Photolog 2019: Day 276 of 365

Got some BTS goodies delivered today! I technically already have the BTS World OST, but they came out with the limited edition set like, a month later, and as you know, I'm an avid BTS multimedia collector, so I obviously had to have it... (I mean, it's the same reason I order every version of all their albums, you know?) The limited edition set comes in a huge pink box with the BTS World logo embossed on the lid in holographic print; it comes with the BTS World OST, of course, along with a set of eight magnets, a "BTS World Manager" card with a pouch, a set of seven photo cards for all the members, and a rolled poster. So basically I didn't need it at all because, like, I'm not about to carry around a "BTS World Manager" card in my wallet, but you know, it's a collector's item so whatever. Plus, I got both the Suga photo card and the Suga game coupon card inside the OST this time, so hi, worth it. (In case you haven't noticed already, my rationale goes right out the window when it comes to BTS.)


I also got the special edition Bring the Soul: The Movie ticket that was exclusive to Megabox movie theatres in South Korea. We don't get cool shit like this for movies here, so I got a ticket from Jaewon, 'cause again, it's a collector's item and I am a sucker for these things. The ticket is holographic on one side with the poster visual in matte on the other side, and it comes with a postcard, a photo card, and a poster. And now I really need to make a trip to Ikea because I've literally run out of shelf space for all my BTS merch...

Photolog 2019: Day 192 of 365

I've spent more time than I'd like to admit playing BTS World. It's ended up being way more addictive than I thought it would be. I've been stuck on the same mission for the last week and trying to level up my cards (you need cards with certain stats to pass each mission), which requires replaying old quests to get flowers (you need flowers to level up cards). But then I'll run out of wings (you need a certain amount of wings to play each quest), and I don't wanna spend money or gems on them, so I have to wait until they replenish (you get one wing every six minutes so it takes a while to get enough wings) or until my friends send me some. But then there are also quests to complete to get rewards, as well as agency tasks to complete to increase the members' affinity levels (which is required for the member missions in the "Another Story" game), which requires constant replenishment of the members' energy levels (for which you need specific replenishment items for each member, which is acquired by completing quests or missions), so basically: THIS GAME GETS DIFFICULT.

I suppose it's a good thing, though, 'cause otherwise I'd be finished the game in a matter of days.

Heartbeat

THIS VIDEO IS STUNNING. WHAT K-DRAMA IS THIS?

And they said they couldn't act...

BTS World Original Soundtrack: BTS — Heartbeat

I stayed up past 5:00 AM for the sole purpose of downloading the BTS World OST at the moment of release. 14 songs, including the threecollaborationtracks, and the official title track, "Heartbeat," which is also the only track that features all seven members. I had already heard a preview of this song through the BTS World game (it was released a couple days ago and it's even better and more addictive than I thought it would be — it's currently the #1 app worldwide), but it's a different experience to listen to it in its full glory, to be able to pause parts and replay to your heart's content. It's crazy to think that this song was actually recorded a couple years ago (when the game was originally slated to be released), before all their insane record-breaking achievements and incredible accomplishments. It adds even more meaning to the song now, really, when our seven boys couldn't foresee just how impossibly giant they would become. The song itself is superior. Like, "Spring Day" level of superior. It's beautiful and gorgeously executed, somehow melancholic and hopeful at the same time. From V's sorrowful opening lines to Jimin's triple high note, every single part of this song is outstanding. I may have shed a tear or two when I first listened to it. My babies have come a long, long way. And to add another achievement to the books: This song, in less than 24 hours, has become #1 on the Worldwide iTunes Song Chart.

BTS World Original Soundtrack [Pt. 3]: BTS & Juice WRLD — All Night

As mentioned, BigHit will release three tracks from the BTS World OST ahead of the official launch of the upcoming BTS mobile role-playing game, BTS World, on June 26. We got the first track, "Dream Glow," a collaboration between Charli XCX and Jungkook, Jimin, and Jin, a couple weeks ago. Then we got "A Brand New Day," a collaboration between Zara Larsson and V and J-Hope, last week. And today, we got the third track titled "All Night," a collaboration between American rapper, Juice WRLD, and RM and Suga. I stayed up until 5:00 AM to download it on Apple Music the moment it launched. Upon first listen, it has a very familiar vibe, a kind of '90s hip-hop feel that I love. Both RM and Suga have great timbre and flow in this song, with RM singing about his love of making music and Suga delivering lyrics about having to struggle to reach your dreams.

But the moment Juice WRLD appears on the song, it immediately brings us back to the current hip-hop scene, with lots of synth and AutoTune on the vocals. Quite frankly, the constant repetition of "All night" gets really annoying, and his verse has nothing to do with the original theme of the song or BTS World in general, which is about always having hope and never giving up on your dreams. (Kinda corny, I know, but the whole premise of the BTS World game is to become BTS' manager when they're trainees and get them to successfully debut.) Juice WRLD's verse is, randomly, about his relationship with a girl, and is essentially one big sexual innuendo ("Love the way you take it off, on my rocket, you takin' off"). I really feel like this song could have done without the collaboration aspect. No disrespect to Juice WRLD, of course. I just feel like his part is really out of place in this song and the soundtrack overall.

BTS World Original Soundtrack [Pt. 2]: BTS & Zara Larsson — A Brand New Day

As mentioned, BigHit will be releasing three tracks from the BTS World OST ahead of the official launch of the upcoming BTS mobile role-playing game, BTS World. The first track, "Dream Glow," a collaboration between the Jungkook, Jimin, and Jin subunit and Charli XCX, came out last week. This week, we have "A Brand New Day," a collaboration between the V and J-Hope subunit and Swedish singer-songwriter, Zara Larsson. I've known her since I heard her song "Uncover" play at work several years ago, but haven't really listened to much else from her. I've listened to "A Brand New Day" about a dozen times already and I pick up something new every time. While I do think "Dream Glow" is innately catchier, I do find the sound and production of "A Brand New Day" to be far more unique. I've never heard this combination of beats and instrumentals together before — kind of a traditional Asian meets tropical vibe? — and it makes for a very fresh, upbeat song. Zara Larsson's vocals are gorgeous, smooth, and full-bodied, and she sounds beautiful along V's airier vocals and J-Hope's rhythmic melodic rapping.

RM and Suga's track will be released next week, and while they are both rappers, I actually think this is one of the more rare subunits in BTS. I wonder if they're going to have a featuring artist as well?

BTS World Original Soundtrack [Pt. 1]: BTS & Charli XCX — Dream Glow

So ahead of the official launch of the upcoming BTS mobile role-playing game, BTS World, BigHit has released the first track from the BTS World OST, titled "Dream Glow," which is a collaboration with Charli XCX. If this collab seems random, BTS actually met Charli XCX in 2017 while she was in Korea. They must've done the initial recordings from back then, because BTS World was actually supposed to be released that year. (Netmarble, the company that is producing BTS World, kept postponing the release of the game for unknown reasons, though most likely due to BTS' insane increase in popularity that year and thus a much busier schedule.) But I'm glad they finally released it, because it is a gem of a song. It features vocals from the 3J vocal line subunit: Jungkook, Jimin, and Jin (not to be mistaken for the 3J dance unit, which is Jungkook, Jimin, and J-Hope).

I've always been indifferent to Charli XCX, so I just went into this with an open mind, and while I do think they could've toned down on some of the vocal effects, "Dream Glow" really, truly is a bop, and it's a sound that I'd gravitate towards even if BTS wasn't involved. It's a chill-out electropop track that is catchy and easy to listen to, and 3J's smooth, angelic voices work really well to counteract Charli XCX's throatier, edgier vocals. I can't wait to see what the other tracks will sound like (upcoming subunit tracks will feature J-Hope with V, and RM with Suga!).