HAPPY JIN DAY 2025! 🐹

Wishing Mr. Worldwide Handsome and BTS' matnae the happiest 33rd birthday! Thank you for your ability to be shameless and humble at the same time, your incredible perseverance and ambition, your charming honesty, your windshield wiper laugh, and for always showing that age is just a number. Thank you for taking care of your little brothers, for always taking the time to talk to ARMYs, for always choosing to be positive, and for reminding us to love ourselves. I hope you have an incredible birthday with your loved ones and a wonderful year ahead filled with love and happiness. 💜

Jimin and Jungkook — Are You Sure?! Season 2 Main Trailer

Interrupting my stream of birthday dinner posts with this trailer because it just unexpectedly dropped and I AM ALWAYS SURE WHEN IT COMES TO JIKOOK. This is the most precious friendship I have ever witnessed in the last 9 years and I ALWAYS NEED MORE. They give me faith in LOVE AND HUMANITY.  (But also wanderlust and hunger pangs at 3:00AM.) Anyway, guess I'll need to re-subscribe to Disney+ again... 

Jungkook for Calvin Klein: Holiday 2025 Campaign

(Photo source: Calvin Klein Official X)
(Photo source: Calvin Klein Official X)
(Photo source: Calvin Klein Official X)
(Photo source: Calvin Klein Official X)
(Photo source: Calvin Klein Official X)
(Photo source: Calvin Klein Official X)
OH. MY. GOD. 

The fits, the motorcycle, the tattoos, the piercings, the abs, and the hair?! With those moves?! To "Block Rockin' Beats"?! JEON JUNGKOOK IS FUCKING BACK WITH A VENGEANCE AND WE ARE ALL FUCKING THIRSTY.

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...

HAPPY JIMIN DAY 2025! 🐥

(Photo source: BTS Official X)
To Bangtan's cutie sexy lovely, ARMY's baby mochi, and my second ultimate bias — happy 30th birthday! Thank you for your unparalleled stage presence and charisma; for being the most captivating, elegant, emotive, and fluid dancer in the industry; for your intense work ethic and passion for performance; for your incredible care and love for your members and your fans; for your eternal kindness and humility; for your striking beauty that affects men and women alike; and for having the most angelic voice I've ever heard. You are the very embodiment of poetry in motion, and you bring so much passion, grace, and beauty to the world. I just can't believe you're already 30. When I first met you, you were newly in your 20s and now you're finally in my decade as I'm nearing the next one. I hope you enjoy and cherish it — 30 was my favourite year in many ways, but mostly because that's the year I found BTS, and I hope you, too, find something new and exciting that you love so deeply and passionately that it stays with you forever. Happy birthday, Jiminie! 💜

BTS EPISODE: Jin — RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR in US and Europe

I remember when this tour was first announced, I was worried about how the Run Jin concept was going to be incorporated into the concerts. But I didn't need to worry; the concert was fucking amazing. Of course, Jin's live performances were phenomenal — flawless vocals, incredible energy — but it was also really interactive and hilarious and so much fun. It was a concert that felt completely different to any other one I'd been to — one that was so unique, and so thoroughly JIN. I know I say this for all BTS concerts, but god, I'm so glad I got tickets for this tour. 

Is it too soon to feel nostalgic over this?

BTS VLOG: RM's Trip in Europe

It's funny that he apologizes for showcasing so many of his meals because the food is what leads me to my destinations.

Oh, man, the wanderlust is real right now.

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.

HAPPY RM DAY 2025! 🐨

(Image source: BTS Official X)

To Bangtan's fearless leader, ARMY's President, and the God of Destruction — happy 31st birthday! Thank you for being the backbone of BTS, for your sincerity and integrity in everything you do, for your eloquent speeches and intellectual lyrics, your endearing clumsiness and awkward handshakes, your adorable dimples, and your passion for art, literature, and music. I hope you are staying healthy and happy, and are able to find solace in your everyday life now that you've been discharged from the military. Wishing you a stress- and anxiety-free birthday with your loved ones. 💜

HAPPY JUNGKOOK DAY 2025! 🐰

(Image source: BTS Official X)
To Bangtan's golden maknae, ARMY's muscle bunny, and my ultimate bias — happy 28th birthday! Thank you for your incredible talent in everything you do, your admirable passion in performance and music, your genuine gratitude and love for your members and ARMY alike, your hilariously dorky sense of humour, your adrenaline junkie tendencies, your adorable bunny smiles, and your unparalleled perseverance and integrity. You may be the most talented person I have ever seen, and I am so glad I've been able to witness it. You were barely legal when I first saw you, and it has been a pleasure watching you grow up into this humble, confident, ridiculously good-looking force of nature. Now that you're back from the military, I can't wait to see how you and the boys will dominate the world. Again. 💜

BTS EPISODE: J-Hope Hope on the Stage Tour Practice Sketch

"I just need to do a good job myself. The other performances are coming along but we still need to do this live so we've got a long way to go. There are still so many things left to check… This is not good… Whatever the case, I'll do it and I'll stand before you ARMY and show you guys an amazing performance. I'll get through it. So come to the shows with high expectations. This is just the process. Results are what matter."

I know it's his job, but I can't imagine having to re-memorize over 25 songs' worth of choreographies and lyrics in three months to perform live. Globally. In front of hundreds of thousands of people. After being in the military for 1.5 years. But his hard work really paid off because Hope on the Stage was fucking flawless.

BTS EPISODE: J-Hope at Lollapalooza Berlin 2025

How was he not satisfied with his performance here?! This was honestly one of the most energetic, charismatic, and damn near flawless stages I've seen from J-Hope. Like, I know he's a perfectionist but he's being a little too humble here... 

And on another note, I know Justin Timberlake is a 2000s icon, but frankly, in this day and age, BTS is significantly more popular, multi-faceted, and talented (and way less problematic)… but it seemed like J-Hope was way more excited to meet him? And that JT forgot he collaborated with Jungkook until J-Hope reminded him?

BANGTAN BOMB: J-Hope's Summer Swag Sketch

J-Hope: "I wonder if they'll recognize me…"

PSY: "Wow… that was such a 'celebrity' thing to say."

J-Hope: "No, seriously!"

PSY: "Of course they'll recognize you!"

J-Hope: "I'm really worried. It'll be the general public."

PSY: "Geez… Tomorrow's going to be something to remember."

I can't believe J-Hope was worried that the Korean general public wouldn't recognize him. Did he really think PSY would invite him to perform there if he didn't think J-Hope has that kind of impact? J-Hope has proven himself time and time again that he is an insanely talented, incredibly popular solo artist — on top of being apart of the biggest band in the world. J-HOPE, AREN'T YOU BEING A LITTLE TOO HUMBLE?

(On another note, that blingy pizza pendant necklace is basically the best thing I've ever seen in my life.)

Unboxing: Jin #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR Official Tour Merch

JIN TOUR MERCH HAUL! 

Jin #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR Official Merch — Check Shirt

Jin #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR Official Merch — Check Shirt (Detail)

Jin #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR Official Merch — Check Shirt (Detail)

Jin #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR Official Merch — S/S Routing T-Shirt (US Version)

Jin #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR Official Merch — S/S Routing T-Shirt (US Version) [Detail]

Jin #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR Official Merch — S/S Routing T-Shirt (US Version) [Detail]

Jin #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR Official Merch — Wootteo Keyring

Jin #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR Official Merch — Tour Keyring and Tour Mini Charm (Newark Version)

Jin #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR VIP Gifts — VIP Laminate Pass + Lanyard, Acrylic Pin Set, and Fanny Pack

I had pre-ordered the oversized Check Shirt and Tour Keyring from Weverse Shop Global in June, but I did pick up a few things at the concert: the S/S Routing T-Shirt (US version), Wootteo Keyring, and Tour Mini Charm (Newark version). (I thought I exercised a lot of self-control, if I do say so myself.) I received some gifts with my Soundcheck VIP Package as well: a VIP laminate pass and lanyard, an acrylic pin set, and a silver fanny pack.

Jin Ramen Mild T-Shirt

Jin Ramen Mild Noodle Pack and Noodle Cup

There was also a huge Otoki Jin Ramen booth inside the venue (not sure if they're a tour sponsor, but Jin is — appropriately — the current spokesmodel for them) where they were giving out free gift bags to all the VIP that included a blue Jin Ramen Mild T-shirt, a pack of Jin Ramen Mild, and a cup of Jin Ramen Mild. (Coincidentally, I just picked up a six-pack of Jin Ramen Mild cups last week. Not because Jin is the spokesperson, but because it's genuinely delicious.)

Gifts from ARMY!

And, of course, there were tons of ARMYs giving out free goodies — handmade beaded bracelets, keychains, buttons, dozens of photo cards, ticket bookmarks, a plethora of candy, the most adorable BTS ARMY pens, scrunchies, and even bottle openers! Truly, BTS ARMY is the best fandom in the world. (I'm only slightly biased.)

Jin #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR in Newark — Day 2

Jin #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR in Newark — Day 2

Jin #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR in Newark — Day 2

Jin #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR in Newark — Day 2

Jin #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR in Newark — Day 2

Jin #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR in Newark — Day 2

Jin #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR in Newark — Day 2

Jin #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR in Newark — Day 2

Jin #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR in Newark — Day 2

Jin #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR in Newark — Day 2

Jin #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR in Newark — Day 2

Jin #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR in Newark — Day 2

Jin #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR in Newark — Day 2

Finally got to see Jin at the last date of the North American Leg of his #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR in Newark yesterday! Aside from Jin performing his songs, I actually didn't know what to expect from a tour that's based on Run Jin — his variety show that's full of shenanigans — because I purposely kept myself from watching tour footage beforehand so as not to spoil the experience. But it was surprisingly interactive, with random audience participance games in between songs, and HILARIOUS. (Him trying to guess "Orange Suit Guy" with all of us pointing to an ARMY in the 300 sections wearing a full-on orange dinosaur suit will forever be a highlight.) And considering this tour doesn't include choreography or backup dancers, I thought he commanded the stage exceptionally well on his own. His setlist was well-rounded and included the majority of his solo songs across Happy and Echo, as well "Super Tuna" (of course), and a medley of BTS songs:

1. Running Wild
2. I'll Be There
3. With the Clouds
4. Falling
5. Don't Say You Love Me
6. Super Tuna
7. I Will Come to You
8. Abyss
9. Background
10. Another Level
11. Loser 
12. Rope It
13. BTS Medley: Dynamite
14. BTS Medley: Butter
15. BTS Medley: Mikrokosmos
16. Spring Day
17. The Astronaut
18. Nothing Without Your Love
19. Epiphany
20. Moon
21. To Me, Today

I managed to get us Soundcheck VIP Packages for this concert, so we also had the pleasure of watching him perform "Running Wild," "Another Level," and "Super Tuna" during soundcheck. Despite having had to line up in a thunderstorm with pouring rain all afternoon (thank god I checked the forecast beforehand and packed an umbrella) and not being able to leave Prudential Center for nearly seven hours (as a smoker, this is kind of a nightmare), I thought this concert was absolutely worth flying to Newark for. (As you can imagine, there are some worries about going over to the US right now.)

As usual, I will be uploading reels of every single stage from this concert on my Instagram. (Lest you think I'm not enjoying the concert in real-time, I usually film about a minute of each song and then sing along and dance and wave my ARMY Bomb with everyone else.) Just waiting for the official announcement of the OT7 world tour now. (And the ticketing blood bath that will ensue.) Unless another surprise solo tour is coming...