Exit the magic shop, enter the revolution
A chapter from I Am ARMY: It's time to begin
This is the love yourself, speak yourself revolution
BTS have always sat as outsiders at the intersection of high and low culture: art and (seemingly) mass-made music. They are idol, intentionally created, and human, painfully themselves with all their flaws. This has provided the group with the unique opportunity to critique social norms and systems that seek to dominate and control them as seven young, South Korean men. This critique rings true throughout the world, as the barriers they face are often universal. BTS place a lot of their exploration of self, if not all of it, within the context of mundane everyday life. BTS form their process of knowing and accepting themselves in small daily acts which are conceptualised, and communicated, as a love yourself journey.
In Chapter One, I likened the story of Neo from The Matrix to that of ARMY—where this particular fandom, created in the light of a group that mixes hip-hop with pop and societal critique, is one which seeks to change the world and to join the revolution currently underway. But in order to join such a revolution, one which seeks to “challenge and change violence, lovelessness, and injustice into non-violence, love, and fairness,”¹ ARMY must take up the role of revolutionary. Much like the love yourself call to action, being a revolutionary is not an end destination. One simply does not arrive at self-love and become self-actualised and move on to happier times, never to return. Similarly, one simply does not arrive at being a revolutionary. Though history has shown us many examples of those deemed to be revolutionaries, the kind of revolution I speak of is one which history has not yet seen nor acknowledged. It is though, one which has been building for centuries and is unfolding before our eyes whether we know it or not. So, in order to bring about a new revolution, we must embark upon a journey with no end in sight. For it is within this perpetual journey that we remain students of the revolution. This is where I locate BTS and ARMY, as revolutionaries, students of love.
To give BTS and ARMY the title of revolutionaries can imply that they must go forth and lead a revolution we haven’t yet seen. It gives the sense that they have not yet achieved a revolution, not truly become revolutionaries, for they haven’t won a war or staged a coup. Yet that is an increasingly outdated view. My work is dedicated towards reappropriating the concept of revolutionary in order to remove the patriarchal, violent, and colonialist connotations and enable positive, global social change through revolution. One way which I can do this is to demonstrate different, more subtle forms of revolutions that have existed concurrently with others, woven throughout our shared histories, such as the one which exists between BTS and ARMY: the Love Yourself, Speak Yourself Revolution.
A revolution is a change, a movement. The accounts in the book show how deeply felt BTS’ message and practice of ‘love yourself, speak yourself’ continues to be. Not only has their message resonated throughout ARMY and beyond, but the group’s personal practices have been (and continue to be) incorporated and adapted into the mundane daily lives of their fans around the world. BTS has given rise to the ‘love yourself’ discourse that defines the experience of millions of people each day as they continue to move towards self-love.
This kind of movement sits as part of BTS’ highly political messaging—messages which are nuanced and layered in metaphor, but often are explicit and to the point. ‘Political’ here is used to demonstrate how personal experiences, such as gender, sexuality, and identity, sit within a broader societal context. In this context, for example, sexuality can be debated by politicians and regulated by the state. To love yourself in a world which profits from your suffering is a political act of resistance; it goes against the status quo. This is what makes BTS’ work so political, for they are actively resisting dominant discourses and critiquing them in albums that rise up the charts.
For many, such as Sharon in Chapter Eight, the messages and meanings behind BTS’ lyrics, especially the more political ones, are what draws them in to being an ARMY. Being a fan of BTS is no passive act, rather, those who are drawn to the group are likely to be those who wish to seek out and address injustices in their own lives. If not, they soon seek this path after being empowered from witnessing BTS’ journey. Similarly, this love yourself revolution is not passive; it’s incredibly dynamic and complex. Sitting within and alongside the journey to self-love is a range of social activism. To be an ARMY is to acknowledge the complex nature of the world and seek justice for all. This stems, in part, from BTS’ work, but that is not to take away from ARMY’s own initiatives. In this context, BTS and ARMY are relative equals, where they rise like two tall trees together in the same forest. Though BTS can lead at times, there are plenty of moments where they turn to ARMY for direction.
Throughout the book lie accounts from writers whom I conceptualise as ‘practising revolutionaries,’²,³ for the act of being a revolutionary is a practice, not a destination: it never ends. Each writer, at one point or another, has answered BTS’ call and returned to a place of love. Perhaps this return may take several tries; perhaps, for many, this return will be perpetual, never-ending. But returned, they have. Each chapter in this book has a self-love narrative; nearly every chapter cites BTS’ Love Yourself trilogy and its impact, and a large number of chapters draw great influence from RM’s United Nations speech where he urged the world to speak themselves. I believe that a journey towards loving yourself is the foundation of any great revolutionary, and as such, I locate this revolution within the Love Yourself, Speak Yourself movement provided and practised by BTS and ARMY.
The revolution is love, so to answer BTS’ call and make a commitment to self-love is a revolutionary act in itself. However, the revolution does not end here; rather, this is just where it begins. All those who answer the call and learn how to love themselves are revolutionaries, and to stay a revolutionary one must continue on the path towards self-love. It is a practice, a journey, never a final destination. Something which must be studied both externally—by observing the practices of love and lovelessness around the world—and internally, by turning one’s gaze inwards to reflect and grow. This is the title I give to the writers in this book, and to all ARMY who seek to love themselves. In fact, it’s a title which anyone can take up, ARMY or not. This is not an exclusive revolution, it’s inclusive; simply commit to loving yourself and all your flaws. The ‘practising revolutionary’ is a title to show that a true revolutionary is someone who has never mastered the revolution. Rather, they are someone open and willing to continue growing, learning, and changing. This is an art form which must be practised. But also, the title is aspirational, to show the world that anyone can be a revolutionary. For all great revolutions must start, and end, with a revolution of the self.⁴
Of course, ARMY exists as one of two, so we must also look to BTS, although briefly, to explore their revolutionary capacity. Like ARMY, BTS are also practising revolutionaries, for they seek to love themselves. However, they are able to step into, and take on, more of a leadership role due to their level of visibility and global influence—for they are the originators of the Love Yourself, Speak Yourself Revolution. They do not simply stand on a stage and shout or sing instructions to a crowd. Rather, they share their deeply personal journeys with an audience who, in turn, reflects on the lessons learnt by the idol group. They are the peers of ARMY; they have not mastered self-love, they are not gurus. Rather, they are guides, equal participants in the love yourself journey.
To reflect this interesting duality, I have conceptualised BTS as ‘participatory revolutionaries.’²,³ They are both one of the people, humble participants in a global movement, and leaders with an entire ARMY who practice self-love day in and out. An ARMY who are highly focussed on fighting against injustices, speaking themselves, and empowering others to do the same, just like BTS.
It is also important to note that BTS and ARMY are not the only players in this revolution. It takes many people operating in many different roles to start a revolution, but in order for this revolution to be sustained, self-love and care for one another must be placed as a priority. It’s about longevity; it’s about non-violence, love, and justice for all. This is a revolution that starts, and ends, in the mundane; for that is where we live.
As I explored in Chapter Six, the dynamic between BTS and ARMY is a microcosm of what it is to be human. All complexities, all barriers, all triumphs and celebrations that exist within the global collective are experienced and felt to great extremes throughout the ARMY fandom in response to and in relationship with BTS. This means that if ARMY are revolutionaries, then everyone else is, or can be, too.
Such revolutionary capacity is not unique to BTS and ARMY, yet to explore the relationship between, and identity of, idol and fan can lead one to uncover the true power which lies beneath. Though anyone can be a revolutionary, there are not many people on Earth who have the power and influence of a global network such as BTS. But perhaps even more so, there is no one who wants such a title, such power, less than BTS; that is what makes them, and ARMY, the perfect study of revolutionaries. This is a journey they are undertaking irrespective of title or praise, for it is what they have been called to do. No one person holds the answers for what lies before us on this revolutionary journey, nor can they tell us how we are meant to respond. However, I believe the answers we seek lie in the collective; they lie between BTS and ARMY, for they, we, are revolutionaries.
This is why an exploration of a revolutionary must surely begin in an exploration of a revolutionary identity, such as the identities throughout this book—by reading the identity narratives of ARMY from diverse backgrounds and life experiences and understanding them as part of a broader, socio-cultural-political context. This is where many of our answers can be found, within the experience of the collective and the universal themes and practices that arise. Though the root of our individual revolutionary stories may not always lie with BTS, our stories are most definitely shaped in the light of the revolutionary love that exists between BTS and ARMY.⁴
Components of the love yourself, speak yourself revolution
I frame the chapters in the book as accounts of practising revolutionaries. I also use the themes and experiences explored by the writers to provide a basis for components of, what I suggest is, the Love Yourself, Speak Yourself Revolution. This is not an exhaustive detailing of the components, for as the subtitle of this book suggests, this is just the beginning of documenting such a process and structure. These are the building blocks, which are written in response to, and draw upon, the lived experiences detailed throughout the book.
Such an endeavour may never truly be complete, as the nature of ARMY and the journey of self-love is fluid, nuanced, non-linear, and often experienced outside of time and space, while also being intrinsically tied to such constructs. This is similar to how the revolution feels to each practising revolutionary around the world. It is a phenomenon unto itself which cannot be explored in one summative chapter alone. Interestingly, the components of the revolution sit as part of an ARMY journey, not as something separate. This revolution is the ARMY journey. Each step along the way is a step into an ARMY identity and cannot be removed to be a process that exists outside of being a fan of BTS. That would make this an entirely different set of components for a different revolution all together.
Though the following are listed in linear order, it is important to stress that these components are not experienced in any particular sequence. Some may not be experienced at all, while perhaps some, if not all, are experienced simultaneously without end. For the sake of structure, they have been ordered in the sequence they have appeared throughout the ARMY stories in the book in the hope that they begin to detail a universal experience.
Before self-love comes a love of BTS
A love of BTS is often the first step into fandom, and what I’d like to conceptualise as the doorway which every practising revolutionary must walk through. The doorway into the Magic Shop, which brings a new openness and willingness to learn for each revolutionary, rooted in respect, love, and admiration of BTS. This facilitates a mutual learning between BTS and ARMY as peers, if you will.
A love of BTS will forever remain as the first component of the revolution, for it is only when one loves BTS that they become an ARMY; there is no other requirement to hold such a title. The moment when love occurs marks the inciting incident in the lives of ARMY; from here, everything else springs forth. This is by far the most common theme throughout I Am ARMY and is present in every chapter: a deep love of BTS. This love is the foundation for the revolution; the following components are how one can get from this love of BTS to a love of self, or at least an urge to seek such an experience in the first place. This is the primer for all else that follows; the first step in this revolution is love, just like the last.
Challenging and disrupting the status quo
A love of BTS results in many ARMY evaluating the dominant discourses in their daily lives, leading to the group disrupting many aspects of the status quo. Further, such an engagement with BTS results in many ARMY actively participating in the disruption of the status quo around the world. First, the personal beliefs and barriers of ARMY are broken down when they begin to engage with BTS content with a loving outlook. Second, ARMY often turn their efforts to friends and family, and further afield, to champion a change in discourse and perception. And most interestingly of all, just by being an ARMY and engaging regularly with BTS’ social justice-driven work is a defiance of the norm. To be an ARMY, no matter how passively, is to resist the forces that seek to dominate and control many, if not all, of us.
This particular component of challenging the status quo is evident in the writing of Nazneen and Tagseen in Chapter Two. For Naazneen and Tagseen, BTS first challenged how they viewed masculinity, a view which was primarily shaped by Western norms. Another act of resistance comes with Naazneen and Tagseen proudly claiming their ARMY titles as thirtysomethings, disrupting the stereotype that fangirls are young and vapid—a stereotype disrupted by each contributor in this book. In Chapter Three, Anna explores how BTS challenge and disrupt the status quo in regards to speaking out about mental illness and seeking help. This is echoed in Lily’s Chapter Five, Courtney’s Chapter Seven, and Sharon’s Chapter Eight. Keryn in Chapter Nine writes about BTS challenging her feminist identity. She questioned whether or not she could be an ARMY and a feminist at the same time.
Seeking belonging, finding community
Though one becomes an ARMY when they love BTS, they do not enter the fandom in quite the same manner. Holding the title and being a part of fan activities can be two very different undertakings and experiences. This seeking belonging component can come at any time during the revolutionary journey, or perhaps not at all. However, being a part of the ARMY community is a theme commonly explored in the book. Most ARMY do not get to interact directly with BTS, but anyone can share their feelings and experiences with other like-minded people as part of a vast, global network of fans. For many, being a part of the fandom is what truly enriches their experience of BTS. For many, finding connections provides support, guidance, entertainment, and lifelong friendships. Many seek to know who exactly they are by locating themselves in the context of the broader fandom.
For Naazneen and Tagseen in Chapter Two, being a part of ARMY was a journey of seeking and finding belonging with like-minded people from around the world. Through participating in fandom projects, Anna in Chapter Three was able to find other ARMY who she was compatible with, and in turn they provided her with support and acceptance. Lily in Chapter Five writes that learning to accept who she is enabled her to make new friendships within ARMY. Courtney in Chapter Seven notes that her journey has been more about ARMY than BTS, for it is within connection to fandom that she has been able to enrich her life. Sharon in Chapter Eight details how becoming a part of ARMY has helped her find her place and her voice. Through finding belonging in fandom, she has been able to engage in humanitarian causes and fight for social justice.
Answering the love yourself call
At some point in the journey of being an ARMY and being a practising revolutionary, one must answer BTS’ ‘love yourself’ call. This could easily be conceptualised as a phone call that continues to ring—we may not answer it on the first ring, nor on the second or third. Perhaps we do not answer at all; perhaps BTS leave a voicemail which we return to many months or years later. But in order to continue on this journey towards revolution, we must answer and make a commitment to discovering what self-love means to us. This is a defining component of the entire revolution, but it is also the most complex and non-linear. It’s a singular journey that sits as part of whatever social context the practising revolutionary may find themselves in. Answering the love yourself call does not elevate someone and cut their ties to societal restrictions and barriers; it is not a cure-all. In fact, it’s quite the opposite; it’s a lot of hard work with no end in sight. However, this hard work, this journey, is the pillar to the revolution. Both incredibly personal and highly political, to love yourself is an act of defiance in a capitalistic world that can profit from your suffering in all its many forms.
Answering such a call would not be possible in the first place for many people, for it is often easier to love others more than we love ourselves. This is especially true when it comes to BTS, which is why I placed a love for BTS as the basis for the entire revolutionary journey. It is all too easy to love BTS, a choice which every ARMY has made. Such a choice leads to the challenging and disrupting of the status quo, for such a love has made fans of BTS more receptive to learning from the group they respect and admire. Therefore, to watch BTS acknowledge that they do not love themselves, but that they must embark on a self-love journey, creates a space for ARMY to reflect and grow alongside their idols. But not only that, BTS has also given a call to action, urging ARMY to love themselves, asking ARMY to use BTS to love themselves. Each step in the ARMY journey lays the foundation for the call to not only be made, but answered.
For Naazneen and Tagseen in Chapter Two, the specific call to self-love was made by RM at Citi Field while they stood in the audience. It was one which resonated deeply with them at the time and signalled the start of a longer journey. For both Anna in Chapter Three and Manilyn in Chapter Four, Jin’s solo track Epiphany played a large role in their journey towards self-love. Lily in Chapter Five and myself in Chapter Six both refer to RM’s lyric from Trivia 承: Love and agree that the purpose of our lives is to love. Courtney in Chapter Seven writes that the love yourself message was one she didn’t think she needed to hear, but it was. For Courtney, this self-love practice is one she has to be patient with; it does not simply happen overnight. This sentiment is echoed throughout all of the chapters in I Am ARMY: love yourself is a perpetual journey, one we commit to each day.
Embracing the complexities of self and world
Sitting as part of the entire journey, as a component that runs within and around all others, is the need to embrace the complex nature of self and world. Though if we are to acknowledge that each of us is a microcosm of the macrocosm, therefore we are the world, this would be simply to acknowledge the complexity of life. Yet we do not often experience self and world as the same entities. Often the complexities of self sit in a harsh juxtaposition to that of world. Therefore, there comes a time in each ARMY journey where such complexities must be acknowledged and embraced. For when a tension is held between such complexities, greater self-love and compassion can freely flow. Further, holding these tensions and actively working with them become yet another act of defiance.
An evident theme throughout I Am ARMY is resilience. Each and every account from practising revolutionaries displays a fighting spirit. Even as the world moves against them, every ARMY has fought to reclaim their power and continue on with their self-love journey. To embrace the complexities of life is to build further capacity for resilience, as it is an act of resilience in itself.
A complexity I explored in Chapter Six is that of the dynamic between BTS and ARMY, perhaps the largest complexity involved in the revolution. One party, BTS, retains power and (relative) control over the other, ARMY. Though it can often feel like a reciprocal relationship, and in many ways it is, there is only one side that can control the communication. This, plus the complex nature of falling in love, in idol limerence, with BTS, creates tension in the lives of ARMY around the world, for it is an experience which they cannot entirely control, yet it is not one they are quite willing to relinquish. Nor can they entirely, even if they choose.
Keryn explores the complexities surrounding her identity as ARMY and as a feminist in Chapter Nine. She acknowledges that her deep interest in BTS does not sit well with her feminist beliefs, as the group is dominant and powerful in the K-pop landscape, and beyond, in part due to their gender. They have not suffered the hardship of being women—despite all their hurdles and barriers, they still remain more privileged than their female counterparts. Keryn feels tension arising from being a feminist and dedicating a large portion of her time to enjoying and supporting the work of an all-male group. This is a complexity without an answer, something Keryn and anyone else who is both ARMY and feminist must hold tension with. But it is important to note that without this tension, these complexities, we would have no areas of scholarship, nor hard questions to ask; we would not be able to grow as people, nor as a fandom.
Finding a safe space to speak yourself
‘Speak yourself’ is yet another vital component to this revolution, another one which is complex and often runs concurrently to the love yourself journey. Finding a place where one can truly speak who they are into the world is paramount to the revolution, for this is a revolution where each voice and experience is valued as an account of a universal, yet deeply personal, truth. Speaking yourself can look many ways and take a variety of different forms. Perhaps the most obvious is ARMY’s heightened use of social media platforms such as Twitter, where they often feel they are able to freely express themselves at any moment in time. Other forms of self-expression can be found in the vast array of fanart that appears across the internet, or in blog posts, articles, songs, videos, or even fanfiction. Any form of communication is a form of speaking yourself, and perhaps this communication comprises the most visible side of the ARMY fandom. The public face of ARMY exists because they are, collectively and individually, speaking themselves. It could be argued that instances of charitable giving are also acts of speaking yourself, or any other humanitarian act where ARMY are able to ‘speak for’ others through giving money, protesting, or bringing light to particular matters of injustice.
This book acts as one of these safe spaces for ARMY to speak themselves, and through that, love themselves. In a way, ‘love yourself’ and ‘speak yourself’ are two sides to the same coin; one cannot exist without the other. To love yourself is to speak yourself; speaking yourself is an act of self-love. To speak yourself is a vital part of the healing process. To give voice to our inner worries and complexes, to share our experiences so that others know they are not alone. To reflect and document a journey, so that it can be celebrated and acknowledged, provides catharsis and allows other forms of healing to be received. Perhaps, through such a process, we are able to glean insights into what is to come. Through speaking ourselves, we are able to realise that we are not alone, rather, we are one of many.
There are many reasons why ARMY may wish to speak themselves; for Naazneen and Tagseen in Chapter Two, it was imperative to share their story in order to legitimise their passion as no simple frivolity. For Anna in Chapter Three, writing her chapter meant documenting and celebrating her journey towards mental wellbeing. Manilyn’s reasons for speaking herself in Chapter Four were twofold: to give gratitude to BTS and to demonstrate how profound their work is; and because she feels that stories about abuse, trauma, healing, and recovery must be shared to raise awareness. Sharon’s Chapter Eight revolves around her journey from selective mutism to being able to speak herself as part of the ARMY fandom.
In the remaining chapters, where no explicit reason is given, the answer is quite easily deduced. ARMY are sharing these stories for the greater good, and for their own personal healing. After months communicating with each of these writers I can comfortably say that each of them took up the challenge to contribute a chapter as a form of catharsis, for the betterment of ARMY, and to give thanks to BTS.
Return, rinse, repeat, revolt
Lastly, it’s important to note that all these components are not simple steps which are just visited once. The ‘love yourself, speak yourself’ journey undertaken by practising revolutionaries is one which must continually be returned to. It is a process, often experienced without end. Though, by all means, these components could be detailed as steps, but I fear that would be too limiting when trying to view the revolution in its entirety. These are components and not steps because they have been deduced from studying patterns, and no one story has the same progression of components. In fact, many stories have these components happening all at once, or completely out of sequence. Irrespective of how or when they occur, it is imperative that they are returned to as one progresses throughout their journey.
Many of these components are key learnings and life lessons. They are tools which each practising revolutionary can add to their revolutionary toolkit for future use. They are lessons which challenge the revolutionary and ask them to hold tension with their own complexities. For the true experience of self-love requires the need to acknowledge and sit with each of our flaws, all that we deem undesirable or uncomfortable, and accept ourselves for who we are.
Loving BTS is perhaps the most obvious step—step one. The revolutionary journey cannot begin without this step. This entire journey sits inside the experience of loving BTS, while running alongside as complementary. For loving a group of people who, for those of us outside of Korea, are culturally different, shines a spotlight on our preconceptions and beliefs. Loving people we have never met, yet feel a sense of emotional intimacy with, challenges our idea of what love really is; for how exactly is it that we are able to love seven strangers so deeply?
This leads us to challenging and disrupting our own conceptions, which in turn can lead to us seeking out ways to disrupt and resist the status quo in our daily lives. This is a lesson of how to learn, grow, change, and be highly resistive to capitalistic, patriarchal forces prevalent throughout our societies.
Alongside this comes the desire to locate ourselves as part of a broader community. Within it lies a world of infinite lessons as we begin to interact with other global citizens. We add a vast array of tools to our revolutionary toolkit by participating in fandom, from learning how to collectivise to being more aware of social injustice outside of our often Western-centric bubble.
At some point in this journey, we answer BTS’ call to love ourselves. This is our greatest learning, one which is highly political and deeply personal. Through this journey, we learn that the personal and political are connected, as we begin to see that our ARMY journey is an act of resistance, one which we share with each ARMY on Earth. We begin to see that each step we have taken in fandom has prepared us for the moment we commit to learning how to love ourselves better.
In order to love ourselves in our totality, we must acknowledge, embrace, and hold tension with our complexities and those existing around the world. This is a highly valuable tool which we can refine over the course of our lifetime. This is ARMY’s true power source; just like BTS, our power comes from our complexity.
Through this, running alongside each component, or perhaps coming right towards the end of the cycle, is the need to speak yourself. Many of these components are experienced privately, inside our own homes, our own minds. But we cannot create change, nor truly change ourselves, if we do not speak who we are out into the world and share our experiences with others. This vital component of the revolution is what makes the ARMY fandom so dynamic and within it holds great transcendent power. For so many are empowered to speak themselves, which further spreads BTS’ ‘love yourself’ call and opens the door for many new practising revolutionaries to begin their journey.
Finally, a moral imperative of this journey is to revolt. Though Love Yourself, Speak Yourself is a revolution, we must never become complacent with having already achieved greatness. Rather, we must continue to push forward and redefine what revolution really looks like. We must use the knowledge and tools acquired as practising revolutionaries to uplift others, then we must turn our attention to other revolutions which run concurrently to our own. Return, rinse, repeat, revolt. It has already begun.
Ready, set, and… revolt
The Love Yourself, Speak Yourself Revolution has many outcomes and links up to many other revolutions currently underway in the world. The revolution between BTS and ARMY provides strong foundations to critique and hold tension with societies and practices on a global scale, for it is rooted in love, and both idol and fan are empowered by such a self-love dialogue. This enables both BTS and ARMY to stand strong on matters of injustice and partake in other revolutions with great ease. As shown in Chapter Two, Eight, and Nine, ARMY are well-versed in collectivising to create change. Usually, this happens in support of BTS, but nevertheless, it is a primer which sees the vast majority of ARMY trained in ways which can be carried over to digital activism: streaming, emailing, purchasing, crowdfunding, media and marketing, merchandising, education, news dissemination, to name a few. These are common practices from within the Magic Shop, celebrations of BTS and ARMY which are widespread throughout the digital imagination. However, what is to happen if we are to step outside of the Magic Shop and apply these same practices to unjust, violent, and loveless situations? Or what if these situations kick the door of the Magic Shop down and impact every aspect of our personal and collective lives?
Earlier this year, in the grips of the COVID-19 pandemic and with many of us forced to stay indoors and isolated, ARMY ramped up operations to provide transient relief from external stressors. Harnessing social media, a plethora of fan initiatives appeared to provide a range of services. Study groups, language exchanges, publications, podcasts, meetings; though these are regular practices, the proverbial timeline was soon flooded with enough content and activities to last a lifetime. Alongside this, BTS upped their delivery of online content, leading to further enrichment for fans, old and new. This continues to create a dynamic, vibrant, and safe space for ARMY to be themselves, despite many facing continued xenophobia and risks to their health and economic security.
This, plus years of collectivising throughout the fandom, seemingly primed ARMY for what came next. When George Floyd died at the hands of police officers in Minneapolis, United States, the country, and world, erupted in outrage. Citizens took to the streets to protest, to stand in solidarity with Floyd and the countless other Black Americans who had been murdered by police officers. His death is indicative of systemic racialised violence which continues to dominate and control the lives of Black and coloured people. ARMY were among those who took to the streets, but many could not. So ARMY did what ARMY does best: they collectivised online and became one with the global revolution for justice.
Two notable moments of ARMY online activism come from overwhelming and undermining a Dallas app which sought tips on illegal activity from protests, resulting in its removal,⁵ and sabotaging Trump’s political rally by registering for tickets, prompting a large venue hire, and not showing up.⁶
This kind of activism, teamed with a constant stream of information and resources for Black Lives Matter activists online, including virtually coordinating protests and informing of police presence, and documenting and disseminating the results of police brutality towards protestors, saw ARMY become an unlikely pillar to the movement.
Soon enough, memes popped up depicting Gimli from Lord of the Rings saying “never thought I’d die fighting side by side with a K-pop stan.”⁷ The next frame shows Jung Kook’s face placed over the top of Legolas’ to represent the stan: “anyway stan Jungkook”⁷ is the response. “Aye. I could do that,”⁷ Gimli says, echoing the feelings of many throughout the digital imagination. For many, this was the first moment they realised how political a K-pop group could be; BTS was opened up to a new demographic overnight. Suddenly, everyone became one with ARMY, and ARMY became one with the world as they fought side by side in the revolution. Suddenly, everyone became a Jung Kook stan; he inadvertently became one of the faces of the movement.
These were all small acts carried out by ARMY that met up with a global movement and became sweeping acts of change. Yet it did not stop there. On June 4, BTS issued what was reported as “a rare political statement”⁸ on their Twitter account:
우리는 인종차별에 반대합니다.
우리는 폭력에 반대합니다.
나, 당신, 우리 모두는 존중받을 권리가 있습니다. 함께 하겠습니다.
We stand against racial discrimination.
We condemn violence.
You, I and we all have the right to be respected. We will stand together.
On June 6, it was confirmed that BTS and Big Hit Entertainment donated US$1 million to Black Lives Matter.10 This was a momentous time in the ARMY fandom and for all those watching on around the world. While many celebrities remained silent, a group of outsiders from South Korea condemned racial discrimination and violence to their 26 million following. As easy as that, BTS cemented themselves as new world leaders11 and demonstrated that, although the Black Lives Matter movement is in the United States, it is a global issue on which we can all stand and fight together. In response, One In An ARMY, a charity fundraising organisation, matched BTS’ donation with contributions from ARMY around the world in under 24 hours.12 Within two days, BTS and ARMY donated US$2 million towards Black Lives Matter, an act that not only has great social impact from such funds, but one that influences the views and actions of many. Through such an act, BTS and ARMY were able to challenge many status quos existing around the world, engaging more global citizens to stand as practising revolutionaries in whatever way they can. This only goes to show how primed and ready ARMY are to answer the call to any revolution at any time, as are BTS.
All around the world, there are many revolutions underway. The Love Yourself, Speak Yourself Revolution is just one which sits as part of a broader revolutionary picture. The accounts from practising revolutionaries in this book aren’t fantastical; they do not construct each ARMY as Neo dodging bullets inside the Matrix. They are heavily rooted in the mundane of everyday life: interpersonal relationships, school, work, family. If anything, these accounts go to show how relational we are as humans, as all of these stories not only exist between the writer and their social environment, but between the writer and BTS.
To think of a revolution being shrouded in gunfire and led by a colonialist would be an accurate historical depiction, but it needn’t remain relevant. If we work together, we can shift the paradigm and align revolution with Ross’ concepts of non-violence, love, and justice.¹ I believe that we have already begun to do this in our own ways, especially as we continue to answer BTS’ call to love ourselves in our totality. The revolution I suggest is one founded on love, built through loving, practised in loving ways, experienced as love. This is why it is a revolution to watch, to be a part of; for I believe that to be human is to love. This is our highest purpose as humankind; to return to a love for all, human and non-human alike.
When looking towards the future, I cannot help but see a plethora of opportunities and pitfalls for us as ARMY and as global citizens. The barriers that we face as humankind—capitalism, patriarchy, systemic racism, violence, lovelessness, and injustice—are the same barriers we face as ARMY. For we are not removed from our human experiences just by participating in fandom, although such participation can most definitely provide transient relief. If we are able to address these issues within the fandom and rise together, we can address them on a larger scale throughout the world. Already we are banding together to educate ourselves on how to be abolitionists in the light of the Black Lives Matter movement. Already we draw upon the work of BTS to critique systems of oppression. We are already revolutionaries. But we cannot forget that we are practising revolutionaries. This is a skill that must be practised and honed regularly; it’s a muscle that must be used in order to grow.
If anything, the chapters inside the book have reminded me that I am not alone. I am part of ARMY. I am never far from help if I choose to seek it. What I feel may be personal and private, but out there, somewhere, someone is feeling the same way as me. Although the journey towards self-love may seem daunting, and there are many days where I feel I do not have the energy to continue on, I know that I walk this path with BTS and ARMY. Even if I fall, I will be okay, for they are my wings; they will shield me and help me soar even on my lowest days.
I hope through reading the stories in I Am ARMY you have been able to feel less alone. That you are valued as part of this dynamic fandom as much as anyone else. That if you ever need help or support, all you need to do is ask, and you will receive what you need. Above all else, I hope the book has encouraged you to continue learning how to love yourself. I hope it has encouraged you to find your voice and speak yourself. No matter who you are or what your circumstance may be, you deserve to be loved, safe, and happy.
Though the subtitle of I Am ARMY says it’s time to begin, I now must draw the book to an end. Earlier this year, when reflecting on the relationship between BTS and ARMY, I used the metaphor of two tall trees growing in the same forest:
Martin Heidegger, a German philosopher, in his book Being and Time, uses the word dasein which translates to being-there. According to Heidegger, being is for and with others, just like trees exist together as individuals in a collective. In that sense, ARMY and BTS are two tall trees in the same forest; between them is all of existence carried on a faint breeze. [...] Though they are tall trees rooted in reality, they reach towards the sky dreaming of a whole new world; they are dasein.⁴
I believe that the meaning of life is dasein, being for and with others. BTS and ARMY encapsulate Heidegger’s concept of being; they exist and rise together. We may be individuals, lonely and alone, but when we choose to love BTS, we become part of a collective, ARMY. As a fandom, we grow upwards, tall trees in a forest on our own path, yet reaching for the same destination. Alongside us grow BTS; we grow together. Often, we do not know where we are going. But if we step back and look at the forest, we can see that we are all reaching for the stars. We are just a microcosm of the universe after all; we are reaching towards the stars to find ourselves and one another. We are returning to the stars from whence we came, we are growing, we are loving; we are dasein.
References
¹ Ross, D. (2020). The revolutionary social worker: The love ethic model. Revolutionaries.
² Eaglehawk, W. (in press). Return to Bangtan: BTS and the digital imagination. Revolutionaries.
³ Eaglehawk, W. (2020, July 17). We, like BTS, are revolutionaries. Revolutionaries. https://medium.com/revolutionaries/we-like-bts-are-revolutionaries-15caae19b7a3
⁴ Eaglehawk, W. (2020). Idol limerence: The art of loving BTS as phenomena. Revolutionaries.
⁵ Alexander, J. (2020, June 1). K-pop stans overwhelm app after Dallas police ask for videos of protestors. The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2020/6/1/21277423/k-pop-dallas-pd-iwatch-app-flood-review-bomb-surveillance-protests-george-floyd
⁶ Culliford, E. (2020, June 22). How TikTok users, K-pop fans say they sabotaged Trump’s rally. The Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/how-tiktok-users-k-pop-fans-say-they-sabotaged-trump-s-rally-20200622-p554sc.html
⁷ Aye, I could do that - K-pop stans. (2020). Know Your Meme. https://knowyourmeme.com/photos/1857627-aye-i-could-do-that
⁸ BTS issues statement supporting Black Lives Matter: ‘We will stand together’. (2020). Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/k-town/9396236/bts-supports-black-lives-matter-tweet
⁹ BTS [@BTS_twt]. (2020, June 4). 우리는 인종차별에 반대합니다 [Tweet].
https://twitter.com/BTS_twt/status/1268422690336935943?s=20
10 BTS and Big Hit Entertainment donate $1 million to Black Lives Matter (exclusive). (2020, June 6). Variety. https://variety.com/2020/music/news/bts-big-hit-1-million-black-lives-matter-donation-1234627049/
11 Eaglehawk, W. (2020, June 17). BTS donate another $1 million cementing them as new world leaders. Revolutionaries. https://medium.com/revolutionaries/bts-donate-another-1-million-cementing-them-as-new-world-leaders-1198d45fe6b3
12 Haylock, Z. (2020, June 8). BTS army matched the band’s $1 million donation to Black Lives Matter. Vulture. https://www.vulture.com/2020/06/bts-army-matches-1-million-donation-black-lives-matter.html