Every now and then, a new music sensation comes to being, and it just captures the imagination and vibes of a generation. The sensation is either the music itself or the artist. In some cases, it's both. If the artist is brilliant, the song, or songs, become the 'anthem' of the captivated generation... the artist becomes iconic, and the music becomes the very symbol of the said generation. The '50s had the likes of Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry; '60s had the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan to name a few; the '70s had Stevie Wonder, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and the Queen among many others; the '80s had Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince and a host of British acts like U2, Wham, The Police and Culture Club; the '90s had the grunge music with Nirvana and Pearl Jam leading the pack, and a host of American and British boy bands; the early 2000s had Eminem, Justin Timberlake and Coldplay as well as Beyonce, Lady Gaga and more; and now, this generation (and all the others who are occupying space in this generation from previous generations) have no other than...
"So, I'ma light it up like dynamite..."
...BTS, of course!
This is a much delayed post on this iconic act of the 21st century from South Korea! I have been meaning to write this post since 2019 - when, in principle (yes, I am talking about 'principle' here), I signed on to become a 'card-carrying' ARMY - the worldwide fandom of BTS! Believe it or not, the decision paralysis to post was because I cannot make up my mind about what 'iconic' video to feature given the hundreds of great ones they have had, and still having... and yeah, it was hard to make time to post, too. I gotta admit that their dancing in this video is a bit tamed compared with their all-out bone-breaking, death-defying moves in their past live performances and videos. However, I do believe that this video is 'iconic' in that these young men finally totally captured the world's wildest imagination on what an Asian act could do. Yes, I am saying "Asian" rather than just South Korean... because I am so proud to share the same natural hair color with these young men as many Asians, I'm sure, are, too. Hehe... I'm just kidding. It isn't about race or ethnicity, it's about being, uhm, just 'an ARMY'! To be sure, the ARMY transcends all sorts of boundary, and this is why I love BTS!
Anyway, I apologize as I cannot say anything else that will not sound incoherent, or worse, stupid at this point... just because I am hyperventilating right now.... as I always do when I watch BTS. So, let's just be fully captivated by these young men and their total performance. And, if this is not enough, we can also view this...
...or this...
And while we're at it, why don't we add a little humor with this...
...and this, too...
And if these are not enough, perhaps this and this can fill your need for some BTS love today.
Yes, I waited for almost three years before posting something on BTS. I even went to S. Korea in early 2019 to have a taste of the beauty of the place that inspired them to work hard and be who they are today. Although, that trip, of course, was all about fulfilling a promise, too. Perhaps, that's what made traveling to Seoul that time so apt to become an ARMY. Our BTS was a promise: a promise of excellent iconic music of a generation that was so difficult to define; and now, that promise has been fulfilled. Now, we can just go about admiring them, and just being a part of that incredible, loyal ARMY that love these seven beautiful souls because our mutual desire to make this life beautiful is mirrored by every single note they sing, every move they make in their performances, and every sincerely happy smile they flash to their army. I am sure it was never an easy ride for them... we can see the tremendous sacrifice and discipline they impose on themselves, which make them a great reminder that good things do not come overnight. We have to work with constant commitment and heartfelt tenacity... and in unison and harmony with one another to make a truly positive and lasting impact.
So, really, BTS is just happiness, and I love them!
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Video credit: The videos used in this post belong to BTS, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the Late, Late Show with James Corden and Billboard Music Awards. Thanks to YouTube for the video links.
