Ten and a half years ago, on June 13, 2013, Bangtan Sonyondan had their first ever live performance after debuting the day before. Today, the South Korean boy group is one of the biggest in the world. It may have been hard for them to feel this popularity in 2020 when the global pandemic hit and the world went into lockdown, however. Chapter 7: “We Are”, the last chapter of Beyond the Story: A Ten Year Record of BTS by Myeongseok Kang and BTS, opens with descriptions of the group’s pure joy after their concert, PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE–LA. The group’s enthusiasm makes sense in light of what the text goes on to describe: the preceding pandemic that caused the world to screech to a halt.
According to Jimin, this time was “chopped off” in his memory, though it was still a meaningful era for the group. Going in a completely different musical direction than what had been strategically planned before, the group released “Dynamite”, a bubbly summer single in English, and “BE”, an album describing the group’s feelings throughout the pandemic. These songs, alongside weekly casual YouTube lives, were the band’s way of connecting with fans during a time when connection was incredibly limited. The author also provides a detailed explanation of Dynamite’s strategic release, which was a way to draw in a wider audience without international tours and shows, which were on hold. Anyone could enjoy and sing along to “Dynamite”, which meant it could pull anyone into the fandom. “Dynamite” was the first of three English releases for BTS; “Butter” and “Permission to Dance” were both released the following summer. “Butter” was a smooth pop song that included a rap to make it Bangtan’s, and “Permission to Dance” was a song that, “From the very title itself managed to embody everything that BTS represents,” and “Is an ode to the days gone past and infused with a determined spirit to overcome the pandemic.”
While this was a time of growth on the charts, it was also a time of personal growth amongst the members. After injuring his shoulder as a trainee, Suga finally underwent surgery to mend the damage during the pandemic. This served as a real-world symbol of how far the rapper had come: “Suga’s shoulder injury symbolized a period in his life, a trace of those pre-debut years where he had slogged hard under the uncertainty as to whether he’d be given a chance to do the work he loves. His surgery and treatment thereafter were a goodbye to those years.” Another landmark was when the group won Artist of the Year at the AMAs, finally performing for an audience again on the same stage where they had made their American debut four years earlier.
In this chapter, we get the conclusion to the story that opened with descriptions of the route to the building where BigHit Entertainment was based in 2010. Beyond the Story has given readers an inside look at how the members of BTS came together and made history. Even as their musical direction was unclear before debut, two things were obvious: their dedication to music (hip hop at the time), and their desire to share their honest feelings. The text went on to describe how the reception of the group’s first four albums as well as the members' emotions during their making were in a cycle of sweet, bitter, sweet, bitter. The group showed feelings of realistic optimism, however. Over time, BTS continued to rise in popularity, even as they experienced conflicting emotions. They poured these feelings into their second full length album: WINGS, which was a risky experiment with an abstract, artistic aesthetic. Later, the group found themselves in a constant cycle of “album, tour, album, tour” that was exhausting, and they began to lose direction, not knowing where to go after achieving so much. The group felt pressure surrounding their upcoming contract renewal and their increased global presence. Throughout the crisis, the group never stopped working on their music, producing songs to fit their circumstances. In this BTS found some form of resolution, as they realized that music was what came naturally to them. Ultimately, the group made it through the rough period with the help of music and their dedicated fans. Each and every ARMY feels a personal, dedicated, inspiring connection to BTS and their music that allows each party to keep the other going when times are tough.
Everything is brought full circle on the final page, with the words: “J-Hope, who had come from Gwangju to Seoul on Christmas Eve of 2010 with only a dream of becoming a recording artist, speaks of his hope for the future of BTS.” It's this type of full circle moment that shows how strategically the book was crafted. From the photos at the very beginning that pull you into a dream and the poster photos before each section, spread thinly enough to provide visuals without cluttering the book, to the table of contents that looks like a tracklist and the Spotify style images for each album, every page has a purpose. The writing is clear and precise, objective but softened with quotes from the members. The endings of each section pull readers in deeper, and details are provided about the music industry to create a more complete image. Bar codes appear throughout the book to lead readers to various BTS content online, and parts of the text are highlighted in purple to complete the aesthetic appeal. Concluding with a timeline of all major events in BTS history, Beyond the Story is distinctly beautiful and distinctly Bangtan.
The last chapter reaffirms everything that the group has come to stand for. They prefer internal satisfaction over external achievements. Their value is not in awards, but in being together with their fans and inspiring others. According to this chapter, when making music, RM asks himself, “Can a song like this change the world?” The truth is that it can, as today BTS has had a positive influence over countless fans around the world. What's most important to the group, though, isn't how popular they are, but who they are. “Beyond such earthly accomplishments was the truly special gift, the single greatest thing the members had gained from the group: each other.”
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