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A review by natttnattt
Beyond the Story: 10-Year Record of BTS by Myeongseok Kang, BTS
5.0
My first BTS song was “Boy in Luv” in 2016. I remember being mesmerised by their synchronisation. Have you seen their hair flips in that dance practice vid?!
But my favourite songs were “2! 3!” and “Young Forever” because they resonated with me.
1. The romanticisation of youth in how fleeting it is
2. The fear of the future in its unpredictability; and
3. The tenacity (or just pure stubborn determination) to overcome struggles
With that said I don’t think I qualify as an Army, I just listened to their songs and watched their dance practices.
What’s interesting about Asian biographies, I realise, is the focus on overcoming struggles. There seems to be a romanticisation of the pain that must be felt before success. What is unsaid is that it is a rite of passage. It seems like if you do not experience difficulties in life, you are unworthy of success.
Truth be told I didn’t know BTS was facing so many challenges in their strive for success and then, following success. It was a humbling experience to learn about their thoughts at different stages of their careers. I note interestingly the paradox of the desire to be successful and the cost of success. It’s as if there is no middle ground, that the grass is not greener on the other side and that there is a price for every circumstance in life. It is a question of whether the choice is worth the price.
I do think the book overcompensates by painting Bang Si-Hyuk as an all knowing elder that sheds light where wisdom is needed. And I do believe to an extent he is a respectable figure BTS looks up to (based on some of the BTS vids I’ve come across). I wonder, however, whether his aspirations were purer when BigHit was a smaller company. That things were more genuine because there was a co-dependent relationship between BigHit and BTS.
With all that said, I really did enjoy this book and I’m so happy BTS became successful. I think they deserved it and I know that this is only the beginning for sky is the limit. I do hope for the sake of their mental and physical health, that they take time to rest. And rest without guilt because I believe Army will wait for however long is necessary for their comebacks. I believe Army would put the members’ wellbeing before anything.
May all 7 of them be surrounded by love, filled with joy and endless fun. May they have the courage to stay strong when time gets difficult and know when to press pause when the situation calls for it. May they have someone to confide in and lean on. May their legacy live on.
But my favourite songs were “2! 3!” and “Young Forever” because they resonated with me.
1. The romanticisation of youth in how fleeting it is
2. The fear of the future in its unpredictability; and
3. The tenacity (or just pure stubborn determination) to overcome struggles
With that said I don’t think I qualify as an Army, I just listened to their songs and watched their dance practices.
What’s interesting about Asian biographies, I realise, is the focus on overcoming struggles. There seems to be a romanticisation of the pain that must be felt before success. What is unsaid is that it is a rite of passage. It seems like if you do not experience difficulties in life, you are unworthy of success.
Truth be told I didn’t know BTS was facing so many challenges in their strive for success and then, following success. It was a humbling experience to learn about their thoughts at different stages of their careers. I note interestingly the paradox of the desire to be successful and the cost of success. It’s as if there is no middle ground, that the grass is not greener on the other side and that there is a price for every circumstance in life. It is a question of whether the choice is worth the price.
I do think the book overcompensates by painting Bang Si-Hyuk as an all knowing elder that sheds light where wisdom is needed. And I do believe to an extent he is a respectable figure BTS looks up to (based on some of the BTS vids I’ve come across). I wonder, however, whether his aspirations were purer when BigHit was a smaller company. That things were more genuine because there was a co-dependent relationship between BigHit and BTS.
With all that said, I really did enjoy this book and I’m so happy BTS became successful. I think they deserved it and I know that this is only the beginning for sky is the limit. I do hope for the sake of their mental and physical health, that they take time to rest. And rest without guilt because I believe Army will wait for however long is necessary for their comebacks. I believe Army would put the members’ wellbeing before anything.
May all 7 of them be surrounded by love, filled with joy and endless fun. May they have the courage to stay strong when time gets difficult and know when to press pause when the situation calls for it. May they have someone to confide in and lean on. May their legacy live on.