BTS 10th Anniversary FESTA

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the group's BTS, organizers such as Big Hit Music and Hive held "BTS 10th Anniversary FESTA" at Hangang Park in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 17th

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the group's BTS, organizers such as Big Hit Music and Hive held "BTS 10th Anniversary FESTA" at Hangang Park in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 17th. On this day, the Han River Park was packed with ARMY (BTS fans) with purple props. In front of various booths installed in the venue, there was no room for fans to experience events organized by the organizers.

Despite the hot weather, ARMY's "fan" was strong. Not just domestic fans. BTS brought fans from all over the world, including Japan, the United States, and Nigeria, to Seoul at one o'clock. It excited the heart of an American high school student who was not interested in Korea and led him to the "road of a Korean exchange student." Meanwhile, a Nigerian college student in his 20s has twice ventured across the African continent.

How did BTS's fans lose their hearts to BTS. I asked 'Army' who I met at the scene why.

ARMY who is now an adult, "Look back on your life with 'Love Yourself'"

"I liked the song 'Love Yourself' the most. When I was in school, I didn't have time to love myself because I had to study. But listening to that song, I thought that I can achieve my goal only when I love myself."

Kim Hee-yeon, a 23-year-old college student from Busan, said. He has been on the path of ARMY since 10 years ago when BTS just debuted. It was around the upper grades of elementary school. At first, he said, it was just curiosity. However, gradually, the lyrics of the song released by BTS moved Kim's heart. Kim said, "Since I liked BTS from my elementary school days to now as an adult, I have become an indispensable being in my life."

Karanda Kay (21) from the United States also picked "Love Yourself" as her favorite song. He visited the venue with his mother, who came from the U.S. two days ago to see him.

"I've been an ARMY for seven years since 2016 when I was a student. I liked "Storyline" in BTS songs. The lyrics of the song are sincere. Especially, "Love Yourself" touched my heart. I started to like BTS and now I live in Korea. I'm an exchange student at Konkuk University."

Peace (23), a university student from Nigeria, is already visiting Korea for the second time. He also became interested in Korea because of his good BTS. He also completed his exchange student course last year. He also introduced his name as "peace" because he can speak a little Korean.

"I think BTS is a pure artist. When you look at famous music, the song itself is good, but the lyrics are often "nonsense." By the way, BTSs convey who they are and what kind of thoughts they have through their lyrics. I think I will continue to love BTS."

Mr. Peace also smiled shyly, saying that he liked Borahae (a combination of "I love you" and "Borahae," the representative color of BTS), among the words left by the BTS.

"The popularity of BTS and SNS played a part."

ARMY said social media (SNS) also played a part in the global popularity of BTS.

Horio Kana (34), a Japanese who entered the country the day before to attend the event, said, "I have been a fan since 2018, but I became more a fan after the COVID-19 pandemic," adding, "At first, it was just a 'favorable' but as videos related to BTS continued to be uploaded through SNS, I gradually developed an internal intimacy."

Morimura Megumi, who works as a freelance drama producer at a broadcasting station, also laughed, saying, "(My BTS improved) SNS and 'senior ARMYs' had a lot of influence," adding, "Senior ARMYs translated BTS videos in various languages and spread them to SNS." He also said, "There is a 'master' who takes pictures related to BTS, so we are continuously sharing photos."

In commemoration of the 10th anniversary of his BTS, he even took a month off work to attend various events in Seoul. Megumi said, "Unlike other Korean idols, BTSn fans in Japan are quite old," adding, "There are people in their 50s, 60s, and 70s."

Meanwhile, at 5 p.m. that day, RM, the leader of the BTS, attended the event in person and communicated with fans for about an hour through "5 p.m., I'm Kim Nam-joon." The event will end with a fireworks display that runs for about 30 minutes from 8:30 p.m.

https://omn.kr/24et9

나이지리아에서 온 아미에게 'BTS 왜 좋냐' 물어보니