It’s the question I’m always asked once people find out that I like kpop.
“You know BTS?”
“Do you like BTS?”
“What’s your favorite BTS song?”
SO FINE I’LL WRITE ABOUT BTS YOU HAPPY?!
I’ve been listening to kpop for over ten years now, and I’m still scratching my head as to how this one band from a label that was not part of the “big three” (SM, JYP, YG) became so huge. One of the theories is that not only do their lyrics speak to the younger generation, but the group was active on social media and fans felt that they became close to the members.
My favorite song of theirs is probably “Fire,” although I remember when their video for “Dope” dropped. Back then, they were unknown to me and now it seems that everyone on the planet knows who they are.
My Music Monday today is their latest song “On.” It’s a rallying call to “bring the pain” because you “can’t hold me know cuz you know I’m a fighter.” In my first few weeks in Korean, listening to this song gave me a lot of hope because I was on an adventure that, despite wanting for ten years, was also going to be incredibly painful and new. Change is uncomfortable, but it’s where we grow as individuals. Especially being in Korea during the rise of Coronavirus, things here seem to be business as normal with a few changes, while back home in the States, people are losing their goddamn minds. Witnessing it from here has been a really unusual situation because even though I was there just a few weeks ago, I can’t imagine the current climate of empty shelves of toilet paper and Lysol wipes. Instead, my norm is wearing a face mask while on the bus to school and teaching students, while being surrounded by a language that feels both deeply familiar and yet totally unknown to me.
It’s an incredibly weird time for everyone, and I feel like I have each foot in a completely different world.
I’ll end this here with the Grand Central Terminal performance. Their live performances have turned many people into fans because they are incredible performers. Enjoy! It’s truly a spectacle to see.
Koffee & Kpop 