Unboxing: McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys — Encore Edition

Back in August, McDonald's announced its second collaboration with BTS (the first being the BTS Meal that launched in 2021). This time, it's with TinyTAN, which are the insanely adorable characters based on the BTS members, and whose collectible toy figures are available through their Happy Meals. There are two editions of TinyTAN Happy Meal toys to be collected — the Throwback Edition and the Encore Edition, which launched three weeks apart. Both editions have 7 BTS/TinyTAN member toys — and matching photocards! — to collect. As you may know, I collect BTS toy figures, including all the TinyTAN ones since its inception. So, I was determined to get all of these. However, after my friend and I bought 28 Happy Meals (of which I ate at least 14) to get all the Throwback Edition figures, I could not eat any more McDonald's. For the sake of my health. And wallet. So, I cheated and turned to eBay.

McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toy Boxes (Encore Editon)
The TinyTAN Happy Meals launched across 70+ countries, with the roll-out of the Encore Edition starting on September 23. In Canada, it was announced that the Encore Edition would launch on October 3, although locations that ran out of the Throwback Edition toys early started giving out the Encore Edition ones. That having been said, I knew by the end of September that there would be a lot of Americans that would have the whole set of the Encore Edition toys already. So on my eBay search, I came across a seller from Georgia who was selling the whole set, brand new and unopened, for about the same price per figure as a Happy Meal in Canada. (Let's not talk about the shipping.) Either way, it was less than the amount Minji and I spent on Happy Meals for the Throwback Edition, so no regrets.

McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Encore Edition) — Photocards

Each TinyTAN Encore Edition Happy Meal Toy comes in a red box with the McDonald's x TinyTAN logo on it (which is the TinyTAN logo imprinted on the McDonald's Happy Meal box logo), and comes with the corresponding member's photocard, which features the member's profile on the back. While the Throwback Edition cards have purple backgrounds, the Encore Edition ones have golden yellow ones. The outfits featured on the Encore Edition toys are the same as BTS' "MIC Drop" MV outfits (which have been featured on manyTinyTANfigures before), except with little McDonald's logos on them. Each toy measures approximately 10cm H x 4cm W x 4cm D, and seem to be made of PVC/ABS plastics or something similar. The only difference I found between the American and Canadian versions is that the Height on the member photocards is listed in inches in the US (4 inches) rather than centimetres in Canada (10 cm).

McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Encore Edition) — RM
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Encore Edition) — Jin
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Encore Edition) — Suga
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Encore Edition) — J-Hope
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Encore Edition) — Jimin
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Encore Edition) — V
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Encore Edition) — Jungkook
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Encore Edition) — Full Set

And with that, my McDonald's x TinyTAN toy collections are complete! And at least this time, I'm not stuck with an extra 21 figures that I still don't know what to do with because I am way too lazy to list them on eBay...

Unboxing: McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys — Throwback Edition

Back in August, McDonald's announced its second collaboration with BTS (the first being, of course, the BTS Meal that launched in 2021, during which I ate so many McNuggets that I almost became one myself, and then spent way too much money on the official merch). This time, it's with TinyTAN, which are the insanely adorable characters based on the BTS members, and whose collectible toy figures are available through their Happy Meals. There are two editions of TinyTAN Happy Meal toys to be collected — the Throwback Edition and the Encore Edition, which launched three weeks apart. Both editions have 7 BTS member toys — and matching photocards! — to collect. As you may know, I collect BTS toy figures, including all the TinyTAN ones since its inception. So, I was determined to get all of these.

McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Box
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Box
The TinyTAN Happy Meals launched across 70+ countries, with the roll-out starting on September 3 in the U.S. It was finally released in Canada on September 16, and thus I began my hunt (a.k.a. Happy Meal binging). Between my friend Minji (who, bless her heart, was determined to help me hunt down all 7 figures even though she's not an ARMY) and I, we bought over 28 Happy Meals from 10 different locations across the Greater Toronto Area. And finally — FINALLY!!! — I have collected all 7 Throwback Edition TinyTAN figures.

McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toy Boxes (Throwback Edition)
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Throwback Edition) — Photocards
Each TinyTAN Throwback Edition Happy Meal Toy comes in a purple box with the McDonald's x TinyTAN logo on it (which is the TinyTAN logo imprinted on the McDonald's Happy Meal box logo), and comes with the corresponding member's photocard, which features the member's profile on the back. Each toy measures approximately 10cm H x 4cm W x 4cm D, and seem to be made of PVC/ABS plastics or something similar.

McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Throwback Edition) — RM
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Throwback Edition) — Jin
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Throwback Edition) — Suga
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Throwback Edition) — J-Hope
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Throwback Edition) — Jimin
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Throwback Edition) — V
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Throwback Edition) — Jungkook
McDonald's x BTS TinyTAN Happy Meal Toys (Throwback Edition) — Full Set

A few tips I've picked up along the way with collecting these Happy Meals toys (which, by the way, is significantly harder now than when I was collecting the Teenie Beanie Babies back in 1997...):

• Call a McDonald's location ahead of time before heading there or ordering online from there to check which toy they have available. However, many locations don't pick up the phone unless it's really late at night, so...
• Go into physical McDonald's locations and simply ask which toy they have available that day. If you order through the app or a food delivery service, you obviously won't know which toy you get. And if you order multiple Happy Meals from the same location, you'll likely get multiples of the same toy because each location tends to release one member at a time.  The TinyTAN figures are numbered (there's a tiny number on the back of the toy boxes from 1 to 7) in fan chant order (RM and then oldest to youngest). The employees usually don't know the names of the members, but will know the toy by number. 
• Go to multiple locations, not just the one you live near. Depending on how many Happy Meals they sell, many of the less busy locations have the same toy for a few days.
• Prepare your stomach (or someone else's) for the onslaught of cheeseburgers and McNuggets. (Or, similarly, make friends with people who take their kids to McDonald's.) All the locations I went to do not allow you to buy the toys outright. (Back in the day — at least, in the '90s — you could just pay for an extra toy.) You have to order a Happy Meal to get the toy. (At my local McDonald's, they literally have a sign up at the cashier that says, "TOYS COME WITH HAPPY MEALS ONLY. NO EXCEPTIONS.")

Anyway, now that the Encore Edition is being released, that's another 7 figures to hunt down. But if I eat anymore McDonald's, I will turn into a cheeseburger. So, I am going to hunt eBay instead. (Surprisingly, many sellers are selling each of the figures for around the price of a Happy Meal. Even with shipping, it's certainly less than the total amount Minji and I spent on Happy Meals in the last 2 weeks.) Now, what to do with the extra 13 J-Hopes, 3 Jimins, 3 Sugas, 2 Jungkooks I've acquired? Maybe I will have to sell on eBay, too.

Unboxing: BTS x Despicable Me 4 Figures

So, um, I pre-ordered these last August and they shipped out in December to my Korean forwarding address... and I kinda forgot about them until my BTS Island figures arrived. So I realize this unboxing is exceptionally late, but they're all still available for purchase so this post isn't completely redundant yet!

BTS x Despicable Me 4 Figures — Outer Boxes

To be honest, I'm not like, a die-hard Despicable Me fan, so I didn't even know a fourth movie was coming out until this collaboration was announced. And even then, I wasn't really sure how BTS was related to this movie franchise. (I looked it up: there's a new character in DM4 named Poppy Prescott who loves BTS. Which is fair. She has a BTS phone case and a "Butter" poster on her wall, and they also play "Dynamite" in one of the scenes.) But I've always loved the Minions, so when I saw that they were releasing figures that featured BTS as Minions in the "Permission to Dance" MV outfits, I had to get my hands on them. Resistance was futile.

BTS x Despicable Me 4 Figures — RM, Jin, and Suga
BTS x Despicable Me 4 Figures — J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook

All the figures come packaged in yellow (Minion yellow, if you will) with clear cellophane windows in the front. Each member has his own distinct box with his name and his Minion character illustration on the front. Each figure comes with a white foot stand. The figures measure 6.6cm to 7.8cm tall, and are made of PVC and ABS plastics. Each figure retails for ₩32,000 or $25.18 USD on Weverse Shop Global (and, as mentioned, they are shockingly all still available for purchase!).

BTS x Despicable Me 4 Figure — RM
BTS x Despicable Me 4 Figure — Jin
BTS x Despicable Me 4 Figure — Suga
BTS x Despicable Me 4 Figure — J-Hope
BTS x Despicable Me 4 Figure — Jimin
BTS x Despicable Me 4 Figure — V
BTS x Despicable Me 4 Figure — Jungkook
BTS x Despicable Me 4 Figures(Top row, left to right: RM, Jin, and SugaBottom row, left to right: J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook)

Now, granted, unless you're very familiar with BTS' "Permission to Dance" MV, you probably won't be able to tell which BTS member is which in their Minion form. But I will say that the designers really got down the hair and outfits to a T so any ARMY will be able to recognize these fellas as BTS, and that is what counts. (Also, these are just cute AF. Funko also released BTS x Despicable Me 4 figures, but they actually look kinda creepy so I'm still debating whether I will get them or not. We shall see. The BTS figure collector in me might cave.)

Unboxing: BTS Island: In the SEOM — BTS Island Figures V2

So, I finally got around to unboxing Version 2 of the BTS Island: In the SEOM BTS Island Figures. I pre-ordered them last October (yes, six months ago) and they were officially released this February, but I got them shipped to my Korean forwarding address and didn't end up shipping them out until a couple weeks ago, so here we are.

BTS Island: In the SEOM is BTS' match-3 mobile game that was released in June 2022, and the characters — which are based on the 7 members of BTS, obviously — are sickeningly adorable, so it was only a matter of time before merchandise for it was released. If you're a BTS figure collector, then you'll know that the first version of the BTS Island: In the SEOM figures came as a set which could be displayed separately or together on an "island base." This second version features the 7 member characters on separate bases, like the TinyTAN figures.

BTS Island: In the SEOM — BTS Island Figures V2 — Outer Boxes

All the figures come packaged in purple boxes with clear cellophane windows in the front. Each member has his own distinct box with his name and his character illustration on the front. Each figure comes with a matching stand with the name of the respective member on the base and a sticker background each to decorate the stand. The figures measure 5.5cm to 7.7cm tall, and are made of PVC and ABS plastics. Each figure retails for ₩27,000 or $21.24 USD on Weverse Shop Global (and, as of this post, the majority of them are shockingly still available for purchase!).

BTS Island: In the SEOM — BTS Island Figures V2 — RM in "Wild Flower," Jin in "The Astronaut," and Suga in "Haegeum"
BTS Island: In the SEOM — BTS Island Figures V2 — J-Hope in "On the Street," Jimin in "Like Crazy," V in "Slow Dancing," and Jungkook in "Seven"

So, instead of one cohesive theme, Version 2 of the BTS Island Figures actually features each member with their solo work. More specifically, each member's title track music video from a solo project:

• RM in "Wild Flower" (Indigo)
• Jin in "The Astronaut" (The Astronaut)
• Suga in "Haegeum" (D-DAY)
• J-Hope in "On the Street" (Hope on the Street)
• Jimin in "Like Crazy" (FACE)
• V in "Slow Dancing" (Layover)
• Jungkook in "Seven" (Golden)

BTS Island: In the SEOM — BTS Island Figures V2 — RM in "Wild Flower"
BTS Island: In the SEOM — BTS Island Figures V2 — Jin in "The Astronaut"
BTS Island: In the SEOM — BTS Island Figures V2 — Suga in "Haegeum"
BTS Island: In the SEOM — BTS Island Figures V2 — J-Hope in "On the Street"
BTS Island: In the SEOM — BTS Island Figures V2 — Jimin in "Like Crazy"
BTS Island: In the SEOM — BTS Island Figures V2 — V in "Slow Dancing"
BTS Island: In the SEOM — BTS Island Figures V2 — Jungkook in "Seven"
BTS Island: In the SEOM — BTS Island Figures V2(Top row, left to right: RM in "Wild Flower," Jin in "The Astronaut," and Suga in "Haegeum"Bottom row, left to right: J-Hope in "On the Street," Jimin in "Like Crazy," and Jungkook in "Seven")
BTS Island: In the SEOM — BTS Island Figures V2 — Coupon Code Photocards(Top row, left to right: RM in "Wild Flower," Jin in "The Astronaut," and Suga in "Haegeum"Bottom row, left to right: J-Hope in "On the Street," Jimin in "Like Crazy," and Jungkook in "Seven")

As usual, the attention to detail in their individual hairstyles, outfits, and even background stickers is impeccable. I'm glad that HYBE decided to create figures with a totally different theme than their other figure collections (e.g. TinyTAN, Funko, Banpresto, etc.), which have a lot of overlap (for example, they've done "Dynamite" and "Butter" across all toy brands). These particular figures for BTS Island: In the SEOM actually mark the first series of figures that feature BTS' solo work — a cute acknowledgement of this second chapter of BTS while they're in the military. Can't wait to see what they come up with for Version 3!

Unboxing: Jimin — MUSE Complete Album Set

(Warning: This post is long and photo-heavy.)

MUSE is Jimin's second studio album as a solo artist. It was released globally on July 19, 2024, at all music retailers both online and in-store. MUSE is a predominantly pop album with a total playing time of 19:52. It is comprised of seven songs, including the digital single released last December, "Closer Than This," the pre-release single, "Smeraldo Garden Marching Band," and the title track, "Who." The album was recorded throughout 2022 to 2023 before Jimin enlisted for this mandatory military service last December.

Jimin — MUSE — Outer Boxes (Front)(Left: Blooming ver., Right: Serenade ver.)

Jimin — MUSE — Outer Boxes (Back)(Left: Blooming ver., Right: Serenade ver.)

MUSE has a total of 3 versions across 2 formats: 2 CD, and one digital for Weverse Albums. This post features the CD set for MUSE, which includes the CD versions only. You can find this CD set, the digital Weverse Albums version, as well as a set with all versions on Weverse Shop. The CD versions are also available individually and can be found at all major online and in-store retailers, but please note that Weverse Shop sells the individual CD versions as randomized so you cannot pick the version (most other music retailers, including Amazon, offers the versions individually if you do want one version over the other). The CD versions set retails for $32.47 USD or ₩39,600 on Weverse Shop Global, but please note that no money is saved by buying the set as opposed to each version separately.

Jimin — MUSE — CD-R Sleeves(Left: Blooming ver., Right: Serenade ver.)

Jimin — MUSE — CD-R(Left: Blooming ver., Right: Serenade ver.)

The tracklist of MUSE is as follows:

1. Rebirth (Intro)
2. Interlude: Showtime
3. Smeraldo Garden Marching Band (feat. Loco)
4. Slow Dance (feat. Sofia Carson)
5. Be Mine
6. Who
7. Closer Than This

There are two CD versions of MUSE: Blooming ver. and Serenade ver. Both versions are packaged in cardboard sleeve boxes, with the album title, artist name, and artist photo on the front in black. Blooming ver. has an aqua colour theme and features the Blooming photo concept, while Serenade ver. has a yellow colour theme and features the Serenade photo concept. They both contain the following content:

• Outer box (2 versions, 1 each)
• CD-R sleeve (2 versions, 1 each)
• CD-R (2 versions, 1 each)
• Photobook (2 versions, 1 each)
• Folded poster (2 versions, 1 each)
• Card set (2 version, 1 each)
• Instant photo (3 versions, 1 randomized each)
• Coaster (2 versions, 1 each)
• Sticker pack (2 versions, 1 each)
• Photocard (2 versions, 1 each)

Jimin — MUSE — Folded Posters (Front)(Left: Blooming ver., Right: Serenade ver.)

Jimin — MUSE — Folded Posters (Back)(Left: Blooming ver., Right: Serenade ver.)

Jimin — MUSE — Card Sets, Coasters, and Instant Photos(Top: Blooming ver., Bottom: Serenade ver.)

Jimin — MUSE — Sticker Packs(Left: Blooming ver., Right: Serenade ver.)

Jimin — MUSE — Photobooks(Left: Blooming ver., Right: Serenade ver.)

Jimin — MUSE — Photobooks (Inside)(Top: Blooming ver., Bottom: Serenade ver.)

Jimin — MUSE — Photocards(Left: Blooming ver., Right: Serenade ver.)

Jimin — MUSE — Weverse Shop Pre-Order Gifts: Photocard and Acrylic Tags

I'm a little late in posting this so it's been about a month since the album was released, and I've pretty much played it into the ground. Though MUSE was recorded shortly after FACE, the two albums sound distinctly different. While FACE is far angrier, more raw, and more emotional, MUSE is much lighter and happier. It starts off slow and dreamy with "Rebirth (Intro)", gets energetic and cheerful with "Smeraldo Garden Marching Band," and turns sultrier with the R&B-driven "Slow Dance" and Latin pop-based "Be Mine." We then get title track, "Who," which is an ultra-catchy, rhythm guitar-heavy, 2000s pop-influenced bop that is a pure earworm, and it finally ends with the contemporary R&B love letter to ARMY, "Closer Than This." In a nutshell, MUSE is fun, sophisticated, polished, and a complete joy to listen to.