WEEK 43 | Every Second Was Forever

Monday Muster
Written By Quince

October 21-27, 2024

Love.

Yet To Come Busan Concert Outfits!

KIM NAMJOON

KIM SEOKJIN

MIN YOONGI

JUNG HOSEOK

PARK JIMIN

KIM TAEHYUNG

JEON JUNG KOOK

BTS!


If you were in Busan, South Korea on October 15, 2022, chances are that you heard the above chanted at top volume, over and over again, whether you were one of the the lucky 50,000 to actually be at Asiad Main Stadium that night or not. As part of Busan's bid to host the 2030 World Expo, BTS held a free concert in order to introduce the city and Korean culture to a global audience. The concert was also livestreamed and viewed by nearly 49 million people around the world.

It was the first time in three years that Korean fans got to scream in support for the group. While, BTS had held a version of their “Permission to Dance On Stage” concert earlier that year, restrictions still in place due to the Pandemic prohibited any loud noise or clapping. And they were ready. Two of the members (Jimin and Jung Kook) are from Busan, it was just two days after Jimin’s birthday, and ARMY knew that military enlistment notices were due to happen at any moment as Jin was about to turn 30 at the end of the year. (He would, in fact, announce his upcoming enlistment the very next day after the concert.) There was a sort of magic frenzy in the air, as everyone collectively realized this would probably be the last time the world got to see the members of Bangtan Sonyeondan perform together for quite some time.

Yet To Come in Busan

They had titled the show “Yet to Come”, after the lead single from their PROOF anthology album. BTS took the opportunity to reassure ARMY that while this concert may have felt like an ending, it was actually a promise for the future—a promise that they loved us and would be back, no matter what. The energy was both explosive and sentimental that night. The cheers were deafening while the members gave one mind-blowing performance after another, but tears flowed freely as well as they delivered heartfelt words of love and hope for the future to ARMY.

For anyone just tuning in to BTS’ career around this time (I was still a fairly new ARMY then, actually), it would be easy to just see the massive spectacle and scale of the concert and think they’d always been that big, and that everything came to them so easily. The vulnerability they showed in between jaw-dropping performances could have come as a surprise to newer fans.

But it was nothing out of the ordinary for BTS. One of the reasons ARMY is the size that it is today is due to how free and honest the members have been with sharing themselves—sharing their true selves and feelings with their fans since the very beginning. The release of PROOF in June of 2022 was a testament to that. This week, we will take a look at the third and final disc of that album, which included raw and unfiltered demo versions of some of their hits, as well as some previously unreleased tracks.

The world of K-Pop is always glossy—carefully crafted images and sounds. A lot of artists only want to show the polished final product to their fans, not the scrapped imperfections they had to get through along the way to making that product. However, from their beginning, BTS has proved themselves to be the opposite. While they’ve always wanted to perform their best for ARMY, they’ve also been extremely transparent on what it takes for them to get to that point. So it’s no surprise that even after achieving massive global fame and success, they were still taking the time to honestly show us how they got there—to show us their proof.

 
 
 
 
 

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

 

DAY ONE:

“Spring Day” Official M/V and “Yet to Come” Official M/V 

We’ve talked about “what ifs” many times during our journey through BTS’ career. They’ve had many “fork in the road” opportunities over the years—perhaps none so stress-inducing as the the thought of “What if they had disbanded in 2018?”. Taking a look at demo versions of tracks and songs that were previously unreleased might seem to pale in comparison, but maybe not so much if you really get down to thinking about it.

“Spring Day” is one of BTS’ biggest songs ever. Often referred to as “The Queen”, it is still on Korean music charts seven years after its release. And I don’t mean that it keeps recharting… I mean that it’s never left the charts. But what if BTS had released a completely different version of the song—one that had a lot of alternate lyrics and featured vocals from only part of the group, primarily V? (Check it out in Day Two’s content.) While still beautiful, would that version have had the same impact? On the flip side, who can imagine “Jump” without V’s iconic verse that ended up becoming his theme song? Not me, that’s for sure. But there is a demo version with just RM and SUGA.

There are songs that seem so perfect it’s tough to think about the fact that they likely went through a growth process before getting to that perfection. Music production is a lot of trial and error and BTS is a prime example of that. Over the years they have had to grow in their sound and in their capabilities. They’ve had to learn how to trust the process and their instincts. And we are grateful that they, and the team of writers and producers they work with, respect the fans enough to put in the work to make that final product the one that it was meant to be.


But we’re also grateful to be shown the path they took to get there…

 

“Boy In Luv” Stage Mix

 
 

BONUS: COWAY IKON WATER PURIFIER 2 & ICON ICE WATER PURIFIER MAKING FILM

 

“Boyz with Fun” Stage Mix

 

LDF X BTS SITCOM TEASER

 

Fun Fact:

Two songs enter Thunder Dome, but only one can leave… oh, wait. No. Just kidding.

In 2022, The vocal line of BTS (Jin, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook) got an opportunity to work with two American artists they really admired: Snoop Dogg and producer Benny Blanco. V, in particular, was super excited about working with Blanco, stating that he’d been a fan of his production work (most notably “Lonely” by Justin Bieber) for a long time.

Their collaboration was “Bad Decisions”, and it was released in August of 2022. It was described as “a euphoric, flirty dance track”, and when asked when he thought the best time to listen to the song was, Jimin replied, “When you’re driving.” Jin and Jung Kook said they worked hard on their vocal stylings and pronunciation of the English lyrics. JK was determined that there would be no trace of his accent while he was singing.

In May of 2023, BTS contributed a song to the soundtrack for a Korean animated film called BASTIONS. The film is a familiar story—plucky underdogs saving the world. (The BTS Wheelhouse, as I like to call it.)

The song they recorded for the film is called “The Planet” and the soundtrack also included contributions from Heize, LE SSERAFIM, BB Girls (formerly Brave Girls) and AleXa.

  1. BENNY BLANCO, BTS, & SNOOP DOGG - "BAD DECISIONS" (OFFICIAL M/V) (4:03)

  2. BENNY BLANCO, BTS, & SNOOP DOGG - "BAD DECISIONS" (OFFICIAL VISUALIZER) (2:53)

  3. BENNY BLANCO, BTS, & SNOOP DOGG "BAD DECISIONS" LYRIC VIDEO (3:01)

  4. "BAD DECISIONS" RECORDING SKETCH (6:26)

  5. JUNG KOOK SINGING "BAD DECISIONS" | WEVERSE LIVE (2:52)

  6. "THE PLANET" OFFICIAL M/V | THE BASTIONS (1:55)

  7. "THE PLANET" (DANCE COVER BY BASTIONS) (3:04)

  8. "THE PLANET" X BASTIONS | COLOR CODED LYRICS (2:59)

  9. THE BASTIONS (TV SHOW) | WIKIPEDIA

 
 

DAY TWO:

“Quotation Mark” Subunit!

Along with the many demo tracks we got on disc 3 of PROOF, BTS also gifted us with a handful of previously unreleased tracks. One of those is “Quotation Mark”, a song written by RM, j-hope, and longtime Big Hit producer, pdogg.

It’s a sweet-sounding hip-hop track, and one that delves into the internal struggle that can occur when we contemplate whether or not we should confess our true feelings. One of the hardest things to do in life is to be honest and open, despite knowing that doing so could mean potentially subjecting oneself to rejection or judgment. Though some of the lyrics point to a romantic scenario specifically, potential rejection is universal and can apply to many different parts of life.

Humans tend to be creatures of habit. For the most part, we prize comfort above almost anything else. Fear of the unknown can be paralyzing. It’s easier sometimes for us to cling to our safe space even if we aren’t terribly happy there. There’s that saying: “Better the devil you know…” Taking a chance and putting ourselves out there is sometimes daunting.


While ”Quotation Mark” speaks to the hesitation to be vulnerable and fully honest about one's feelings, it also encourages the listener to be courageous and speak their truth, even if it comes with risk. The song explores the complexity of emotions that come with the very human desire for true connection versus the pain of possible rejection.

BTS knows this battle better than most. Since they debuted (even before that, actually), they’ve had to risk rejection over and over again. Through the years they have had plenty of harsh words said about them, but they’ve never let that stop them from moving forward. Instead of letting their critics hold them down, they instead used their words to fuel them to push even harder for success.

 

“Young Forever” Stage Mix

 
 
 
 
 

Bangtan Bubble: Tell us about a lesson you learned from a difficult rejection in your life.

 
 

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

 

DAY THREE:

As we talk about potentials and “what ifs” in BTS’ career, I can’t help but be reminded of a moment from the "Burn the Stage” documentary, which chronicled the 2017 tour for WINGS...

SUGA & Jimin in the Burn the Stage Documentary

It’s after a show, and we see the members in cars, heading back to their hotel. SUGA and Jimin are riding together, having a conversation about how the concert went, and Jimin is (as he does) worrying about how he sounded and if he had performed well. SUGA, seemingly almost already asleep, assures Jimin that he did well, and that he thinks the fans really love his voice. “I like your voice,” he also says. This leads into a trip down memory lane, with Jimin remarking amusedly that he almost wasn’t a singer in BTS because when he was a trainee, Big Hit had tried to mold him into a rapper at first, to go along with the “bad boy lover” image they crafted for him at the time.

Both he and SUGA laugh as they remember his attempts to learn how to rap. “I was terrible,” Jimin says. He was the last one to join the team, and he remembers that he almost got cut several times during his time as a trainee. This prompts SUGA to reveal that he had gone to the company heads at the time and told them that they needed to stop trying to make Jimin rap, because he clearly needed to be a singer. His insistence is part of why Jimin ultimately did end up a part of BTS… for which we are all eternally grateful.

But… what if?

“Tony Montana” 2016 Performance

Just a few months before this conversation, in November of 2016, Jimin had joined SUGA/Agust D during the 3rd ARMY Muster for a performance of the track “Tony Montana” from his self-titled mix tape. If you’ve never seen it, or just need to watch again, it’s linked below—Jimin matches SUGA’s energy and hip-hop swag every step of the way. On the mix tape, the song actually features Yankie, but this 2016 performance with Jimin became a fan favorite. Over the years it became a running joke that they needed to do it again—SUGA loved to tease ARMY and Jimin with it every chance he got. We finally got our wish when Jimin appeared on the second night of Agust D’s “D-Day: The Final” in Seoul in 2023.

We’ve also seen Jimin try his hand at rapping a few other times over the years. He famously killed Becky G’s rap in Spanish during OT7’s performance of “Chicken Noodle Soup” at the 6th Soowoozoo Muster. And he even did a little bit of rapping for his album FACE on “Set Me Free Pt. 2”. (Which is a nod to Agust D’s “Set Me Free” from D2… coincidence?) No matter what he thinks of himself and his capabilities, he always keeps trying.

And this applies to BTS as a whole, as well. They’ve never let anyone paint them into a box. While they started as a hip-hop Idol group, they very quickly let the world know that was not ALL that they were. Their growth process over the years has served as an immense inspiration to us as fans. Just because we think we’re better at one thing than another, it doesn’t mean we can’t still enjoy both, because you never know what could come of it if you keep trying. You could be like Jimin, and get an entire track rerecorded with your feature on it because the fans end up liking it more than the original…

 

“Tony Montana” D-Day 2023 Seoul Performance

 
 

“Epiphany” Stage Mix

 
 
 

Fun Fact

Just in case you’re not tired of hearing me talk about “Yet to Come” in Busan…

I waxed poetic a lot about YTC in this week’s intro. So I’m not going to belabor the point too much here. But I’m not kidding when I say this concert is mandatory viewing, not just for ARMY, but for anyone who proclaims to be a fan of music.

Bold words from an established BTS fan, right? Yes, but also, I was still new to the group when this concert happened, and seeing clips from it all over YouTube is part of what caused me to hurtle myself down the rabbit hole at break-neck speed.

I guarantee that if you show “Yet to Come” to anyone who is on the fence about BTS—anyone who thinks they’re just another “boy band”—they will, by the end of the show, already be Googling them, saying:

“I just want to know their names…”

  1. EPISODE: BTS (방탄소년단) @ "YET TO COME" IN BUSAN (33:28)

  2. "YET TO COME" IN BUSAN (2:14:45)

  1. J-HOPE, JIMIN, V, JUNGKOOK - LIVE AFTER BUSAN CONCERT | WEVERSE (19:26)

 

DAY FOUR:

 

“For Youth” Music Bank | KBS 220617

As any of us get older, it’s natural to start looking back and taking stock of our lives. There comes a point when all of us start saying things like “I remember when” or “That feels like so long ago”. When we’re kids, we can’t wait to grow up and have freedom. But once we do, we look back on our youth with fondness and nostalgia. It’s an interesting dichotomy and perhaps the best example of “the grass is always greener on the other side”.

The final track on disc 3 of PROOF, “For Youth”, was a new song that exuded a feeling of sweet nostalgia; it’s a look back to the past, but also a promise for the future—there is more to come. Every time I hear this song, or see one of its performances, it makes me feel warm inside.

 “For Youth” begins with with a sample of “Epilogue: Young Forever” from 2016’s The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever. The lyrics reference several other BTS songs as well, including “Love Maze”, “Always”, “2!3!”, “Spring Day”, “Save Me”, “Outro: Her”, “Trivia 承: Love”, and “Paradise”.

One, two, three, (“2!3!”)

the way we synchronize

I cannot forget

every single moment

Oh, the flower that made my spring day bloom (“Spring Day”)

Thanks to you, I was able to be true to myself (“2!3!”)

You could chalk all these up to BTS being meta (as they sometimes are), or wanting to flex their discography, but each of these references emphasizes the message of “For Youth” while reminding us that their message has been the same all along.

 

“For Youth” PROOF Live

 
 

Xylitol x BTS Smile Specials

 

BTS FOR MEN’S SPRING-SUMMER 2022 | LOUIS VUITTON

 

BONUS: "YET TO COME" + "FOR YOUTH" FACT MUSIC AWARDS 2022

Fun Fact:

Do we NEED to relive these? Yeah, it’s important. Buckle up, here we go…

I was still a fresh Baby ARMY when Jin began his mandatory military service in December of 2022. I watched his enlistment video, but it didn’t hit me hard since I was still learning. But I did feel like it was too soon—almost as though I was being cheated out of an opportunity to get to know him better.

A few months later was a different story. When j-hope enlisted in April of 2023, I watched his “see you later” Weverse LIVE, the footage of him entering the military base, and the Bangtan Bomb that was released of all the members seeing him off. I’d fallen in love with Jack in the Box and his Disney+ documentary. I was INVESTED and I was sad. It still felt too soon.

When SUGA’s enlistment was announced the day after his final “D-Day” concert, it felt like a kick in the stomach. By that time, he was my bias. When he showed us his tattoo and said “See you in 2025”, I knew that MFer meant it. I cried. Not getting a send off video for him hit me harder than I thought it would.

I thought it couldn’t get worse. But by the time the final four enlisted all at once in December 2023, I had made ARMY friends online and we were in the beginning stages of planning the Project. Suddenly, I had people to cry with. And I did. After “Layover” and all of his shenanigans in the latter half of 2023, V had moved into my bias line and was well on his way to declaring “Ult” status. During the Bangtan Bomb, when he got really close to the camera and asked ARMY to keep making lots of VLOGs for him to watch while he was serving, I sobbed.

Despite all of my sadness, I felt proud of each of them too. BTS tackled their military service just like they do each comeback. They all are doing their best, earning awards, and winning over everyone around them. Last year, it seemed like forever until we’d get them back. But now, in October of 2024, Jin and j-hope ARE back, and busier than ever. Suddenly, June of 2025 doesn’t seem very far away at all…

(Oh, and also, THEY WON’T STOP RELEASING CONTENT. Have we really had time to miss them?)

  1. BANGTAN BOMB: JIN’S ENTRANCE CEREMONY WITH BTS (2:55)

  2. BANGTAN BOMB: J-HOPE’S ENTRANCE CEREMONY WITH BTS (4:02)

  3. BANGTAN BOMB: RM, JIMIN, V, JUNG KOOK’S ENTRANCE CEREMONY WITH BTS (3:45)

 
 

DAY FIVE:

BTS knew that PROOF was going to be the last project that ARMY would get from them as a group for awhile. Their inclusion of “For Youth” as the final song on the entire album does not feel like a coincidence. In addition to lyrics that give a nod to their past and hope for the future, there is also a very earnest celebration of friendship.

Waiting for you, I’ll always be here

Daydreamin’ bout us facin’

Really don’t wanna say it but

If I never met you

Oh, what would I be like, baby

Every time I miss you

Those words that have turned into a habit

(It’s so true)

You’re my best friend

For the rest of my life

It’s a no-brainer that this song is a message directly to ARMY, but I think there’s a little bit more there as well. Before closing the door on Chapter One, and before moving on to solo work and military enlistment, “For Youth” is BTS expressing gratitude for the friendship they have with their fans, and also, with each other. They often credit ARMY with their perseverance and success, but realistically, where would each of them be had they not met each other? Despite how much we as fans have lifted them up, the seven members and the bond they have built over the years are the foundation of BTS. This is them reminding each other of that.

But yeah… it’s mostly about us. (quietly tucks her hair behind her ear…)

I wish I could turn back time

Back then when everything was easy,

I should’ve said those words to you more

I’ll be with you

For the rest of my life

Rest of my life


Despite the fact that they’ve told us they love us in SO MANY songs, countless speeches and interviews, multiple livestreams, etc.—the only regret BTS expresses is that they wish they could go back in time to tell us that they love us MORE. I don’t think there are enough “Squees” in the universe to properly express how cute that is.

And meaningful. There are other musical artists that I love who hold a dear place in my heart for what their music has meant to my life, but I’ve never seen a group love their fans and include them everywhere more than BTS. They’ve said in interviews that they want to grow old together with ARMY, and here reiterate that with “I’ll be with you for the rest of my life.”

Sometimes, friends drift in and out of your life. If the friendship is worthwhile, it will always come back—usually stronger than it was before. And you know that those are the type of friends who, no matter how long it’s been since you last spoke or saw each other, you will be able to jump back in with no issues. That is BTS and ARMY. We might be in a time when we can’t see or talk to each other as much right now, but we know we’re still here for each other. And when we get to June of 2025, and they have all returned, we will pick our conversation right back up… as though no time has passed at all…

 
 
 

“For Youth” Music Bank

 

“For Youth” Inkigayo 20220619

 
 
 
 
 

Bangtan Bubble: When BTS is reunited in 2025, what is the first thing you hope they do?

 

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

 
 

FINAL THOUGHTS:

It’s fitting that with the conclusion of PROOF and “Yet to Come” in Busan—the end of Chapter One for BTS—we are wrapping up OT7 content in the blog. This album is their love letter to their career, and to ARMY, but not as a “goodbye”… rather, more like a “Look what we did together. Can’t wait to see what’s next…”

We might have reached the end (for now) of group content, but buckle up friends… next week kicks off our exploration of Chapter Two so far, and the BTS members’ solo eras! As usual, we’ll be going in fan chant order, so stayed tuned as we begin our journey into “Namvember” and all things RM…

 
 
 

Side Quest

Wait… a game in which I get to dress tiny BTS up in adorable costumes AND complete fun puzzles? Say less…


After the success of “BTS World”, launched in 2019, it’s no surprise that the group began production on another game project not too long after. This one would capitalize on the popularity of mobile puzzle games, and offer an alternative to those who didn’t want to play something as story-intensive as “BTS World”.


“BTS Island: In the Seom” launched globally in June of 2022, just a couple of weeks after Festa. The group actively participated in the development and design process—each of them even designed special puzzle levels. They designed the logo, and named all of the animal characters in the game. SUGA also produced the original soundtrack.


I’ve been playing “In the Seom” for about a year now, and I love it. It’s how I wind down and get ready for bed at night, and sometimes I even open it up when I’m stuck in my writing or editing. Playing a few puzzle rounds always clears my head, and helps me get back on task. I also love unlocking new photos when I clear levels and earning fun costumes to dress the members in. I know several other Project members who play as well, and there might even be some… healthy competition going on for who tops the leaderboard each week. Come hang out and play with us!


And listen… if you’re having a bad day… nothing helps quite like stacking the little BTS members on top of each other like and adorable totem pole. I’m just sayin’...

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

CREDITS:

YouTube/Web

BANGTANTV, 🤍ПРО 100🤍ОЛЬГА Olivia 🤍, aftaehyung, ARCHIVE-K, Ari’s Eyebrows, Bangtan Galaxy, BASTIONS, benny blanco, Brilliant, BTS Island: In the SEOM, BTS LIVE ARCHIVE, BTS STAN, btsarmyborahae143, Corrakxx's Mixes, COWAY, Emvmin, Everything is OK, FANDOM BTS, friz프리즈, Gaemoji, Ivey, Jaeguchi, Jendukie, KBS WORLD TV, 𝐊𝐈𝐌 𝐂𝐘𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐑⁷, L PJM, LDF TV by lottedutyfree, Lemoring, Lemoring 2.0, LOUIS VUITTON​, M N, M2, MADE93 OF BTS, Melonee 멜로니, Mnet K-POP, Ratu Zakiyah, rumlyrics, SAMSUNG, SBSKPOP X INKIGAYO, Seokjinnie Zone, Sis Knows, Translation by Song, 130613archive, twtan_, 잔디 Jandi Web: ok:ru

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)

 
 

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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