#namjoon is just so extremely funny and it's soooo underrated

[namchyoon]

me when i'm asked to do anything

[irisouy]

So today I want to give my opinion on my latest obsession: BTS. No, I am not speaking about “Behind The Scenes”, but about a music group/band called BTS (Bangtan Boys). For those who do not know them (who doesn’t at this point?) they are a 7-member k-pop group, who are breaking all records. I usually do not give my opinion on music, since my blog is mostly a “The 100”–related blog, but I felt that this time I could make an exception, because I have been enjoying this group very much during “The 100” hell-hiatus and felt like sharing my impressions.

So how did I come across discovering this group? Well… lately I have been into k-dramas. Almost two years ago I discovered the world of Korean dramas, and really fell in love with it. It made me stop watching most American series (well except for The 100, duh), and I have been doing a lot of binge-watching of really good Korean series. Of course, while watching them I often hear really nice songs in the background or as OST, and out of curiosity I went on YouTube to listen to those tracks in full version. That’s how I discovered k-Pop: it was first VIXX, then GOT7, then EXO and WINNER. Of course, I watched other k-pop boy-bands, but those are the ones that I liked most. And then, one day, after watching a clip from one of the groups I have just mentioned, the automatic lecture feature in YouTube put on “NOT TODAY” of BTS and I got hypnotized by the crazy dancing. Don’t get me wrong, other groups are very good dancers, but BTS choreographies and attitude really impressed me big time. And when I watched “FIRE” next, I was hooked.

Before I move on let me clarify some things about me: first of all, I do not consider myself as an ARMY member. Again for those who are not familiar, “ARMY” is the name of the BTS fandom and I believe it is one of the most active fandoms in social media if it is not the most. Second of all, I am in my mid-thirties, which is kind of old considering the average age of ARMY stans. Also, I was a teenager during the 90’s and I have lived the boys-band era, and let me tell you this: I have never been a fan (to the exception of some random songs). So this is the opinion of a person who is not in the BTS fandom (yet?), who has never really been fond of boy-bands and who is “oldish”.

Let’s get into it! (Beware, I have a lot to say => 5 K words after the cut)

Disclaimer: I am rather new to this so if I say something wrong, educate me, do not send hate please

So as I said, it’s the dancing that got me interested in BTS: the songs I first heard where OK to my standards, very catchy, but I mostly loved watching the dancing, more than listening to the songs. But then, I came across the rest of their songs and I started enjoying it more and more. The more I listened to them, the more I enjoyed it: this kind of music has a way to creep into you.

So what has “sealed the deal” for me?

A great discography

Variety of genres in their discography: not one songs resembles the other. They have Hip-hop, trap and rap tracks, R&B and pop songs, ballads …the variety of genres is impressive, even within the same song! I am not used to see this in other (non-korean) groups/singers: once they start in a genre they stick to it, with very seldom variations. But BTS seems to enjoy exploring genres and they are very good at it.

I mostly like their calmest songs with “Tomorrow” being my absolute favorite, followed by “House of cards” and “Let me know”. But they have so many beautiful songs: “Spring Day”, “Save me”, “Dead leaves”, “Hold me tight”, “Sea”, “Born singer”, “I need U”, “Run”, “Go Go”, “Boy in luv”, “Best of me”, “Baepsae” to name some of my favorites. I even really like their debut songs such as “No more dream”, “N.O.”& “We are bullet-proof”.

This doesn’t mean I do not enjoy their most recent songs like “Blood, sweat and tears”, “DNA” & “Mic Drop”: but for those, I mostly like the video clips more than the songs (sorry, my opinion!). Just like “Fire” and “Not today” are extremely catchy (and I’m in love with the MVs), but it is not the type of songs I listen to on my way to work. Those are the type of songs which are more powerful if you watch the whole performance (singing + dancing).

So my advice: do not just listen to Title tracks only: my favorite BTS songs are not Title tracks, and they are sooooo good.

To top it all, the majority of their songs have meaningful lyrics and tackle sensitive topics. And when you start scratching the surface you discover that their songs and MVs are connected to each other across the years of their existence. That’s when you get into theories, because yes, every detail is important and is part of a mysterious and giant puzzle that will blow your mind.

Top-notch Production

An A-team: I firmly believe that BTS members are among the most talented individuals I have ever encountered, but they are not alone in this. The reason why BTS is rising to the top is also due to the team surrounding them. Watch any BTS MV: the cinematography is beautiful, the costumes are stylish, the color scheme is on point, the choreographies are awesome, and camera angles perfect… you can feel there is a lot of work and thought put together to get this result. And when you watch live performances, you also get the sense that behind BTS, there is a talented team that supports them.

I think that BTS is the only idol group of Big Hit entertainment (for now) and it really shows. You can tell Big Hit puts a lot of effort and care into this group. Every little detail is well thought of and planned. Big Hit entertainment is doing everything they can to showcase the talent they have in their hands. I also appreciate the fact that they are letting each member explore their own artistry outside from the group. The fact that they gave solos to each member in the Wings album was a smart move. It allowed each member to shine on their own, with their own style, while still showcasing the group as a whole. Smart, smart indeed.

I like the fact that they allow some freedom to their artists: they have their say in the production process, they write lyrics, produce songs, and from time to time they let them get songs by themselves and let them explore the music they like. Because they are so different, and they all shine when performing solo, but each on their own way. Just have a listen/look at the mixtapes released for each member of the rap line: whether it is RM’s, Agust D’s or J-Hope’s, each mixtape has a different feel and genre. The members’ tastes and personalities just shine through their music and I like the fact that Big Hit supports them into their musical journey.

 7 talented young men

Well of course what makes BTS so good are its 7 talented members: each one has a very distinct voice, style and personality and whether they are singing, rapping or dancing, the experience is really enjoyable. Note that they are so good, that it took me a loooooong while finding a “bias” (aka favorite member), and even if I have one now, the others are really not far away from him. It’s crazy how easily you can get attached to them.

Let’s do a quick tour of the members, their performances and characteristics. (Again, this is my opinion based on what I have seen, do not get offended that I don’t like your bias as much as you do!).

Let’s start with the rappers: J-Hope, Suga and RM. I am not going to lie, although I enjoy rap, it is not my cup of tea: I’m fine with small doses, but can have trouble listening to pure rap, with nothing else around. However those 3 rappers made me appreciate rapping in ways I did not expect, because they have the attitude, the flow and the talent. If you don’t know them already, I recommend listening to their Cyphers (with subtitles turned on) which are really, really good: I personally really like Cypher pt. 4, but pt.3 is really good too (but this will be different according to each person’s tastes).

The rappers of the group have suffered from mockery from other rappers because they joined BTS, and were hence considered as not being “real rappers”. But let me tell you this: they have proven again and again that they are extremely talented and that they do not need to envy other self-proclaimed “real” rappers.

· J-Hope: real name Jung Hoseok, also known as Hobi, Hoseok. He might be the most underrated rapper as usually RM and Suga get most of the attention. At least, I know he is the last member I paid attention to within the rap-line. Rap-wise I would say that his style is slower than RM’s and Suga, infusing his cheerful personality in every line. I like how he modulates the rhythm of his diction in his rapping, and the fact that he incorporates singing into it, building his own rapping style. What is also impressive is the fact that J-Hope never rapped before joining BTS, he was a dancer. But keep in mind that I am far from being a specialist of rap. The first time I paid attention to J-Hope is with the Wings album: I was impressed with his track “Boys meets Evil” and I also really enjoyed “Hey Mama”. What gets me the most with him is that he is a multi-faceted artist: he knows how to rap, sing (have you heard his singing? soooo nice!) AND he is an amazing dancer. I really do love his dancing: the energy he has when dancing is breathtaking, and this same energy transpires in his solo tracks. And of course I have to talk about his mixtape that just came out in March 2018. Such a sleek and mellow sound: the Hixtape is a very unique trip into his world and a real treat for the ears. No wonder it broke records all over the World! Also, personality-wise J-Hope is a funny, caring and optimistic individual: basically, a real sunshine. What’s not to love?

 · RM: real name Kim Namjoon, aka God of Destruction, formerly known as Rap Monster (or Rap Mon) …he is the first rapper that I noticed because of his low deep voice and chill attitude. He “spits some bars” has some will say but in the best way possible. His rapping skills are sick: he can rap extremely fast (*cough*joke*cough*), or take it slower, but always with attitude. But what is weird is that I like RM the most when he sings…yep, with time I have the impression that he has been singing more and more and I absolutely love it. His part in “Best of me”, “Let me know”, or in “4 o’clock” is really awesome for lack of a better word. RM is the leader of BTS and as such he is in charge of being the spokesperson of the group and the link between Big Hit and the BTS members. He basically is the dad of the group and makes sure that every member gets his share of spotlight.

Besides from being a caring and respected leader, RM is also an excellent song writer and producer: you need to listen to songs like “Spring day”, or “Serendipity” to see the tip of the iceberg of his writing abilities.

Basically, RM is a really smart (IQ of 148), caring, charismatic individual who takes his role in BTS to heart.

 · Suga: real name Min Yoongi, also known as Agust D. At first I didn’t really pay attention to Suga. But he is a quiet force that crept into me slowly and then hit me hard. I really started noticing him with his solo song in the Wings album: “First love”. I first listened to it without reading the lyrics and I was touched by the raw emotion that his performance transpired. Then, when reading the lyrics I got transported by his love of music: music was and will always be his first love. Nice. But of course it didn’t stop there, that was just an appetizer: I then discovered his mix tape under his other stage name “Agust D”. Oh WOW. Do you remember when I said I was not into rap songs that much? Well I am into HIS songs very much. I discovered real gems in this mixtape, my favorites being “Agust D”, “Far way” and my number 1 of all “The last”. His rapping is the most lit thing I have ever heard, the way he modulates the rhythm of his rapping according to the message he wants to deliver and at the core of that there is always RAW emotion. And when you read the lyrics of “The last”, oh my… it’s heart-wrenching. This guy is so freaking talented that he just became my bias wrecker with this mix tape, hands down.

But Suga’s talent does not lie only on his rapping skills; just like RM he writes lyrics, composes and produces songs. And he really is very good at producing: my favorite song of BTS (Tomorrow) was produced by him. He even won an award for his producing skills. I like that he is so passionate about his music.

And I also like his personality: he is more introverted than the others, with a darker humor and can be a real savage. But you can tell he is a tormented soul (even before reading his lyrics!) and inside he is a big softy. So yeah, freaking Suga: an awesome individual, rapper AND producer.

OK, now let’s dive into the vocal line: Jin, V, Jungkook and Jimin. As I said, I am biased because I enjoy singing more than rapping (well most of the time).

· Jin: real name Kim Seok Jin, also known as “Worldwide handsome”. Yes, he IS handsome but he also has such a beautiful, and breathy voice. The “visual” member of the group is also the most underrated singer of BTS. I thank the Wings album every day because it got me into knowing each member and pay attention to them individually. Just like with Suga and J-Hope, it’s Jin’s solo song “Awake” that made me notice him more. He surprised me in a very positive way, and I realized at that moment that may be the fact that I did not pay attention to him was simply because he doesn’t have that many lines in the songs. He truly deserves to get way more spotlight to show his true potential. Luckily he finally got more lines in the Japanese album and has shone in “Don’t leave me”, and “Let go”.

Jin has a very stable voice that relaxes me to no end. I can’t wait to get some Jin-exclusive content: I will be there to support him. I honestly was low-key disappointed that Jungkook got the intro “Euphoria” for “Love yourself: Wonder”: I was expecting an intro by Jin (don’t get me wrong I love Euphoria and Jungkook!).

Personality-wise, even though he is the oldest, I think he might be the least mature of all the members: a true kid with the funniest laugh ever (sounds like windshield). He is sweet and sensitive, but very loud! Especially when food is involved ^^ He spends his time telling dad jokes and blowing flying-kisses. As time goes on, I am liking him more and more even if at first I thought he was kind of “bland” (nonsense I know!). HE IS NOT.

 · V: real name Kim Taehyung, also known as Tae or Tae-Tae. What a soulful voice! His voice is the most distinct to me out of the members of the voice-line: when I started listening to BTS I could tell his voice apart from the others because it is very unique. His voice is like melted chocolate: so beautiful and warm. Once again, I will be referencing the Wings album: in his solo track “Stigma” he hits the high notes without a sweat and keeps his husky voice all the way through. Among my favorites I would also mention 4 o’clock (with RM!) or his cover of Adele’s “Someone like you”. But just listen to any BTS song: you cannot miss his voice. He is the member with the widest vocal range. I absolutely love his part in “Let me know” and “Spring day” to name a few, but the list would be too long. Just one thing though, I like his voice the most when he is in the low range: I appreciate him in Blood Sweat and Tears for example, where he showcases his highest notes, but I don’t know why, I am most invested when he is in the lower ranges. It just does things to my heart I cannot handle (“Crystal Snow”, “Let go”… OMG)

So his voice is amazing, anything else? Hell yeah. He is such a good performer! We often talk about J-Hope, Jimin and Jungkook when discussing dancing skills, but honestly V is not lagging at all. He lives his performances to the fullest: he is very expressive and very good at acting. Besides from that, he is a weird and funny fella and yet another sweetie. He is the biggest troll you will find and a real social butterfly. Tae really makes me laugh so much and his reactions are so unpredictable!

 · Jungkook: real name Jeon Jungkook, also known as Kookie, muscle bunny. Ok this guy is not called the “golden maknae” for nothing (Maknae means the youngest of the group). He is absolutely badass in everything he does: singing, rapping and dancing (and drawing, and sports and photography, editing…and so many areas that it is unfair for the rest of the world). He is also a very handsome kid, so I am not surprised he is the “bias” of many ARMY stans. He is one of the first I noticed because I really liked his attitude in the MVs, and when I heard his voice I melted. There is a reason he is BTS’ main vocalist. Listen to his cover in collaboration with Jimin for “We don’t talk anymore” and you’ll have an idea of how beautiful his voice is. I actually like this version of the song better than the original one. But any other cover he has done is wonderful as well (papercut, or 2U for example) and let’s not forget his solo track “Begin” (yep Wings album again). His voice has a wide range and is extremely stable, even while dancing.  To sum up, Jungkook is a very young artist that has the potential to become a bulldozer in the music industry. He oozes talent from every pore of his skin. This kid is growing fast and thanks to his “hyungs” he is asserting his style and personality.

Personality-wise, he is a walking-meme and a mischievous little bunny: he loves teasing his hyungs so much. But at the same time he still is shy in many situations: but his BTS brothers are there to protect him.

 · Jimin: real name Park Jimin, also known as chim chim or little mochi. Ok, ladies and gentlemen, presenting what k-pop fans call the “bias”. Jimin is my “bias”. He wasn’t at first, but he won me over, clip after clip, performance after performance. I like him because he is made of contrasts: I really love his voice, which can reach the highest flawless angelic notes, but at the same time deliver raspy sounds when singing low notes. I got to admit that Jungkook has a really nice voice which sounded similar to Jimin’s when I first started listening to BTS: it was hard for me telling them apart. But eventually I reached a point that know I can tell them apart 99.9% of the time: I like the fact that Jimin’s voice vibrates and flows when getting into high notes, and gets a little raspy when hitting low notes. I am not sure I can express what I hear with my English skills though (non –native speaker here). I like voices that can stir up my emotions, and his definitely does that. I always ended up liking his parts the most in almost every song, before knowing it was all him. How can I not mention his two solo songs: “Lie” and “Serendipity”? his voice is pure bliss. But I also liked his debuts and growls. Some say that he has not the best voice; I don’t care, I like his voice the most because he has some imperfections. And yes V, Jin and Jungkook can hit really high notes, but none of their voices get me as Jimin’s voice does. You know, personal bias here.

On top of having an amazing voice, this guy is an amazing dancer: both, J-Hope and him are always wonderful to watch. Jimin’s way of dancing is so expressive: everything from body to face lives the songs to the fullest. His background in contemporary dance mixes so well with popping and hip hop style of dancing. He has a good control of his body, and just flows; he is like water. Add to the equation that he seems to be a real cinnamon roll in RL, and you have an artist who is sweet and a badass at the same time. He has a very bright and sweet personality, but once he gets on stage, he becomes this other persona, full of strength and attitude: the contrast is striking and so interesting. I guess I also like the fact that he is also a very sensitive soul, struggling with self-confidence issues and inner-demons. He is a perfectionist and tortured soul hiding behind the sweetest smile.

 Energy, emotional honesty and passion:

OK, so besides their music and talent, there is also a “je ne sais quoi” factor that got me attached to this group in particular. I started watching many videos of them performing live but also many off-stage videos. And let me say this: I really liked what I have seen. OK it might be staged or manipulated, because I don’t really know what is really going on behind the scene, but it felt quite honest. Their energy seems legit, their interactions and care for each other seem genuine, their emotions as well.

Here are the things that I noticed and really liked:

·Real passion for music:

BTS members love music. Some prefer producing songs, other like to sing, others enjoy dancing… but they all have in common a drive to improve and always deliver the best performance in everything they do. Their work transpires passion and positive energy.

·Emotional honesty:

First of all I was surprised by what I call their “emotional honesty” and how they break male western stereotypes. In the countries I have lived (US, France and Spain): men are not allowed to be fragile. When I say they are not allowed, I mean society standards pressure them into always having a strong façade, no matter what. Emotions are kept buried inside because otherwise they would be seen as “feminine” and it is considered as a weakness: any time a man shows his feelings, his vulnerabilities he is being weak. Last time I checked men are human beings, just like women: they go through pain, grief, anger, anxiety etc. The fact that society tries to control the way men express their emotions is as harmful as society trying to dictate women into not being equals to men. So that’s the type of attitude I am used to see with men raised in western societies: “conceal don’t feel”.

But BTS members are not like this at all. I don’t know if in Korea men are more in touch with their emotions (I don’t know this country and its society so I cannot judge), or if BTS members are emotional because they are still young. But anyways, it is so refreshing to see these kids expressing their feelings, inner turmoil and anxieties on-stage or off-stage; they laugh and cry whenever they feel like it. They are honest with their emotions and it shows: I really hope that when getting older, they won’t lose that emotional honesty because to me that is their strength.

This emotional honesty is also present in their songs: many of them have shared their personal struggles in songs. The two songs that stroke me most were “The last” from Agust D (aka Suga) and “Lie” from Jimin: the lyrics are so personal and even dark. It takes a lot of courage to share this type of struggle, but that’s what makes this group so special. They express themselves through music. But even other group songs have deep and meaningful messages showcasing their struggles and inner thoughts. They communicate with theirs fans and the world with their lyrics.

·A strong brotherhood:

The second thing I really enjoyed about those Behind The Scene (he he he BTS;)) moments is their interactions with each other. One can tell that they are all very close to each other and that they are each other’s support. OK I know that this subject is leading me straight into a sensitive subject: “ships”. Yep, I know there is a lot of “shipping” among ARMY stans… I won’t get into that because I hate ship wars (if you know the 100 fandom you can understand what I’m saying…although I do ship, but my motto is ship and let ship). I honestly have no preferences among the relationships of the members (no ships among BTS members), but I can really say that it is a pleasure to watch their interactions, and it puts a smile on my face every single time.

And if their interactions are so pleasant to watch it is mainly due to the first point I raised: their emotional honesty. In every interaction I have watched they all seem so close to each other: not just a mere partnership, no, it seems to be a deep friendship, a brotherhood of sorts. One can tell that together they had to face challenges and suffer from extreme stress: this type of situation has the advantage to solidify relationships with the people you are living this with.

They seem to have healthy relationships: the kind of relationship where you can count on the support of the other person. We have to keep in mind that these are very young men that got into the music industry at a very young age. They got separated from their families, and even if they seem to be holding “their shit together” and being all grown-up, deep down they are still kids at heart that are getting into adulthood. They struggle with inner demons, society pressure and hectic lives.

In the light of last year’s events (suicide of SHINee’s member Jonghyun), I really hope that this group of young men are going to keep the sincerity that I can sense in them: honesty with their emotions, their art, and their relationships. I really wish they won’t get their wings burned by the music industry, and that they will have space to breathe and become their own person.

I said I don’t consider myself as part of the ARMY, but I just wrote the longest meta ever about them… should I create a side blog dedicated to BTS and jump into the fandom? Not sure I can handle two fandoms…