.

Free Thoughts and discussions. No shippers.

[lostcatinthedark]

Hello to everyone that is finding this Jimin blog! I'll pin this to make some things clear, so please read below :)

This is a blog dedicated to make discussions and appreciation for Jimin's artistry and everything that surrounds him like BTS, the kpop industry, music discussions, etc. This is NOT a blog for shipping discussions. I'm not here to be convinced that xyz ship is real. There are several blogs out there where you can microanalyze what JM said in minute 13:25 of a video to build evidence for your ship or to trash another ship. None of the discussions here will be held under a shipping lense, first because I think that is highly flawed/ wrong and second because Jimin's romantic life/ rumors do not interest me. So whether it's a ship or him dating this person, this actress, this model , that is NONE OF MY BUSINESS (And frankly it also shouldn't be yours). So if you insult me because I don't entertain that IN MY BLOG, you will be blocked. We can still have discussions about the idea of shipping for example and it's connection to the kpop fan experience, or how parasocial relationships are so prevalent in this part of the industry. Even about the narratives that sometimes shippers create to either antagonize him or fetichise him. Those discussions are always welcome.

I think Jimin's artistry and journey should be more appreciated on its own. As I've said before, I think Jimin's work and the way he approaches his art is so rich. There are so many things to explore, from his musicality, his songwriting, to the expresiveness in his dance or his very unique voice, as well as his charming and interesting personality that of course creates a beautiful bond that I'm sure has turned many people into his fans by now. Even talking about demographics and how his presence has carved into different spheres of the entertainment industry: movies, fashion, marketing, etc. Also discussions about fan culture and the way companies use or misuse its values are welcome! You are free to offer criticism about any topic as well, as I will probably do with due respect.

So with that said, welcome and thank you for reading!

[lostcatinthedark]

Just randomly scrolling on Instagram and seeing Jimin's videos at Paris Fashion Week. I was stunned.

I wanted to take some distance from all the fan experience because it was starting to drain me and also because there didn't seem to be any music releases any time soon. I previously said here how for the next release I just wanted to find out randomly on Youtube or Spotify to avoid getting too immersed in fandom chatter or expectations. Just coming across a new song, like I do with other artists I like.

I guess this wasn't a new single or album, but the experience of seeing this on my feed that isn't even kpop or music related at all was something else. I remembered why I started following Jimin, even back when BTS were more active as a group. It's something so incredibly magnetic that can exceed any tag or category you want it to fall under. Beyond music, or appearance, or popularity. Time can pass and so many things can happen in between, yet he still has IT.

His presence always manages to reach me in different ways. And I hope the same happens for their next release because I still want to be somewhat surprised by it, whether it's a bts song or a solo work. I still feel like he can deliver something outstanding in any format.

[calico-cat-jm]

- 🫠

[alrightiguesstheblameisonme]

The hollow machine: On recent projects and the illusion of depth

Saw on Tumblr under the Jimin tag a new capsule proof album thing right after the mini capsule albums during Festa. Let’s call it what it is: HYBE has become a factory of empty content. From the Monochrome Project to the Proof Capsule Album, to BTS Poly and those never-ending photo books that blur together with identical aesthetics and recycled sentiments. None of it carries artistic weight. None of it feels necessary. And yet, it keeps coming.

But this isn’t just about a lack of creativity or meaning. It’s about money; an insatiable, hyper-capitalist hunger for profit dressed up as sentiment.

This is a billion-dollar conglomerate. It has more than enough resources to invest in meaningful art, take creative risks, or even just give the artists space to grow. Or just have the decency or quality checks to not put these seriously mediocre or even bad pieces out. When the group makes their extremely awaited comeback, then may be it's appropriate to create a diversified set of album/merch etc. But right now, it keeps choosing the cheapest path to the highest margin. Slap on nostalgia, print a few glossy books, dig out old footage, and call it a “capsule”, and fans will buy it, because the emotional strings are expertly pulled. Our biggest voice - ARMY, the last page reads as the label ignores a millionth mail asking to protect their artist or not to continue associating with the most insidious man in the music industry.

This isn’t fandom culture. This is corporate manipulation. Fans are being guilt-tripped into consumption with the illusion that buying in means caring. That criticism means disloyalty. I know a lot of people who are now completely depleted from buying everything they have churned in Chapter 2, I know a few have oped out. But I still see them constantly sell out.

It’s predatory. And it’s not just spiritually exploitative. It’s materially exploitative too.

Think of the environmental impact. The endless packaging, the production of physical goods that serve no lasting purpose, the international shipping, the surplus waste. All of this is being churned out in the name of “connection” and “family” and “BTS=ARMY,” when really it’s about building quarterly revenue.

We are watching a label squeeze the emotional capital of a fandom dry, over and over again, while contributing to environmental degradation and calling it a “gift.” And still, they want more. More spin-offs. More merch. More low-effort video content with terrible edits and zero narrative substance.

Once in a while, if you’re lucky, you catch a glimmer of humanity, like that quiet video with Jimin and Namjoon discussing purpose, where something real flickers. But most of it is just branding.

And maybe the most tragic part is that they know it’ll sell. That fans will keep buying because they’ve been made to feel that loyalty mean “never question the system”.

HYBE has built a time machine. One that doesn’t allow anybody to move forward—artist or audience. Instead, it traps us in this nostalgic loop of constant buying, constant performing, constant pollution, all wrapped up in a fantasy of connection.

But it’s not connection. It’s capitalism with a sentimental mask.

[lostcatinthedark]

I wanted to watch things from the sidelines until the next release, but since Kpjms have been bringing up the receipts, I have to comment. First of all, Hybe you will burn. It's insane to me how this is no longer a conspiracy theory, but something with factual evidence that is making me understand everything that has happened especially in these last few years. The fact that we didn't see the actual discharge from the base with all the regalia and their fellow soldiers and superiors (like with Jin) , but instead a livestream on a different location that was announced last minute and that for some reason already had banners of a different member days before the actual announcement. And the event full of international and national press, featured signs to show the demand of a world solo tour, being held by staff members and which coincidentally got photographed by all these outlets. I'm incredibly grateful to Kpjms because what they had to do in those dawn hours to improvise was insane.

These Kjjks akgaes have been spreading nonsense in forums and in Twitter for months, not just to hide the actual truth of their fave but to create rumors about Jimin that ended up all being a projection. That cashier thing, the rankings, trying to say that Jimin's achievements were bought, and that's just related to the military we're not even talking about the music.

I know that fighting defamation is hard, especially because as fans there really isn't much that we can do when there is such a strong mediaplay in full action. But I'm so proud of seeing Kpjms stand up more lately and seeing them speak up with facts. I'm also glad that Jimin himself went ahead and posted his own achievements. And I'm so amazed at how all these fellow soldiers are coming up with even more information about him. Real people talking, not forum bots, not paid staff, not company fan accounts and not paid media. It's just so incredibly obvious right now that it makes me so mad and it's the reason why I sometimes want to take a step aside and just not engage with any of this anymore and just enjoy the music when I see it eventually on Spotify or YouTube. But I just wanted to share what I think about all this foul play because I don't want it to be buried, especially when there are people speaking up about it. Anyways, for me it's very clear what happens with both Hybe and army because I think they both overlap in more ways that we can ever imagine, but I still want to highlight how despite all these circumstances there is people bringing light to this situation just by sharing their honest truth. And that's why I mentioned in a previous post that Jimin's speech for the press was so incredibly moving for me. And it makes sense that it resonated so much with others and it's allowing us to now get all this positive energy that was plotted to be hidden. I'm grateful for that.

[solarwynd]

There’s something so different about Jimin’s aura and the way he carries himself post-military. He has strong presence even from before but now he has this quiet dignity that you can’t help but admire. It’s just an absolute far-cry from the clout-chasing, limelight-pursuing tendencies of his contemporaries in the idol industry, where the persona of being a “military guy” or even a “post-military” one is exploited for attention.

True to Jimin’s personality, he does things with intentionality. He acknowledges that it wasn’t his choice to be a soldier, but since he would be one, he intended to give his best. He embodied his role, willingly shed his idol persona, and thrived even in the harshest conditions.

Another significant thing here is that this is probably the first time he has done a role outside of being an idol and it allowed him to grow even more as a person. It wasn’t just a “role play” or a “temporary job”, he immersed himself in the experience, and as a result, he found more strengths from within. He found resilience, camaraderie, confidence, and diligence - qualities he already possesses but made richer by his experience. His empathy towards the experiences of other soldiers is an embodiment of his immersion, as shown in his speech where he requested others to be more considerate of soldiers and what they have to endure.

His stint in the military is not just about a costume to put on and parade oneself in to get likes, he respects the profession enough to not make it a spectacle. He was able to derive meaning from this experience which is something not easily done by everyone. This is what sets him apart and this is what excites me most about his future as an artist. He has grown mature, with an understated but assured confidence. He proceeds with intention and I think that this is also what his true fans recognize with their expectations of him. His fans know that Jimin’s actions are imbued with purpose and that is why they also know how to pour in support where it truly matters. His fans know that it is not his priority to have a constant social media presence. As an artist, he intends to create art and for him appreciation of what he makes is where true success lies. In his live, he already mentioned that he needs to go back to making music. And so I’m really excited for what the future has in store- this is Jimin’s Chapter 2.

.🎯🎯🎯

[lostcatinthedark]

Jimin is finally back. I've felt so much joy and relief seeing him yesterday. First of all, I'm grateful to all the fans who showed their love and worked on the many projects for his discharge. Even doing last minute changes to ensure he saw them despite the obstacles, that really moved me. Everything was handled with so much care and beauty, and I loved seeing the trucks and all the people singing along to his music. I don't think an artist could wish for better fans.

Second, I'm glad that the military era is over. I think it's always important to remember that everyone handles situations differently, and overall a forced conscription is nothing to glamorize. With that said, I'm so grateful that Jimin's personality allowed him to not just endure but also excel in everything he did. The Ace, but we've always known that, he's just very humble and a very grounded person, but his resilience and leading qualities are nothing to joke about. Hearing him talk on his live yesterday showed an upgraded version of him, I don't know if anyone else felt it, his confidence and charm were so apparent to me. And yet he always has space to uplift others and be mindful. He's just as amazing as I remembered and even better. It's always nice to see him without the lens that some fans want to project on him, I feel like his real self is now more clear than ever and no fandom narrative will be able to erase his own words and actions. There's no way to deny it now. It was also nice seeing him and Jk in a more calm environment even if they were shy, it also made me remember the amazing influence that Jimin is for Jk, he really brings the best out of people. I know I'm kinda harsh with some members, but they piss me off sometimes. However, none of that invalidates their friendship and overall relationship as BTS, and I'm so grateful that they could rely on each other for these 1.5 years. I'm also happy that both of them seem to have had good people around them at their unit. I really feel like this has been a chapter full of lessons and good memories.

And last, he looks as cutieful as ever, he really looks so healthy, so young and beautiful. Now, we still have the rest of Festa to see what they've planned with the members and whatever it is that he will do in this new chapter. And as always I'm excited to check it out!

[finalgirl-rerun-deactivated2026]

Free!!!!

[solarwynd]

STOP IT 😭 😭 😭

[lostcatinthedark]

Only 2 days left. This is so crazy to me! Someone correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't this mean that RM and V get discharged tomorrow? Everything just feels so surreal, and I'm sure for all the members it feels the same way. After a year and a half in the military, this might be their most special Festa ever so I hope whatever they've prepared for this reunion goes smoothly. I can already imagine all the emotions.

It's really the beginning of a new chapter and as for Jimin, I hope he feels this love-filled welcoming that his fans have prepared. We've really missed him. ❤️

[lostcatinthedark]

I'm anxious about how jimin solo tour is going to be managed or for the organization because of what they did with his albums and his projects. I feel like maybe he is going to get the short end of the stick again. Well he is probably going to release another album before going on tour so it's not going to happen quickly imo.

As much as I think of that as well, it seems like it won't happen any time soon, so we'll have time to worry about it later. There is a lot of positivity to focus on right now with his release. Also, the fact that he won't have the pressure of MS anymore will probably allow him to be more involved with the logistics of his proyects without the stress of a time crunch. And lastly, we still have to see what's going to happen in these next months, this is going to be a new era for everyone so I'm personally waiting to see how the members unfold their plans and what changes they'll bring.

[lostcatinthedark]

people seriously think jimin will go on stage and perform when im pretty sure he doesn't want to show his face until he grows his hair back? 😭

He could wear a beanie!!! ☝️😭

(I actually agree with you, but since it's the reunion maybe he goes through it)

[lostcatinthedark]

It seems like bts is not hybe priority anymore and the members themselves don't seem really invested. I mean majority of them are not here so i guess we'll see what happen when they are all back. But if the members are not really interested and invested in the group, it's not hybe who's going to make the cb more interesting or exciting.

Yeah, I think they're all in the same page frankly. All that media play Hybe has been doing for their "next BTS" since 2022 wasn't for nothing. What I've mentioned before when it comes to BTS is that focusing on their IP might be their way moving forward: merch, army fan songs, anniversary albums, brand endorsements, even Run bts. I think also in a way this allows them celebrate their history and maintain their longevity. But we'll see how things are truly planned after they come back, it's already a tight schedule this year with solo tours and new solo releases, but they might surprise us.

[lostcatinthedark]

jimin word for word during suchwitas episode " solo activities don't mean much it's only meaningful when we are together" yoongi "yeah the team comes first"

And then these other clips where they also clearly said the same thing

https://x.com/BTSMoments/status/1640349341373321219

https://x.com/myglight/status/1653030831097536515

This makes me wonder where does the supression of these instances come from and who said that the members don't prioritize the team?

I think the members themselves owe you the explanation, sorry.

If you've followed my blog for some time you might know that I've always said BTS is never disbanding, they'll probably do more spaced out cbs, anniversary releases and reunion tours for many years. But they are coming back to focus on their solo careers (Jin and Hobi are already doing it) because that's their goal and it doesn't matter how much back and forth we do with this conversation, that's still what's going to happen. Fans should understand this by now, and it doesn't mean they don't love the group, it's just new chapter.

[lostcatinthedark]

https://www.tumblr.com/lostcatinthedark/785484620757155840/im-beginning-to-question-if-there-will-be-a-bts

I personally think we won’t see any group content (if any) until late 2026 or early 2027, but who knows.

This entire FESTA is just so meh. Jin and Hobi solo pics - meh. Even the merch is meh.

You would think that Hybe would take this opportunity to make merch that will actually be coveted, given that this FESTA is the one thing ARMY has been waiting and waiting for forever. It could have been a cash grab ARMY wouldn’t have complained about.

It was the one thing keeping ’OT7’ snarky and smug - ‘just wait until all members are back together and this chapter 2 will be so over, so take that, solos!’ I bet they’re still trying hard to convince themselves to actually fork over their hard earned money for this mediocre merch. 💴

The only thing I’m wishing for now is that Jimin actually does a live (by himself, hopefully) when he gets discharged.

They definitely could have tried a little bit more, even the cash grab merch like at least make it purple? I don't really know how armys are feeling, but knowing how important and symbolic this Festa is, that must be bittersweet. This 2025 reunion has been their lifeline, at least for a bunch of them, to not unstan or move on. Maybe they pretend on twt but the official content is not even getting significant views (understandably because it's not even that compelling).

The weverse live is something that I definitely expect, maybe the 4 do a live, or JM and JK (As much as I want a solo live to avoid Jjks/ tkkrs coke rants I'm not sure if that will happen). I also expect some of them (or all 5) joining Hobi on stage for the collabs or bts songs. No matter what happens I really can't wait, Jimin will finally be free!

[sagemariner-deactivated20260419]

The kpopification of armys is pretty amusing. Declaring random awards as daesangs, having to stan their faves through their bland music releases which they don't actually want to have to listen to, hit tweets which translate to zero streams, using excuses about how the songs aren't in the right genre to excuse the lack of streams, fans who spend more time obsessed with ships and fanwars rather than discussing the frequent music releases they keep getting.

But ig it makes sense. My biased opinion is that without the BTS branding and history, most of the members are mid-range, run of the mill kpop acts so the fandom becoming more and more like a typical kpop fandom might be a natural evolution

Exactly. The branding that turned them Into one body instead of individuals.

I think that is one of the reasons why chapter two was so hard for armys to digest, because they're being forced to actually look at the members individually and they don't always like what they see.

[lostcatinthedark]

Rm is obviously jealous of Jimin like Suga, Jk and Tae that have been obviously jealous of him, but I wonder why just him in particular they seem to like support him but also put him down, they had no problem when Jk or Tae were thought to be the most popular ones or when Suga had success

Ask 2: Also I think they should be more jealous of Jk shouldn't them? Like he got picked by the company and gets the best promo, is overall unfair, while jimin doesn't even get the same support and is always being sabotaged by the company and the Fandom, yet all the members except maybe Jin and J hope seem to be bitter of him and think he deserve way less than them.

I think it might be the conditioning they've been under. I'm not sure if it's jealousy in all the cases, but I feel like they're all used to the members having an assigned role and also a hierarchy. And we discuss here their dynamic, but we actually don't know what the dynamic was like with their superiors, their producers, choreographers, vocal teachers, etc. Because if you have these figures of authority disregarding a person or constantly praising them in front of everyone, I feel like that might influence a lot how the members see each other. For example, Jimin has mentioned how his songs were rejected for the Bts albums (which is crazy to me) or how the choreographer didn't like him, so I guess actions like that place him lower in the hierarchy within the group. The dissonance comes when they make contact with other people outside of this bubble, and maybe the perception is completely different like in Jimin's case and how he managed to get a lot of fans and media attention. So that may lead to members being confused or maybe even upset that the order they had is suddenly being threatened. I feel like with Jk, he's always been expected to be the best, constantly praised and even favored with classes and opportunities. Even if they feel jealous of him too, it's something that they can digest.

I also saw a Pjm who said that the members know that Jimin has achieved all his good results without being favored, and that may upset them more than someone else being pushed and getting good results as well, because in the latter the success could be attributed to the push/ investment, meanwhile in the first one everyone can tell it's not a direct consequence.