Bangtan ARMYs Nationwide

 What is an ARMY?

Many of you have probably heard the song Butter, which was one of the hottest trending songs of summer 2021 (1). Numerous people do not know the artists behind this song. While this song is fully in English, it is actually sung by a full Korean group called BTS. BTS is a popular South Korean boy band consisting of 7 members. The members are (Figure 1 left to right) V, Suga, Jin, Jungkook, the leader RM, Jimin, and J-hope. Since debuting in 2013, this group has won over 400 awards. This was made possible because of the love and support of their fans. This fan group calls themself ARMY. This stands for “Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth” and their signature color is purple (2). There is a common term fans use which is "I purple you". This ultimately means I love and trust you. ARMYs around the world are able to connect with each other and support BTS. The U.S. fanbase website provides updates and sources for fans. I became an ARMY and not only fell in love with the group but also with other fans. I engage in the group's social media and interact with fans online. BTS has greatly impacted the K-pop industry and affected many people's lives. 

Figure 1

Concerts

Figure 2

    Everybody loves going to concerts and seeing their favorite artists live. BTS has performed over 200 concerts over the years (3). Concerts often have a unique atmosphere that is different from listening to music at home. There are always good vibes and energy at concerts. People are able to sing, dance, and interact with one another. Going to a concert with other people create a shared experience with other ARMYs. Along with creating the perfect concert outfit, many K-pop groups have lightsticks. These are designed by their company specifically for their group theme. We call BTS’s lightstick an ARMY bomb (see Figure 2). These can sync up and light up specific colors to the music. ARMYs are able to decorate these and express their creativity. People also put these on display and are a form of merchandise. It shows your support for BTS and that you are a part of the fandom. I recently went to a concert for the BTS member Suga. I met other ARMYs and sang and danced with them. Everybody was very supportive and energetic. The lightsticks all lit up the same colors and really made me feel connected to everyone (Figure 3). It was the best experience and I made lots of connections. Concerts are always so fun and enable fans to meet each other and form relationships.

Figure 3

Weverse

    Most people are able to follow their favorite artists and celebrities over Instagram and TikTok. While this is great, BTS has a special app made for fans, Weverse. Weverse has a global community of fans from all around the world, making it easy for fans to connect with each other and share their passion for K-Pop. There are multiple K-pop groups that utilize this app for their fans. Members of the BTS community are able to post and chat with each other. There is a message feature in the app so fans can chat with each other directly. Fans are able to buy ARMY Memberships, which gives them special offers and other perks. They will receive exclusive content and share that with other members of the club. People can make in-app purchases making it easier to shop for all their fandom wants. BTS also goes live, which lets them connect with fans. ARMY’s bond over these experiences and enjoy talking to each other about the most recent live.

Covers

    Many ARMY's are very talented and create their own dance and singing covers. Most of BTS's produced songs have very tricky and creative choreography. It is very fun for fans to recreate their dances and interpret them how they want. Dancers do not always have to follow the exact same choreography and can make up their own. This enables fans to be creative and express themself. Video 1 is a dance cover of the song Boy In Luv by EST Crew. They followed the same choreography closely to the original. This is all women, emphasizing how anyone can participate. While BTS is an all-boy group, people of any gender and ethnicity can create their own covers. This demonstrates the fun ways the fans are able to connect with each other and have fun.

Along with dance covers, ARMYs enjoy participating in street dancing. A group of fans will go to a popular spot outside and form a big circle. Music will play and if someone knows the choreography, they can go into the circle and dance. Anybody can come just to enjoy the music and dancing or try and perform their best dances. K-Pop street dancing has also inspired a growing community of dancers and choreographers worldwide. Some fans even participate in dance competitions to showcase their skills and love for BTS.

Merch

    Fans are able to buy and collect albums and BT21 merchandise. BT21 is a combination of BTS and the 21st century and is a Line Friends brand. Each member has their own unique character that represents themself. The members brainstormed and drew their own characters making it very special. BT21 merch is a way for fans to connect with their favorite BTS members in a tangible way, and fans can feel closer to each other. People collect and trade their merch with other ARMYs. They are designed in a cute style and are for all fans of all ages. Most of BTS merch appeals to girls but boys are also welcome. The video below on the left demonstrates fans doing unboxing and showing their collections. Many ARMYs enjoy making Youtube videos and TikToks of their BT21 merch. Along with BT21, many fans connect through collecting albums and trading photocards. Photocards are unique cards that come with each physical album, representing one member of the group. Similar to BT21 merch, fans enjoy creating content on social media showing what they have. The video on the right represents a fan organizing their photocard collection for others to enjoy. Many fans connect through these objects and toys. They hold lots of meaning to many people and show their support for BTS.

BTS has had a huge impact on many people. ARMYs around the world have found fun and creative ways to support the group and connect with one another. Many friendships are found through their love for BTS.

References

(1) McIntyre, H. (2021). BTS's 'butter' is the biggest no. 1 hit in the history of Billboard's Global Chart. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2021/06/07/btss-butter-is-the-biggest-no-1-hit-in-the-history-of-billboards-global-chart/ 

(2)  Army. (n.d.). BTS wiki. https://bts.fandom.com/wiki/ARMY 

(3) What was the biggest BTS concert by capacity? (n.d.). BTS concert & tour history: Concert archives. https://www.concertarchives.org/bands/bts#concert-table