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.
