BTS, ARMY and My Inner Child: A Love Story

To be completely honest, I don’t remember the exact moment I discovered BTS. I know it was sometime in 2019. That’s when I came across the Boy With Luv music video. I was immediately struck by the song’s optimistic tone and the video’s colorful visuals. The angsty Halsey I was familiar with seemed to have been transformed. She bopped around with glee as she playfully flirted with seven charming and talented young men. This song was a departure from the harsh and overtly sexual pop music I had become familiar (and bored) with. I was intrigued. As often happens with BTS ARMY, I swiftly fell down the rabbit hole.

I soon realized that there was a lot more to these guys than I could have surmised from a few viewings of Boy With Luv. There was no shortage of available BTS content, so I indulged. I listened their music and investigated their backstory. Their dedication to inspiring people with meaningful lyrics touched my heart. Their music videos led to their promotional appearances, which led to RUN BTS. At this point, my fate was sealed. Not only were these guys handsome, smart, funny and talented, they were genuinely good people. Their brotherhood, their willingness to be vulnerable, their lack of toxic masculinity … I may sound overly dramatic here, but I feel like BTS is helping me heal the wounds of a lifetime. The little, kind hearted but friendless, misfit kid who grew up with emotionally distant parents is still a part of me. As a member of BTS ARMY, he feels loved and valued. He used to bury his face in his pillow and cry tears of loneliness and sorrow. Now he openly, and unapologetically cries tears of joy whenever he witnesses Namjoon, Jin, Yoongi, Hobi, Jimin, Taehyung or Jungkook succeed in any of their endeavors. The love that BTS inspires is uplifting the world and I, like Halsey, have been transformed.