Saturday's are for the Boyz

[jiminwoosunghanse]

BT21

BTS joined forces with Line Friends, a company they creates cute little creatures that are turned into stickers, plushies, book bags, and other merchandise available for purchase. BTS’ partnership with Line friends brought BT21 to life. BT21 consists of 8 cute little characters, all with their own backstory and personalities. I don’t want to harp on the boring stuff, but I have to point out that in every way possible, this was a marketing POWER MOVE. All 7 members of BTS went into the Line Friends studio and spent a few days creating their own BT21 character, and the Line friends team created the 8th character who, in the story, it eh “protector” of the other 7. (Some BTS fans joke that the 8th character, Van, is supposed to represent Bang PD, the CEO of BTS’ label.) This whole process was video recorded, and made into a multi-part YouTube series for fans to watch. Each character, created by its corresponding member of BTS has a story and characteristics that make sense when compared to their member, and fans fell in love.

I want to introduce each of the BT21 characters and their corresponding members. You MUST see pictures— they are too cute not to take a look.

1st we have Jin and RJ. RJ is a really tall alpaca that wears a red bandana and loves to cook and eat churros (much like Jin, his creator). If you ever see pictures or videos of Jin traveling on tour or to promote new music, you will see RJ with him. They are the best of buds.

Next, we have Yoongi and Shooky. Much like his creator, Shooky is a quiet (and sometimes mischievous) little guy. 

I now have the pleasure of introducing to you Hobi and Mang. Mang is wearing a mask, so we actually have no clue what his head and face look like. Much like Hobi, he is colorful and brings positivity with him everywhere he goes. He is also the best dancer ever, which was definitely a skill that his creator handed down to him. 

Now we have the sleepy boys, Namjoon and Koya. Koya is the cutest, smartest, sleepiest little koala. He is a lot like Namjoon, so you HAVE to love him. 

Up next, my personal favorites: Jimin and Chimmy. Jimin and Chimmy are one and the same. Silly, hungry, sweet little guys that love to jump around and love on those around them. Also, Chimmy wears a yellow jumpsuit that we have never seen off of him. How cute!

Tae and Tata are special. I love Tae and Tata because when the BTS members entered the Line friends studio to create their characters, Tae already had his done. Apparently, he has been drawing his little alien friend for years and was excited to finally bring him to life. His big heart shaped head is so endearing! 

Last but definitely not least, Jungkook and Cooky. These two are the same. They both love to eat and exercise, and much like Shooky and Yoongi, you have to watch out for their mischief. I have always loved Cooky’s name too, because it is a nickname of Jungkook!

[jiminwoosunghanse]

LOVE YOURSELF: BTS

Since November 1st, 2017, BTS has been “preaching” one message: LOVE MYSELF. They joined hands with UNICEF (The United Nations Children’s Fund), to raise awareness to end bullying and violence amongst young children and teens. On their website “love-myself.org”, they put it this way: “staging campaigns against violence toward children and teens around the world, with the hope of making the world a better place through music.

This semester I have blogged about KPOP a lot… almost once a week. More specifically, I have bene blogging about BTS. Obviously, I really love KPOP. But I really really love BTS. It might sound cliche, but BTS pulled me out of really dark moments and brought me closest to the people I love. Through their music and videos and speeches, I have found great joy and really learned to LOVE MYSELF. Their LOVE MYSELF campaign wasn’t a one time thing. It wasn’t a cute little slogan that they used to address the UN and sounds empathetic, the campaign has become their reason for existing as artists. I am not kidding when I say that BTS and what they stand for has changed me as a person, and made my life a brighter, more joyful place. I asked quite a few people what BTS’ “LOVE MYSELF” campaign meant to them, because I was sure I wasn’t the only one. Here are two of my favorite answers:

“The LOVE MYSELF campaign symbolizes the ability to self reflect and learn to overcome issues and faults and turn them into something stronger and more beautiful. It's a movement that reminds us to see the good in ourselves and even the bad. We can learn to introspect and better ourselves. BTS's Love Yourself campaign means so much to me; it encourages me and keeps my pride strong. While BTS didn't teach me to love myself, they reminded me of my beauty and shared their own testimonies, which helped me to love myself immensely more.” -R. Barfeild

“It actually means a whole lot to me. Whenever i feel sad or disappointed in myself I look back to the music they made and the message that they spread and it helps me out a lot!!” -T. Gazaway

I think those things really do speak fro themselves. I encourage you to look into this campaign, and see how it might change things for you. Join the movement. Learn to love yourself.

[jiminwoosunghanse]

Through their eyes: Jimin edition

I must confess something before I write this blog post: the number of people I love as much as I love Park Jimin can be counted on one hand. I have never met him, I have never seen him in person (though I will very very soon), but I love hi9m more than my entire life. Writing this blog post is going to be so easy for me because I love every single thing about him, and I know the other members of BTS do, too. I am going to go one member at a time and talk about who Jimin is through their eyes. I am definitely going to cry while I write this, but it is okay!

Jimin, through the eyes of Jin: His forever ping pong partner and most annoying counterpart. Although Jin is the oldest member of the group, he is definitely the goofiest, with Jimin as a close second. On e of my favorite things is to see the way their polar opposite qualities come together to form such a quality brotherhood and forever friendship. Also, because of Jimin’s existence, Jin will always have someone to laugh at his dad jokes.

Jimin, through the eyes of Yoongi: This connection is really sweet. Yoongi is a silent leader, and I have always noticed that Jimin pays great attention to him. I think that Yoongi looks at Jimin as a little brother, but I also see him watch the way that Jimin acts and works, and he learns from it. This duo truly is too sweet to even be real, and extremely underrated.

Jimin, through the eyes of Hobi: If you know anything about BTS, you know that Hobi looks at Jimin as the funniest person on the planet. It is honestly so heartwarming to watch the way he laughs at all of Jimin’s cries for attention (eye roll). Hobi rarely cries, but if he ever has and it’s on video, Jimin is right there providing comfort and a big hug. These two are hilarious, and pretty much always laughing.

Jimin, through the eyes of Namjoon: Namjoon is the leader of the group and the “moni” to Jimin’s “mini. Fans call this duo “Mini Moni”. Of all fo the members, I think that Jimin looks up to Namjoon the most, but I also think that Namjoon looks to Jimin for way more than is on the surface. Namjoon sets Jimin straight when it’s necessary, but laughs with him and goofs off a lot, too.

Jimin, through the eyes of Tae: I have been waiting for this one. This might seem a little bit controversial, but we are all pretty sure these two are in love. Tae sees Jimin as his best friend, drinking buddy, partner in crime, shoulder to cry on, and the perfect snuggle buddy. Fans call this due “TaeMin”, and I am telling you, it doesn’t get any cuter or sweeter. These two went to school together and give the other members a run or they money.

Jimin, through the eyes of Jungkook: Jungkook is the baby of the group, and he sure is Jimin’s baby. Somewhat like his relationship with Tae (mentioned above), Jimin and Jungkook are extremely close. They get all the sneaky snuggles and winks and laughs that they can. They really cherish and look up to one another.

Bottom line is, Jimin is everyone's baby and everyone is Jimin’s baby. If you haven’t figured this out yet, this is a really special boy that we are talking about.

[jiminwoosunghanse]

But actually, Kim Namjoon for president.

My actually political opinion doesn’t really even matter here- because the truth of the matter is that regardless of who fills that big fancy chair in the oval office in a few months, we’ve got our work cut out for us.

But actually, Kim Namjoon for president.

BTS fans, also known as ‘ARMYs’ like to joke around about Kim Namjoon, the group’s leader, running for president. What’s funny is that BTS fans say this INTERNATIONALLY, which means that we have all come to the consensus that regardless of the exact location, the world would be a better place with Kim Namjoon in a place of political leadership.

For a few moments, I want to dive into the qualities that Kim Namjoon has that would make him a better president than either of the candidates that are running in the Unites States, (sorry, not sorry). I want to start out by comparing something that Kim Namjoon has said to something that our current and potential future president have said.

Kim Namjoon: “I believe that there’s no improvement if you have an inferiority complex and victim mentality.”

President Donald Trump: “The beauty of me is that I’m very rich.”

Joe Biden: “I shouldn’t have been such a wise guy”

However, just like all news outlets are biased, so am I.

To be totally transparent, this is what I looked up to find those quotes: “Kim Namjoon Quotes”, “Dumb Donald Trump Quotes”, and “Ridiculous Things That Joe Biden Has Said”. Enough about my own flaws and biases though, let’s get back to talking about the beauty and wisdom that embodies Kim Namjoon. We can do so by dissecting what it is about Namjoon that makes him so lovely.

Kim Namjoon is a believer in all people. What do I mean by that? He doesn’t write people off for their less than favorable characteristics (lets be real, we all have them). In leading BTS for over 7 years now, he has accepted the other members for who they are and helped them grow to be better, all the while learning from each and every one of them.

This is my favorite thing he has ever said: “I know they talk like you’re too naïve, like you’re too young - but eventually fools change the world”.

This is the type of things we should normalize hearing from prominent world leaders.

Namjoon believes in FUTURE leaders, because like he said, eventually fools change the world. We need someone in office who looks to future generations instead of bashing all the things they believe in. I could go on forever, but I don’t have the energy, honestly. The bottom line is this: humility is rare these days, and it is beautiful. We NEED it in leaders. Kim Namjoon, please save us.

[jiminwoosunghanse]

Our baby maknaes

The youngest member of a KPOP group is referred to ask the “Maknae”. This translates form Korean as “youngest brother”. This post is going to address everyone’s favorite maknaes.  Like my most recent post about two of KPOPS favorite leaders, of course some people will be left out. There aren’t enough blog posts in the world to address all of the maknaes that we love so dearly.

First and foremost, our beloved Jeon Jungkook of BTS. If you know of him, you really love him. He is sweet and cheery and dedicated. He is an incredible artist, and sometimes paints and draws in his free time. The rest of the members of BTS love Jungkook and treat him with great respect, even being the youngest member. He can truly fill any roll, whether it be vocals, rapping, writing and producing, dancing, or choreographing. I mean it when I say: this world really does not deserve Jeon Jungkook.

Next, is our sweet little Yang Jeong In. He really is a baby. When he debuted with Straykids, he had braces, and he still says that his braces were his most charming feature. He is an incredible vocalist and also a great dancer. He encourages everyone and laughs a lot, and he is always the first to wake up!

Yugyeom is a lot different than the maknaes of other groups. Not only is he 6 feet tall and not such a “little” brother, but he also just has a grown-up complex about him (unlike Jeongin and Jungkook). He is an insanely talented dancer, and devilishly handsome, too. His favorite things to do are dance and eat traditional Korean food. To be the youngest of the group, he is an incredible leader and always makes everyone else in the group laugh.

Last, and most definitely not least, is everyone’s angel: Mark Lee. If you know anything about KPOP, you know who Mark Lee is. He is currently in or has been in FIVE groups at one time or another. To be completely honest, he is likely extremely overworked by his label, SM Entertainment. I really like to believe it is because his label see’s in him what his fans see in him: leadership, a gentle spirit, and unmatched humor. He has always gotten along with his many fellow members, and always finds a way to make everyone around him laugh. He was born in Canada and is a Canadian citizen but went to a performing arts school in South Korea. I think another reason he is in so many groups for SM Entertainment could have something to do with the fact that he speaks pretty prefect English (as well as Korean), and is a really great communicator. I absolutely ADORE Mark Lee, and so does Johnny.

[jiminwoosunghanse]

Kim Namjoon for President

This is going to be pretty straight forward. I am going to talk about 2 of the greatest leaders in KPOP who have led their groups through adversity with great strength. Not only do they go on exhaustive world tours, but they don’t really get breaks when they are home. The two groups that I am going to mention are so successful because they have incredible leaders on the front lines, fighting for them. These aren’t the only great leaders in the industry, rather they are just from two of the most popular groups. Many great leaders will be left out of this, not because I don’t love them, but because it would be impossible for me to address all of the greatness in this industry in the form of leadership in just one blog post.

BTS: Kim Namjoon (he also goes by the stage name RM)

If you know anything about BTS, you likely know how crazy and goofy each and every member is. They all have serious sides, but a lot of the time they are just a bunch of young men that act like goof balls with one another. Namjoon leads in a way that is so personal but also distanced. He has an impeccable ability to reign in the craziness of the group and always has his eyes on the prize. All while being the leader of the biggest KPOP group in the world, he has earned a bachelor’s degree in electronic engineering. When he was a teenager, he taught himself English by watching the popular western sitcom, Friends, over and over again. He is also a civil rights activist, and his fans jokingly say, “Kim Namjoon for president”, although, I think we all feel that he would actually be a great president.

Stray Kids: Bang Chan (he is called just “Chan” by fans)

If you know Stray Kids, you love Bang Chan with your whole heart. He is quiet when he needs to be and leads the other 7 members in Stray Kids without looking for anything in return. He can seem timid, and oftentimes looks as if he lacks confidence. I believe this is simply because of how humble he is, as a man and sort of just as a human being. He was born in Seoul, but his family moved to Sydney Australia when he was very young, and that is where he grew up and lived until he was a Trainee at JYP Entertainment. Chan is extremely intelligent. He speaks four languages, including English, Korean, Japanese and Chinese. He is well loved by members of Stray Kids’ “older brother” group, Got7, and even by members of groups across the industry. There is no one quite like Bang Chan. His most lovable quality is his ability to encourage everyone that he comes in contact with.  

(facts came from my own brain and https://kprofiles.com/)

[jiminwoosunghanse]

The Top 3 Things Kpop Stans are Tired of Hearing

I want to address what I’m about to say by saying that I am a little but bitter about this, and that will probably show throughout this post. I was going to try and keep my opinions out of this, but what would be the point in doing that? This is MY blog post, after all.

“He looks like a girl.” For starters, that is shallow. Second, in most cases, you’re just wrong. Also, why in the world do you care? I need to know: what is it about people that makes them feel like they need to inform me that they think male kpop idols “look like girls”? If this is you, if you are someone who says this, I want to know what your goal is in saying that. I genuinely can’t make sense of people’s obsession with the fact that not all men look the same. It’s sad, really. 

“How can you even like that music? You don’t know what they are saying.” I have tried to play devils advocate here and understand why people say this. Maybe for some people, they listen to music solely to take in the meaning and power of the lyrics. Or maybe, you really want to be able to sing along with music in order to enjoy it, and you can do that when the lyrics are in Korean. Let me just educate you a little bit. Over 95% of Kpop songs have at least some English in them, and most of them are close to half English, half Korean. I personally really enjoy the groups, what they stand for, their relationships with one another and their fans, and the sound of their music. Because I love everything about them, I look up lyric translations and learn to sing the Korean lyrics even though I’m not fluent in the language. 

“They wear too much makeup.” DO YOU THINK THAT THE JONAS BROTHERS DON'T WEAR MAKEUP WHEN THEY PERFORM? Adam Levine? Shawn Mendes? Drake?! How about when famous people walk the red carpet before an event like the Grammy's? If you think they aren't wearing makeup you either have vision problems or are just confused. And once again, dare I say, that is shallow. Why does it even matter that they wear makeup? And why in the world would it bother you that they wear makeup? Also, speaking of musicians wearing makeup...

I don’t really know what I was trying to accomplish by writing about this. I think maybe I needed to get it off of my chest. The chances that Kpop antis (people who are strongly against kpop) will read this are very slim. Regardless, I feel better now, and that is good enough for me.

[jiminwoosunghanse]

How to break every record ever…

An intriguing title… I know.

But seriously, have you ever wanted to be the best at something? Or maybe break a record? Believe it or not, I have a solution for you. I know exactly what you can do to break YouTube view count records, streaming records, and be the first of your nationality to make hundreds of millions of dollars on international tours.

I’m sure you are on the edge of your seat as you wait for my answer, I know I sure would be. Here it is:

In order to do all of those things…. You just have to be BTS.

I never said it would be easy, but that is how you can do it. If you can figure out a way to transform into and completely embody BTS, you can accomplish all of the groundbreaking things that I mentioned before.

Okay, time for real talk. Clearly this blog post has nothing to do with you as the reader and everything to do with the greatness that is Bangtan Sonyeondon (BTS).

The rest of this blog is simply going to address 10 of the incredible WORLD records that BTS has broken (in no specific order), which will further my life’s agenda: to put the spotlight on BTS’ superiority in the music & even the entertainment industry as a whole.

They have the most twitter engagements… ever.

They have the most viewed YouTube video in 24 hours. (Over 101 million views… in one day)

They were the fastest account (of all time) to reach 1 million followers on TikTok.

They have the most streamed K-pop song on Spotify.

They have the highest ranking K-pop album on the Billboard top 200 charts.

They has the highest-charting billboard Hot 100 for any K-pop group (That ranking was #1, by the way.)

The boy group sold the highest number of copies of a single album on the Gaon Charts

Of course, they became the first K-pop group to go gold.

They were the first ever K-pop group to win a Billboard Music Award.

They were the first K-pop group to perform at an American awards show.

Besides the fact that breaking all of these records (and literally at least 50 more) is incredible, they did so in the United States with primary KOREAN MUSIC. That is right, BTS infiltrated western culture with Korean culture and music, and still broke all of the records.

(My course of information can be found at https://www.thethings.com/bts-broken-world-records/)

[jiminwoosunghanse]

Life is like  🧨

You are either going to read this and get an insane serotonin boost, or you’re going to read this and be educated for the first time on the power that is BTS and the BTS ARMY. 

To start us off, let me introduce our topic(s) of discussion for today: BTS and ARMY. (Army... like the U.S Army? Not quite, we’ll get there I promise). 

BTS is a 7 member South Korean boy band. They made their debut in June of 2013 with their first album, 2 Cool 4 Skool. Ranging in age from twenty-two to twenty-eight, each member brings something different and exciting to the group. The picture you will see below varies a lot from the one above, thank goodness for a change in trends, right?! 

ARMY is the name of BTS’ fanbase. This fanbase isn’t just any group of people who have fallen for the newest, hottest musical act. This is the most dedicated (made up of millions) group that you will ever come across. The rest of this will blog will show you what exactly I mean by that. 

On August 20th at 12:00am EST, BTS released their first ever all English single titled “Dynamite”. And then, just like that, ARMY did their thing. 

YouTube’s live counter showed between 3 and 4 million viewers streaming the premiere of the music video live at midnight on August 20th.

In the first 24 hours of being online, the Dynamite music video had over 101,000,000 streams. Yes, you read that right, that video had been watched over one hundred million times in one day. This broke the record of the most streams in one day that was previously held by another Korean group, Blackpink, who held the record with 86.3 million viewers in the first 24 hours of being released.

The Dynamite music video surpassed 20 million streams on YouTube in one hour and fourteen minutes.

In the first 24 hours of the song being on Spotify, BTS’ Dynamite beat Taylor Swifts record of number of streams with a whopping 7,778,950 Spotify streams in 24 hours.

Dynamite was the first and only song by a Korean artist to debut at #1 on Spotify’s Global Top 50 charts.

Kim Seokjin, Min Yoongi, Jung Hoseok, Kim Namjoon, Park Jimin, Kim Taehyung, Jeon Jungkook. Those seven guys... they made the music. They danced their hearts out. They spent hours in the studio and learning choreography. 

But the BTS ARMY, we broke records they other artists fans have never come close to breaking.

Oh, and don’t forget to stream Dynamite 😉 https://youtu.be/gdZLi9oWNZg