“Open your eyes, can you see me now?”: Thoughts on parts of Burn the Stage, ep.3
I think I understand why some BTS fans prefer to turn a blind eye to things that might upset them. Idols exist to weave a fantastic dream for their fans, and it is therefore completely understandable that some may wish to live in that dream and close their eyes to the reality.
It’s not wrong, I only wish it were different. I wish that those who chose to close their eyes to the truth would either be brave enough to eventually walk out of that dream and accept their idol for who they truly are, OR simple be honest and say clearly “I prefer not to know.” One cannot have it both ways without becoming hypocritical—one cannot say that one loves the idol and accept them no matter what and at the same time blatantly close their eyes when the idol takes off his mask.
This is probably why Burn the Stage is so hard for a part of the fandom to appreciate and accept fully without prejudice. I have for a long time purposely distanced myself from talking directly about this side of the fandom, as it upsets me and prevents me from fully enjoying BTS and their work and effort, but today, I felt the need to address something from today’s episode 3, as I feel like the stigma and prejudice is too heavy for me to simply set aside and ignore.
JK was very ill and faint during the Wings concert’s last day in Chile. We see the members evidently distressed and worried. Hobi explains how he heard about JK’s situation and how worried he was (1:35), we see JK being attended to by medical and support staff, he’s pale and worn out; we see Jimin anxiously peeping into the room where JK was at through the black curtains (2:00), JM’s alert, focused, alarmed. JK was given oxygen, RM was standing nearby (and from Ep. 2, we know that Jimin was also there by JK’s side at this moment, as someone had called to him saying “Jimin, we have to go,” and we saw a brief glimpse of JM walking past the camera). We see JK put back on his shirt and return to the stage. And we hear RM speaking about how worried he was (2:24).
After the concert, we see JK being supported off stage, and was brought into a room where he could lie down (3:16). Medical staff tending to him, while JM was close by, right behind the medical staff, looking down and observing JK with his full attention (3:22). The other members stood in the room near the door, giving JK, JM, the medical and support staff room and air to breathe and work. We see Jimin bending down to assist the staff to stretch out JK’s leg. RM then clearly said (3:30): ”Jungkook, do you want us to leave? It’ll be better to take your pants off.” and JK replied with a “Yes.” Hobi and the others then said “Let’s go out,” and hence left the room.
JK then tells us about his experience, RM also. The video pans back to scenes in the concert, and we can see how bad it really was for JK, and what he had to work through. Returning back to JK’s “ward”, the medical staff was still attending to JK, and behind them, we see that the majority of the people who were originally in the room had indeed left, but JM remained (4:26). A further shoot shows JM clearly still in the room, now smiling, as JK was conscious and well enough to object against the idea of the staff taking off his socks, so as to preserve his pride.
It is therefore, a FACT, that when RM said “do you want us to leave?” “and Hobi’s ”Let’s go out”, the “us” and the “let’s” did not include JM. It is a FACT that JM’s relationship with JK was different to JK’s relationship to his other hyungs.
From further down the clip, we can see that the other members also worried a great deal about JK, Suga even admitting to crying about it. So it is not that they cared less, it is because for some reason or other, JM had priority to be with JK during his moments of distress, and the members and staff are all accepting of JM’s precedence over them, and willing to put their own worries aside for a while so that JK could have the privacy and comfort he needed from JM.
I write about the above in detail, stressing it, because the above is NOT an interpretation, NOT a discourse, it is a FACT. It is what Bighit and the boys are choosing to show us. It is who they are, how they interact, what their relationship is like. So please do not tell others that it is a shipping moment and refuse to see what is shown to you.
If you love them enough, if you love them as much as you claim to love them, then open your eyes and look behind the mask. It might not be what you like, it might make you uncomfortable, or confuse you, or challenge your understanding of the world… these are all unpleasant feelings, but if you love them, please choose to love them for who they are and take a step out of your comfort zone.
As for an interpretation, my opinion, and I think those of you who have read my other posts would know already, that I am always of the view that only family and couples would have this type of precedence over all others to be with that someone in the moments of distress. Such precedence is unanimously agreed upon, accepted, and never challenged. How often do we see in real life, when one goes to visit a loved one in hospital, it is “family only for now,” meaning only the partner, parents, and children. It’s common knowledge, the only explanation that would make the most sense.
“Take off your mask and open your eyes,” “can you see me now?” Being forced out of your comfort zone is no reason for one to blatantly ignore or twist the truth. I have listed the facts; whether one chooses to disagree with my interpretation is your own choice, but please reference from telling others to “Don’t make it a moment about ships!” They are facts, so they are not about ships, and they should be respected; this is who the boys really are. And others should have full freedom to speak of it and appreciate it which ever way they choose.
If you have your eyes shut and want to keep them shut, it is your choice, but don’t go around telling others that they are wrong for opening them and seeing.
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