BANGTAN BOMB: J-Hope — "Killin' It Girl (Solo Version)" Challenge Sketch

Okay, I don't know like, half of these 4th gen groups but I love how excited and eager and starstruck they are when working with Hobi. So freaking cute! (Also, ENHYPEN killed this challenge.)

BANGTAN BOMB: J-Hope's "Sweet Dreams (feat. Miguel)" Challenge Sketch

Aside from this being a really cute and easygoing dance challenge with other K-pop artists, I really love that they're normalizing inter-label collaborations when there was so much rivalry between them previously. I also love that this shows how much other artists genuinely love and respect J-Hope.

BANGTAN BOMB: J-Hope Reunites with Jin at the Discharge Ceremony!

"Once you stand there, after being stuck inside for so long, you get nervous and all you're thinking is, 'Wow, I'm finally getting out of here.'"

I love sweet family reunions. 🥹🥹🥹

BANGTAN BOMB: Jungkook Unwinds in Qatar

HE IS ADORABLE. He definitely has ADD but HE IS ADORABLE. Even when he's dancing with goggles on! 

And with this final Bangtan Bomb, HAPPY ARMY DAY!

BANGTAN BOMB: V's 20-Second Live in Gangneung

Okay, just imagine being approached by a dude wearing a massive bear head asking you to follow him to watch a "free performance" and immediately saying no because it's pretty fucking creepy but then finding out months later that it was not just a free music show, but one performed by BTS V. THE UTTER REGRET.

(The hotteok stall granny stays winning.)

BANGTAN BOMB: Jimin's Music Show Fan Support Shoot Sketch

This is just fucking adorable. You know, it's wild to me that this insanely famous, multi-multi-millionaire, global superstar hand-draws things to give to his fans just to thank them for their support at a music show. If you wonder why ARMY are so loyal, so protective, and so obsessive, this is why. 

BANGTAN BOMB: J-Hope's "Crush Hour" Practice Sketch

Hobi's professionalism and perfectionism in his craft is truly on a different level; his utter respect for the music, the creativity, and the collaboration is why he's one of the greatest artists of our time. It's funny, when I first listened to this song, I just thought it was okay, but it became one of my most listened to tracks of 2022. 

BANGTAN BOMB: Suga at the Movie Premiere

Yoongi: "Are we allowed to eat things that are here? Do they give you popcorn or nachos if you ask? Can we ask for nachos? I haven't had dinner yet. Should we carry it in? Coke Zero for me… Nachos and a Coke Zero... Butter squid, too…"

Ah, as always, Yoongi asking the important questions.

BANGTAN BOMB: Jin's Variety Show Excursion

Crazy to think this was right before his military enlistment and now he's back. Jin's enlistment felt simultaneously long and short, maybe because they were so strategic with the timing of all the members' enlistments and releases of their content. I can't wait to see what Jin will have in store for us while the other six are gone. I mean, he's only been back for 3 weeks and has already become the global brand ambassador for Maison FRED and is apparently expected to be an Olympic torchbearer for the 2024 Paris Olympics, so I suspect his schedule is looking a little hectic right now...

BANGTAN BOMB: RM's Radio at the BTS FESTA 2023

[On a water taxi]

RM: *waves* "No one's watching me." 

RM: *continues waving* "Surprisingly, nobody really cares." 

RM: *still waving* "Hello! Yes!"

[pans to an empty river with no one watching]

[On a live phone call]

RM: "Oh, can I ask where you live and who you are?"

Person on phone: "Wow, no way."

RM: *laughs*

Person on phone: *singing "Take Two" a little too well*

RM: *eyes widen* "Oooh!"

Person on phone: "Hello everyone, it's Jungkook! Nice to meet you!"

RM: "Aaaiiiishhhh!"

RM: "Ten years means we're now seasoned singers. We have to stay on our toes and do even better. I want to be someone that moves forward from the present. When I look back at the past, a lot of things feel distant to me. I'm focusing on the present right now and doing my best, so I think you'll be able to look forward to me and our team moving forward. We'll do our best to make sure that you don't regret sending us your love. Trust me!"

I mean, at this point, I don't think there will ever be an ARMY who regrets becoming an ARMY. Eight years, five concerts, and (at least) $100,000 on merch later, there hasn't been a single day that I have not given BTS my whole heart. 

BTS FESTA 2024: BANGTAN BOMB — Billboard Hot 100 #1 Skit Recording Sketch

This was such a monumental moment in music history. For any Asian artist to debut a song at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 was unfathomable at the time. It's been 4 years since, but I'm still so, so proud of them. No one has been able to achieve what they've achieved so far, but if and when that happens, no one will be able to deny it: BTS paved the way.

BTS FESTA 2024: BANGTAN BOMB — JiJinJung's RADIO Honey FM Behind-the-Scenes

Though the original JiJinJung Radio broadcast is no longer available (it was streamed on V Live, which is now defunct), I'm glad we can re-live it in this 5-minute behind-the-scenes video. I don't even think they could fathom at the time just how enormous "Dynamite" would become. (I also can't believe this was four years ago? When the whole world was on lockdown? And we were robbed of what would've been BTS' most epic tour to date? Yes, that same tour that I had gotten soundcheck tickets for that got cruelly cancelled and I'm still extremely salty about it?)

But also, Tae's jump-out-of-the-chair enthusiasm just to deliver a fake traffic report was an energy I didn't know I needed.

BANGTAN BOMB: Jimin's #ThisIsJimin Behind

The utter control of his body, the delicate force of every movement, the emotion that exudes out of every gesture... I've said this before, but Park Jimin is pure poetry in motion. 

BANGTAN BOMB: RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook's Entrance Ceremony with BTS

A truly sad week for ARMYs everywhere. We'll be here waiting for your comeback. Stay strong, stay healthy, and stay safe, my babies. 2025, fighting! 

BANGTAN BOMB: Agust D — "Haegeum" Challenge Video Shoots Sketch

Obviously, the whole point of having label mates is so you can make all of them feature in your dance challenge videos. As Yoongi has so wisely said before, "Keeping up with the trends is not easy."

BANGTAN BOMB: J-Hope and Jimin's Challenge Video Shoot Sketch (feat. Suga and V)

["On the Street" Take #1 with Suga]

Suga, sighing: "Keeping up with the trends is not easy."

[While dancing]

Suga: "Aren't you in the way too much? You're blocking me!"

["On the Street" Take #2 with Suga]

Suga, doing a totally different move: "I did something else, sorry! I DID SOMETHING ELSE!"

["On the Street" Take #1 with V]

Hobi: "Did you do well?"

V: "…No."

["On the Street" Take #2 with V]

V, after monitoring: "… One more time! What was it?"

Hobi: "Which part?"

V: "I saw Taeyang was really eager, he kept shooting again and again…"

Hobi: "I can do this as many times as you'd like!"

V: "That's why I'm going to be like that!"

Hobi: "I can do it a hundred times, a thousand times!"

V: "Let's just shoot 3,000 times."

Okay, but realistically, the best part of this was Jimin stirring his imaginary coffee with a screwdriver. And Yoongi.

BANGTAN BOMB: J-Hope's Entrance Ceremony with BTS

I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVE GO THROUGH THIS FIVE MORE TIMES. I LOVE THIS FAMILY SO MUCH. 

(I'm definitely crying.)

BANGTAN BOMB: J-Hope — "= (Equal Sign)," "Chicken Noodle Soup," and "Butter (Holiday Remix)" at New Year's Rocking Eve 2023

I'm so glad the BigHit team filmed their own stage cam of J-Hope's performance at New Year's Rocking Eve. ABC is notoriously strict about re-posting their footage, which is why there's never any official videos of these stages. And that's fine anyway, because J-Hope was literally the only reason to even watch NYRE (seriously, they got some goddamn awful musicians to perform this year) and they only gave him 5 minutes. He deserved so much better. 

BANGTAN BOMB: Jin's Entrance Ceremony with BTS

Okay, I didn't think I was going to get emotional all over again but "For Youth" started playing and now I'm bawling and somehow typing this through my tears and I can't believe I'll have to go through this another 6 times. 😭

BANGTAN BOMB: BTS Yet to Come in Busan — "MIC Drop" and "Run BTS" Stage Cam (BTS Focus)

YASSSSSS, THEY RELEASED THE STAGE CAM FOOTAGE! It's like they know ARMYs are gonna want to see "Run BTS" in every view possible. (I also forgot how fucking good "MIC Drop" is live? What an amazing opening song for this show. The perfect track to segue into "Run BTS.") I love stage cams in particular because you can actually track all the members and see the choreography more clearly (you know, so we can parse their moves more accurately). Plus, stage cams are great because you can hear all the fan chants, too. Still no concert replay in its entirety, but I wonder if this means they'll upload each song separately...? (One can only dream.)

And also, huge kudos to the phenomenal live band, who made each song really come alive with great emotional intensity. Incredible performance!