fucking wait to see this performance live in person.
FESTA this year seems much more curated and streamlined — no more unreleased dance practice videos from 10 years ago or having Muster/concert streaming marathons (a.k.a. BANGBANGCON)… Maybe because they just had their comeback and they're currently on tour and they're doing a global livestream of their Busan concert for FESTA (and yes, we already bought tickets for the Live Viewing — June 13 falls on a Saturday this year!). I do hope we'll get a song for FESTA, though (we got "Ddaeng" in 2018, Jin's "Tonight" in 2019, Jungkook's "Still With You" in 2020, RM's "Bicycle" in 2021, Jungkook's "My You" in 2022, "Take Two" in 2023, Jungkook's "Never Let Go" in 2024). They didn't release one last year, sadly, but it'd be nice to get one this year now that they're all back together.
But they're finally (!!!) releasing "Come Over," which is the exclusive bonus track that Suga produced for the vinyl versions of ARIRANG — and actually one of my Top 5 songs from the album. I bought the vinyl just to support it, but did I still have to convert a bootleg lyric video to MP3 just so I could listen to it on my iPhone? Yes, yes, I did. (Felt like I was back in the early 2010s again…) But I'm glad we'll finally be able to listen to it properly on streaming platforms!
Q. As an ARMY, which title song would you recommend when introducing BTS to someone for the first time?
A. It's between "FAKE LOVE" or "ON" for me. They both have darker themes and sound a bit edgier, but they have strong, self-reflective lyrics that resonate with a lot of people. Plus, they're catchy in a way that you don't get sick of over time.
Q. Which BTS song is the hidden gem you'd want to gatekeep for yourself?
A. Ooof, this one is hard... I have dozens, actually, but I think I've gotta go with "Paradise" with "Sea" being a really close second. (Although it's kind of cheating with "Sea" because it's actually listed as a hidden track on Love Yourself: Her and it's not even available digitally — I had to extract it from my CD to listen to it on my devices.) Oh, but then there's also "Louder Than Bombs"... and "Rain"... and "Love Maze"... and "House of Cards"...
Q. What is ARMY's favourite BTS choreography?
A. Okay, these questions are way harder than I expected, maybe because their discography is so huge now. If I had to pick only one, I think I'd still go with "Blood Sweat & Tears" even after all these years. Not only does it look beautiful and complex, but it was this song's MV that got me into BTS. I remember thinking, "Damn, these guys can fucking dance." I also think it's one of the most unique and iconic choreographies in all of K-pop. But I'd follow this one with "Run BTS" and "ON."
Q. If ARMY could turn back time, which BTS concert would they go to?
A. Any concert on The Wings Tour in 2017. I had just gotten into BTS and missed this tour. I've watched the DVD set many times but it's just not the same as seeing the epicness live.
Q. Which original BTS content would ARMY like to see more of?
A. If we're talking long-form series, then it's definitely Bon Voyage. I actually think that series is some of my favourite BTS content of all time. I've re-watched each season multiple times. There's something about traveling with them — seeing a new destination through their eyes, seeing them experience local activities and explore landmarks, seeing their interactions with each other and the locals — that's genuinely fun, interesting, and exciting. It also temporarily satisfies my wanderlust. Of course, for a short-form series, it's obviously Run BTS!. This is the one show that I've watched almost from the beginning and is also how I got to know the members' personalities and their dynamics within the group.
Q. What's ARMY's favourite BTS lingo?
A. I'm going to have to say "lajibolala." It's a classic.
Q. What is ARMY's favourite music show performance?
A. I'm going to agree with Hobi here and say the "Boy with Luv" performance at SNL. It was such a small stage with no frills, just raw talent and great choreography, but they made such an impact. If we're talking about an awards show, though, I'm gonna say the 2019 MMA, which was just the most complex, extravagant, over-the-top performance I've ever seen at any awards show.
Q. If you could express your feelings toward BTS with one of their lyrics, which one would you choose?
A. From "Magic Shop": "You were the one who made your way to me / I do believe your galaxy, I want to listen to your melody / The stars of your Milky Way, how will they light your sky? / Don't forget that in the end, I found you at the edge of my despair / You are the last reason I was standing on the edge of the cliff, live."
Q. How did you become an ARMY? (What made you fall for BTS?)
A. I was an avid watcher of Lilly Singh's channel back in the day and watched her "Parents React" video to BTS' "Blood Sweat & Tears" and I was just mesmerized by this MV. The visuals, the production, the choreography, the unbelievably pretty men. It was the first time I ever watched anything relating to K-pop in general, but I had never seen anything quite like this, and it was specifically this MV that made me fall down the BTS rabbit hole. I just kept clicking on all the BTS videos that YouTube recommended on the sidebar. I remember no one around me knew who BTS was, no one around me listened to K-pop, so I had to navigate all the BTS content on my own — the timeline of their MVs and the BTS Universe, where to watch specific content (RIP V Live), which accounts to follow, which translators were the most reliable. And here we are, nine years later, and they're the biggest band in the world.
Q. What's something interesting that happened to you that was related to BTS?
A. I've known my friend Iris for 12 or 13 years now (I actually met her through her boyfriend — now husband — who was friends with some of my guy friends, and she hired me to do the makeup for her bridal party at their wedding) but we weren't really good friends until a couple years ago when she became an ARMY and she reached out to me on IG about BTS.
Q. What are the moments of joy that being an ARMY brought you?
A. Honestly, there are too many to count. From listening to their music to watching their content to collecting merch to seeing them in concert, BTS is apart of my daily life.
Jin: "We've been working individually for a while, right?"
Hobi: "It's been a long time."
Jin: "Working as a team today made me feel so happy and cheerful."
Hobi: "It's almost been a year since you were discharged from the military."
Jin: "It's been 11 months already."
Hobi: "Time really flies."
Jin: "Time does fly. Let's look forward to the day our members are all discharged and we can all work together."
They've thrived so much with their solo work and they're so joking and playful here, but you can tell that they miss their team as a whole. I can't wait until all seven are back together.
You know, I feel like Jin and J-Hope wasn't a pairing that was often put together within BTS, at least in their public content, so I love that they get this opportunity now. MY 2SEOK HEART!
Damn, they did such a good job re-creating these. But whereas J-Hope looked super serious and almost sinister for his Jack in the Box photoshoot, I think Jin just looks adorable. Man, I hope they upload the behind-the-scenes for this. Of course, now I'm thinking about what the concept switches would look like for the other members; Jimin doing Suga's D-DAY, Suga doing V's Layover, V doing RM's Indigo, RM doing Jungkook's GOLDEN, Jungkook doing Jimin's FACE...
Denise, '86 liner. Chinese-Canadian, born, raised, and still living in the Greater Toronto Area. Professional make-up artist turned office manager. Introvert with brilliant extrovert skills. BTS ARMY since 2016, OT7, Jungkook and Jimin biased. BTS and BT21 merch collector, amateur foodie, skincare fiend, mascara connoisseur, shopaholic, teetotaler, Scorpio, avid The Sims 4 player, K-drama addict, and Potterhead since 1997. Penchant for live concerts, collecting figures, dining out, building LEGO, and food photography.
About the Site
Circuits of Fever is a personal blog and a hobby only. It mainly features my interests in BTS, food, beauty, music, photography, travel, lifestyle, and culture. The name "Circuits of Fever" is a song by Thursday from their 2009 album, Common Existence. The title of this blog has no relevance to the actual purpose of or topics discussed within the blog.
All photos since November 2023 have been taken with an Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max. All photos are taken by me, unless otherwise noted. Please do not use my photos or blog content without permission. Photos are edited by me using Adobe Photoshop 2024. This blog is written and edited by me using Blogger through Google Chrome, on an Apple MacBook Pro.
Note: None of these posts are sponsored. All products reviewed or shown on this blog are purchased by me for personal use only.
Playlist (May 2026)
BTS - 2.0
BTS - Aliens
BTS - Body to Body
BTS - Come Over
BTS - FYA
BTS - Hooligan
BTS - Into the Sun
BTS - Like Animals
BTS - Merry Go Round
BTS - NORMAL
BTS - One More Night
BTS - Please
BTS - SWIM
BTS - They Don't Know 'Bout Us
