WEEK 36 | We All Feel It Together

Monday Muster
Written By Quince

September 2 - 8, 2024

Reeling.

I don’t know about you, but it’s been a long time since I’ve willingly tuned in to watch the news. There is so much going on in the world that makes me feel helpless. I don’t bury my head in the sand—I do keep myself informed on world events—but over the course of the last few years, I’ve become much more intentional about how I take in the news and what my sources are. Do you find yourself feeling similarly?

Helplessness can lead to us feeling isolated and misunderstood, and when that happens, it’s natural to seek out community. MAP OF THE SOUL: 7 was written before the COVID-19 Pandemic began, but most of the album’s themes feel very prophetic in hindsight. 2020 was a year full of fear, pain, and a lot of uncertainty about the future. There haven’t been many times in history when literally every single person on the planet has been scared of the same thing, at the same time. And with so many people having to be on lockdown in their homes, the isolation increased ten-fold. The internet was the only way we could all stay connected, for better or worse. It was both comforting and divisive.

MAP OF THE SOUL: 7 Concept Photo

BTS decided to lean into providing comfort, of course. They—even while navigating their own sadness and disappointment—took the time to reassure us that they were there, and they understood how we felt. They went LIVE for mundane reasons, just to hang out with ARMY, released fun songs to make us smile, and held record-breaking online concerts. 


Life will bring us pain and sadness sometimes, no matter what. We will all feel out of control now and then. There is strength in this unifying fact. And once we acknowledge that fact, we no longer feel alone. This week we’ll examine more of MOTS: 7 and BTS’ powerful message to us: “We hear you, let’s get through this together, and one day we WILL be happy again.

 
 
 

Skip to Content: Day One | Day Two | Day Three | Day Four | Day Five

 

DAY ONE:

MAP OF THE SOUL: 7 Concept Photo

ARMY was polled once about which BTS songs they wanted to see performed live the most, and the answers were revealed to the members during a game on an episode of “Run BTS!”. They had to guess which songs ARMY had picked, and not even one of them got the correct answer for the #1 spot—they were genuinely shocked when the producers told them it was “Louder Than Bombs”.

A few months ago, I wrote a Bangtan Bubble asking, “Has BTS’ music ever been a ‘bulletproof shield’ in your life?” I answered it in a video on TikTok (if you look it up, it got muted so there’s no sound in most of the video, but there are captions) and said yes. The song I gave as an example was… you guessed it—”Louder Than Bombs”. 


If you watch RM’s VLIVE where he talks about the creation process for MOTS: 7 (and you should, it’s today’s “Fun Fact”) you’ll hear him talk about how writing this song was a difficult and laborious process. Several rounds of lyrics were rejected before the final ones were settled on by the entire team. RM was inspired by the contents of fan letters they’d received, and posts they’d seen from fans online. More specifically, the sad stories that were being shared. The reality is that we will be sad sometimes, no one can be happy all the time, especially in the face of overwhelming hardship.

 

MAP OF THE SOUL: 7 Concept Photo

Your silent sorrow

shakes me

In the quiet sea of mine,

waves rise from time to time

Louder than bombs I break

The pains that pour down

The facial expression you made —

since the time I learned that it’s not what it meant

As fans, we typically only want to give BTS our happiness and positivity. But the lyrics of “Louder Than Bombs” acknowledge that they know sometimes we’re all putting on smiles, even when we don’t mean them. While writing, RM asked himself, “Is it possible to comfort them? How can we embrace them and their pain?”  


Ultimately, the answer is obvious. BTS tells us they’ll never stop singing for us, and they encourage us to continue speaking ourselves no matter what. Because they are listening. They might not be able to solve all of our problems for us, but just recognizing our struggles, offering comfort and maybe even a different outlook is so important. 

One line in particular has always stuck with me and it’s, “Lighter than the light, don’t you give up your life.” It’s such a simple phrase, but so powerful. Despite what the world, or even your own brain, might be telling you sometimes—you matter.

You have a light. Don’t give up. 

"Louder than Bombs" Color-Coded Lyrics Video

 
 

BTS Reacts: "Louder Than Bombs" - ARMYs No. 1 Choice to see Live

 

Bangtan Bomb: BTS does Impressions

 

Fun Fact:

It’s time to listen to our leader talk about the album-making process again. Here are some highlights…

  • Him joking about following the career of the up and coming SUGA… “He’s going places.”

  • Talking about watching the film again before writing the lyrics to “Black Swan”. “It’s not an entertaining film.”

  • Saying that he felt like “00:00 (Zero O’Clock)” had so much of him in the song, even though his voice wasn’t present. He felt like the Vocal Line was singing it to comfort him.

  • Reminiscing about how he and V used to get into mischief when they were younger and freshly-debuted. He said they both look at life with child-like wonder. And that’s what he thought about while writing “Inner Child”.

  • When talking about “UGH!”, he drops facts like, “Believing that you know everything is dangerous.” (Louder, for all the idiots on the internet!)

  • Him referring to “ON” as the “diary” of BTS’ career.


Honestly, I know I hype up these LIVE album talks that RM does all the time, but trust and believe that they are worth it. If you love BTS, then you love Kim Namjoon’s words. End of story. Enjoy!

 

RM Talks MAP OF THE SOUL: 7 : VLIVE 03/10/20

 
 

DAY TWO:

What exactly is a ‘manifesto’? It’s a word we hear thrown around a lot, and often not in a positive way, but what does it actually mean? In simple words, a manifesto is a written statement declaring publicly the intentions, motives, or views of its issuer. When we think of the word in general, it’s often associated with radical or revolutionary ideas that are political, social, or artistic in nature. 

ON Kinetic Manifesto Film: Come Prima Official M/V

While discussing potential themes and concepts for MAP OF THE SOUL: 7, BTS recounted how much they enjoyed flipping the script and inverting a previous song title to represent their growth and change. They had done it on MAP OF THE SOUL: PERSONA with “Boy With Luv” (a flipped response to “Boy In Luv” from 2014’s SKOOL LUV AFFAIR). They thought, “Why not try it again?” While they all bounced ideas off of each other, it was Jung Kook who randomly suggested that they turn “N.O” (from 2013’s O!RUL8,2?) into “ON”. Everyone else immediately loved the idea, and it planted the seed for the album’s title track.


When writing the song, RM said he kept the phrase “bring it on” in mind. It was something he heard Jimin say quite frequently, typically in response to a game or eating some delicious food. As in “Yeah, bring it on, no matter what it is, I’ll destroy it.” But it took shape in his mind on a larger scale, almost as a tagline for a manifesto…

Hey na na na

To remain sane, one must go insane

Hey na na na

I throw all of myself into this two-sided world

Hey na na na

Can’t hold me down cuz you know I’m a fighter

Find me and I’m gonna live with ya

 

ON Kinetic Manifesto Film: Come Prima Official M/V

The world is often irrational and full of craziness—so we might as well embrace it. BTS proposes that if we can all find at least one thing to go crazy about—a hobby, career, an internet project based on a South Korean band that’s goal is to build connection and community—then we’ll all be able to stay sane. In other words, find something that makes you passionate and feels worth fighting for. 


For BTS, it’s their music. “ON” is a love letter to their (at this point) seven-year career, and all the pain they’d fought their way through. The claim “Can’t hold me down cuz you know I’m a fighter” is so bold, it needs a strong visual representation to match its energy. For this reason, BTS decided they needed not just one, but TWO music videos for the song. And one of them would be completely danced-based—all attitude and determination—straight to the point, like a manifesto.

So, that’s what they called it: “ON’ Kinetic Manifesto Film: Come Prima”. The video was shot in Los Angeles—the first time BTS ever filmed an M/V there—at the Sepulveda Dam in the San Fernando Valley. It featured members of both the Blue Devils marching band and The Lab dance team, which is led by Hawaiian-born choreographer, Sienna Lalau. Not only does Sienna appear in the video with other members of her dance company, she choreographed it as well—at age 19! And it was not the first time she’d worked with BTS, she choreographed “Dionysus” for them as well a year earlier. Wow. If that’s not motivational, I’m not sure what is…

 

"ON" | M Countdown

 
 
 
 

Bangtan Bubble: What would you write your manifesto about?

 
 

Let us know your answer in the comments below or on social media (include #BangtanBubble)!

 

DAY THREE:

"ON" Official M/V

The other M/V shot for “ON” is more of a traditional, story-based music video, though it’s by no means simple or scaled-back. In fact, as we open on what looks like the aftermath of a massive battle, we can see that it’s the opposite. Jin stands in the middle of a field, surrounded by fallen soldiers, lamenting over the body of a dove that got caught in a hail of arrows. Each of the members has a different scene, some with more story elements than others, but they all seem centered around perseverance and breaking free from what binds them—rising up against all opposition. In other words, “bring it on”.

I mentioned last week that BTS told us (very recently) that they had intended for MAP OF THE SOUL: 7 to be a period at the end of the first chapter of their career. They had planned to enter military service after wrapping up their world tour that year. “ON”, specifically, was meant to convey a message of “Bring it on, we’ll destroy it. We’ll conquer this world.” to encourage ARMY to keep going while the members were away, and to remind them that BTS would be doing their very best while performing their duty for their country.

 

"ON" Official M/V

Bring the pain 

It will all become my blood and flesh

Bring the pain

No fear, since I know the way

To the small things, breathe

In the darkness, they are my oxygen and light,

the power of those that make me be me

Even if I fall, I get back up, scream


In j-hope’s lyrics above he’s saying that when in doubt, focus on the small things that give us joy and motivation. When life is feeling too tough to handle, focusing on the things that give us strength will help us to endure and overcome the pain. RM said that this, and the focusing on something “insane to stay sane”, was why BTS puts so much emphasis on their practice time. It’s crazy and difficult, but by embracing the insanity of how hard they have to work, it keeps them from letting in all the skepticism and criticism—the shadow.


Of course, COVID had other plans, and MOTS:7 did not end up being the “See you later!” BTS intended it to be. But that doesn’t make the message any less powerful or worth learning. If anything, the album, and its title track, became even more important as the pandemic swept across the globe and everyone began to feel more than just a little bit “insane”.

 
 

BTS and Jimmy serve Katz's Deli Pastrami sandwiches in NYC | The Tonight Show

 

Bangtan Bomb: V-Ianist's Recital

 

Not-So-Fun Fact

In 2012, before BTS debuted, SUGA was involved in an accident that resulted in him sustaining a very serious shoulder injury that would continue to plague him for many years after.

In the early days, before knowing whether their group would be successful, or even make it to debut, SUGA had an side job as a delivery driver to make extra money. One day, while he was making deliveries, a car hit him and he suffered a torn labrum in one of his shoulders. Later, the shoulder also dislocated. Because he was afraid he would be fired as a trainee if Big Hit found out what happened, SUGA initially lied and said he’d fallen down the stairs. He didn’t even tell his fellow members the truth.

Years later, after the group debuted and SUGA was still struggling with the after-effects of his injury and fearful he might not be able to continue on without doing something about it, he finally came clean and told the company what happened. They asked him to give being an Idol one more chance, and offered to pay for his college education just in case it didn’t work out.
 

SUGA also started receiving treatment for his shoulder, and eventually, in 2020, it was decided that surgery would be his best option moving forward. Not only for his career, but also for his upcoming military service. He had the surgery at the end of the year, in November, and as such, had to miss out on a lot of the promotions that took place in 2021, mostly for the BE album.

 

DAY FOUR:

"UGH" Performance MOTS: ON:E

If we look up the definition of “hype song” in the dictionary, I think the included #1 example would be “UGH!”, by the Rap Line. Or, at least, it should be the example given. Can you think of another song that gets you jumping out of your seat and ready to take on the entire world as much as this one does?  


The lyrics are an obvious commentary on the dangers of social media. Earlier in the album, “Filter” told us that social media shouldn’t be taken at face value, because most people alter their image in some way to show the world what they want them to see. “UGH!” takes that message a hundred steps further—social media can make us think we know someone or something, which can cause us to make snap judgments and respond with malice or anger that is totally unnecessary and misplaced.

 

"UGH" Performance MOTS: ON:E

Even truth becomes lies

Even lie becomes truth

In this place, everyone becomes someone with perfect moral thinking and judgment

How funny

Anger? Sure, it’s necessary

When something burns, it’s with purpose

Perhaps that’s our history

Sometimes that changes the world

But, this is human waste, not anger

 

Believing that we know everything there is to know about someone or something based on what we read on the internet is dangerous. Especially when it turns us into “keyboard warriors” who get into comment sections and spread insults and rage without offering solutions. Does that ever serve an actual purpose? The lyrics above unequivocally say “No.” In fact, they compare useless internet rage to “human waste”. In other words—it’s bullshit.

"UGH" Performance MOTS: ON:E

When the members of the Rap Line were writing the song, they’d originally wanted it to be presented as a competition between them, like a back and forth, but as they shared ideas, they realized that they all agreed with each other and shared the same point of view on the subject. So instead, they decided to make performances of the song represent competition instead. 

Can any of us forget that brilliant performance from their “MAP OF THE SOUL ON:E” concert when they came out in boxing outfits and rapped in a literal boxing ring? As the song progresses, and each member joins in, they circle around and push at each other. It’s mostly RM and SUGA, going back and forth, egging each other on. By the time j-hope arrives and joins in, the tension has built to a powder keg level, and it explodes as they all shout “A-HEM!” aggressively at each other over and over again.


Eventually, they calm down, though it’s obvious they’re still angry. And ultimately, I think that’s the biggest lesson we can take from the song. It’s okay to be angry about things. (I get angry at least five or six times a day.) It’s what we do with that anger that matters most. Going online and yelling at strangers about something we know next to nothing about serves no purpose, and helps no one—least of all ourselves. Rather, why not take our anger and find a way to focus it in a direction where we can affect change and maybe even facilitate a positive solution?

 
 

"UGH!" by Jung Kook, Jimin, and V

 

BTS Deliver Heartfelt Messages to their future selves for Map Of The Soul: 7

Fun Fact:

Let’s take a laugh break! We’re switching things up a little bit this week… keeping you on your toes. This is usually in our Side Quest, but now it’s time for some more “Run BTS!”

  • Jin and Yoongi are forced to watch while the worst cooks in Bangtan try their best.

  • Jin makes Jung Kook the outfit of a lifetime. Justin Seagull’s stage costume is created.

  • Jimin is the goodest boy and has a framed photo to prove it. It goes on to live in infamy.

  • BTS praises V for existing.

  • Bangtan faces off in a PC Bang.

  • Disney/Pixar movies have never sounded better.

  • The Bangtan Test Dummies have fun at the Hyundai showroom.

 

RUN BTS! - EP. 109

 
 

DAY FIVE:

“00:00 (Zero O’Clock)” Performance

Think about the feeling you get when you see your yard, or a large field, covered in freshly-fallen snow—when it’s still pristine and untouched. It brings a moment of calm and awe, doesn’t it? I remember waking up when I was a kid on those winter mornings, pulling the curtain back and seeing that expanse of sparkling white snow, and just being filled with possibilities.


RM used the above example in the lyrics of “00:00 (Zero O’Clock)”. If “UGH!” is the ultimate hype song, then I think we can consider “00:00 (Zero O’Clock)” its antithesis—the ultimate comfort song. While promoting his Layover album in 2023, V recorded an episode of “Dingo Story” which is a Korean web show that allows a lucky fan to hang out with their favorite celebrity for one day. During an emotional conversation they had toward the end of the day, Kim Ha-young, the fan who was chosen to meet V, told him that she had listened to “00:00 (Zero O’Clock)” many times for comfort while going through a tough time in her personal life. She said the song felt like a hug.


Sung by the Vocal Line, it opens with the question “You know those days when you’re sad for no reason?”, and boy, do we ever, right? Those days when we wake up and nothing seems to go right, and we get down on ourselves… they happen far too often.

Yet To Come Busan Concert 2022

I come home

lie in bed

and try thinking

whether it was my fault

An unsettling night,

suddenly, I look at the clock

Soon, it’s 12 O’Clock

…

Zero O’Clock

And you gonna be happy

And you gonna be happy

Like that snow that just settled on the ground,

let’s breathe as if this is the beginning

And you gonna be happy

And you gonna be happy


When we’re having one of those days we constantly ask “Is it my fault?”, it’s easy to get lost in that kind of down talk. And you know what? Maybe it was our fault. We all make mistakes and bad choices sometimes. But as the clock changes from one day to the next, is that really the most important thing to focus on? Probably not in the long run. It would be better for us to focus on the next day and what we can change for the better. The clock striking midnight doesn’t mean that things will automatically change, but it does mean that our terrible day is ending, and the next day is just like that freshly-fallen snow—full of possibilities.

 
 
 

Bangtan Bomb: Spelling with water bottles

 

BTS tell us which new countries they'd like to visit most "ON" tour Audacy

 
 
 
 

Bangtan Bubble: Tell us about something that gives you the feeling that anything is possible.

 

Let us know your answer in the comments below or on social media (include #BangtanBubble)!

 
 

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Honestly, I’m starting to get a little suspicious of how BTS always seems to know what I’m thinking and what I need to hear at all times. We always say that we find them (or they find us) when we need them most, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t sometimes a little sad I didn’t find them at the very start of the pandemic. I definitely could have used their brand of encouragement at that time.  

But it’s okay, because I have them now. We all do. And next week we’ll wrap up MAP OF THE SOUL: 7, and prepare for the next stop on our journey. Where will we end up? No hint this time… let’s wait and see…

 
 
 

Side Quest

At the beginning of 2020, BTS launched an ambitious global project meant to lead up to and tie in with the release of MAP OF THE SOUL: 7. It connected five cities and 22 different artists together in order to provide a cohesive and collective experience. It was called “Connect, BTS”. 


Each artist involved contributed their own unique imagination and philosophy to the project, which brought a new communication between art, music, and people. The curators and artists who signed on to participate did so because they resonated with BTS’ philosophy and wanted to help redefine the relationship between “art and music, the material and immaterial, artists and their audiences, artists and artists, theory and practice”.

A Glimpse of the Global Public Art Project Connect, BTS

 

BTS at Connect, BTS in Seoul

 

BTS at the Connect, BTS Exhibition in New York

 
 

  1. A GLIMPSE OF THE GLOBAL PUBLIC ART PROJECT | CONNECT, BTS (1:31 - as shown)

  2. BANGTAN BOMB: PREPARING FOR CONNECT, BTS (8:08)

  3. BANGTAN BOMB: BTS AMAZED AND AMUSED BY GALAXY WALL | CONNECT, BTS (2:13)

  4. CONNECT, BTS IS PRAISED BY FOREIGN MEDIA FOR CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH PUBLIC ARTS | KOREA NOW (2:20)

LONDON

  1. PRESS CONFERENCE | CONNECT, BTS - LONDON (1:01)

  2. INTERVIEW WITH JAKOB KUDSK STEENSEN - LONDON (7:59)

  3. SECRET DOCENTS OF 'CATHARSIS' BY JIN | CONNECT, BTS - LONDON (1:02)

  4. SECRET DOCENTS OF 'CATHARSIS' BY V | CONNECT, BTS - LONDON (1:03)

  5. 'CATHARSIS' | CONNECT, BTS - LONDON, SERPENTINE GALLERY (1:04)(1:04)

BERLIN

  1. INTERVIEW WITH STEPHANIE ROSENTHAL | CONNECT, BTS - BERLIN (9:06)

  2. SECRET DOCENTS OF 'RITUALS OF CARE' BY J-HOPE | CONNECT, BTS - BERLIN (1:00)

  3. SECRET DOCENTS OF 'RITUALS OF CARE' BY JIMIN | CONNECT, BTS - BERLIN (1:01)

  4. SECRET DOCENTS OF 'RITUALS OF CARE' BY JUNG KOOK | CONNECT, BTS - BERLIN (1:12)

  5. CONNECT WITH 'RITUALS OF CARE' | CONNECT, BTS - BERLIN, GROPIUS BAU

BUENOS AIRES

  1. INTERVIEW WITH TOMÁS SARACENO | CONNECT, BTS - BUENOS AIRES (7:39)

  2. SECRET DOCENTS OF 'FLY WITH AEROCENE PACHA' BY JIMIN | CONNECT, BTS - BUENOS AIRES (0:55)

  3. CONNECT WITH 'FLY WITH AEROCENE PACHA' | CONNECT, BTS - BUENOS AIRES (3:25)

  4. 'FLY WITH AEROCENE PACHA' | CONNECT, BTS - BUENOS AIRES (1:45:16)

SEOUL

  1. BTS AT CONNECT, BTS IN SEOUL (9:47 - as shown)

  2. INTERVIEW WITH ANN VERONICA JANSSENS | CONNECT, BTS - SEOUL (9:07)

  3. SECRET DOCENTS OF 'GREEN, YELLOW, AND PINK' BY RM | CONNECT, BTS - SEOUL (1:11)

  4. SECRET DOCENTS OF 'GREEN, YELLOW, AND PINK' BY JIN | CONNECT, BTS - SEOUL (1:11)

  5. 'GREEN, YELLOW, AND PINK' & 'BEYOND THE SCENE' | CONNECT, BTS - SEOUL (1:08)

NEW YORK

  1. BTS AT THE CONNECT, BTS EXHIBITION IN NEW YORK (5:26 - as shown)

  2. BANGTAN BOMB: A BOISTEROUS SHOOTING OF '3J' (4:01)

  3. INTERVIEW WITH ANTONY GORMLEY | CONNECT, BTS - NEW YORK (10:03)

  4. SECRET DOCENTS OF 'NEW YORK CLEARING' BY RM | CONNECT, BTS - NEW YORK (1:03)

  5. SECRET DOCENTS OF 'NEW YORK CLEARING' BY J-HOPE | CONNECT, BTS - NEW YORK (0:56)

  6. SECRET DOCENTS OF 'NEW YORK CLEARING' BY V | CONNECT, BTS - NEW YORK (0:57)

  7. 'NEW YORK CLEARING' | CONNECT, BTS - NEW YORK (1:08)

 
 
 
 

CREDITS:

YouTube/Web

HYBE LABELS, BANGTANTV, Aerocene Community, alemxxedit, ARMY ARCADE, AUDACY, BANG BANGTAN7, BANGTANFMV, BILLBOARD, BTS LIVE ARCHIVE, BTS 방탄소년단 LIVE, ctc0128, DKDKTV, E! NEWS, Elisssa, iHEARTRADIO, Jaeguchi, K-POP WORLD 60FPS, KBS KPOP, KBS WORLD TV, koobylis, Lemoring, MarianneDraws, Mnet K-POP, MTV, MTV News, Prime Video México, rose've n, SBSKPOP X INKIGAYO, SISSY TRIOS, smolchild, Tena Bangtan, tetebora, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, VARIETY, WithLove BTS, Zaii Kim; Web: wikipedia.org, ok.ru (Video Bangtan Subs), billboard.com

ARMY Project 529 Volunteers

Research Team: Angel (TikTok: Lilangel2828), Leslie Day (TikTok: Leslie Day), Merry (TikTok: merryj67), Sam T (TikTok: samt_26), Shelley (TikTok: shels167), Trudy (TikTok: theeducationmommy), Viv (TikTok: VivEliz); Video Team: Leslie Day (TikTok: Leslie Day); Editing Team: Kendra (Discord: Mudskipper); Website Team: Colette (TikTok: voicesinmyhead2)

 
 

Join us on TikTok every Sunday evening at 8pm ET for #the529live, a wrap up of each week's “Monday Muster”, thoughtful discussions, and tons of laughter! It’s hosted by AP529 Founder, Stefne, on her channel (@StefARMYProject529). Catch us every Wednesday night at 9pm ET on our project channel (@ARMYProject529) for #the529tea, when we dish about all the news going on with Bangtan. 

If you can't watch in real time and want to catch up later, Lives are recorded and posted to our YouTube (@ARMY Project 529).


Quince
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WEEK 35 | What if the Moment’s Right Now?