“So you’ve never been into K-pop before?”, a classic conversation starter from new people that I meet whenever they find out that I’m a certified music enthusiast – or okay – a fangirl. I'm guilty. I’ve never been into any Korean music or groups before; not until I was held hostage by this pandemic inside the four corners of our dusty house.
During my peak fangirl phase, I can confidently claim that I’ve loved at least one artist from a certain music category that exists; except for the metal music genre and music performed in foreign language like that of the popular Korean music. I don't want to brand Korean music as a genre because as far as I know, a genre pertains to the characteristic of music in terms of sound, not where the music originated from and what language it is performed in.
From Taylor Swift to Lucy Rose, Bon Iver to All Time Low, Bruno Major to One Direction, Fern. to KZ Tandingan; name the genre and I probably have at least one favorite artist that creates that kind of music – or so I think. And when I say love, it’s not the passive kind of love for music that most people have for their favorite artists. I go the extra mile just to support the talented people that effortlessly brightens up my every day and inspires me to do want i want.
Looking back, there were also moments in my peak fangirl phase when people would come near me just to ask if I've already listened to a certain song. I answer them with either a yes or a yes. They’re all just like, “I’ve never met anyone who actually knows this song yet”. This kind of conversation never occurs when it comes to Korean or metal music. If it wasn't so obvious, I used to be extremely confined with listening to English and Filipino music just because they're the only two languages that I can understand. I'm also more in tuned with how each verses of a song could elicit a specific emotion in me rather than how amazing the musical technicalities of the song are.
Therefore, although well-produced, I've set aside listening to the popular Korean music or any other songs written in foreign language. Looking back now, I find this kind of notion a bit eccentric especially knowing that I had the audacity to call myself a "certified music enthusiast". It clearly defies the definition of being such.
Harsh as it may sound, but unfortunately, "I don't want to listen to a music I don't understand", used to be my common response when people ask me why I'm not into the popular and infectious Korean music. I do respect people who adore this type of music, but during those times I was firm with my stance. No one can change my mind. After all, we all have our own preferences and reasons why we are deeply drawn to them.
Fast forward to the beginning of my adulting days, I've outgrown my fangirling ways and have officially become a casual listener of random music from different genres and unfamiliar languages like French, Japanese, and Korean. I’m the type of person who can’t function without music, but I'm also the type of person who can’t concentrate well on important matters when I know the lyrics of the song I’m listening to. I'm only just going do nothing but sing out loud the songs in my playlist during my 8-hour work shift. Thus, for a productive work day, hello Korean music. 안녕, 방탄소년단! In the words of the Jonas Brothers, "Oh, how the tables have turned".
INTRO: EUPHORIA
Having my first actual job in the music industry around 2017 made me earnestly appreciate the diverse music that exists and its technicalities. In addition, as I constantly monitor the Philippine music chart, it's impossible not to come across BTS and their chart-topping songs DNA and Fake Love. However, the unforeseen journey of becoming a BTS fan only started early this year. I was just nonchalantly listening to the songs they did with some of my favorite Western artists. I'm speaking of Make It Right featuring Lauv and Boy with Luv featuring Halsey.
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| GIF from GIPHY |
I personally fell in love with the Make It Right collaboration after googling its lyrics. Perhaps, it was the maturity in me that unconsciously piqued my interest in finally wanting to know the meaning behind songs written in foreign language. I also liked the snippets of animation in Make It Right's official music video. It perfectly encapsulated the kind of emotion pressed in the lyrics of the song. However, being the stressed-out working young adult that I am, I didn't have much time knowing more intimate details about the group and the song. Ironically though, I kept on shrugging them off as I continued casually listening to their songs.
Moreover, I found out that they released a new record called Map of the Soul: 7 early this 2020. I tried listening to the entirety of it. To my young fangirl self's dismay, it wasn't that bad at all. In fact, it was on loop on my Spotify for weeks. I listen to it as ambient music to hype me up while I'm busy focusing on my work. One song caught my attention though – Friends. The catchy foreign lyrics in the chorus and the feel good vibes that the song gives off stood out to me the most. These were enough reasons for me to be intrigued in knowing what the song really is about. Thus, I immediately put my rusty fangirl skills to a good use and searched for the English translation of its lyrics. It turns out, Friends is an extremely emotional and nostalgic song about the friendship of two of the group's members, Jimin and V. The sentimentality of this song is undoubtedly the very reason why I started wanting to know more about each member of BTS.
INTERLUDE: PIED PIPER
This ultimately led me into watching concert and award show performances, American talk show and radio interviews, compilation and behind the scene videos, and many more. The community quarantine was actually of no good help in stopping me from binge-watching BTS content. In fact, it gave me all the time in the world to browse, click, and watch more performance videos that never fail to get me awestruck. At first, I didn't actually want to know their names because I know that it will eventually usher me into an inexplicable attachment – but I did anyway. Now, l'm trapped in this beautiful chaos. In the words of BTS, 조금 위험해도 나 참 달 잖아.
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| GIF from WeHeartIt.com |
BTS debuted in 2013, and I cannot believe that it took me 7 long years to finally know and appreciate how amazing they are as performers and as individuals. The first award show performance that I've watched from them is the 2019 Melon Music Awards performance where they did a mini concert of their new and old songs. I've watched several American music award shows online. I've been to an actual OPM award shows. What I've never seen in my entire fangirl life is a Korean music award show. Thus, watching BTS as they burn the house down with their powerful and evocative award show performance got my jaw drop for more than 20 minutes. I've never seen such award show performance before. It's as if they owned the entirety of it. The synchronisation of their choreography and their effortless singing are truly astounding. What grabbed my attention though was when they put a spotlight on each members' act. My personal favorite act in that award show is Jimin's elegant and ethereal contemporary dance set to their song I Need U. But overall, each set are completely mind-blowing! I still get emotional thinking about all of the acts, and the members themselves as of writing.
I want to talk excessively about how talented RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook are but I know that most of the people in this planet are completely aware of that truth already. In all honesty, I think that the creativity that they incorporate in their albums, songs, music videos, merchandise, contents, and even in their live performances are something I've never quite seen before in any mainstream boyband that I've ever loved. I understand that some Korean group may have already been doing just the same, maybe more or less, but everything about BTS' game is new to me. I'm fully aware that their creative tactics and strategies are part of the capitalist entertainment industry, but thinking about how amazingly they seize opportunities to make fangirls delighted and satisfied never cease to amaze. It actually makes me want to go back to my old job in the music industry, but this time under BigHit's management. I love making creative ideas come into fruition, and surprisingly BigHit is an expert on it judging by the quality and quantity of BTS contents that exist somewhere in the online and offline stratosphere.
I'm also amazed by how BTS, a Korean boyband, singing songs in their native language, took the world by storm. Whenever I watch Love Yourself and Speak Yourself world tour videos, I still find it unbelievable but at the same beautiful how they didn't have to compromise their language just to please the people from every part of the world. Instead of adjusting the way they communicate with their fans whose first language isn't Korean, these fans are the ones who are doing their very best to learn the Korean language itself. I myself is guilty with that truth as I've been studying 한국어 for 4 months now. I'm determined to reach a point where subtitles won't be necessary anymore when I watch V-Lives, Run BTS, Bon Voyage, Bangtan Bomb and all the old and upcoming contents that they have.
More than their talent and their passion, I've also become so fond of their individualities and how they complement each others' personality. Their existence alone makes everything in my life a little less worse than it would've been if I didn't know them. I love that even the most trivial things that they do can boost my serotonin levels. Unlike any other bands that I've loved, I just can't pick one favorite from this bunch. They go together like crayons in a box. Each of the members is unique, but still the same. Each of the members makes my heart flutter in his own special way.
Indeed, BTS didn't just introduce their therapeutic music and personalities to the lives of the ARMY, they introduced the entire Korean culture to the world. Thus, every move that they make is now tremendously impacting the Korean economy in the best possible way. That's pretty impressive. I reckon no Asian artists have done what BTS is constantly doing.
OUTRO: MIKROKOSMOS
During these rough times most of us are just trying to get by; trying to divert our attention to something that would bring us happiness. Just like what they sing about in Mikrokosmos; stars can't shine without darkness. BTS has been shining bright even before I knew them, but these dark times really draw me near to their light without compromising my faith. I know that I've only just joined the latter part of their show and that I still have a lot to know about them, but I love that I'm already here oblivious of its finale. After all, no one is ever too late for good music and good people.
Aside from the light they brought to my life, BTS changed my perspective of the Korean music. I'm not yet prepared to love another Korean group but I love the fact that I'm starting to explore more Korean music everyday. Who knew this phase would come? I know I learned to appreciate musical technicalities during my stint in the music industry, but BTS paved the way for me to appreciate as well songs written in foreign language produced by talented people.
Fast forward to present day, I've already memorised half of the BTS songs that exist. I think it's time for me to go in search for another music written in foreign language that I can vibe with whenever I need to focus on my work. Clearly, BTS won't do me any good; especially with their new English song, Dynamite, which is out now. By the way, it's a lie though. I still listen to BTS when I'm busy focusing on my work.
But anyway, stream Dynamite, ladies and gentlemen.
Shine, dream, smile.
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Words and main artwork by collene
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collene is 24-year-old self-proclaimed creative old soul who is deeply fascinated by the beauty of music, arts, books and poetry. Catch her wearing her bluetooth earphones on with either a phone or book on hand.
