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4.47 AVERAGE
4.47 AVERAGE
I didn't love the format so much, but adding QR codes to connect the stories on the page to actual performance was sheer brilliance.
I definitely wanted more for the boys themselves and a bit more grit. Because daggum the heart of these 7 men is amazing.
I definitely wanted more for the boys themselves and a bit more grit. Because daggum the heart of these 7 men is amazing.
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
i love bts i love bts i love bts (“but beyond such earthly accomplishments was the truly special gift, the single greatest thing the members had gained from the group: each other”)
I’ve been a casual fan of BTS since about 2016. I didn’t know much about their story but did enjoy listening to their music here and there and watching their music videos. This summer, I decided I should learn a bit more about them since it was their 10th debut anniversary. Reading this book helped me better understand the journey that brought BTS to where they are now.
Beyond the Story is not comprehensive in its outline of everything that ever happened to the 7 members of BTS between 2013 and now - nor does it necessarily offer any direct critiques of the group or the K-pop industry more broadly. The book is semi-autobiographical and is produced and promoted by BTS’s entertainment company, HYBE. (In fact, several times throughout the book, the author notes their decision to not directly quote particularly scathing critiques that had been said about BTS). But, if you enter into the book knowing that its main purpose is to celebrate BTS and their fans, then it is a worthwhile read.
What Beyond the Story does offer is an overview of BTS’s members’ reflections on their lives as trainees all the way up until around 2022 (which irks me a bit that they could not cover elements of 2022 and 2023, such as their decision to go on military leave or their solo debuts - but I understand that this would have been very difficult to write and edit in time for the book to be printed this summer). Myeongseok Kang frames BTS’s story as a tale of underdogs who, against what seems like all odds, find success.
While their company, BigHit, may have been on the brink of bankruptcy during BTS’s trainee and debut days, it’s interesting how it was their low-budget, ‘DIY’ promotional efforts such as YouTube vlogs, dance practice videos, and ‘cook with me’ blog posts that helped BTS candidly share who they were with the world and win the hearts of millions, even when few saw their potential in the beginning. On the brink of a new digital age, BTS (seemingly unintentionally) spearheaded the movement towards a new form of idol culture. They eventually reached a point where there was no precedent for what came next, given their massive global popularity.
These YouTube videos and blog posts served as a massive archive Beyond the Story could pull from and reference with QR codes scattered throughout the book - which, I have no doubt, help boost HYBE’s financial earnings as they garner an influx of viewership on older YouTube videos. While I can be cynical about this, I truly appreciated the multimedia approach to storytelling that the book created as the timeline wove between text, photographs, music, and videos.
From an anthropological ethnography standpoint, I particularly appreciated how Kang centered the text around the BTS members’ own words. Formatted clearly with block quotes and different colored text, it was easy to identify when you were reading direct quotes. It was like you were right there in the interview, listening to what each member had to say. Balancing 7 members’ interview contributions evenly and combining them into one larger work is an impressive feat!
While I wish Beyond the Story explained the backstory for more of their songs, I did appreciate how the book forms parallels between the challenges the BTS members faced in life with their music’s thematic concepts. While HYBE’s decision to release a book in honor of their 10th anniversary may on one hand be seen as a manufactured, strategic marketing choice, I think BTS’s members have still always managed to maintain their candid personalities and share their real thoughts, dreams, and fears through their actions and words. Having the opportunity to learn even just a little bit more about their story in their own words was very touching.
Beyond the Story is not comprehensive in its outline of everything that ever happened to the 7 members of BTS between 2013 and now - nor does it necessarily offer any direct critiques of the group or the K-pop industry more broadly. The book is semi-autobiographical and is produced and promoted by BTS’s entertainment company, HYBE. (In fact, several times throughout the book, the author notes their decision to not directly quote particularly scathing critiques that had been said about BTS). But, if you enter into the book knowing that its main purpose is to celebrate BTS and their fans, then it is a worthwhile read.
What Beyond the Story does offer is an overview of BTS’s members’ reflections on their lives as trainees all the way up until around 2022 (which irks me a bit that they could not cover elements of 2022 and 2023, such as their decision to go on military leave or their solo debuts - but I understand that this would have been very difficult to write and edit in time for the book to be printed this summer). Myeongseok Kang frames BTS’s story as a tale of underdogs who, against what seems like all odds, find success.
While their company, BigHit, may have been on the brink of bankruptcy during BTS’s trainee and debut days, it’s interesting how it was their low-budget, ‘DIY’ promotional efforts such as YouTube vlogs, dance practice videos, and ‘cook with me’ blog posts that helped BTS candidly share who they were with the world and win the hearts of millions, even when few saw their potential in the beginning. On the brink of a new digital age, BTS (seemingly unintentionally) spearheaded the movement towards a new form of idol culture. They eventually reached a point where there was no precedent for what came next, given their massive global popularity.
These YouTube videos and blog posts served as a massive archive Beyond the Story could pull from and reference with QR codes scattered throughout the book - which, I have no doubt, help boost HYBE’s financial earnings as they garner an influx of viewership on older YouTube videos. While I can be cynical about this, I truly appreciated the multimedia approach to storytelling that the book created as the timeline wove between text, photographs, music, and videos.
From an anthropological ethnography standpoint, I particularly appreciated how Kang centered the text around the BTS members’ own words. Formatted clearly with block quotes and different colored text, it was easy to identify when you were reading direct quotes. It was like you were right there in the interview, listening to what each member had to say. Balancing 7 members’ interview contributions evenly and combining them into one larger work is an impressive feat!
While I wish Beyond the Story explained the backstory for more of their songs, I did appreciate how the book forms parallels between the challenges the BTS members faced in life with their music’s thematic concepts. While HYBE’s decision to release a book in honor of their 10th anniversary may on one hand be seen as a manufactured, strategic marketing choice, I think BTS’s members have still always managed to maintain their candid personalities and share their real thoughts, dreams, and fears through their actions and words. Having the opportunity to learn even just a little bit more about their story in their own words was very touching.
I’m not the biggest fan of non-fiction, but when a book is written about something that you’ve lived and breathed for the last 6 years you have to stop and do what has to be done. I still learned a lot going through their story, putting pieces in a new perspective and light that I hadn’t before. I loved the interjected thoughts from the members and QR code memories to complete the picture. Was the language/writing stilted at times, sure, as to be expected from a translation. I do not think that it took me out of the experience overall.
"I want to see the light, for once,' 'If nothing else, we want to have one concert at least.' - Suga
"BTS no longer needed any adjectives or other qualifier to be identified, the juxtaposition of three letters of their name being powerful enough now"
"The members were just good people. Very good people.." - RM about the members
I have never cried this much reading any other book.
Maybe because for me it was like going back on the journey I have already been on with BTS. It's like opening a photo album and seeing all these memories you made with your people, sad, difficult and happy but all so beautiful.
This is a biography encompassing the last 10 years of BTS' music career, it is also about BTS looking back on this journey and all the sacrifices they had to make, every thorn in their path. It's an honest conversation with the world to tell their own story.
If you have been ARMY for sometime, many of the topics would be familiar, but this book includes never shared before insights and thoughts from the members about those times, which makes it very important and precious. New fans would learn even more from this as it chronologically lays out the history of the band.
One key point in the book that I cannot stop thinking about is their struggles during 2018, while it was the time they were seeing unprecedented growth in their career, it was such a difficult time for them, their raw emotions are captured in these pages, their dilemma, their hopes, the constant burn out and yet pushing through both mentally and physically beyond limits.
While it is difficult for me to think of how any non-fan or even very new fan would find this book, even if they are slightly interested they can perhaps go on a journey and just come out knowing these 7 people who just did what they set out to do and even more. There are many QR codes and links provided with the book to get context about the song or performance being talked about, which makes it an engaging read.
_________________________________________
Pre-ordered this book! I have been waiting for a book from BTS' perspective about this unbelievable journey and the monumental cultural impact they have made as Asian artists in the global music sphere. This is going to be so important to ARMY and i hope people who are not fans (yet) will also find this book interesting and see BTS for who they are.
Review will come up on release!
"BTS no longer needed any adjectives or other qualifier to be identified, the juxtaposition of three letters of their name being powerful enough now"
"The members were just good people. Very good people.." - RM about the members
I have never cried this much reading any other book.
Maybe because for me it was like going back on the journey I have already been on with BTS. It's like opening a photo album and seeing all these memories you made with your people, sad, difficult and happy but all so beautiful.
This is a biography encompassing the last 10 years of BTS' music career, it is also about BTS looking back on this journey and all the sacrifices they had to make, every thorn in their path. It's an honest conversation with the world to tell their own story.
If you have been ARMY for sometime, many of the topics would be familiar, but this book includes never shared before insights and thoughts from the members about those times, which makes it very important and precious. New fans would learn even more from this as it chronologically lays out the history of the band.
One key point in the book that I cannot stop thinking about is their struggles during 2018, while it was the time they were seeing unprecedented growth in their career, it was such a difficult time for them, their raw emotions are captured in these pages, their dilemma, their hopes, the constant burn out and yet pushing through both mentally and physically beyond limits.
While it is difficult for me to think of how any non-fan or even very new fan would find this book, even if they are slightly interested they can perhaps go on a journey and just come out knowing these 7 people who just did what they set out to do and even more. There are many QR codes and links provided with the book to get context about the song or performance being talked about, which makes it an engaging read.
_________________________________________
Pre-ordered this book! I have been waiting for a book from BTS' perspective about this unbelievable journey and the monumental cultural impact they have made as Asian artists in the global music sphere. This is going to be so important to ARMY and i hope people who are not fans (yet) will also find this book interesting and see BTS for who they are.
Review will come up on release!
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
emotional
informative
medium-paced