BTS Army Portraits: The Fandom Is Not a Monolith

BTS’s momentum never once slowed during the pandemic. After a monumental 2020 packed with record-breaking hits, virtual concerts and a Grammy nomination for the summer anthem “Dynamite,” TIME’s Entertainer of the Year for last year continued to dominate the charts—and the Internet—in 2021. The group released three number one singles this year, and in September accompanied South Korean President Moon Jae-in to the United Nations General Assembly, where the members delivered a speech about how today’s youth is embracing change amid the challenges wrought by COVID-19. As BTS’s long-running list of firsts and bests grew in the months since the pandemic started, so too did the size of its passionate and devoted fanbase, the ARMY. With a series of concerts in Inglewood, Calif., this week the triumphant return of BTS to live performances is imminent.
Much has been said about ARMY: their online campaigns to support BTS’s music, their translation work, their philanthropic efforts. But perhaps less has been said about ARMY’s diversity, though anyone who is a part of the community knows it’s one of the fandom’s best qualities. In the general public’s eyes, ARMY is often flattened into a stereotype of teen girls, whose musical tastes have for decades been unfairly looked upon with derision despite the clout they hold as consumers and taste-makers. (Case in point: James Corden’s foot-in-mouth moment when referring to ARMY on his show as “15-year-old girls.”) And while teen girls certainly do make up a sizable portion of BTS’s fanbase, its demographics are in fact much more varied, diverse in age, gender, race, ethnicity, geography and more.
Sub-communities like “Bangtan Moms & Noonas” (Noona is the Korean word used by men to address older sisters), “ARMY MÉXICO” and “Bangtan Egypt,” which are location-based, and “BTS ARMY Medical Union” and “BTS ARMY Bar Association” which are profession-focused, all highlight the colorful and textured identities represented among ARMYs. “Many younger fans talk about their impact, but as an older fan who’s already lived at least two-thirds of my life, I think BTS has had an even more precious impact in many ways,” says Marilyn Schenk, 64. Schenk is a Provo resident and claims that BTS has encouraged her to rekindle past hobbies, such as painting, or create new ones like YouTube videos. BTS has inspired Dan Camp (47), a character effects artist. “I respect that they are humble and always have an ‘I can do better’ attitude,” the British Columbia-based fan shares.
Hannah Yoon was a photographer who set out to capture the diverse faces of this fandom. They are located in South Korea, The U.S., Uganda, The Netherlands, The Philippines, and The UAE. Their love of BTS is shared with their children, partners and parents. They are all ARMY members and, no matter how or when they first fell in love, have become part of an international community which spans multiple continents and has been around for generations.
Name:Britt Franklin 35, (see photo at the top).
Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
Occupation:Apartment Therapy, Full-time Writer and OffCulture Editor
Franklin has been a lifelong music fan, beginning with her love for Boys II Men, then N’Sync and Glee. She loves being part of ARMY and the positive effects they make on the world. Franklin was a fan of Korean music due to her fascination with Korean dramas. She was attracted to BTS’s messages and songs the most.
Song recommendations: “HOME,” “Love Maze,” “Tear,” “UGH!” the Darn N Wild album
Name: Chantia, 26
Location: Antananarivo, Madagascar
Occupation:English teacher, part-time employee at Korean restaurant
Chantia was at a Kpop concert in 2017 when she saw some fans performing a BTS dance. They also sang a BTS song. After the performance, she wanted to hear their music. It can be hard for Chantia to stream live concerts or participate in streaming parties due to poor internet and data connections. Being part of ARMY means more than just helping them get to the top. “I was really shy, and now because I know a lot of ARMY in Madagascar, we’ve become family,” she says. “We share everything even if it’s not about BTS. We share books, dramas and different things.”
Song recommendations: “Life Goes On,” “Spring Day”
Name: Myunghwa, 35
Location:Seoul, South Korea
Occupation:Staff from international high schools
Myunghwa spent three months traveling across Europe in autumn 2018. She was going through life changes at the time. She listened to the group’s album How to love yourself: The answerThat was at the time. “‘Answer: Love Myself’ and ‘Magic Shop’ were the two songs I listened to constantly throughout that trip and they carried healing and encouragement to me,” Myunghwa says. Since the ’90s, Myunghwa has been a fan of K-pop. “Having seen different K-pop artists fighting through a thick layer of stigma that was on Asian artists in general, watching BTS finally breaking the glass ceiling and thriving in the major music markets thrills me.”
Song recommendations: “I highly recommend music you can find on SoundCloud. These songs are free online. My favorite songs are ‘4 O’CLOCK’ by RM & V and ‘So Far Away’ (SUGA, Jin, Jungkook version).”
Name: Marilyn Schenk, 64
Location: Provo, Utah
Occupation:Retirement from 30-years as a consultant, human resource executive and professor at the University of Nevada
Her daughter introduced Schenk to BTS in 2016, while she was listening to Kpop music in her car. Her first song was Suga’s “First Love,” and she was intrigued by its themes about mental health. “The real thing that pulled me is how they act as people,” Schenk says. “They are sincere and they walk the talk.” Schenk adds, “Many younger fans talk about their impact, but as an older fan who’s already lived at least two-thirds of my life, I think BTS has had an even more precious impact in many ways.” Schenk says the group has helped her rediscover old talents, such as painting, and discover new ones, like making Youtube videos.
Songs to recommend: “Mic Drop,” “Dope” and “Spring Day”
Name: Shantul Khan, 16
Location: Karachi, Pakistan
Occupation:Students
In March 2020, a friend recommended the song “ON” to Khan. Ever since, Khan has been a loyal fan. At first, it was the music that drew her in, but she became more committed as she got to know the members’ personalities. “It was the 2018 UN speech by BTS that had an impact on me,” Khan says. “They were helping me to love myself.” For Khan, being a part of a global fandom has been special. “I’ve interacted with people all over the world,” she says. “I’ve made so many new friends.”
Recommendations for Song: “It depends on your music taste. BTS’s discography is so extensive. Cyphers is a great choice if you love rap. I recommend ‘Black Swan’ because it has such a different vibe.”
Name: Agnes Aber, 19
Location:Kampala in Uganda
Occupation:Student studying law at University
Aber first discovered BTS in 2018 during the Billboard Music Awards show as they performed their song “Fake Love.” Aber had never heard of BTS before but was intrigued after seeing them perform. After hearing RM (the leader of BTS), speak at the United Nations, September 24, 2018, she considers that this was the beginning of her fandom. Because it is difficult for Ugandans to purchase merchandise, Aber supports BTS by stream-ing their latest songs and sharing them on social media.
Songs to recommend: “Fake Love,” “Butter” and “Dynamite”
Name: Luciana, 9
Location:Cuernavaca in Mexico
Occupation: 4th grade student
Luciana was introduced to BTS through the song “Dynamite” in the summer of 2020 and became a fan. While Anna, Luciana’s mother, knew who BTS was and had heard their music, she wanted to make sure they were a good influence on her daughter. “I was curious about the music and dancing, but stayed for their personalities,”Anna says. “They teach me a lot of things, but especially to love myself even in the moments when I cannot love myself,” says Luciana.
Song recommendations: “Dynamite,” “Fake Love” and “Idol”
Jackson (left) & Charlotte
Name: Carol Villavicencio, 60
Location:Manila, Philippines
Occupation:CPA since 1983, owner of a computer retailer since 1984.
Villavicencio first heard about BTS through her daughter, but it wasn’t until she saw BTS perform at the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards in August that she became a part of ARMY. “I’m a fan because of their genuine personalities. There’s no pretense,” Villavicencio says. Villavicencio supports the band by helping to organize birthday parties for members and purchasing albums. She also shares news articles about the band. In the pandemic, Villavicencio joined the band’s online concerts. “Before I go to heaven, my dream is to see BTS live in concert,” she says. “If they do a concert in South Korea, I will fly there!”
Song recommendations “Awake” and “Epiphany” by Jin. “DNA,” “Boy with Love’ and “I Need U”
Names:Charlotte 13 years old and Jackson 10 years old
Location:Jersey City, NJ
Occupation:The 5th- and 7th-grade students are, respectively.
Charlotte became a huge fan of Kpop in 2015, when she saw an image of BTS. Jackson followed soon after. “You don’t see a lot of Asian people in the big music industry,” Charlotte says. “When I saw them, I saw them as role models.” Jackson enjoys BTS purely for their music. When asked about BTS’s impact, Jackson says, “They’ve done their part in making me just happier at times.” For Charlotte, BTS has helped her through hard times. “They lift my spirits,” she says. “They remind me that there are people who are decent in the world.”
Song recommendations: “The albums 2 Cool 4 Skool Map of the Soul 7, the song ‘Tear’” – Charlotte
“Start out with the newer ones so you can catch up quickly. Then, start working your way down. Start checking out their solo careers like Agust D’s D-2” – Jackson
Name: Jas, 16
Location: Oldenburg, Germany
Occupation:Students
After her family moved to a new house in September 2017, Jas was scrolling through Youtube when she unintentionally clicked on BTS’s “DNA” music video. “The way they danced and sang was so beautiful. And plus, their visuals in that video blew me away,” she says. Then, Jas googled their names to begin her journey as an Army member. Jas considers her entrance into fandom fate. She was not introduced to BTS by anyone. “I think every single ARMY can relate to what I’m about to say and that’s the fact that they’ve taught me to appreciate and love myself in a way I never knew existed,” she says. “They’ve taught me to always keep trying no matter how hard the situation gets.”
Recommendations for Song: “Spring Day,” “HOME”
Name: Lauren Burke, 32
Location: Orlando, Florida, USA
Occupation:Financial analyst and volunteer for the Universal Asian
Burke (32), is a Korean adoptedee. She started listening BTS in 2018, and she hasn’t stopped since. She was seeking music to workout with and was introduced by her co-worker. After listening to “Mic Drop,” Burke was hooked. “At the time I discovered BTS, I was also on a cultural journey to discover the Korean roots my adoption left behind,” she says. “The ‘Love Yourself’ era was the first time I’d ever heard songs in Korean. Ever since, they have been a part of reclaiming my identity through music, in the language my heart has somehow always known.” She describes the septet’s influence in her life as a “mirror.” “I was born on Korean soil. Being adopted into an American family made it difficult to accept that,” Burke says. “But through BTS and their music, I truly see and love my own reflection now. I see it’s O.K. for me to embrace being Korean and proud of the country I still consider home.”
Song recommendations: “Love Yourself,” “Anpanman” and “Mic Drop” if you want to know their fun side. Currently listening to “Blue & Grey”
Name: Dan Camp, 47
Location: Richmond, BC, Canada
Occupation:Artist for character effects
Camp had to have new music while he was at home working during the 2020 pandemic. Camp had been recommended by a close friend (an ARMY) to listen to BTS with his wife Rosa. They added a few of the band’s songs to their playlists and started to watch their documentaries together. “Seeing the attitude of ARMY rise up to occasions like BLM and other causes was important,” Camps says. He shares that the group’s fighting spirit has also influenced his work. “As an artist, I respect that they are humble and always have an ‘I can do better” attitude,’ Camp explains. “That’s what I’m trying to do with my children’s books. That path is really hard and I use them as inspiration to keep fighting.”
Song recommendations: “Black Swan,” “ON,” “Mic Drop” and Jin’s solo song “Abyss”Name:Joyce Rivers, 40
Location:The Hague (The Netherlands)
Occupation:Communications and marketing manager
Rivers started to follow BTS in 2016, after becoming a fan. Rivers heard the songs over the radio, and she wanted to know more. “I love how much content they create. It’s never a dull day with BTS,” she says. Rivers is connected to global fandom. “I can go anywhere in the world and have a place to stay because I know I have ARMY friends there,” she says.
Song recommendations: “Blood Sweat & Tears,” “DNA,” “Ddaeng” and “Love Maze”
Name:Paula Otero 27
Location: Córdoba, Argentina
Occupation:ESL Teachers for High School
Otero first discovered BTS in February 2020 after she got a Youtube Premium account and saw the BTS documentary, “Burn The Stage.” This led her to watch all of BTS’s American interviews, and she began to read their song lyrics. “The tipping point was when I heard ‘Mono,’” Otero says of RM’s 2018 mixtape. “It was the first time I had truly connected with the songs—at that point I knew this was more than passing interest.”
Song recommendations: “My Universe,” “Moon”
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