could you tell us about this expression "저 그렇게 쉬운 사람 아닙니다"? your translation of it, the context it was said in and how you interpreted it?
also what do you think of the fact that jungkook wanted to go to jimin's house to do the live and he said he'd take his things to take a shower there? O_O
thank you so much!
Hi, there! Thanks a lot for your message.
Oh well 🤭 let's take a look I guess!!
(*screenshot not mine)
To start off, I've seen a lot of discourse around this and also as to why/by whom it was deleted. To answer that first, it's hard to say because Jimin just commented:
"삭제해 버리네" which doesn't indicate who performed the action as the pronoun here is missing. He just wrote *he he he* "deleting" or "deleted"
He did use a grammar form 해 (어/아) 버리다 as to indicate that the action was completed in full; this grammar form can also carry an emotional undertone -as if someone was glad/regretful that the action happened. The best or closest interpretation of what he wrote then would be "he he he it's all deleted/gone" (alternatively: "he he he deleting it all") Did he mean he was glad he deleted? Or was he laughing that it got deleted? Hard to tell... You can see Jungkook understood it in that way, but I don't really see a reason why such action would be taken by anyone from the staff or moderators on the platform (if there are any).
Simply because what he wrote was very... brazen to say the least (we'll get into that) but in no way vulgar or inappropriate for broadcast.
Now looking at the preceding comment which you asked about... Jimin knew what he was doing with this comment 🤭 (and the nature of it leads me to believe even more he regretted posting so he deleted it quickly and was laughing about it)
"저 그렇게 쉬운 사람 안입니다"
This phrase closest translates to:
"I am not such an easy person" / "I am not that of an easy person"
First, this sentence is a commonly used phrase, you can also see by the formal tone in which Jimin wrote it as if he was quoting it- he normally doesn't have to / shouldn't talk with such high politeness with Jungkook and Jungkook responded in a highly formal tone and the typical Jimin-ssi for that very reason => which all adds another layer to this whole interaction (teasing upon teasing 🫣)
It's very commonly used when someone is in pursuit of someone else, whether it be trying to persuade you, make you do/feel something or make a move on you.
You would typically say this in a setting when a stranger is trying to get to know you/get your number or in other words is hitting on you and you want to politely and also a bit playfully reject. Of course, the context can also be that when a friend is trying to get on your good side, please you or persuade you. This answer is kind of teasing way to say "huh you think this would work on me?" It is a lot of times spoken in situations when you want to be playful/teasing/flirtatious and say: I'm not such an easy person (but)... [I'm not that easy to sway/your attempts have not been enough, you should try harder]. It can read as an invitation, a sort of cheeky rebuttal to say you know your worth and you expect more to be persuaded.
When put in the context of the wlive, there is more to consider. Jungkook was talking about taking it easy prior to Jimin posting that, when he read a few comments saying that Jimin should "go easy". I feel like Jimin's idea for the comment came from this moment. What leads me to believe he ended up deleting it is that the context in which he said made it inherently flirtatious and very suggestive: Jungkook naked in bed, trying really hard to persuade Jimin over a livestream to go see him and Jimin making prior remarks to Jungkook to uncover himself 🙈 And that's how it was understood by Jungkook as well as he then went on to reason that it was Weverse that deleted the comment (for it being somehow explicit).
**Also just to note, "an easy person" 쉬운 사람 as a standalone term in Korean doesn't carry an outright sexual meaning- an easy person in Korean is understood as more of a 'negative' term when you are too agreeable, when you don't stand up for yourself and let people walk over you and you are too easily taken advantage of. It doesn't have to do anything with someone's promiscuity. In the phrase Jimin used however, the implied meaning is different as explained.**
Very shortly to the last part of your message, he said: "I'll bring stuff to wash up with" most likely implying he was to stay at Jimin's after the proposed live and sleep (and from my guess wash up before his schedule).
"내가 갈게, 내가 씻을 거 챙겨가지고 갈게"
"I'll go, I'll bring stuff to wash up with and go."
(he was emphasizing that he has no problem doing it, he is ready to go).
translation of k-army experience of seeing🐥🐰at 🐱's concert
i came back to my place after watching suga's concert with all the joy and i don’t remember how i came here. jk was just crazy, his physique was so fit and he danced with this whole another vibe…i think i will remember this in my next life. jimin was like an angel and he was so considerate that he kept smiling and wave his hand to armys and he kept taking care of jk. without joke, jimin kept talking and asked jk (like r you gonna have dinner here? types of questions) with kind, considerate hyung vibe. jk was watching quote inside of the holiday and jimin pulled jk to outside during army time and say hi everyone + jk i love you!
“Why did I fight with Jimin-hyung?
We were trainees. I personally don’t think my puberty years had hit me yet, I was really young at the time. Jimin-hyung, as the second youngest, was putting a lot of effort into watching his behavior. Was it during practice? Or was it just because of the way I spoke? I honestly don’t even remember how I used to talk. But it got to a point where even angelic Hobi-hyung would get angry at my way of speaking. My way of speaking on a normal basis wasn’t bad. I’m the type that gets a little riled up, so the guys warned me many times because of that. That’s probably why Jimin-hyung called me out separately, to talk about it. I felt very… So, I knew what I did wrong. I instinctively knew, because of how I was acting. But, because I also have my pride, I felt like there were parts that I was right about. As I was talking to Jimin-hyung, I got angry. I got angry and Jimin-hyung got angry.”
Disclaimers: Sensitive topics are discussed below the cut; please do not incite drama, speak hate, or engage in bullying. I am not a mental health professional; I make no claims of expertise (in anything). This is a collection of my thoughts about what is currently happening on the Taekook side of ARMY, in the hopes that it may help us as a community respond more effectively to the toxic parts of our fandom. If you click below this cut, you are assuming responsibility for your own behavior and agreeing to engage with my blog respectfully, or you will be blocked.
THE NARRATIVES AT WORK
I submit that shipping Taekook is both an evolving conspiracy theory and a living cult.
There are various narratives within this subgroup, but in general, to ship Taekook, one must believe Kim Taehyung and Jeon Jungkook are in a closeted gay romantic relationship.
One also likely believes that their company (both BigHit and Hybe) and everyone around them have always actively hid their gay relationship.
Initially, Taekook (the “real” gay couple) was being hidden by Jikook (the “fake” gay couple) because Jikook was somehow more popular in Korea and therefore considered to be more profitable.
And this was the main narrative for years. It got Jimin dragged and hated online and in real life, to the point there was even a credible shooting threat at a concert.
Now, the narrative is being modified in light of the video footage revealed this week involving Taehyung and Jennie.
If Taekookers accept at all that Jennie and Tae were indeed photographed holding hands in Paris this week, then they likely believe both their companies are using this as a PR Relationship stunt to hide their real gay relationships before military service and comeback projects.
This belief includes:
1) assuming Taehyung and Jennie are not being honest;
2) believing Taehyung and Jungkook have no agency or power within their own companies; and,
3) all of their members and managers are also in on this nefarious plot.
Whether they believe Taennie is just cosplayers in an orchestrated smear campaign, or two actual idols in a PR Relationship, regardless, a large segment of this subgroup still believe that Jimin is the company favorite who gets special treatment.
Therefore, things that should be Taekook’s (such as songs and subunits and couple-like interactions) are instead given to the company’s king of fan service, to the point where Jimin “assaults” Jungkook with “unwanted” attention and physical contact.
THE LOGICAL FALLACIES
As amazingly popular as our Korean It Boy is, I have serious doubts about Jimin being the “company favorite” ever since Hybe took over two years ago.
As the “company favorite,” I’d love it if he got more lines in group songs, or was allowed to film as many music videos as he wanted, or could be given more than 10 days of promotion time for a project he spent a year working on. It would be stellar if the “company favorite” had in-ears that worked correctly during live broadcasts, or was invited onto IU’s show, or could host streaming parties or sell exclusive merch. To say nothing of the “company favorite” getting far more reality show appearances and magazine interviews and a Disney documentary with behind the scenes footage! Heck, I’d settle for his songs not being split on Spotify, his views not being culled on YouTube, and maybe just one congratulatory statement to the press or even just a CAKE celebrating his historic Hot 100 #1.
At least Jimin was “allowed” to include a hidden track with Jungkook (that wasn’t advertised or available to stream, so not fan service) and he was allowed to queer code his Like Crazy music video. So I believe he has some agency and say over his projects. I’m not sure he’s entirely understood or appreciated by his company—frankly, I think his potential was underestimated—but I don’t claim he’s a victim. Victim narratives play into cult dynamics.
But I digressed. I was talking about logical fallacies.
Let’s entertain the idea that for more YEARS, Jungkook and Taehyung have been horribly abused by their management and forced to hide their relationship.
They never thought to address this issue when they were renewing their contracts?
Also, what’s up with all the footage during RUN episodes when they are standing together, or on the same team, or hugging and cuddling, or leaning their heads on each other’s shoulders and legs?
Why were they allowed to flirt and dance and do skinship on stage—and all that stuff even made it into official footage?
Now let’s entertain the idea that Taennie is a PR Relationship.
So… two rival companies, just coming out of a bitter failed deal around a music industry monopoly, are now working together to make people believe Jennie and Tae are dating?
Even though idols LOSE popularity and company stocks take a DIVE when couples are revealed?
As the dating rumor between BTS V and Blackpink Jennie was raised the day before, the stock prices of their agencies, HYBE and YG Entertainm
So Taennie is the strategy to promote solo albums and upcoming projects?? And both companies’ PR teams say “We can’t confirm it as it is their personal lives.” So no PR statement is the PR strategy??
We know it’s bullshit. It makes about as much sense as Hillary Clinton running a child sex trafficking ring out of the basement of a pizza parlor that doesn't have a basement.
But many in the cult believe it’s Absolute Truth.
The question is why?
The answer is in the dynamics at play here.
CULT DYNAMICS
It starts with a MISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN.
Baby ARMY get curious about BTS, hop on YouTube or TikTok, and are bombarded by the algorithm that claims Taekook is real.
Unless they go searching for original content (which takes up dozens and dozens of hours to sift through and much of which sits behind a paywall), they will not have much to contradict these claims.
Most older ARMY are understandably so sick and tired of the ship discourse that they don’t go into Taekook spaces and duke it out in the comments. Plus, content creators know that Taekook content gets hits and likes, which translates into passive income, so they keep making it.
See this video where a cult leader shows you she made over $109,000 in a year just from her Taekook edits:
So in the din of all this nonsense and noise, it’s up to Baby ARMY to seek out other voices, other input, to form an opinion. They have to be proactive. And sadly, a large segment of the population lacks critical thinking skills and do not WANT to seek facts.
We live in a very busy, post-fact world, where “credible messengers” (i.e., someone you know and trust) tell you their opinions. Then you try those opinions on for size, and they eventually become your opinions. It’s faster, it’s easier, and…
It lets you be part of the IN-GROUP. Next thing you know, you're part of a group chat with 400 indoctrinated members, spitting conspiracies like gospel truths.
In today’s globalized, fast-paced, hyper digital world, most people cannot tell you the names of their neighbors or local butcher or even their state’s politicians, let alone what all they stand for. But they can tell you how the Kardashians feel about organic salad in a plastic bowl, or what Trump believes about election results.
There’s a lack of real-world relationships that tether people to a shared reality.
And yet, there is a human need for Tribe.
A cult uses that instinct for TRIBE by constantly re-enforcing the notion that People Out There don’t understand, aren’t very nice, will even persecute you for knowing the truth.
But People In Here, the IN-GROUP, they appreciate you, they are reasonable and open-minded, they will be there for you when everyone else turns their backs on you and puts you down.
All you have to do to belong to the IN-GROUP is subscribe to these CONSPIRACY THEORIES.
First, you should think about becoming Anti-Establishment.
You cannot trust the Authority (company, government, scientists, whatever). The Authority is corrupt and will lie to you because it wants something from you (money, votes, microchips in the vaccines, whatever).
Do not trust what your eyes show you and what your ears hear. Believe your in-group. Be loyal to your found family. Your found family is SPECIAL.
Second, you need to begin to wake up to the Signs and Wonders.
Once you’re willing to see the truth, suddenly there are all these hints. All these little “Q-drops” of information. Like Taekook touching face moles during a song. Or seeing slowed-down, edited videos of facial expressions that look like evidence of jealousy. Or maybe hidden meanings behind tattoos of tigers and green mics. Or making a secret handshake or symbol with their fingers. These Signs and Wonders are FOR YOU.
*Now, I’m inclined to give Taekookers a bit of a break on queer couple coding because, culturally speaking, similar clothing and jewelry are couple-coded in Korea. And there are just as many if not MORE theories about Jikook using similar black and white clothing, matching jewelry, related tattoos, using special numbers in songs and timestamps, and even changing up lyrics as secret messages.
The issue here is that Jikook ACTUALLY DOES SOME OF THOSE THINGS. They actually deliberately type out specific numbers on some of their social media messages. They actually have dressed in the exact same outfits or worn each other’s clothes. They actually have changed up lyrics and sung them to each other.
Even so, any reasonable Jikooker will say “all of this is suspicious as hell, but not proof.” Like when Jungkook says his J tattoo stands for Jungkook—the placement over the M is suspicious, yes—but all sane Jikookers accept that Jungkook has spoken about that tattoo and he did not say it was for Jimin. We don't sit around calling Jungkook a liar just because we preferred our theory.
Taekookers, however, want what Jikook have so badly, even as they scorn it for merely being fan service.
Half the time the hints they claim are completely made up.
They see sandal footprints in the sand, and their leaders say it’s proof that Jungkook went on a secret beach date with Taehyung. Even though Taehyung went out with a friend and his parents that night.
Taekookers will see a photo of shoes all neatly lined up and say it’s a secret ski date with Hobi. Even though Jimin owns the exact same pair of shoes and there were no photos or accounts of them ever being at a ski lodge the day after Jin went into service.
Taekookers will swear they hear Jungkook’s voice off camera during Taehyung’s vlog and insist he was hiding in the trunk of the car during the drive to film. As if JK would hide in the trunk for hours instead of just… go in a different car that didn't have a camera??
All of these Signs and Wonders require a huge leap to arrive at the conclusion that Taekook is a romantic couple.
Meanwhile, evidence of Jikook spending birthdays together and couple holidays together and going on trips alone together and having integrated families and inner circles (stylists, tattoo artist, boxing coach) are ALL fan service. Every single person is in on the conspiracy.
Yes, even when JK’s mom screams “I love you!” to Jimin and makes her son eat seaweed soup on Jimin’s birthday, (JK was clearly FORCED to make up that story) it has to be fan service.
And when Jimin’s dad posts a photo of JK’s old dog on JK’s birthday (a birthday where Jimin visited him in the middle of working on his album, but Taehyung did not even though he wasn't working on anything), it's fan service. And when Mr. Park hosts a give-away event at his café where JK’s music is playing and cap and photo are proudly displayed next to JImin? Absolute fan service; he’s a money-hungry, attention-hungry cad, don’t you know? Even the charity he and his son do are fan service!
But JK went bowling with Wooga, so, Taekook are married. (Legally married. Not in Korea. But you know. They ARE married. Coming up on their third anniversary already!)
“married and third year anniversary this year i- 😭 this the kind of info not even sasaengs know about because it’s straight up fiction”
It’s all there, if you’re just willing to see the Signs and Wonders. And believe your cult leaders when there's nothing to see or wonder about at all.
Third and perhaps most important, is the Star-Crossed Lovers angle. The VICTIM CARD.
You see, it’s not bad enough that openly gay couples face pure hell in conservative countries anyway—losing their jobs, their families, sometimes their will to live because the stigma can be so bad. But on top of all that, for years and years, Taekook have been forced apart.
They’ve been just tortured by Jimin’s attention-whoring greedy nature, and made to endure fabricated fan service skinship!
(When Tae and JK look happy to be around Jimin, it’s just because they are professionals and such good actors!). Darn that Park Jimin, the abuser and sexual predator!!
And after so long being forced to hide, now in solo era, poor abused victimized Taekook can be loud. So loud. So very loud and wild and free!!
After all, during the Vegas concert, Jungkook sat on Taehyung’s lap!! He's NEVER sat on any other BTS members' lap (except for all of them).
And when Jungkook came online and said “Keep being jealous, I’ll keep holding Jiminie!” and that Jimin was HIS! Then fans kept asking him about Taehyung, so he also said Taehyung was his. It was totally his own organic idea (except for how it wasn't).
When fans kept pestering Jungkook during his camping VLive about Taehyung, he said he was forced to admit that Taehyung was attractive, he’d never seen a man so attractive! (FORCED to admit it! So romantic!)
Meanwhile, as all this shakes down, there’s this scandal in the press that Jimin didn’t pay his insurance premiums because his mail was omitted by the company. News of this dropped EXACTLY the moment his first OST With You came out, and he went totally quiet.
And then, Jungkook also went quiet for a while too. He deleted all his previous Insta photos that were personal and changed the layout to be totally professional. He went to the White House. He did a collab. He partied for JitB. He went on a Meat Tour of Korea. He did a concert with his members. He headlined World Cup. But mostly he was getting quieter and quieter.
Eventually Jungkook deleted the app entirely. Sometimes he stayed in his home for six days at a time. He stopped working out or going into Hybe; he started drinking whiskey. And nowadays he doesn’t even want to look at the comments on lives. Not because he was sick of the Taekookers or anything, but because “the company is forcing them to hide!”
Of course.
And all throughout 2022, Taehyung and Jungkook are paired up for things, and Tae's talking about a fortune teller saying he and Jungkook were “fire and water.” And rather than be taken as cute moments between friends, these are just VERY LOUD SIGNS AND WONDERS.
Then there are leaks online of all these photos that involved Tae and Jennie.
And thus begins tons of lives where he mentions Jungkook.
I'm not saying Kim Taehyung had an agenda to throw fans off the scent of his actual relationship, but I'm also not NOT saying that.
Whatever his motivations, the cult interpreted this as a direct message for Taekookers to keep the faith!
And indeed, Taekook do hang out—sometimes openly. (Sometimes where there’s press that make them hold up signs while cameras are going off—but that’s not for work, that’s a date, because the security team there wasn’t Hybe’s, and it was a friend’s premiere.) Sometimes quietly, where they share photos of hanging out afterwards.
But it cannot be just two friends hanging out. It’s Signs and Wonders!! SO LOUD!! SO FREE!!
So many reveals—mostly coming from Taehyung, but Jungkook doesn’t often deny them. And it’s mostly Taehyung stroking Jungkook’s hair or laying his head on Jungkook’s thigh or whatever—but Jungkook doesn’t stop him. And Jimin seems totally unbothered by all of it, which is strange because it sort of debunks years of his efforts at fan service.
Yet, clearly THIS cannot be fan service or misdirection.
It can’t just be friends playing games, or a TikTok made for work. It can’t be recording someone without their informed consent for attention. It can’t be going to a concert with other members and sitting in separate rows as friends. Or going to a musical or movie to support friends. Unlike all the things Jungkook has done with Jimin, this has to be Real Love!!
So just to recap:
When the cult had no evidence of Taekook hanging out, they were a private couple.
When the cult had ever-increasing evidence of Taekook hanging out, they were being loud.
When the cult had evidence that Jikook hang out outside of work, that was just fan service.
When the cult had no evidence that Jikook hang out outside of work, that was just fan service getting exposed.
When the cult has evidence that Taehyung has a girlfriend, that’s a punishment.
MARTYRDOM
You see, Jungkook and Taehyung would go on WeLives without permission, remember? And Taehyung set up a dual live chat on Insta and JK didn't seem that into it but he was persuaded. Then they giggled and couldn’t find much to talk about for ten minutes. And Taehyung said he would take full responsibility for it.
And the cult now believes that “taking responsibility” means pretending to be in a heterosexual relationship. Even their insider sasaeng accounts predicted it!
Never mind how mad all of this seems. And it would be one thing if just one or two ideas were far-fetched, like looking at a pair of shoes and making assumptions. But all of it is far-fetched.
Facts do not matter. Because you cannot trust the Authority. You can only trust the In-Group.
And the In-Group sees Signs and Wonders. So the In-Group knows the Real Truth.
The In-Group DECIDES TOGETHER what is real.
They can make entirely fake edits; cosplay; post false witness statements; harass models, coworkers, brands, businesses… they can hire trucks to circle the building with loud speakers, protesting and shouting their truth!!
And anyone who doesn’t believe the Real Truth is a Fake Taekooker.
No disbelievers allowed. Get out of the tribe. Only the faithful can stay in the Tribe.
Right now, you might be asking yourself: Why would you stay in a tribe like this??
Because the dynamic is ever-evolving, which is titillating, and participants get a sense of power, because they are able to help craft the narratives—by being so smart as to see the truth where others are blind sheep—so they can bond over how unique they are.
Plus… TAEKOOK NEEDS THEM.
The boys absolutely depend on their support. You see, Taekookers are the real HEROES here.
They understand the boys like normal people never could. If you know you know, and they are steadfast against any and all lies presented as evidence. They are loyal.
The whole world is against their baby bear and baby bunny!! They are the boys Only Defense. Just take a look at this video of their rallying cry:
If you've got martyrs, you've also got... CRUSADERS.
Yikes, right?
So, here are millions of fans who were lied to, misled, misinformed… They developed relationships over time with people who also believe this misinformation… They get a sense of power in crafting their own reality, in which the objects of their affection are victims and they are the heroes… And the only way to prove themselves worthy of the group is to stalwartly ignore anything that contradicts these narratives.
This is a literal, textbook cult.
Cults use deception, isolation, peer pressure, group-think, and suppression of critical thought. To varying degrees, all Taekook spaces do this too. (And yes, other ships and solos and mantis ALSO rely on these tactics. But I've never seen anything quite so open or pervasive in ARMY like the Taekook cult tactics.)
I feel I should make one thing should be made clear: a LOT of people sincerely believe in Taekook.
But there are also a lot of Taekook content creators who sincerely believe in the money they make off people believing in Taekook.
Like all cults, at the end of the day, it's a scam.
Now there’s evidence of a real relationship, and of course anyone who has invested time and money in Taekook is going to be pushing back—hard.
So how do we navigate this chaos?
Well, most cults end in one of two ways: an FBI raid, or everyone drinks the Kool-Aid and dies.
But more often than not, cults don’t really end so much as fizzle out over years.
Plenty of cults are still alive and well despite amble debunking (Scientology, Q-Anon, Illuminati, flat-Earthers, Larries—what they believe doesn’t really matter; it’s how they believe that makes them a cult.)
Cults are a bit like hydras—you cut off one head, three stronger ones pop back up.
They won't stop. They have to BE STOPPED.
HOW TO DEPROGRAM A CULT
Well, back in the 70s, in the early days of deprogramming, the only thing that was effective was to separate the individual from access to the cult (by kidnapping if you had to), then bombard them non-stop with facts (using imprisonment or restraints if you had to) and eventually they are coerced into re-integration. But none of that is humane or legal by today’s standards.
It also leads to relapses.
Really the only way to deprogram cult conditioning is for a mental health professional to slowly and methodically discredit the cult leader(s) and gently present contradictions.
(How can Jungkook really be in a relationship with Taehyung if he’s always mentioning Jimin? How can Jimin be hurting Taehyung and yet they are on FaceTime for hours, trading fan art and watching tv shows? Why would the two most rich and famous pop stars in the world need a publicity stunt?)
And even then, the cult member has to be sort of able to question things for themselves, and it just helps to have other supportive people echoing their own questioning sentiments back to them.
It can take YEARS until a cult member reaches the breaking point and begins to listen to Out-Group ideas. (On average, five years, to be exact.)
And then they may begin a journey of self-expression, where they openly voice doubts or complaints against cult narratives. They may even engage in transference, jumping off the Taekook ship and onto another (the need for tribe is very real). This is an extremely vulnerable stage and should not be taken advantage of.
At this critical moment when someone is tittering on the fence, trying to figure out what reality is, you need to REWARD THE BEHAVIOR YOU WANT.
You want them to question. You want them to express their grief and doubts. You want them to look for real sources of information.
This is NOT the time to kick someone when they are down, or look for “gotcha” moments to shame them publicly.
If you see a Taekooker wondering if they’ve been lied to this whole time—they HAVE. And that is abuse. And abuse victims need to be handled with care.
I know that Taekookers have dragged Jimin to hell and back for years so I’m not about to preach love and acceptance.
But it’s also fair to say that Taekookers have been gas-lit and realizing that can be traumatic.
Wounded animals are dangerous. A traumatized human lashes out. And you know who the prime target always is. They are already starting to take it to Jimin directly.
I strongly recommend you take a very cautious approach if you engage with them right now. Especially if you’re thinking about arguing with them.
People who defend Jimin or Jikook end up doxxed, suspended, harassed--and someday, I fear a wounded cult member will get physically violent.
Be especially careful because plenty of big accounts are closeted Taekookers. Here's a thread exposing some "mystery cult" members:
THE MOST EFFECTIVE RESPONSE
I normally don’t try to police people or preach too much, but I’m going to give you some unsolicited advice if you managed to read all this:
Don’t go into Taekook tags or spaces. Don’t debate them. Don’t talk trash about them or the members. Don’t slam-dunk or spike the ball with snarky words or memes. Don’t give them a taste of their own medicine. Don’t be cruel.
First of all, don’t do any of that because Jimin and Jungkook would be mortified by it.
But second of all, don’t do it because it just makes them dig in harder; it adds weeks or months to the deprogramming timeline.
The goal is to get the cult out of ARMY fandom. Because they thrive on a victim/hero complex, attacking them reinforces cult dynamics.
I believe there is a better approach.
First, you can and should go Gray Rock whenever possible.
Starve them of oxygen. Don’t acknowledge them. If you do, be generic in your responses—boringly bland, detachedly polite. Ignore them completely; their hot takes do not matter.
Block and report if warranted, but never engage. On some level, they really want to be persecuted for their beliefs. It's why they keep coming into Jikook spaces looking for a fight.
But their beliefs are so ridiculous that they aren’t worth our time. Instead, direct your focus on what you want, which is to promote and celebrate Bangtan.
Second, you can provide what’s called a Graceful Exit.
It doesn’t always work if they know that’s what you’re doing, but it is perhaps the most effective technique, especially if they are already questioning the cult narrative.
You see, a shamed human being gets defensive, doubles down, won’t listen. But a human being offered a Graceful Exit Out of a Bad Place gets to reinvent themselves in a way that allows them some dignity while they change direction.
A Graceful Exit has a few components to it:
“Hello, Taekooker. I also saw a lot of misleading content when I was a baby ARMY. The algorithm feeds you Taekook content almost immediately. Then you make online friends, and they all believe in Taekook. Suddenly everyone is telling you really complicated theories about how Taekook is being hidden. Once you believe that, you have to also believe that Taekook are lying by omission, that Jimin and the members are also lying, that the company executives and translators and managers and staff are all lying, that Korean ARMY is lying, that fellow I-ARMY is lying… and that’s a lot of people spreading a lie for no real gain. Now that you have some evidence that Tae is happily in a relationship with someone else, it’s only natural to question your beliefs, because YES, Taehyung and Jungkook absolutely love each other. But are they IN love? NO. For my part, I trust Taehyung. I love and support Taehyung. I don’t spread the idea that he or Jungkook engage in fake relationships. If you support them, then you’ll accept what they are showing you. When you’re ready to stop shipping Taekook, ARMY will be ready to welcome you back. We can stream together and vote together and help our boys achieve their dreams. We can watch their content and go to concerts together and enjoy fan-works. But what we can’t do is make up really complex stories around BTS’ reality. Our place as fans is to appreciate their music, and let them live their own lives in their own way. It’s time to let go of old ideas, and embrace the new things they share with us.”
This tactic allows the cult member to feel sympathy for being human. It provides understanding that they’ve been deceived. It appeals to their higher nature and love for the objects of their affection. And reassures them they could have a place in a bigger tribe if they let go of the in-group.
It invites them in, instead of calls them out.
Now, you guys might not be willing to do that. Especially considering the hate trains and rape jokes and death threats they gave Jimin for years. Believe me, I get it. I GET IT.
So if you see someone spewing vitriol, now is not the time to call them in. Now is the time to block and report.
However, if I take out my anger on them, it’s serving my own feelings.
And I’m here to serve Jimin, Jungkook, and BTS, not my own need to be right.
So I believe the best way to do that is to Gray Rock the Die-hards and provide a Graceful Exit for the Questioners.
Many cult members are not going to believe in Taennie unless Kim Taehyung makes an announcement directly--and even then, he’ll have to do it in such an emphatic way that they buy what he sells.
So we should accept that the cult is going to be around for a long, long time. Conserve your energy, my dears.
But for the ones who just got fooled but don't intend any harm, we can either hope they let go of their own volition, or we can try to make room for them as part of true ARMY.
What we shouldn’t do is get down in the mud and start slinging. Everyone loses ground that way.
THIS WAS THE LONGEST EVER POST; I AM SORRY!
But these have been my thoughts over the last few days. I’m okay if you want to comment, but I would like to ask that you DO NOT reblog to tag Taekook and that you don’t weaponize this post by spreading it around specifically where it could cause drama.
Drama is the exact opposite of my intention.
My desire is to provide some better understanding around how cults work and how to disband them.
In conclusion: Keep it classy. Ignore assholes. Be gentle with people recovering from gas-lighting. Stay true to the principles of BTS and ARMY. Apobangpo.
Now that the dust has settled, I found a peaceful moment in the afternoon to sit down in silence and listen to Letter while trying to unpack all my thoughts. This lengthy post will be more in the tone of my personal stance and connection with the song, omitting going into too much detail about the grammar and explaining Korean expressions but still I will try to explain how the song makes an impression with the specific language used.
My reflections:
From the beginning onwards, the song sounds very delicate, while Jimin is singing to us in the polite form and bringing up multiple themes that are characteristic for the ARMY fandom and our path with the boys over the years: the desert, the sea, the cold winter and a warm spring day... He is wishing us to be happier and for this to last forever, while promising to be there when you feel like falling and cherishing all the memories we made together.
In that way, I, as a listener, am in a headspace where I am reminiscing on our story with Jimin is an idol and all we've been through together with him (and trust me, if you have joined just recently, there has been a lot darker times)...
Though as the song progresses and as the refrain comes on, the urgency to express his emotions intensifies together with the instrumental. And this is where Jungkook's vocals come in too. Jimin with the help of Jungkook is suddenly singing in a casual (lower politiness) form as if directly trying to reach out to the person on the listening end individually, addressing every line with a higher intensity and more personally. It just feels more intimate, even more earnest and more powerful. Moreover, the lyrics and chosen words feel more targeted at an individual rather than towards a group (even the scrapped lyrics felt more like he was writing towards a single person in this section).
Whatever the reason for Jungkook's appearance in this part, it makes the emotional impact even more convincing.
....
No matter what angle you may choose, Letter is an incredibly heartfelt track packed with strong emotions. I believe it's a song for ARMY and at the same time it is a song for someone in Jimin's life that has been his lifeline and his strong heart connection to them prompted him to write these lyrics woven with thick emotions.
That being said, Jimin sharing this unique space with Jungkook to support him in his emotional expression with his hidden layered vocals and some more audible backing vocals speaks volumes. Just the fact that Jungkook is present on a track (and on the most intense and personal part of the track) where Jimin is earnestly trying to deliver a message to the listener from the depths of his heart is special, no matter how anyone subjectively wants to interpret the song and its content: Do you think they are singing directly to ARMY? Great! I'd argue having someone that shares the same love and commitment, understands what you're feeling and is able to channel the same emotions as you, and as a testament to your bond you let them contribute to your own artistic expression with theirs, is incredibly precious.
There are things that Jimin will never comment on, so I doubt we will ever find out how this song and Jungkook's feature came to be besides what we already heard. Jimin is incredibly smart in how he tailors his message and communication with the broader audience. Thus, while on the surface the public sees him dancing sensually with female dancers, a longer careful look would give you a view of the half-half makeup and other dichotomies in the choreo/concepts, specifically chosen pieces of clothing, specially crafted details in the performance sets, etc. And the same thing applies to the song Letter too. Only after listening closely, you'll get to uncover layer by layer what lies hidden in this "hidden" track. On top of that, Jungkook casually showing he learnt the chords for this song in a random live broadcast out of nowhere prior to the release of the album just shows there is more to the story than we'll be ever told.
Personally, I will be keeping this song close to my heart and holding onto it until their military service concludes. It has become my own lifeline to my life as a fan and getting to hear Jimin and Jungkook together delivering these precious words is something I will cherish forever 🙏
Can you please help in explaining what jikook is exactly talking about in the last bangtan bomb?? There are so many different translations going around on twitter and some saying it's all lies and wrong translation that jikook didn't talk about smelling like alcohol and its false translation spreading by jkkrs. Some are saying that it's the correct translation and jikook were also talking about alcohol smelling more in the room in the background. Can you pls help what exactly they were talking about?? And what they are saying in the background too?? Thank you.
Hi, thanks for your message.
Once again we got to witness the teasing and close nature of Jimin and Jungkook's relationship.
(side note: the eye whiskers peeking as Jungkook is laughing behind the mask are the cutest 🥹)
Regarding your questions, I will only confirm what I believe to have heard 100%.
》Yes, Jimin was teasing Jungkook about smelling like alcohol, most likely as they were drinking together the night prior or knew about each other drinking that night《
Plus the conversation in the background while Namjoon is arriving continues to be about alcohol, a part of which even the official transcript captures:
Jungkook (to Namjoon): "Did you drink because Hobi hyung is leaving?" (홉이 형 간다고 술 먹은 거야?)
From the beginning of the scene after Jimin arrives and turns to Jungkook and starts teasing him presumably knowing he was drinking the night prior:
JM: 너야? (Is it you?)
JK: 어? (Huh?)
JM: 너야? (Is it you?)
JK: 응 나야 (Yup it's me)
JM: 술 냄새 나야? 너야? (The alcohol smell, is it me? Is it you?)
JK: 나야😁 (It's me 😁) *they hug*
JK: 술 냄새 나~? (The alcohol smell (it's) me ?!)
....
*The conversation continues, here, however, I am NOT able to say with 100% conviction what else they mention afterwards as their voices fade out. Therefore, I am not going to give an answer I can't stand behind for this part just for the sake of answering.
Their voices become a bit clearer when Namjoon is arriving:
JM (to JK): 남준이 형 눈을 봐... 술 먹고...왜인지 알아.. *laughing* (Look at Namjoonie hyung's eyes... He was drinking... I just know why... [his eyes look like that])
JK: *laughs* 저 형도 술 먹었어? (That hyung drank too?)
JK (to NJ): 홉이 형 간다고 술 먹은 거야? (Did you drink because Hobi hyung is leaving?)*
V: 야~ (Heyy/Ayy)
*only this sentence was transcribed in the video, the rest is my added transcription
As you can see, the background conversation was all in an informal friendly tone (between Jungkook and Jimin but also in general) and they were discussing stuff about alcohol and drinking all along. Even upon spotting Namjoon, Jimin could assess that he was drinking too which he quickly pointed out to Jungkook and Jungkook reacted to that.
I have come across plenty k-army accounts (not necessarily only k-kookminers) who have concluded the same that Jimin and Jungkook were drinking together, judging from the interaction. To me there is no room for any discussion on whether alcohol was discussed. It is pretty clear from the short excerpts that can be heard in regards to them and also Namjoon + the look of their eyes also says it all lol
Hope my answer is sufficient, thanks for your message once again!
(Please include credits if reposting this content to other platforms)
"Jimin and Jungkook's casualness isn't anything out of the ordinary but is still surprising"
'지민 (Jimin) Choreography Practice Sketch' write-up ✍️
Among Jimin's gruesome practice sessions and strict work ethics leading up to Face promotions, we were given a peak into a few moments out of Jungkook's visit on day 2.
What struck me (and even k-armys) is that they didn't even bother to pretend to be formal in front of the staff and camera + crew, which just goes to show how long gone are their age barriers in communication and behavior. Once again I know we are all well aware of this development between them, however it is still a bit surprising seeing that happen in front of strangers- especially at their workplace and during work, which is a formal setting. The significance of this may appear minimal to you but in Korean culture, the way you talk to someone but also what you discuss and how you phrase it is highly influenced by the age hierarchy. Allowing someone speak to you informally (even in the public or formal settings) means they now have the same rank as you and their word is thus referred to/significant on the same level as yours and they can express things way more directly. In a highly hierarchical culture with a strong respect for authority (or anyone above) this presents a disruption in an embedded way of thought and behavior that is in the minds of all Koreans from the very early age. 반말 (banmal) of course does happen among many people even those who are not 친구 (friends- meaning people born in the same year) but it is not something that is just expected automatically and in any social setting. (I am excluding family ties here)
Thus, what the international audience may see and perceive only reading the translated subs:
"Ah cool, Jungkook came and supported Jimin"
What the Korean audience (or anyone with just a little knowledge of the language and culture) sees and perceives:
"Oh wow they are speaking informally so naturally to each other, they seem so close"
JK: "I'll cheer for/ support (you)"
(*said in a form that implies promise to someone for the future, informal tone)
JM: "Come again"
(*said as an informal command or request)
Other fav moments:
JK: "Noo, do it once (for me)!"
(*주다 on its own means to give, gift someone something; in combination with other verbs like 하다 (to do) it implies doing something for someone; the most accurate but weird way in English to translate would be: "give a doing" Here Jungkook commands/requests Jimin to do the dance for him in an informal tone which sounds veeery casual, especially considering the dancers nearby 🫣)
JK: "It's awesome/ You're awesome"
(*Again informal tone, the pronouns are not stated therefore both you/it could be inserted)
JK: "Will be cheering (for you), myself"
(Informal tone, said in a form that implies promise to someone for the future + Jungkook added 내가 at the end of the sentence to emphasize he personally will be cheering/supporting Jimin on. Reminder- Korean sentences don't need pronouns, therefore you can tell he used it for added emphasis)
All in all, Jungkook didn't use the formal level a single time besides when he was leaving and told Jimin + everyone else in the room to "take care" (수고하세요).
Finally, to anyone trying to use Jungkook's informal "nope" to Jimin's direct requests to get his ass over there more frequently probably didn't catch just how """seriously""" both of them were taking that convo, as you can see from Jungkook's smirk hidden under the mask ㅋㅋ
Also just how long were they teasing and saying bye to each other if there is a cut and suddenly Jungkook is standing on the other side, still saying bye and holding hands with Jimin? 😆
This short edit of Jungkook's appearance tells a lot about their dynamic and reassures everyone that can perceive the tone of their closeness. I'm glad we could see a little bit of it in this video!
⭐ Core Energy Reading for Park Jimin - Oracle and Tarot Reading
Reading Performed: June 22, 2022
Posted: July 10, 2022
From the 2022/2023 Outlook Reading, I wanted to elaborate a bit more on what I was seeing in terms of the solar eclipse that I was seeing in his inner world, which represented a merged and balanced state of his Light Sun/Dark Sun cycle that was very prevalent throughout his readings. The eclipse I was seeing wasn’t a full eclipse, the whole Sun wasn’t being blocked out but rather a shadowed stripe circled around the Sun causing a line of shadow to briefly run over the land without ever going completely dark.
This picture below is the best I could do to visually demonstrate the Sun I was seeing in Jimin’s inner world:
The shadow cast itself around the sun relatively quickly, making a complete trip around within 10 to 15 seconds. In previous states, I saw this Light Sun and Dark Sun as two separate bodies that would rise and fall separately, each of them carrying very strong influences that would trickle out through the layers of consciousness enough that it would affect Jimin on a conscious and physical level as well. There were periods of time when there was no light at all, and there was a time when there was nothing but light, nothing but exposure, to the point that even on a soul level, he felt the need to hide things and cover up parts of his own awareness out of shame or embarrassment.
This new state of the balanced Dark Sun and Light Sun represents acceptance and utilization of the Shadow, of the parts of himself, on a soul level and up through to the conscious mind, that he previously felt he had to hide or push down in order to please others or keep up a certain kind of image. The light and dark do not exist in a completely 50/50 state, but rather that light holds the dark, is anchored and grounded by it, while the Shadow is exposed and given purpose through the light.
Since they still haven't announced the new Free movies being licensed in the US, I made the trip to Mexico with @seakittens to watch the last movie this past weekend!! It was an adventure and I almost died from the heat but I guess it was worth it.... the things I do for anime, man.
It's taken me a while to recover and then type this up but I'm gonna try to write as much as I can think of so this will be long lol...
So of course, here come the SPOILERS!!
So, the movie starts Ikuya stuck under a bridge because it's raining. He's talking on the phone to Hiyori and telling him he'll be late to meet him at Maron because he didn't remember Kisumi telling him it would rain. Hiyori offers to bring him an umbrella but Ikuya says he'll just wait. When Ikuya hangs up he turns and sees Kinjou standing next to him. Kinjou apologies for being so mean to them and they talk about the tournament for a bit before Kinjou runs out into the rain.
When Kinjou leaves Sousuke shows up and tells Ikuya he isn't lost but Ikuya calls him out on it. They talk about how Ikuya has decided to go pro and the tournament in Sydney. Then Hiyori shows up with an umbrella for Ikuya.
Next we see all of the Mikoshiba siblings talking over zoom. Momo is talking about how he's going to beat Nitori at the Samezuka farewell race next week and become the next captain. Then they start talking about the Sydney tournament and they show flashbacks to the first part of final stroke.
Dried up youthful fame version:free starts playing and they show parts of Rin and Haru's fight from the end of the last movie. They added a new line of Haru saying that he wants to swim in the lane next to Rin at the next tournament. Haru sounds sadder than he did in the last movie, so things are slightly different than how they played out the first time but it still ends the same.
After the fight it slips into Still life goes on they and show more flashbacks and training...
After all that we then see Haruka as a baby with his grandma and she's showing him the water and videos of waterfalls and stuff. She comments that it's like he's loved by the water.
They show an interview with Haru like the video from the beginning of the first movie with interviews about Haru from the other team members. Haru talks about how he feels about swimming. They ask him about the relay and there's a flashback to when Haru and Rin were fighting in Elementary school and got held after class for fighting and the teacher tells them they need to talk about why they're angry or they'll never solve their problems. Makoto and Nagisa are watching from the hallway and Nagisa says that he hopes they make up and get along soon and Makoto pictures them as the Doppelganger rangers that Makoto mentioned all the way in episode 1. The rangers decide to stop fighting and join forces to beat the bad guy.
It then shows that Haru is watching this scene in a movie theater with his younger self in Albert's jersey sitting a few rows in front of him. It's quite an artistic shot I guess? It appears this is happening in Haru's dreams because they show him sleeping and talking in his sleep.
It then shows people talking about Haru quitting the swim club in middle school and Makoto chasing after him but unable to reach him. They show Rin saying he's quitting in middle school but they've got the adult voices (though acted to sound younger) rather than the original kid voices from season 1.
Haru's younger self in Albert's jersey is an asshole and says mean things and Haru keeps arguing with himself. They show flashbacks of season 1 while him and Rin were fighting and kid Haru tells him he's all alone.
They show Albert sitting alone in his room crying while thinking about Haru's swimming. Mikhail comments about how Albert's swimming is lonely and that makes it feel completely different from Haru's swimming. But that Haru's swimming is like Ryuuji's when he was younger.
Haruka wakes up and goes for a run early in the morning but he exhausts himself and crouches on the ground panting. Sousuke is driving by in his car and picks him up and takes him back to his place. Haru is just spacing out staring out the window and looks really pathetic. Sousuke tells him everyone is worried about him and asks if something happened between him and Rin. Sousuke tells him that him and Rin have fought a lot and hurt each other without realizing it but they've always made up so it will be okay between them too.
As soon as Haru gets out Natsuya is just THERE and I don't even know how he got there lol. I assume he hopped in as soon as Haru got out but I have no idea. Maybe he was secretly there the whole time. Natsuya comments how it's tough being a hero in reference to Haru.
Rin stands in front of the door to Mikhail's office talking to himself, practicing a speech to tell Mikhail about how he wants to know how to keep swimming 5-10 years into the future. To be a pro. To keep swimming with Haru. When he opens the door to the office Mikhail isn't there and he's disappointed but then Mikhail shows up behind him and apparently heard the whole thing anyway. Mikhail tells him it's decision and if he wants to do it he'll support him.
Next we see Asahi at the laundromat washing clothes and when he turns around he's startled to find Rin there. He didn't notice him at all. Rin is sitting there looking super depressed.
This image doesn't do it justice... there was a shot of him looking even more depressed lol.
Asahi tells Rin since he can swim butterfly so well he should have more confidence and Rin says he hasn't lost his confidence... or maybe he has. Maybe he was just expecting too much. Asahi tells him that he once had a time where he wasn't able to swim free anymore and he realized how important it was just just be able to swim normally. Rin tells him that Ikuya asked him what he wanted to do and Asahi tells Rin that anyone would ask him when they see him looking like that and Rin just wonders if Haru would ask.
Next we see the underclassmen joining the college teams. Rei and Nitori join Shimogami with Ikuya and Hiyori. Nagisa and a whole bunch of Samezuka guys join Naribusawa with Kinjou. The Samezuka guys comment that Kinjou reminds them of old Rin and that he seems scary. Nagisa just goes up to him and asks him if he can swim and stuff and acts all cheerful and Kinjou is kind to him so the Samezuka guys think he might be okay but Kinjou yells at them when they talk to him.
We then see Nitori, Rei, and Nagisa bowling. Rei of course sucks because he's just thinking about the theory on how to do it. Makoto shows up and they talk about how they all decided to keep swimming and Nagisa says it's because they actually really do love swimming. They ask about Haru but Makoto deflects and says that he's just busy getting ready for the next tournament. Nagisa tells him if he's worried about Haru he needs to tell him.
Haru is training with Ryuuji but he's exhausted. Ryuuji tells him to stop for the day but when Haru tries to walk away from the pool he collapses. Haru's legs twitch in a weird way and Ryuuji demands to know when that started but Haru says it doesn't hurt and that after swimming his hardest he just can't get any strength in them. Ryuuji tells him that he should stop swimming like that until he reaches the last 20m of the race and Haruka demands to know why. Ryuuji tells him that he's pushing too hard and that he's going to injure himself if he keeps going the way he is. He needs to take a year to build his body up. Haru complains that will be too late because Albert announced he was retiring after the next tournament and he won't be able to beat him at this rate.
Sousuke, Asahi, Ikuya, Hiyori, and Natsuya are all training with Makoto and Nao as their trainers. They're still worrying about Haru.
Haru is still overworking himself. Ryuuji catches him swimming hard and tells him he told him to stop swimming like that and forces him to stop swimming. We see Rin training and then he gets a call from Makoto. Rin shows up at Haru's training place where Makoto is talking to Ryuuji and demands to know why Haru isn't there training. Ryuuji tells him he's forcing him to take a week off. Rin yells at him and says that if he takes a week off now he won't be in shape to do the tournament. That swimming is too important to Haru. Makoto makes Rin stop, but Ryuuji yells back telling Rin if he cares so much he should tell Haru himself.
Rin and Makoto run around Tokyo searching for Haru. They aren't able to find him anywhere. Rin thinks about how he's always is so selfish and pretends like he doesn't notice Haru's feelings and took advantage of how strong Haru was. Rin trips and rolls onto the ground. He looks up and sees a sakura tree in bloom above him. He looks up through the branches and sees Haru on a roof of a building. Rin calls Makoto and tells him he found Haru.
Rin and Makoto go to the top of the building and find Haru floating in a pool on the rooftop. The sign outside calls it a "night pool". It's night time and there are red lights shining on the surface of the water. I don't even know how long Rin was standing there staring at Haru before Makoto got there but Makoto starts walking towards Haru and Rin stops him and starts walking toward Haru and stripping. He hops into the pool and asks Haru to race him. Tells him he has an obligation to swim with him since he hasn't said he will quit again. (reference to season 1 fence scene) They race, Haru swims better, he doesn't feel exhausted and one of the lifeguards watching the pool comments they set a world record but the other one says that's crazy. Rin hugs Haru, him and Makoto tell Haru how they feel. Rin says he admires Haru and he needs to stop making him saying over and over. Rin and Haru tease Makoto and pull him into the pull with them when he tries to get them out.
Makoto tells Haru a story about how when they were kids Haru was upset because he lost to some middle schoolers in a race and he was upset about it. The middle schoolers also made fun of Makoto and Nagisa. Nagisa and Makoto wanted to cheer Haru up and tried to go to his house, on the way they see Elvant(sp?) Volandel (which the staff said at a theater stage greeting is Albert's dad) at a stand at a festival buying a mamori (for safe childbirth because Albert's little brother was about to be born). Nagisa and Makoto decide to buy one as a present to cheer Haru up. They go to Haru's house but he's not there, they eventually find him at the festival and follow him up to the ocean lookout that they go to all the time in the series. They give a mamori to Haru but he asks why it says anzan (安産 safe childbirth) and Nagisa and Makoto are shocked it doesn't say anshin (安心 peace of mind) so Nagisa writes over the second kanji to say shin instead with a pen.
Haru trained harder and ended up beating the middle schoolers in the next tournament, they stopped bullying Makoto and Nagisa, and Rin heard about the tale of the elementary schooler beating some middle schoolers and decided he had to race that guy and that's how he originally got interested in Haru. Haru says he doesn't remember something that happened so long ago.
Haru says he wants to beat Albert at the next tournament, that he doesn't want it to end this way. That he doesn't know what will happen to his body but he wants to swim his all. Makoto and Rin go with him to talk to Ryuuji and ask him to let Haru practice and let the practice together. Ryuuji tells them to do what they want.
Ikuya and the others are all training together and Natsuya tells them they have to train hard because they have to qualify at the All Japan Tournament in order to qualify for the tournament in Fukuoka.
There's a flashback to when Ryuuji and Mikhail are younger and Mikhail is resting his arm on Ryuuji's shoulder and asking him to race with him. Ryuuji tells him there's no point since they're alone in the water. Kiyofumi comes up, apparently they haven't seen him in a while, and he calls Ryuuji "Ryuu-chan" and Ryuuji tells him not to use -chan. Kiyofumi tells Ryuuji he wants to see his swimming because his swimming makes everyone feel better. Current Ryuuji says that while they might have been cocky back then if he could go back to that time he would.
Sousuke and the others find Haru sleeping outside under a tree and they comment that he's been sleeping before practice a lot recently. They all decide to to everything they can to help him like doing his laundry and stuff.
Through the rest of the movie they keep mentioning that they're doing medical checks on Haru and he keeps passing them so I GUESS he's fine but he's sleeping all the time lol.
It's time for the All Japan Tournament. Rin and Sousuke compete in fly. Sousuke asks if they should bet who buys drinks over who wins but Rin says since they've made it this far they just need to aim for medals. Haru and Kinjou qualified in 100m free, Rin, Asahi, and Natsuya qualified in 100m fly, Ikuya qualified in 100m breast, Hiyori and Sousuke qualified in 100m back. They originally had Sousuke swimming backstroke for rehabilitation but since there were so few back swimmers they had him train in it.
Nagisa and Rei make misanga (good luck bracelets) for everyone.
The Gou, Isuzu, Momo, and the younger Iwatobis are all planning watching the Fukuoka tournament at Iwatobi SC but Ayumu isn't there because she had to do something with her family and will arrive late... apparently that means in a helicopter and they end up going to Fukuoka to watch the tournament in the helicopter.
Ryuuji is getting ready at the tournament and has Makoto helping him. They run into Kinjou and Ryuuji tells Kinjou he has learned he loves swimming this past year and that he won't run away anymore. He says that someday he'll save Kinjou too in order to fulfill is promise with "that guy" (Kiyofumi). Kinjou says okay and then tells him that he thinks Haru is at his limit. Makoto wonders what it means and Ryuuji says that Haru's overworking himself when he swims fast and he probably can only swim like that for one more tournament.
In the locker room Kinjou asks Haru why he's doing so much for swimming and Haru says he doesn't know but that being in the water is his special place.
Haru swims in the qualifier for the 100m free, Ryuuji is watching and telling him to hold off on swimming harder but Haru speeds up right after the turn and Ryuuji calls him an idiot. Haruka wins but Ryuuji asks "why now?" and they show a flashback of Kiyofumi dying.
Rin and Ikuya talk about making this far, Hiyori says that he believes in Ikuya and Ikuya blushes.
Rin and Ikuya win bronze in their races. Rin puts the medal around Gou's neck and she says it's heavy and Rin agrees and says it's surprisingly heavy. Rin's mom and Gou both congratulate him but Rin's mom tells him that he still has something to do (implying taking care of Haru.)
Kinjou find Haru sleeping on a bench and puts his jacket over him. Sousuke comes up and tells him not to mess with him but Kinjou is just worried about him. Kinjou wonders why everyone is so obsessed with Haru and Sousuke says maybe he'd understand if he swam with him. Kinjou says to let Haru sleep since Haru still has things to do. Sousuke takes Haru to the nurse and he sleeps through the 100m free final. Kinjou wins bronze. Albert wins gold. Kinjou asks Albert if he's okay quitting without racing Haru.
While Haru sleeps he has a dream about Rin and the others asking him to swim in the relay with him in elementary school. Child Haru runs away and Adult Haru stops him and asks him where he's going. He tells himself not to run away from his feelings and that he needs to do what he wants to do.
When Haru wakes up Makoto, Rin, and Ikuya are there with him. They tell him not to move yet but Haru says he has to go.
The Team Japan leaders start to announce who will be in the relay but Natsuya tells them to stop and that they should let Haru swim in the relay. The other leaders are outraged but the director is all for it and lets them do it. They set up two teams so Haru can rest and if the first team makes it through the preliminary race, Haru can swim in the final. The teams are Hiyori (back), Ikuya (breast), Natsuya (fly), and Kinjou (free) for the preliminary and Sousuke (back), Ikuya (breast), Rin (fly), and Haru (free) for the final.
Albert also asks to participate in his team's medley relay so he can race Haru.
Nagisa hands out the misanga to everyone before the relay races to cheer on "team Haru".
(at the staff talk they said Nagisa forced Kinjou to wear one too)
Haru is sleeping again during the prelim but he somehow managed to pass another medical check so he's fine.
Rin and Ikuya wait outside the room and Ikuya asks if he's okay not seeing him right now, but Rin says he told him they're not like that. Ikuya says it's their turn to support Haru this time. Rin says that's the reason he swims.
Hiyori, Ikuya, Natsuya, and Kinjou swim the prelim and win (obviously) and then Sousuke, Ikuya, Rin, and Haru swim their race. They come in first and get the gold medal. They all hug and cry. Even Haru. Ryuuji crys watching them. As they hug Haru passes out and Rin pulls him into his lap. Everyone from the team runs down to the poolside calling out Haru's name.
we see a large billboard of Haru in Tokyo that says "Stay strong! Be Free!" on it (pictured above) and people commenting about the billboard. There's a girl walking down the street reading a news article about Haru winning and being hospitalized. She looks around when people say "Nanase" commenting about Haru. It has been confirmed this girl is Aki as designed by Nishiya in one of the staff stage greetings. Nishiya also designed the causal clothes that Haru and Rin wore in the movie.
We hear Nitori and Ikuya talking about Haru. Nitori asks if he's okay and Ikuya says that Haru was released from the hospital last month and returned to Iwatobi. Nitori hopes that he's able to swim again because not just free, but relays are part of who he is.
We see the credits which show almost every single magazine art published for free over the years... there's a few missing but it's a ton of art.
We see Nagisa, Rei, and Asahi getting ready for a tournament and talking about how everyone is getting better.
Momo is the captain for Samezuka, Ayumu is the captain for Iwatobi (but how I don't know. She can't even swim!? How do you have a captain who can't swim??) She has red glasses like Rei and seems to be acting like Rei.
Hiyori comments about how Kinjou's cousin was Ryuuji's childhood friend and Kinjou says he'll explain later. Sousuke tells Kinjou to act nicer and Kisumi teases Sousuke for being the one to say that. Kinjou asks Sousuke to race him in butterfly but he says that he needs to race Asahi first. Ikuya says he'll race him in free and Kinjou says they can do IM too. They argue over it and Kisumi comments that he hopes they'll get along soon and Ikuya says it will take a while before that happens.
Next we see Gou and her friend talking about how Rin has gone overseas again. This time to Hungary. They talk about how well Haru did at the tournament and Gou's friend says that it's sad that Haru wasn't swimming anymore since then and Gou starts to say that she heard from her brother that he is now.
Albert also came out of retirement to continue swimming because he has someone he wants to swim with. Natsuya says this will make the Athens tournament even more interesting. Haru is swimming again. He apparently swim in a tournament in Mexico last week. Mikhail teases Ryuuji about being happy about Haru and Ryuuji tells him to shut up because Rin is in Hungary right now. Mikhail says he is and so is Haru.
Makoto is wandering around Hungary by himself and manages to find Haru on the street and Haru is surprised to see him. Makoto comments that Haru's rehabilitation seems to be going well. Haru says it is and it's relaxing to be here instead of Japan because he was getting hounded by reporters for interviews there. Makoto says that Rin is in Hungary too.
Rin is on the street looking at things with Ai because Ai is doing an exchange program in Hungary. Rin comments that Ai never told him that he was related to Mikhail and Ai says he was too embarrassed but now he will tell people because he's going to get even stronger.
Rin and Haru are walking towards a train crossing and the arms come down and a train passes. When the arms lift they walk into the middle of the train crossing. Rin says he saw a dream about a tournament and Haru says he did too. Rin asks if he wants to know how that dream will turn out and Haru says he obviously does.
We see Asahi and his sister talking about the Athens tournament and then they talk about Asahi's sister's husband who is a swimming reporter and how he made a documentary about Haru and the others. He took a whole bunch of things that were filmed of them over the years and interviewed people about them.
We see the second time capsule they burried, Haru is wearing his high school jersy so the image is probably when they were burying the time capsule. The letter he put in says "even if I become a normal person, I'll keep swimming" and Haru's voice over says "I can wait to become normal for a little longer."
Hi Bluemoon, I wonder if you could do an updated reading on Jimin and Jungkook's relationship. Thank you very much!
Hi! Hope you are doing well after your health setbacks. It has been a while since you last posted an update about the relationship between Jimin and Jungkook. I am very interested in how they are faring now and also if JK has fulfilled his purpose in JM's life. Thank you and stay safe! - Anonymous @ Tumblr
Hi! How you've been? I hope you are doing well. I would like to ask for an update on Jimin's energy? Career wise, does he have any plans outside of the group? and lastly, can you give an update on jikook's relationship? Thank you very much! - Anonymous @ Tumblr
This looks very complex, but it's actually relatively simple.
With their current relationship, Jimin is projecting the reversed 7 of Swords while Kook is projecting the 2 of Swords. Both of them are very wrapped up in their own thing, in their head, in their plans for the future with all of those Swords or Air energy swirling around. In that sense, they're in sync, both looking to the future, trying to refine things for themselves, and experimenting in some ways, but the way they're going about it seems to be very different.
With the reversed 7 of Swords, Jimin seems a bit more fluid but unsure of that fluidity, as if he has an idea for who or what he wants to become but feels as if that vision doesn't quite fit who he is now. It doesn't make a lot of sense as one would assume that what you want to evolve into wouldn't inherently fit who or what you are now, it's not supposed to, but he seems to be worried about this. It looks like he's concerned about taking on too much or giving himself a position that he won't be able to fill in the long run.
On the other hand, Kook is much more simplified, very stable, and really just going with the flow of things. His 2 of Swords is as straightforward as it comes, with this suggesting that he's just gliding through major decisions with confidence like, "yes, no, accepted, denied." It's very clean-cut, but it does show that he's in a position where a lot of things are changing, and he has a lot of decisions to make about what's going to happen next. Compared to Jimin, he's paying attention to many of the finer details while Jimin seems to be more focused on the bigger picture.
As for how they see each other, it's almost like they don't. Really, they're seeing these slightly warped reflections of themselves, as if they're very aware of the fact that they're in the same phase of things, but are working in different ways to move through it. Essentially, what the second set of cards show is how they see themselves in comparison to the other, which can give you only a slight idea of how they actually are seeing each other in this. I suppose, in some sense, this fits as it seems like they're both aiming to maintain authenticity and a sense of identity, so having so much focus on each other, especially considering how things have developed with them over the last few years, wouldn't be too helpful.
Jimin sees him, compared to Kook, as The Hierophant. It feels oddly insecure as, more than anything, it would seem there's a focus on the aspect of conformity and following rules, regulation, and tradition. It feels like he's struggling with that idea of wanting to make some kind of big change to how he is perceived by people, but still worried about leaving those expectations behind. This goes back to feeling like what he wants to evolve into doesn't actually fit him. More so, it could be that what he wants to evolve into doesn't fit the perception most people have of him, and there's still that part of him deep down that just wants to satisfy others.
So, in comparison to Kook, Jimin is seeing himself as a bit more rigid, a bit more hesitant to finalize those decisions that would enact change.
Kook sees himself, compared to Jimin, as the King of Wands. This is kind of interesting as this also suggests some level of insecurity, but not enough to actually stop him or hold him back from making his decisions. They're still very snappy and quick compared to Jimin. However, he sees Jimin taking his time, thinking things through, and really laying the pieces out to look at them before he starts putting things together. This seems to be planting just a little bit of self-doubt toward how fast he is running through these decisions.
The only reason he is not being brought to a position in which he could possibly stall or be held back from making those decisions is that he recognizes not only his ultimate authority over himself but also the aspect of being able to change his mind, being able to switch courses if he doesn't like where he ends up.
That seems to be the difference between the King and The Heirophant here. The King has the ability to change his mind with what he is doing, whereas The Heirophant's words and actions will be set in stone.
The current state of their relationship is represented there by the 4 of Pentacles. It's stable and they're actually making efforts on a more conscious level to maintain their connection. I think that would be because of the fact that they are so self-focused, even on a soul and energetic level, that they recognize the need to really anchor in and stay engaged with each other in order to maintain their friendship.
The highest potential that their relationship could reach based on where things are now is shown with the Ace of Pentacles, The Lovers, and The Ace of Cups. This is pretty high up there, as in it's showing a more solid soul connection and mirroring, one of them linking into the Ace of Pentacles while the other links into the Ace of Cups, and then connecting through The Lovers. Essentially, it's showing how once they come into full form, like really solidify their image and identity to what they know of themselves, they will be much more balanced with each other. Balanced and whole within themselves as individuals lead to them being balanced and whole with one another. This goes into the significant soul connection for healing that I've talked about before for both of them.
For clarification, I pulled the cards that are featured on the left side. The Ace of Wands shows the individual self-focus state they are both currently in while the 5 of Wands shows how their energetic bodies mix right now. In short, they don't, they're energetically misaligned because they are so self-focused right now, but that is exactly why they are so engaged with each other on a conscious level. I've talked about that many, many, many times before in many, many, many different readings about how when a group or pair of people seem more detached on a conscious level, it can be indicative of them being very close on a soul or energetic level, and the same goes the other way around.
And no, that doesn't apply within perceptions of extremes where they're either absolute enemies and loving each other on a soul level, or completely obsessed with each other consciously but entirely detached on a soul level. It's just a system of balance. They're still connected on all levels, it's just that, right now, that connection would be more consciously engaged while they are more focused on themselves and creating bigger changes for themselves.
The World card shows that they are both ultimately heading for the same thing, they have the same goal in mind, which is to be whole, to be entirely themselves, and to project themselves and their images as authentically as possible to the world around them. This seems to be an extremely significant aspect of their personal and paired development.
Some thoughts from my second viewing (feel free to send more questions if my previous answers didn't help that much XD)
More random details under the cut!
We get to see Haru's interview for the camera crew (like we saw from the others in Part 1), and he's asked two questions for which he has no real answer: "What is something important to you?" and "What's something that's changed your life?" He doesn't have responses to those--but he does think of something. Or rather, someone: Matsuoka Rin.
I think in my review I made it seem like Haru imagined him speaking his mind to Rin in their fight, having it go the way he wanted it to; it's actually a conversation--between the both of them: Haru: "At the next tournament, I want to swim in the lane next to you:" Rin: "Haru, I want to continue along the same path as you going forward!"
A more detailed breakdown of the fight between Rin and Azuma: Rin: "Why isn't Haru in the training hall?! If he slacks off for a whole week, he won't be in peak form! I don't care what YOU think is best, to him--to him, swimming is…!!" // Azuma: "Let me tell you something as an adult. If you feel that strongly about it, then speak up! Grab tight to what you value and don't let it go! Don't rely on others [to get what you want]! Don't blame others! This is YOUR life. Settle things YOURSELF." (context is that Rin has been beating himself up for the fight with Haru, wondering if he made the right decision, broken up that his decision has hurt someone he cares about. Azuma is pretty much saying: "Hey, you feel sad? SUCK IT UP, BUTTERCUP. This is a decision you made and you have to accept the consequences for it.").
Rin knows where Haru's apartment is and which apartment is his without having to ask anyone. This means he's been there, probably multiple times.
Rin's words before they race at the night pool: "Yo, Haru. How are you feeling? You told me before to never tell you again that I was quitting swimming. A lot's happened since then, but I'm still swimming now. So let's stop pretending, yeah? If you feel the same now as you did back then, then race me. You've got a duty to do so."
The apology after the race (note that this entire conversation happens while Rin is wrapped around Haru in the world's tightest hug XD): Haru: "…I'm sorry for saying something so hurtful." // Rin: "It's fine. I've always been so selfish when it came to you. I'm sorry." // Haru: "You taught me something important, though. I'm grateful." // Rin: "…Idiot. I've always looked up to you. Stop making me repeat myself."
There's probably more stuff to talk about but this is the stuff I needed to vomit onto tumblr for right now.
