#this is how I feel watching eras livestreams for surprise songs

[slipping-through-my-fingertips]

This is floating around twitter and I legit screamed at the taxi cab…and Tyson 😭

[kellykswift]

so guys. its time for a new manifestation - Vienna n3!

since Robin worked amazing last time… i decided to make more daisy hats. there will be around 3-4 this time

so…..Taylory if you see those hats, Vienna, n3…

I beg you to play Florida!!!

its for my girlfriend. the most supportive non taylor fan and best person ever.

let me present my points why she deserves to hear florida!!!

1. she went with me from europe to the US last year to see taylor because i couldn’t stand the fact not knowing if there will be an european leg

2. during all too well, she stood up, bought us beer and merch!!! she giggled about it because apparently she was alone in the hallway😂

3. i decided to collect vinyls (well only taylor’s so far) she bought a nice shelf

4. i was fucking obsessed with the pirelli calender where karlie was part of. when i got it, she picked a really nice spot and we discussed the estethics

5. her favorite song is lavender haze, the felix jaen version, but she always makes sure whenever i feel bad to put on a REP song.

6. she made a shirt for the show. but daddy i love her. at my bday party (taylor themed) she took the red shirt and made it something like: never let her go. i didnt ask her to do it

7. when its my turn to chose a movie, she asks: reputation, miss americana, lover in paris or the one on Disney wirh jack (she loves bleachers). but not the eras tour(since i livestream a lot) and i always have to promise to not get crazy while watching 😂

8. we went to tomorrowland and she made a friendship bracelet for me because she knew that i ll miss the surprise songs those days.

9. when we met, she wanted to give me taylor tickets to rep for our anniversary. (She had no clue, how hard it is to get those. )

But the point is. she listened to me from the beginning. and i know that florida!!! will be her no1 spotify song because that’s basically the only song she not only knows the lyrics but actually sings them. (she knows all of them, thanks to me but she is not into country taylor unfortunately .)

what i am trying to say here. i am a selfish bitch most of the time but i would like to see my girlfriend freaking out over one of Taylors songs. so pls taylor. i know we cant get her florence to vienna for a duett but pleaseplay florida!!! vienna night3! its a saturday.

so….

happy wife happy life. please play florida!!! for vienna n3 .

thanks!

[iwanthermidnightz]

After watching +20 shows (via livestream of course) i can finally gather my thoughts around it:

-Damn the people that made other people believe that Lover was a bad album for just one or two songs. Lover is the perfect opener and its really sad we didn't get Loverfest, the way Cruel Summer gets the crowd all hyped up within minutes wow just imagine 2hrs of just that

-Since the release i'd always favored folklore over evermore but i was so so so wrong! Evermore (in my opinion) is the strongest set of the tour, it really elevates and completes the album. The songs order is perfectly curated, the performances are distinctive but cohesive, and the public interaction during CP takes the cake. (and y'all may hate me but folklore set feels all over the place in comparison)

- The whiplash from the transition to Rep is necessary bc Rep is just in a league of its own. Reputation is THAT bitch and will always be THAT bitch, period. The crowd goes the loudest and the whole thing is just iconic.

- 1989, you will always be the be the perfect pop tracks, nothing more to say.

- At this point Midnights feels kinda rushed but for me the tour version sounds waaaay better than the studio version (at least for my ears). I think she should do a tour only for Midnights (idk when, she needs to rest too lol) but this set and performances have great potential, it just needs to be exploted. Also Karma is the perfect song to close the whole thing.

Sorry i think this thing got way too long 😅What are your thoughts? (if you already wrote them down could you link me to them so you don't have to repeat yourself)

My thoughts? I mean the show is incredible. It makes sense in the long run because timing is everything. It’s strategically timed. There’s something for everyone. The visuals are a huge part of it.

MAATHP into Cruel Summer was the perfect opener. Somehow I'm craving more Lover. Her entrance is goddess-like.

I thought it was funny how one minute people are crying at the end of evermore and then the snake comes on stage and everyone has to wipe their tears like brave little soldiers to get …ready for it 😂 I bet that was strategic.

For the evermore section I feel like tolerate it should be replaced with ivy (ivy truther forever). Not a tolerate it hater, it makes for good theatrics, I just like ivy better.

You can tell in pictures how sparkly and magical the folklorian woods look, it makes sense. I personally love the visuals of the cardigan music video so that would’ve been cool to incorporate. mad woman would be fun to add to folklore too. I see evermore as a continuation of folklore so its hard for me to separate the two.

1989 is flawless.

What I enjoy the most is seeing her with her guitar for the surprise songs. She plays so beautifully. I wish that part was longer. So many of her songs come to life for me when its just her and her guitar. Theres only lover, fearless, all too well and betty that she plays guitar on. But I get that she has so much ground to cover.

For midnights we basically get clouds, closet visuals, vs stage for mastermind, burlesque energy for vigilante shit and rainbows for karma. I’ll take it, but I think there could have been more trippy visuals if time allowed.

I probably didn’t fully answer your question but basically, I accept the eras tour for all that it magically is and I’m just happy that Taylor is back out in the world. It’s nice to see her more than once every few months 😜

[depressedraisin]

ok ok quick summary of my thoughts and feelings so far:

it's 5:30 am and ive been up since 2:30 so probably gonna regret this but here we go

FIRSTLY, im incredibly INCREDIBLY proud of them for putting up the show. last week was tense and rather scary, we were all shitting ourselves with worry over alex's voice and health so i felt like i could cry in relief seeing look so much better and sound so much better and obviously being great at his job. the others, particularly nick on 4/5 and matt on body paint- fuck they were showstopping!!!!! overall very very enjoyable experience, im glad we have this.

YET.

yet. i AM disappointed and i got no qualms admitting it. the car is my favourite album, tbhc id die for, i literally spend so much time with their discography i probably AM a little too emotionally attached and not-objective about them. so yeah it's saddening. to not see the car and tbhc getting the limelight and the appreciation. i for one do believe there are songs in them which would work in a gigantic stadium or a festival, but we would never know if they do bcs they never gotta the chance to be taken out for a spin. also the rest of the albums- for a discography as diverse and as deep as the band's, so much of it sits in an attic catching dust. but yeah i get it i get it- logistics and commercial considerations and audience and all that. i get it....... sometimes. most times.

glasto did piss me off a tiny bit however. (just a little im sure it'll wear away soon). i was really fucking excited for it, jumped through so much to get access to the livestream and all, barely slept today just to watch it. i was holding out a lot of hope for this gig- ofc bcs it's glasto!!!!! it's such a consequential milestone in their career, it's been so long in the waiting. and being really fucking honest here- i took the "they'd surely do something different for glasto!!!" to heart. BUT I UNDERSTAND. i understand, why they might not have done anything, why things planned might not have worked out. I GET IT.

but also. there's a miniscule corner of my brain which is like. how different would a glastonbury show have been in an alternate timeline anyway? yeah they do surprise us, but signs haven't been pointing towards those directions at all in this tour. so all in all, yeah im disappointed. not so much for this one gig but the tour as a whole and the general attitude in this era. things alex has been talking about in the album.....at times their way of going about things seems so contrary to that. and yeah they're a band of 2 decades of experience and fucking professionals so no, i don't believe it's external uncontrollable reasons every time.

the monkeys are such an important band, yk? they might be the last of their kind- which other band will have their level of critical and cultural impact again. i hate LOATHE DESPISE to see all the potential getting wasted. they're saying such important things and not many are paying- but the band isn't trying particularly hard to get anyone to listen either. and yes, it's been the case long before alex got sick and long before they got up on the pyramid stage.

anyway enough whining and ranting for today.

i just love the car ok i'll defend it to my grave.

i just love the band so much i wanna give them a giant hug.

also yes i AM a lowly fangirl and miles kane not being there makes me sad.

[likedaylighht]

Not to get all sappy, but originally, i thought i would be annoyed if Taylor changed the eras set to accommodate ttpd, bc i'd already seen eras, and tours don't usually work like that. but watching the livestream yesterday? i just felt giddy and excited for everyone who gets to experience this evolution of the show. and i just felt privileged to have seen the first set and the pure art that it is, and to have it preserved on film? amazing. so excited the other swifties get to see another side of Taylor's creativity and vulnerability. this tour is just so fun and magical!

xoxo seatgeek

but @ taylor pls don't be too crazy at the show today bc i have to work during your show and i want to see you be silly!

Yes this is exactly how I feel too! This tour has been evolving and changing since the very beginning, not a single show has been the same whether it’s just a new surprise song and outfit or a complete new setlist! It’s an amazing achievement of art and music and I love it so much

[abooklover]

I went to eras tour last night and I just wanted to give you a full and complete rundown of my experience beyond it completely changed my life and I will never be the same. So:

I honestly had the best experience with getting food - we went to subway and the whole experience only took about 5 minutes. We did eat early (around 4:15pm) though so that might be the key

Getting merch was also quite painless. I’m telling you don’t stand in the lines outside the stadium to get merch, everyone will have been doing the before the doors open. We went in around 5pm (half an hour after doors opened) and got straight in the merch line and we were only waiting for around 20-30mins

I am so sad that I didn’t get to see Sabrina perform her set (but we’ll get back to that later)

It was so funny when Travis came into the stadium cause everyone started screaming. And the video of them afterwards is so cute.

It almost didn’t feel real until I actually saw her (with the weather being the way it was I had real fears of it being cancelled)

‘It’s you and me, that’s my whole world’ - she really did something with that

The way all the bracelets lit up in a rainbow for you need to calm down made my heart soar

Fearless (the song) was absolutely something else and was one of my favourite moments of the night

Her playing the well known songs (love story, ybwm, 22, wanegbt, ikywt, and pretty much all of 1989) was absolutely phenomenal and I know red’s set has been quite contentious in particular but that era was honestly one of my favourites (everyone gets so into them and it’s such a communal experience that the evermore and folklore eras don’t have (and those are two of my favourite albums)

Talking of evermore, for some reason I feel like my knowledge of the set list failed me cause I did not realise that she opened with Tis the damn season (I didn’t really watch any livestreams before hand or the movie cause I wanted to experience it first hand first but I still knew what she sand and some semblance of the order she sang the songs in but for some reason that surprised - the best way possible)

Champagne problems and tolerate are still everything to me. I’m just sad cause I could see her playing champagne problem cause the piano was set up behind one of the light towers that was in my line of sight

I don’t have much to comment on for reputation but I loved it so much

She wore the blue dress for speak now era and I cannot even begin to explain how much that meant to me. Also singing long live with Taylor and a crowd of 86,000 is an experience I will never forget

Back to red era and a little more detail on why I adored it so much - 22 was literally the funnest song of the night (maybe only rivalled by shake it off) and when she gave the hat to the little girl, that I believe had cancer, I literally cried; but then wanegbt was playing and I was like I can’t cry during this; the ‘yeah nah’ in the bridge is iconic; ikywt popped off; and of course we have the woman the myth the moment, a10w and it was everything

I absolute loved folklore but I think by the time it came around people were exhausted. It was the era that a lot of people were sitting down (including me for the one and Betty because it was a lot). August was incredible and her playing the bridge of illicit affairs is everything to me

It was really quite genius of her to put 1988 at the end to pump people back up and I also felt as if it went really quickly cause everyone is anticipating the surprise songs

And now to talk about those surprise songs and the freaking announcement (which there were like no signs for mind you and I think I nearly had a heart attack). I was at this point in time trying to FaceTime my sister and mum so they could see the surprise songs and the connection was so shitty by the way. How you get the girl was chill - not really one of my favourite songs but anything taylor plays is incredible so I had fun. But anyway she moves on to the piano and she starts talking about ttpd which I was like okay, cool (I didn’t really think much of it even then until she started talking about what happens at the Paino - show and tell). And at first I was like surely she’s not going to announce something. And then I was like what if she plays a song from ttpd. These are the absolute manic thoughts running through my head. And then she announced it. And I’m sorry but ‘the albatross’. My mind immediately when to the poem the rime of the ancient mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge cause throughout high school in English I literally used the metaphor of the albatross around the neck in so many of my pieces of writing. Anyway so at this point I am currently dying and then she brings out Sabrina (which I kind of thought would happen since she didn’t get to perform and I was so so grateful for cause I love her dearly). And they talked about kangaroos which was hilarious (I guess they would be kinda weird to people who haven’t seen them before). Anyway so they sing white horse which incredible amazing duet that I will never forget and then THEN they sing the fucking bridge of Coney Island and I think I passed out. I’m like shouting to the friends that I went with that she’s playing Coney Island and I can see my mum and my sister on my phone absolutely laughing their heads off at my freak out. Honestly that was everything to me. I am so sorry to anyone who didn’t get to experience a Taylor swift mashup surprise song cause it is something else entirely.

I think I was honestly still in shock for all of the midnights set but honestly I was one of the greatest nights of my life.

[imhereonthekitchenfloor]

HOW WAS IT QUEEN

HONEST ERAS TOUR REVIEW TIME:

Okay so I had watched a livestream night 2 of Fearless through suprise song. I was falling asleep and mad about no debut so I skipped Midnights and had missed Lover. A lot of my feelings of the lows are very similar to watching the livestream. The highs are much higher.

I loved getting to see such an expansive stage!! Especially since I was in the nosebleeds I needed a big stage to see properly. And it constantly had designs on it.

Taylor was singing so well😭 much better than night 2

The props on the stage were not well shown on the big screen so I low key low key was getting kind of bored in parts because Taylor sounded so much like the CD with no additional elements. I needed the big screen to show me what was happening.

I think the crowd was kind of dead where I was sitting but that might have just been the earplugs 🤪

I had a ton of fun singing and dancing!! I was so impressed with Taylor and recorded way too much and was trying not to sing in my videos but couldnt physically stop myself.

MY SURPRISE SONGS WERE SO GOOD.

All the best parts I blacked out during

I screamed too hard at the very beginning when I showed up late and couldnt scream that loud again the rest of the show but would freak out everytime a new song would start and would once again find the ability to scream

Overall great time!! I think the crowd in my area and lack of screens showing details of what was happening messed with my experience. Rep tour was better but I had a great time at Eras.

[blurryface-never-left]

I know many of us have been questioning and theorizing who Clancy is. Recently a clique member on the TOP reddit has given a whole new perspective on who(or what) Clancy may be.

(THIS IS NOT MY THEORY. WHAT IS SHOWN BELOW IS THE TEXT PROVIDED IN THE REDDIT POST I LINKED ABOVE FOR THOSE WHO DON'T WANT TO USE THE LINK. Everything in the post is copied below):

Maybe Clancy isn't a Who, but a what?

Okay, So I just wanted to get this out there because I feel like some new lore is gonna drop here soon in the next few months.

So, everyone is always talking about how Tyler is playing Clancy, and until SAI I disagreed. I felt that in Trench that Josh played the Role of Clancy.

The Clancy letters talk about how Clancy's bishop is Keons, and describes Keons as being kind. Later on, Clancy talks about the scene in Jumpsuit where Nico arrives and hunts down Tyler, but his POV isn't told from Tyler's point of view. It is told from someone watching the interaction happen, he even makes a note to mention that he has never encountered or seen a bishop that aggressive before. but in the MV there is one specific bandito standing over watching this interaction, Josh. Now, to be fair, in the Clancy letters, immediately after seeing the interaction with Tyler and Nico, he talks about discovering the existence of Banditos and being surprised that there were others out in the wilderness. But after all "This is a story about Cycles" it could simply be that when Clancy wrote that letter, he had not yet become a bandito.

I think, that at this time, Clancy was Josh. but I think as the cycle continued, and Tyler escaped Dema time and time again and spent time with the Banditos in between that time and Clancy would become friends. But what if after a while, they devised a plan to switch places, then having Tyler play the role of Clancy?

Later in Trench, there is the song Morph. Lyrics such as "I'll Morph into someone else" and "Defense Mechanism Mode." This is a very lore heavy song referencing Nico directly. It also talks about kind of strategizing on what to do "I am surrounded..... There's no 'above, ' or 'under, ' or 'around' it.... If I keep moving, they won't know...I'll morph to someone else " and you could argue that even ending the Song with a "Josh Dun" could imply that he is either Morphing into Josh, or that Clancy's new name that he has morphed into is Josh.

During the Sai Era, everyone was tipped off that the bishops had creative control over the band due to the changing in positions in the promo pictures. For those who don't know, or need a refresher, Tyler is traditionally on the Right and Josh is traditionally on the left. That is the way it has been since the Vessel Era for all album promos. Maybe the switch wasn't to convey simply that something was wrong, but that as far as the bishops knew, they were in their right spots, with Clancy on the left and Tyler on the right. Would the bishops know them by name? This switch could be further confirmed by when Tyler dyed his hair pink. In the past that was always something Josh did. Red for Blurryface, yellow for trench and a few colors in between.

Then another Clancy letter would be released. In this letter the events of the Outside MV and the SAI Livestreamed were discussed and the very real change of POVs take place. It is unmistakably told from Tyler's perspective as he speaks about writing the livestream and performing it. He goes on to talk about arriving to the island of Voldsoy and in this, he clearly references Josh as the "Torchbearer". But why is this the first time he is referenced? He was there in Dema during Nico and the Niners MV, he was there in Levitate MV after the rescue. In the following Clancy letter he mentions that the Torchbearer has a plan, is this the same plan discussed in Morph?

Is Clancy not so much of a person, but a name passed between two Bandito's trying to end the Cycle of Dema and the Bishops who reign?

[0613magazine]

201220 TIME

ENTERTAINER of the year - BTS

It’s late October, and SUGA is sitting on a couch strumming a guitar. His feet are bare, his long hair falling over his eyes. He noodles around, testing out chords and muttering softly to himself, silver hoop earrings glinting in the light. “I just started learning a few months ago,” he says. It’s an intimate moment, the kind you’d spend with a new crush in a college dorm room while they confess rock-star ambitions. But SUGA is one-seventh of the Korean pop band BTS, which means I’m just one of millions of fans watching, savoring the moment.

BTS isn’t just the biggest K-pop act on the charts. They’ve become the biggest band in the world—full stop. Between releasing multiple albums, breaking every type of record and appearing in these extemporaneous livestreams in 2020, BTS ascended to the zenith of pop stardom. And they did it in a year defined by setbacks, one in which the world hit pause and everyone struggled to maintain their connections. Other celebrities tried to leverage this year’s challenges; most failed. (Remember that star-studded “Imagine” video?) But BTS’s bonds to their international fan base, called ARMY, deepened amid the pandemic, a global racial reckoning and worldwide shutdowns. “There are times when I’m still taken aback by all the unimaginable things that are happening,” SUGA tells TIME later. “But I ask myself, Who’s going to do this, if not us?”

Today, K-pop is a multibillion-dollar business, but for decades the gatekeepers of the music world—the Western radio moguls, media outlets and number-crunchers—treated it as a novelty. BTS hits the expected high notes of traditional K-pop: sharp outfits, crisp choreography and dazzling videos. But they’ve matched that superstar shine with a surprising level of honesty about the hard work that goes into it. BTS meets the demands of Top 40’s authenticity era without sacrificing any of the gloss that’s made K-pop a cultural force. It doesn’t hurt that their songs are irresistible: polished confections that are dense with hooks and sit comfortably on any mainstream playlist.

BTS is not the first Korean act to establish a secure foothold in the West, yet their outsize success today is indicative of a sea change in the inner workings of fandom and how music is consumed. From propelling their label to a $7.5 billion IPO valuation to inspiring fans to match their $1 million donation to Black Lives Matter, BTS is a case study in music-industry dominance through human connection. Once SUGA masters the guitar, there won’t be much left for them to conquer.

In an alternate universe where COVID-19 didn’t exist, BTS’s 2020 would likely have looked much like the years that came before. The group got its start in 2010, after K-pop mastermind and Big Hit Entertainment founder Bang Si-hyuk recruited RM, 26, from Seoul’s underground rap scene. He was soon joined by Jin, 28; SUGA, 27; j-hope, 26; Jimin, 25; V, 24; and Jung Kook, 23, selected for their dancing, rapping and singing talents.

But unlike their peers, BTS had an antiestablishment streak, both in their activism and in the way they contributed to their songwriting and production—which was then rare in K-pop, although that’s started to change. In BTS’s debut 2013 single, “No More Dream,” they critiqued Korean social pressures, like the high expectations placed on schoolkids. They have been open about their own challenges with mental health and spoken publicly about their support for LGBTQ+ rights. (Same-sex marriage is still not legally recognized in South Korea.) And they’ve modeled a form of gentler, more neutral masculinity, whether dyeing their hair pastel shades or draping their arms lovingly over one another. All this has made them unique not just in K-pop but also in the global pop marketplace.

In March, BTS was prepping for a global tour. Instead, they stayed in Seoul to wait out the pandemic. For the group, life didn’t feel too different: “We always spend 30 days a month together, 10 hours a day,” Jin says. But with their plans upended, they had to pivot. In August, BTS dropped an English-language single, “Dynamite,” that topped the charts in the U.S.—a first for an all-Korean act. With their latest album this year, Be, they’ve become the first band in history to debut a song and album at No. 1 on Billboard’s charts in the same week. “We never expected that we would release another album,” says RM. “Life is a trade-off.”

Their triumphs this year weren’t just about the music. In October, they put on perhaps the biggest virtual ticketed show of all time, selling nearly a million tickets to the two-night event. Their management company went public in Korea, turning Bang into a billionaire and each of the members into millionaires, a rarity in an industry where the spoils often go to the distributors, not the creators. And they were finally rewarded with a Grammy nomination. On YouTube, where their Big Hit Labels is one of the top 10 most subscribed music accounts (with over 13 billion views by this year), their only real competition is themselves, says YouTube’s music-trends manager Kevin Meenan. The “Dynamite” video racked up 101 million views in under 24 hours, a first for the platform. “They’ve beaten all their own records,” he says.

Not that the glory comes without drawbacks: namely, lack of free time. It’s nearing midnight in Seoul in late November, and BTS, sans SUGA, who’s recovering from shoulder surgery, are fitting in another interview—this time, just with me. V, Jimin and j-hope spontaneously burst into song as they discuss Jin’s upcoming birthday. “Love, love, love,” they harmonize, making good use of the Beatles’ chorus, turning to their bandmate and crossing their fingers in the Korean version of the heart symbol.

Comparisons to that epoch-defining group are inevitable. “What’s different is that we’re seven, and we also dance,” says V. “It’s kind of like a cliché when big boy bands are coming up: ‘Oh, there’s another Beatles!’” says RM. I’ve interviewed BTS five times, and in every interaction, they are polite to a fault. But by now they must be weary of revisiting these comparisons, just as they must be tired of explaining their success. RM says it’s a mix of luck, timing and mood. “I’m not 100% sure,” he says.

They’ve matured into smart celebrities: focused and cautious, they’re both more ready for the questions and more hesitant to make big statements. When you ask BTS about their landmark year, for once they’re not exactly chipper; j-hope wryly calls it a “roller coaster.” “Sh-t happens,” says RM. “It was a year that we struggled a lot,” says Jimin. Usually a showman, on this point he seems more introspective than usual. “We might look like we’re doing well on the outside with the numbers, but we do go through a hard time ourselves,” he says. For a group whose purpose is truly defined by their fans, the lack of human interaction has been stifling. Still, they’ve made it a point to represent optimism. “I always wanted to become an artist that can provide comfort, relief and positive energy to people,” says j-hope. “That intent harmonized with the sincerity of our group and led us to who we are today.”

In an era marked by so much anguish and cynicism, BTS has stayed true to their message of kindness, connection and self-acceptance. That’s the foundation of their relationship with their fans. South Korean philosopher and author Dr. Jiyoung Lee describes the passion of BTS’s fandom as a phenomenon called “horizontality,” a mutual exchange between artists and their fans. As opposed to top-down instruction from an icon to their followers, BTS has built a true community. “Us and our fans are a great influence on each other,” says j-hope. “We learn through the process of making music and receiving feedback.” The BTS fandom isn’t just about ensuring the band’s primacy—it’s also about extending the band’s message of positivity into the world. “BTS and ARMY are a symbol of change in zeitgeist, not just of generational change,” says Lee.

And in June, BTS became a symbol of youth activism worldwide after they donated $1 million to the Black Lives Matter movement amid major protests in the U.S. (They have a long track record of supporting initiatives like UNICEF and school programs.) BTS says now it was simply in support of human rights. “That was not politics. It was related to racism,” Jin says. “We believe everyone deserves to be respected. That’s why we made that decision.”

That proved meaningful for fans like Yassin Adam, 20, an ARMY from Georgia who runs popular BTS social media accounts sharing news and updates, and who is Black. “It will bring more awareness to this issue people like me face in this country,” he says. “I see myself in them, or at least a version of myself.” In May and June, a broad coalition of K-pop fans made headlines for interfering with a police app and buying out tickets for a Trump campaign rally, depleting the in-person attendance. Later that summer, ARMY’s grassroots fundraising effort matched BTS’s $1 million donation to Black Lives Matter within 24 hours.

For 28-year-old Nicole Santero, who is Asian American, their success in the U.S. is also a triumph of representation: “I never really saw people like myself on such a mainstream stage,” Santero says. She’s writing her doctoral dissertation on the culture of BTS fandom, and she runs a popular Twitter account that analyzes and shares BTS data. “Anytime I’m awake, I’m doing something related to BTS,” she says. “This is a deeper kind of love.”

Devotion like that is a point of pride for BTS, particularly in a year when so much has felt uncertain. “We’re not sure if we’ve actually earned respect,” RM says. “But one thing for sure is that [people] feel like, O.K., this is not just some kind of a syndrome, a phenomenon.” He searches for the right words. “These little boys from Korea are doing this.”

Source: TIME

[finelinevogue]

‘as it was’ livestream

little blurb to relish in the fact it’s release day😭

“Hey besties!”

You set your phone up on the tripod, after pressing ‘go live’ on Instagram. You’d done a few lives before, but none quite as exciting as this one.

Today was Harry’s release for the new single ‘As It Was’, and you couldn’t be more excited.

Normally you listen to Harry’s music throughout the whole process, from first melodies and random poems all the way to the final production. However, this time around you wanted to try it different and be completely surprised by what was to come. You wanted to hear and see everything for the first time as if you were a fan.

“Oh, hi Gem! I see you!” You laughed, noticing how Gemma had appeared on your live too.

Even though it was 11:50, you knew that people would want to watch you react. In fact, it would probably feel ad though you were reacting together and that’s something that the fans might enjoy.

“It’s so late isn’t it?” You joked to yourself, “Well past my bedtime.”

Someone made the joke about how it was also past Harry’s bedtime too, which you happened to agree with.

“You joke that it’s past Harry’s bedtime, but he is genuinely asleep right now. He went to bed two hours ago! No doubt when I start screaming though, he will wake up.”

Harry was so nervous for the new release that you believe he made himself slightly sick over the matter. You told him to go to bed and have a good sleep, so he can start the new era tomorrow with fresh eyes.

This era was going to be his biggest yet. You just knew it. ‘Fine Line’ did better than anyone ever thought was possible. He soared to heights that once seemed unachievable. It broke records, which, now, were only going to be broken once more. It was rare to have someone as special as Harry and you couldn’t be more proud of him and this moment you got to share.

He was glad he got to do all this with you.

“Oh guys i’m so nervous!” You admitted, setting up your laptop for Spotify and Youtube.

“I’m going to listen to the song first and then watch the music video.” You replied to someone who asked you which way round you were doing things.

“I heard the new teaser clip, yes. Very 70s disco. I loved it - even if he did look like a meal being defrosted in the microwave.”

The countdown on the Youtube screen started playing, butterflies completely erupting throughout your stomach. You were so excited, yet so nervous. You knew that you would love it, because it came from a man that you so dearly loved. You were only curious to see what the song was about and hear the lyrics so carefully.

The countdown was for one minute now and you weren’t sure what to do with yourself. You stood up and started pacing a little, allowing the floorboards to creak beneath you. You couldn’t stop smiling and the nervous jitters ran throughout your entire body.

At 30 seconds, you went in to complete panic mode. Or fan mode perhaps. You were grinning like a terrifying cheshire cat and sat back down again, nervously bouncing your leg as you waited patiently.

“Why do you look more nervous than me?” Harry’s voice broke the room.

You looked over to where he was walking through the doorframe, sleep in his eyes and his hair so disheveled. He was in his pyjamas, slippers scoffing against the floor as he moved towards the sofa. He flopped on the sofa across from you with a loud sigh, making it aware to the thousands of people watching your livestream that the man of the hour was here.

Your viewers started to sky-rocket and you laughed at what an influence he had.

“Morning, sunshine!” You laughed at how fresh he looked.

3, 2, 1.

“Oh god! Okay song first.” You paused the Youtube video and clicked Spotify to allow the song to load and play.

You pressed play and immediately you started tearing up. Always, you were so emotional but hearing the start of one era and it signifying the close of another was so special to here.

You looked to Harry, who was sat leaning back against the sofa with his hands behind his head. He was smirking as he watched you start to overreact with excitement over his new music. Of course, he didn’t expect anything less than an overjoyed reaction but it was still fun for him to watch - which is why he pulled himself out of bed, no matter how tired he was, to see this moment.

As it started playing, you locked eyes with your boyfriend, smiling as a tune so happy and fun started playing. You smiled so widely that it made Harry smile right back at you.

You both stayed silent for the duration of the song. You bounced your leg along to the beat as you enjoyed every line and every word. Your favourite lyrics included that of; ‘harry you’re no good alone’ and having his goddaughter feature at the beginning was just the sweetest.

As it came to an end you had almost completely forgotten that you were on a livestream, because as much as you wanted to get out of your seat and kiss the fuck put of Harry you restrained yourself and sat still. You let the tears run freely as you let the moment sink in.

It was so perfect.

You were completely enthralled. This new era was something that people were not prepared for, and something other artists such watch out for. Harry was unknowingly here to take over the music industry and reinvent it into something brilliant. Masterful.

“Are you crying because you love or hate it?” Harry chuckled to himself, still sat the same.

You just shook your head, not trusting yourself to let out a single sound at present. You turned towards the live and everyone was freaking out.

singlestyles: did i just die and go to heaven? cause im okay with that

iloveh4rry: just when i thought he couldn’t top sott or lights up

harriesinjail: i will live the rest of my life to this song

harrysh0use: did he really just admit that he’s terrible at being alone, because i am free 24/7 for him

iminharryshouse: AHAHAHAH wha-🥲✌️

The last one made you smile, because you too could relate to what they were saying entirely.

Wiping your eyes, you sniffled and allowed yourself to engage with the livestream audience once more.

“How are we doing?” You sniffled again, “Fuck,” You whispered under your breathe. You spent some time running through the comments and laughing along to the best ones, all there whilst Harry was still sat in the dark over whether you lived or hated it.

From the corner of your eye you watch Harry stand and make his way over to you. You watched him from the corner of your eye, not wanting to make it obvious to the viewers what he was doing in case he wanted to remain inconspicuous. However, when he came and sat beside you, that effort faded fast.

He wrapped his arms around you instantly and allowed you to tuck your head against his chest, letting a few sudden sobs erupt from yourself. He smelt so good and it felt even better to be encased in the arms of a man that has changed your life once again with a few melodies and lyrics.

“You guys didn’t think it was that bad, did you?” Harry joked to the livestream, pretending you were crying because you hated it.

“You know it wasn’t bad, y’knob.” You playfully hit him, sitting up and wiping your eyes as best you could. “God this is so embarrassing.”

“Yeah, it kinda is.” Harry agreed, laughing to himself as he watched you gain composure.

“Go away. You’re putting me off.” You complained, pushing him and yet to no avail he moved nowhere.

The comments on the live were going too fast to read now. The viewers were ridiculously high and even you began wondering whether this was breaking some Guinness world record. Some people were saying hello to Harry whilst others were wishing they could be you so bad.

“Rude.” He joked, leaning back against the sofa and watching you.

“Stop it.”

“Stop what? I’m just sitting here.”

“Exactly. You’re too… you, to get away with just sitting there. Bugger off.”

“Love you too, bubs.” He rolled his eyes, before pulling out his phone to otherwise occupy himself. There was no way that he was leaving you here and now, especially with tears in your eyes.

He needed comfort in these new and weird times, and you were the perfect person to completely settle all his nerves. He loved you so much - that was evident enough in between the lyrics of the song.

“Okay besties, I think I might have to watch the music video alone because I am so embarrassed with myself right now. However, tweet me or DM me with your thoughts and everything, so we can discuss together.” You spoke to your phone, Harry just casually featuring in the background. “Sound good? Anything to add H?”

Harry leaned forwards and towards the camera. “I love you all so, so much. Your support is always extraordinary and I can’t thank you enough for every moment of every thing you do for me. You’re all amazing and enjoy this new era.” He said cheerfully, before you kissed the camera and ended the live.

You took a deep breathe, saving the live and uploading it to your Instagram before collapsing back on the sofa. Harry chuckled, before laying down next to you.

“I’m so proud of you, lovie.” You whispered to Harry, feeling so small in his large universe in that moment.

“Yeah?”

“Of course, yes.” You swallowed back more tears. “It was cute how you kept Ruby’s voicemail and used it in the song.”

“You remember the night she sent me that message? I was so upset with myself.”

“You were, yeah, but you made up for it. You’re a good person Harry and a good role model. That’s why you should be proud of yourself.”

You felt Harry’s hand reach for yours as you laid beside each other, intertwining your fingers until you were hand in hand. His mere touch was enough to form tears in your eyes again, reminding you of how real this all was and just how much you loved him. He really was something extraordinary.

Turning your head, you watched your beloved boyfriend remain staring at the ceiling. He was most likely trying to come to terms with how crazy this was and the journey that was about to unfold. Everything was planned so carefully and Harry was determined that it all happened the way his envisioned it.

You squeezed his hand gently, making his head turn towards you and catch gaze with his eyes. They were sparkling and excited, just as yours no doubt mirrored.

“You look so happy.” You told him, smiling as his little dimple made show.

“Never been happier.” He admitted.

“Well that’s just down to you being an incredibly talented songwriter and your fans being the most supportive people.”

It was true. The fans were the most dedicated people in his life. Heck, not even you were as intelligent as some of the detectives that lived within the harrie community. You loved to see the theories and the fan projects, because it allowed you to understand a little bit more of just how much Harry was loved.

“Maybe.” He furrowed his eyebrows, still looking at you with those dreamy eyes you fell in love. “But just maybe, i’m happy because you… because i have you in my life.”

“Stop being nice! I can’t deal with the compliments.”

“Well you better get used to them darling, because I will be telling everyone I owe my success to you. You got me through the past few years and you are the reason I am not alone. I will never be able to thank you enough.”

“You don’t have to.” You quietly told him.

“But I will, because I love you and you’ve made me a better person.”

You turned away from him again, staring at the ceiling before the waterworks came again. You weren’t even aware that there was this many tears inside of, yet you couldn’t stop them from coming.

[topweeklyupdate]

TØP Weekly Update #149: Let's Go Gamers (9/10/21)

The band's back, people! After a really quiet month, TØP won't let me rest, and I couldn't be happier!

Next Friday, we get a surprise new concert... in Roblox. With this being the second ever full-fledged (non-screen) concert hosted in the game next Friday, this would get me massively excited if this didn't make me feel tremendously ancient. Still, if you play the game (or have little siblings/cousins/kids who do), the promise of an interactive choose-your-own-adventure concert in a unconstrained digital space, with exclusive band/lore-related content and a hilarious trailer, should have you very excited.

Meanwhile, the real-world Takeover Tour continues, with Newport Music Hall in Columbus hosting an intimate performance sponsored by Alt Nation for their Small Stage Series. The setlist was identical to the Summerfest show, save for the very notable addition of "Migraine" giving the Vessel era more love. The Trees Speech had Tyler confessing that there was a time where he genuinely feared that he'd never get to perform in front of a real crowd again. Glad he has that.

But I'll be real; the most hype TØP thing from this week was getting the official release of "Heathens/Trees" from the Livestream Experience, which was unquestionably the pinnacle of that whole show for me. 'Scuse me while I cry bumping this non-stop...

This weekend will see our band playing "Saturday" at the VMAs; hoping that gives the song a bit of a boost, though I'm really not sure how many people are watching award shows in the modern music industry. But hey, we can dream, and as I always say at the end of these things...

Power to the local dreamer.

|-/

[katara0524]

Impromptu Ramblings about the NEO:TWEWY Demo

In case y'all weren't aware, I've been a pretty big fan of TWEWY for a couple years now, and with the sequel coming out next month, the excitement I feel for this game is greater than ever :) I played the Demo for the first time yesterday, and following a couple views of some livestreams of others playing it, I felt like sharing my (very ramble-y) thoughts prior to the release of the full game. This post WILL contain spoilers for both TWEWY and NEO:TWEWY, so if you want to avoid those from now on, please block the tags: #twewy spoilers, #ntwewy spoilers, #neo twewy spoilers, #ntwewy, and #neo twewy ^_^ Oh, and if you wanna keep up with any other posts I make about my experience with this game, please refer to the tag "kat plays neo twewy" :)

-First things first: I have not watched the Final Trailer and I don't plan on doing so to avoid spoilers, especially after the pre-release era of KH3 where a lot of the later trailers spoiled a lot of the endgame content. That being said, I've seen some minor screenshots from the final trailer including what many believe to be characters from the original TWEWY, namely Shiki and Joshua. That is all I know about the Final Trailer and I would very much like to remain as blind as possible going into NEO :)

-The very first cutscene was quite ominous in the sense that this game is likely going to be about "changing fate" (a recently common theme in Squeenix games, which I do appreciate), perhaps leading off from the end of A New Day in the OG and trying to stop an Inversion of Shibuya. Also worth noting that A New Day had similar aspects in which the main character experienced "future visions" of tragic events, although in A New Day these events were not able to be changed, while in NEO it seems like one of the main "powers" our protagonist has is specifically to rewrite these events and avoid a "bad ending." Very interesting indeed!

-I really like the revamped comic book style dialogue scenes, it's much more fluid and modern, which is an excellent direction for the series to take!

-I would love to have an actual PokemonGO knockoff of Final Fantasy creatures, please Squeenix that would be incredibleeeeee

-Also the LINE stickers??? Are so cute???

-I would just like to point out that Fret is an absolute treasure throughout this entire demo, he's hilarious and I will protect him with my life

-UHHHH don't like that Fret picked up some Reaper Pins just out of nowhere.....or the fact that they're apparently popular all over Shibuya.............did y'all not learn anything from the OG game or what lmao

-Okay so when I first got the "curry or ramen" scene and heard NPCs talking about the new curry place replacing the old ramen place I became IMMENSELY distressed that Ramen Don was totally cut from the game because....well, Ramen Don is a King okay?? But I'm glad to learn that no, he didn't fall off the face of the earth, he's still in business and he's the one opening the curry restaurant lolol. PHEW, crisis averted!

-.....I don't like the sudden appearance of a Wall Reaper and being able to read NPC thoughts. Wtf happened when they left the ramen place??? Are they playing the Game alive somehow?

-Okay so I have my own theories about this "Swallow" character and what they're up to but considering this is only the Demo and I still Have No Idea What's Happening, I'm just gonna say that I think Swallow intentionally led Rindo and Fret to the Crossing so they could join the Game. I mean, add in the fact that Swallow still communicates with Rindo during the Game and you've got yourself a suspicious character right there lol

-"Hey they're shooting off fireworks!" Fret honey that's not fireworks oof (see also: "*laughs* I'm in danger")

-WOOOOOO way to traumatize Rindo right off the bat like that LMAOO

-The visuals for the intro are VERY GOOD, the song is pretty decent until it gets all "screamo" (which I absolutely cannot stand sorry lol)

-Shoka is every Customer Service employee ever and I respect that

-Susukichi went from being "meh" to "WOW THIS GUY IS FUN" in the span of 10 seconds and I also respect that (he is also built like an Absolute Unit which is hilarious)

-The Wall Reapers (and just Reapers in general) seem.....way nicer and more helpful this time around?? Like in the OG the Wall Reapers were SO RUDE gfhjgjdfkhn and yeah I'm sure we'll get some like that but the juxtaposition of the first Wall Reaper in the OG compared to the first one in NEO is insane.

-The puzzles are quite a bit more entertaining this time around even if it's generally the same "fetch quest" formula lol

-"Rindo's Group" way to go Fret HFKJDGHSDFKJ mans really left the default name in there lmao

-OKAYOKAYOKAY so to those who aren't aware I am a MASSIVE SIMP for Sho Minamimoto, he's my absolute favorite and I think about him daily. HIS INTRODUCTION IS. INCREDIBLE. I LOVE IT SM.

-GOD hearing him actually SPEAK FULL SENTENCES is just SO SURREAL I love this sm

-Also the remix of his theme???? NEO TRANSFORMATION????? IT'S SO GOOD????????? It's like gone from a Boss Theme to a more triumphant sounding theme and I am HERE for it (every version of Transformation is just INCREDIBLE and getting a new one is even better)

-I Love Him, Your Honor

-Also idk how exactly but it's kinda weird seeing Sho in the OG vs NEO, cuz while he's mostly the same Insane Math-Obsessed Catboy, he's.....calmed down quite a bit?? Like OG made a whole point of how poorly he cooperates with others (not to mention just being completely unhinged and trying to kill everyone), whereas here in NEO he's......actually kinda working with others??? HELLO???? Sir what happened to you and Neku during those 3 years I would love to know all about it

-I guarantee you Sho is still probably scheming shite and will likely pull some total insane BS later down the road, and I am very much looking forward to that. Also, is he looking for a certain Pin or something??? Cuz he keeps talking about different Pins and even mentions "this is just another Psych Pin" like he's actively looking for a Pin to do something with. Maybe it also has to do with the "latent powers of Players" thing he mentioned as well??? What is this dude UP TO oml (also is he in contact with Neku at all?? they're both technically fugitives at this point right?? WHAT HAPPENED AFTER A NEW DAY I AM BEGGING YOU)

-I seems like Sho ALSO has an idea of what's going on in this specific game (even if he won't admit it straightforward). Per his quote "The game's 142,857. Factor it out," he's essentially saying, "This game is a neverending cyle, figure out how to get out of it" (or at least that's what I got from his "cyclic number" nonsense lolol)

-I do like how Sho mostly stays out of sight until he's needed for a battle or assisting with a mission, that's kind of on par with his whole "uncooperative" quirk from the OG, plus he might literally have to stay out of sight of other Reapers and Players considering he's likely breaking the rules of the Game (not surprising considering him and Neku broke practically every rule in the book during OG)

-The nicknames for Sho- I can't- They're so FUNNYYYY GFHJSDFKJ

-He goes from being called "Pi-Face" and "Tabooty" in OG to "Mr. Minami" and "M-Teezy" in NEO LMAOO

-(Wowee I just realized I've been mostly talking about Sho oopsies sorry y'all, this is what I meant by thinking about him almost daily he is THAT much of a fav of mine ghfkjsd)

-Okay RIP Fret and Rindo for not getting literally ANY explanation as to how the Game works OOF, that is kinda cringe that whoever gets the Pin earns points, not whoever erases the Noise (which like I understand but also URRRGGHHH I WANNA SEE THE SQUAD SUCCEED)

-"I should be going home now it's getting late" Oh you sweet summer child-

-Also love the mention of parents in this game???? KH you could learn a thing or two from TWEWY (poor Rindo's mom fhgjkdh)

-KUBO IS HILARIOUS I SUPPORT HIM AND HIS GROSS FACE (also thank you Final Trailer thumbnail for spoiling my suspicions about him very cool smh)

-Kaie is a LAD I also support him, go King type those funky texts I believe in you

-FRET PLS STOP SCANNING FHGJKSDHKJFGHFKJ he's like me when I scan in OG during Weeks 2 and 3 and see Taboo Noise coming after me ghfjdshfj

-Also Rindo can you stay off your phone for TWO SECONDS ik you're trying to figure things out but Fret is a jelly boi and I don't want him to be upset with you my guy

-Sho being an actual sorta mentor to the kiddos?? Who are you sir this is so unlike you ghfgskj what happened to the guy who tried shooting children in the face 8 times over LMAO (granted he's probably just using them but it's still nice to see him actually cooperating and sharing knowledge with the kiddos aaaaa)

-EYO EIJI OJI THE TIKTOK INFLUENCER IS BACK LMAO

-hgjkfshgkjf "we aren't glorifying capitalism on my watch" THATS SO FUNNY TO ME GFHJFSDGHJKS (also an all-orange ensemble is disgusting you deserve jail for one thousand years fkn Cheddar Goldfish Cheezit ass woman)

-WICKED TWISTERS NAME DROP EYOOO we love to see it

-gfhsgjf Poor Rindo embarassing himself for the sake of the Game that's incredible

-R e t u r n t o M O N K E. That is all.

-Dialogue during boss battles is HELLA cool i love that

-HHHHH THE KANON SCENE MADE ME A N G E R Y FRET STOP SIMPING MY GUY says the girl with a Literal Simp Encyclopedia and simps for pixels on a screen daily

-Can't wait to see the other Reapers :eyes emoji:

-CAN'T WAIT TO SEE NAGI MY BELOVED YEAHHHH WOOOOOO AAAAND that's about it for the demo lolol, I absolutely CANNOT wait for next month, this game is gonna be INCREDIBLE holy hell Prepare for more simping, more screaming, and more vibing from Yours Truly :) I fully intend on sharing more general thoughts like this on both Tumblr and Twitter so it's not just reblog-retweet-reblog-retweet with the occasional comment fhgskjd

If you wanna witness my insanity up close and personal I have a Square Enix Discord server called Sea Side Dreamers! You can look it up on Disboard, or you can add me on Discord @Katara0524#9244 for a direct link :) We have topics about Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, NieR, and ofc TWEWY (as well as other topics!), so if you want some good ol' chaos and chitchat, you're more than welcome to join!

[bangwoolofbangtan]

TIME

ENTERTAINER of the year

BTS

[Time magazine BTS interview ]

It’s late October, and Suga is sitting on a couch strumming a guitar. His feet are bare, his long hair falling over his eyes. He noodles around, testing out chords and muttering softly to himself, silver hoop earrings glinting in the light. “I just started learning a few months ago,” he says. It’s an intimate moment, the kind you’d spend with a new crush in a college dorm room while they confess rock-star ambitions. But Suga is one-seventh of the Korean pop band BTS, which means I’m just one of millions of fans watching, savoring the moment.

BTS isn’t just the biggest K-pop act on the charts. They’ve become the biggest band in the world—full stop. Between releasing multiple albums, breaking every type of record and appearing in these extemporaneous livestreams in 2020, BTS ascended to the zenith of pop stardom. And they did it in a year defined by setbacks, one in which the world hit pause and everyone struggled to maintain their connections. Other celebrities tried to leverage this year’s challenges; most failed. (Remember that star-studded “Imagine” video?) But BTS’s bonds to their international fan base, called ARMY, deepened amid the pandemic, a global racial reckoning and worldwide shutdowns. “There are times when I’m still taken aback by all the unimaginable things that are happening,” Suga tells TIME later. “But I ask myself, Who’s going to do this, if not us?”

Today, K-pop is a multibillion-dollar business, but for decades the gatekeepers of the music world—the Western radio moguls, media outlets and number-crunchers—treated it as a novelty. BTS hits the expected high notes of traditional K-pop: sharp outfits, crisp choreography and dazzling videos. But they’ve matched that superstar shine with a surprising level of honesty about the hard work that goes into it. BTS meets the demands of Top 40’s authenticity era without sacrificing any of the gloss that’s made K-pop a cultural force. It doesn’t hurt that their songs are irresistible: polished confections that are dense with hooks and sit comfortably on any mainstream playlist.

BTS is not the first Korean act to establish a secure foothold in the West, yet their outsize success today is indicative of a sea change in the inner workings of fandom and how music is consumed. From propelling their label to a $7.5 billion IPO valuation to inspiring fans to match their $1 million donation to Black Lives Matter, BTS is a case study in music-industry dominance through human connection. Once Suga masters the guitar, there won’t be much left for them to conquer.

In an alternate universe where COVID-19 didn’t exist, BTS’s 2020 would likely have looked much like the years that came before. The group got its start in 2010, after K-pop mastermind and Big Hit Entertainment founder Bang Si-hyuk recruited RM, 26, from Seoul’s underground rap scene. He was soon joined by Jin, 28; Suga, 27; J-Hope, 26; Jimin, 25; V, 24; and Jung Kook, 23, selected for their dancing, rapping and singing talents.

But unlike their peers, BTS had an antiestablishment streak, both in their activism and in the way they contributed to their songwriting and production—which was then rare in K-pop, although that’s started to change. In BTS’s debut 2013 single, “No More Dream,” they critiqued Korean social pressures, like the high expectations placed on schoolkids. They have been open about their own challenges with mental health and spoken publicly about their support for LGBTQ+ rights. (Same-sex marriage is still not legally recognized in South Korea.) And they’ve modeled a form of gentler, more neutral masculinity, whether dyeing their hair pastel shades or draping their arms lovingly over one another. All this has made them unique not just in K-pop but also in the global pop marketplace.

In March, BTS was prepping for a global tour. Instead, they stayed in Seoul to wait out the pandemic. For the group, life didn’t feel too different: “We always spend 30 days a month together, 10 hours a day,” Jin says. But with their plans upended, they had to pivot. In August, BTS dropped an English-language single, “Dynamite,” that topped the charts in the U.S.—a first for an all-Korean act. With their latest album this year, Be, they’ve become the first band in history to debut a song and album at No. 1 on Billboard’s charts in the same week. “We never expected that we would release another album,” says RM. “Life is a trade-off.”

Their triumphs this year weren’t just about the music. In October, they put on perhaps the biggest virtual ticketed show of all time, selling nearly a million tickets to the two-night event. Their management company went public in Korea, turning Bang into a billionaire and each of the members into millionaires, a rarity in an industry where the spoils often go to the distributors, not the creators. And they were finally rewarded with a Grammy nomination. On YouTube, where their Big Hit Labels is one of the top 10 most subscribed music accounts (with over 13 billion views by this year), their only real competition is themselves, says YouTube’s music-trends manager Kevin Meenan. The “Dynamite” video racked up 101 million views in under 24 hours, a first for the platform. “They’ve beaten all their own records,” he says.

Not that the glory comes without drawbacks: namely, lack of free time. It’s nearing midnight in Seoul in late November, and BTS, sans Suga, who’s recovering from shoulder surgery, are fitting in another interview—this time, just with me. V, Jimin and J-Hope spontaneously burst into song as they discuss Jin’s upcoming birthday. “Love, love, love,” they harmonize, making good use of the Beatles’ chorus, turning to their bandmate and crossing their fingers in the Korean version of the heart symbol.

Comparisons to that epoch-defining group are inevitable. “What’s different is that we’re seven, and we also dance,” says V. “It’s kind of like a cliché when big boy bands are coming up: ‘Oh, there’s another Beatles!’” says RM. I’ve interviewed BTS five times, and in every interaction, they are polite to a fault. But by now they must be weary of revisiting these comparisons, just as they must be tired of explaining their success. RM says it’s a mix of luck, timing and mood. “I’m not 100% sure,” he says.

They’ve matured into smart celebrities: focused and cautious, they’re both more ready for the questions and more hesitant to make big statements. When you ask BTS about their landmark year, for once they’re not exactly chipper; J-Hope wryly calls it a “roller coaster.” “Sh-t happens,” says RM. “It was a year that we struggled a lot,” says Jimin. Usually a showman, on this point he seems more introspective than usual. “We might look like we’re doing well on the outside with the numbers, but we do go through a hard time ourselves,” he says. For a group whose purpose is truly defined by their fans, the lack of human interaction has been stifling. Still, they’ve made it a point to represent optimism. “I always wanted to become an artist that can provide comfort, relief and positive energy to people,” says J-Hope. “That intent harmonized with the sincerity of our group and led us to who we are today.”

In an era marked by so much anguish and cynicism, BTS has stayed true to their message of kindness, connection and self-acceptance. That’s the foundation of their relationship with their fans. South Korean philosopher and author Dr. Jiyoung Lee describes the passion of BTS’s fandom as a phenomenon called “horizontality,” a mutual exchange between artists and their fans. As opposed to top-down instruction from an icon to their followers, BTS has built a true community. “Us and our fans are a great influence on each other,” says J-Hope. “We learn through the process of making music and receiving feedback.” The BTS fandom isn’t just about ensuring the band’s primacy—it’s also about extending the band’s message of positivity into the world. “BTS and ARMY are a symbol of change in zeitgeist, not just of generational change,” says Lee.

And in June, BTS became a symbol of youth activism worldwide after they donated $1 million to the Black Lives Matter movement amid major protests in the U.S. (They have a long track record of supporting initiatives like UNICEF and school programs.) BTS says now it was simply in support of human rights. “That was not politics. It was related to racism,” Jin says. “We believe everyone deserves to be respected. That’s why we made that decision.”

That proved meaningful for fans like Yassin Adam, 20, an ARMY from Georgia who runs popular BTS social media accounts sharing news and updates, and who is Black. “It will bring more awareness to this issue people like me face in this country,” he says. “I see myself in them, or at least a version of myself.” In May and June, a broad coalition of K-pop fans made headlines for interfering with a police app and buying out tickets for a Trump campaign rally, depleting the in-person attendance. Later that summer, ARMY’s grassroots fundraising effort matched BTS’s $1 million donation to Black Lives Matter within 24 hours.

For 28-year-old Nicole Santero, who is Asian American, their success in the U.S. is also a triumph of representation: “I never really saw people like myself on such a mainstream stage,” Santero says. She’s writing her doctoral dissertation on the culture of BTS fandom, and she runs a popular Twitter account that analyzes and shares BTS data. “Anytime I’m awake, I’m doing something related to BTS,” she says. “This is a deeper kind of love.”

Devotion like that is a point of pride for BTS, particularly in a year when so much has felt uncertain. “We’re not sure if we’ve actually earned respect,” RM says. “But one thing for sure is that [people] feel like, O.K., this is not just some kind of a syndrome, a phenomenon.” He searches for the right words. “These little boys from Korea are doing this.” —With reporting by Aria Chen/Hong Kong; Mariah Espada/Washington; Sangsuk Sylvia Kang and Kat Moon/New York

FASHION CREDITS

RM: Jacket, shirt, pants and shoes HERMES; SUGA: Jacket, shirt and necklace CELINE. Pants GIVENCHY. Shoes LOUIS VUITTON; Jung Kook: Jacket, shirt, pants and shoes FENDI; J-Hope: Jacket, shirt, pants and shoes LOUIS VUITTON. Necklace HERMES; Jin: Suit, knit top and shoes BALENCIAGA; Jimin: Jacket, silk shirt, pants and shoes CELINE; V: Suit, shirt and shoes ALEXANDER McQUEEN. Tie THOM BROWNE.

[penthepoet]

Persona Yakuza AU - a basic primer

(made by @inaba-ismycountrytownroad and I)

I’m writing this at 2 AM EST so forgive me if this post doesn’t sound like the most lucid thing in the world.

the premise: Tohru Adachi, an officer in the police force, ends up patching up the bullet wound of a man he meets in an alleyway with his brand-new tie. He later finds out said man is Ryotaro “Kohryu” Dojima, the legendary Yakuza head who takes his life-debt to Adachi very seriously.

Little do both of them know that this meeting will kick off a chain reaction that will result in the total upheaval of all of modern Japanese civilization - and, like it or not, things are about to get a lot less quiet in Tokyo.

More basic information about the AU down below. Feel free to PM me or Snap if you want clarification on certain details and headcanons we have, because we literally planned out AN UNGODLY AMOUNT of wild, wild content for this au.

Did I mention Adachi and his colleagues, Sae and Namatame, are assigned to track down and apprehend Dojima here? Because that’s an added twist.

Dojima ends up talking with Adachi more, and Adachi accidentally becomes Dojima’s emotional support civvie that starts craving more and more of that Yakuza insanity.

SEES is a third party infobroker group (and neutral party) that watches the Yakuza spar with the police (and later the Phantom Thieves, who are against the Yakuza). They’re incredibly prone to doing wacky shit and just want to have fun amidst the absolute insanity that is much of this au.

Yu and the Investigation Team (also known as the Interrogation Team here) are a small vigilante gang that helps right wrongs in the city their way - via extreme violence, stealing things and other illicit crimes. Yu Narukami is also a nonbinary icon who uses he/him pronouns and dresses up however he damn well pleases, because Snap and I are taking canon out back and putting it down.

The Velvet Room is also a neutral party that captures footage of Yakuza fights. They livestream said footage and tell fortunes to donating viewers.

Nanako 100% says fuck in this au.

Literally a civil war/re-do of the Sengoku Era breaks out in Japan because of the Yakuza vs. The Phantom Thieves and the Police. Hence, “the upheaval of all Japanese Civilization”.

Namatame is Javert here, pretty much - he wants to take down the Dojima clan at all costs, even if it means making deals with the Phantom Thieves in order to do so. Sae takes a more purist route, wanting to get rid of the Yakuza activity through simpler methods.

Also, Adachi and Dojima definitely will be dating in this au. 

Munehisa Iwai IS a major arms dealer working for the Dojima family, so don’t worry, we’ll be getting a good amount of wild Yakuza dads in this au.

Goro Akechi is sent to infiltrate the Phantom Thieves for the Police, and Mayumi Yamano is sent to infiltrate the Dojima clan for the Police. How does this end? Well... you’ll see. : )

Chisato is still dead in this au, something that’s still taken a toll on Dojima. 

This is a very good song that explains the semi-cracky descent of this au from somewhat fluffy times where Adachi’s figuring out his footing into the insanity that is Japan descending into a gang war orchestrated by Persona characters.

And the au is probably STILL GOING TO GROW BIGGER, so don’t think I’ve put everything Snap and I planned into this post. As a matter of fact, I’m leaving a huge deal out - wouldn’t be fun to spoil all the surprises this au has to offer so soon, after all :3c

tl;dr from snap -

the dojima clan are there to take control of japan for their own benefit 

the phantom thieves and the police are there to control them and make sure they don't get out of hand 

the SEES are literally just there To Party

[memoirsofrkxjiyeon]

➥ 주민희 💕 (@juminhee) is live

30-05-20

Minhee promised to go on instagram live at the end of the month to talk to her fans little did they realise that she had such big news to share, the moment it was announced that Minhee was the first girl in Sphere’s upcoming girl group HEARTZ, her phone buzzed like crazy from friends, family & fans congratulating her on her upcoming debut. She felt if she did surprise livestream on Instagram during her lunch break to find out how her followers are feeling and send them out a message. “First of all, I want to thank everyone who still supported even through my hiatus & loyal to my social media. Yesterday, it was revealed that I would be the first girl of month Miss June for the Sphere’s upcoming girl group HEARTZ. It was insane how people reacted and it honestly it was overwhelming on how much love & support I received. All I can ask please take care of me, not only support me but support HEARTZ as a whole & our future endeavours. I can’t wait for you all to hear my song! We all worked really hard on it from the producers to the choreographers to deliver a wonderful song for you all to enjoy. This will be a gift to all who stood by through all those years and I only wish to worthy of you all unconditional love.....Although with a heavy heart it would mean the official end of era of being Youtuber Mini as once I debut everything will be under Sphere Entertainment as I would be HEARTZ Minhee hopefully in the future I’ll still be able to post covers alongside fellow Sphere’s Idols like CONVEX or SHE’Z sunbaes. I’ll do my best to keep replying to comments and keeping contact with my followers as you watch me work my hardest to make you all proud & promise never to let you down,.so keep in your faith in me ok? Let’s stay together to the end! All I ask of you now is to help me get #HEARTZ trending, I admit it is terrifying to release song in-between LUXE & Convex as it might get overlooked but I’m confident enough to say the song is good enough to stand in-between them.” After the message she end up talking to the people in comments greeting them all acknowledging their existence and having friendly conversation talking about other things treating them they were all her friends not just fans.They even talked about IQs and she gushed how much she loved being on that show. It was so nice spending the lunch break being silly with her followers and making them smile too. Minhee decided to end the live with a cheesy pun using the group name alongside with some aegyo for her fans blowing a heart at them along with a wink. 

“OPEN YOUR HEARTZ, LET’S FALL IN LOVE TOGETHER. ♥” 

[kasey9395]

TOP 5 BTS MOMENTS : THAT MADE ME CRY

I’ve decided to start a Top 5 BTS Series because…why not. I have so many thoughts where they’re concerned so why not document it in a way. And since I’m in a very sentimental mood right now, what with having the Love Yourself/Speak Yourself Tour wrapped up last week, I’ve decided to brainstorm the top 5 moments that made me cry with these 7 beautiful humans. It’s in no particular order other than how it came to my brain. And in my attempt to make it genuine, I will limit these moments to what I’ve experienced myself since becoming ARMY in January 2017 (so their first Daesang win won’t make the cut).

1.   YOUNG FOREVER: WEMBLEY EDITION

I cried. A lot. There have definitely been moments when my eyes have sweated since becoming an ARMY but this was the first time that I was full on sobbing because of Bangtan. Young Forever has always had a special place in my heart for some reason, I always get emotional hearing the passion in their voices during that song, so when watching the 144p livestream (just another day in the life of an ARMY) and seeing the surprise BH had planned, I knew I would feel some type of way. But to see their faces go from confusion to surprise to emotional to something akin to pride/love…I don’t think any ARMY worth his or her salt could hold back tears in that moment. It just felt like such a special moment that we gave to them after having them give so much to us for so long. You could see the appreciation and love they felt. It was tangible.

2.   MAMA 2018 : ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Listen!...Everything was going great until Jung Hoseok decided to get all emotional, break down and send all of our emotions into chaos. And Hobi isn’t much of a crier usually so when he started, that was it for me. Taehyung and Jin didn’t help the situation either. And on top of all that, to learn a few minutes later that Jin had spoken about the disbandment issue…well…that was truly an emotional day for all of us. It was also kinda funny to me watching the Idols and the host afterward, trying to get back into the celebratory spirit after that Bangtan Bomb of a speech.

3.   WINGS TOUR FINALE IN SEOUL 2017

The Love Yourself Era had just kicked off and the Wings era was coming to a close. BTS’ popularity in the US was skyrocketing and I think everyone was having a hard time wrapping their minds around that unforeseen happening. It was the final day of the tour and I think a very emotional one because the Wings era was such a pivotal one for BTS’ career and artistry. So to have that end, no matter how bright the future looked, was definitely something. Hobi started their ending ments and his voice broke at the end of his speech so that kinda set me in the mood. Then JK started crying, red nose and all. And that was it for me. But Yoongi broke my heart when he started crying. Yes, these were all tears of happiness but they were flowed from memories of struggle upon struggle to get to that point. And we could all feel that.

4.   LY/SY SEOUL FINALE DAY 3

Ugh…these final concerts I tell you! Unfortunately, I couldn’t watch this one live but the clips that I did get to see later had my heart aching. Two stand out in my mind. One was Jungkook crying (the bunny struck again!) while Jimin tried consoling him (JK starting Mikrokosmos in a wobbly voice hurt my heart too). The other? Well, let’s just say that Kim Namjoon nearly got me to embarrass myself in front of my colleagues at work cuz I had to try really hard not to cry when I saw the clip of him crying. I did, though when I went home. I don’t think in all of my time knowing and watching BTS, I have ever seen Namjoon cry. He’s been on the verge many times but to see him actually cry told me just how impactful all of this has been to him. Had I been watching real time, it probably might have been a Wembley sequel for me.

5.   THE HORROR THAT WAS NOVEMBER 2018

While this might not technically be a moment per say, it does involve BTS and me crying because of it so it counts. I’m not going to go into any detail about the T-Shirt controversy because I don’t want my anger rising. I will only speak on what I felt during that time. Helpless. I remember seeing report upon report upon report from legitimate international news outlets, comments upon comments without any informative basis, and I truly felt like the world was suddenly against these boys and I could do nothing to help. On top of that, to have Jimin be the target yet again and with BTS’ first Tokyo Dome show literally days away…I cried. For Jimin, for BTS, for a fandom that had to fight the world for these 7 men. Thankfully everything was eventually settled and kudos to J-ARMY who stood strong by the boys despite everything. I don’t think I’m wrong in saying that that moment will live forever in this fandom’s memory.

So those were my top 5. I’d really love to hear what yours would be. Feel free to share!!!