eight song, eight years

화양연화 

I NEED U plays the moment I typed this. Trying to reminisce all the possible bittersweet memories that I've experienced, gone through while knowing this particular group that has become a big part of my adolescences year. 

It was with this song that I 'officially' become their fans, even though it all started when I saw their Boy in Luv Inkigayo performance earlier 2014. Then Danger era came and I'm still in denial whether to stan them or not after EXO's OT12 has shattered. 

War of Hormones came, and tadahh - I'm a fan of this seven boys.

What start only as a fascination and admirable with how their performances, visuals and talents, has become deepen with a cause the moment In The Most Beautiful Moments in Life was created. I still remember those days, the most agonising phase of my life because I was so frustrated to see the storyline MV. Especially when it's your ultimate bias who have to act all out in pain and lost (hahahah buduhnya bila ingat balik. emo betul.) 

The thing about this boys, ever since their No More Dream eras they have tried their best possible ways to break the stigma and barrier of how K-pop boy groups should be. All lovey dovey song with a hint of innocence has been shifted with a song that talk about dreams and not giving a damn about what society would say about you.

Excuse my language, dear readers. Allow me to unleash my inner fangirl mode just for this particular day. 

RM's OIRUL82 Intro speaks loud about my belief. The strength and willingness to go after one dreams ain't a simple road to take. It's not getting smoother as you go into the journey. Well, they did came up with a song that circulates around teenage love life - the usual of having crushes and expressing your feelings to someone you like. 

I NEED U came into the scene - and the world view of how Kpop MV should be has changed. As I look closely and so do the other ARMIES, this era is not just about love. The lyrics did said about it, but it's a contrary one for the MV.

And all the other MV following after that with a more evolved, matured side of them trying to show to the people who have accused and told them as a failure to be proven wrong. 

It's about friendship. It's about not giving up in your own dreams. It's about not giving in yourself with the world's view, how you should act, how you should think and how you should be. It's about showing and fighting for the truth. It tells us to keep your head on the ground, but the heart soars rise high up in achieving and keep on believing in yourself. 

It's about loving yourself. Fight for what's right. 

Even as I write this, I could feel a very sentimental, deepen sober side of me is making its comeback. Remembering how hard it was for them before and look at how far they've come now. They've inspired millions, including me, to be good and do good on which each one of us will benefited from it. 

They did more than just singing and dancing. They set the cultural phenomenon on which years later, they will be still become the talk of the world (pretty sure ARMY will keep on doing it despite getting myself busy with adulting).

Counting down their eight songs that has given significant meaning for me

As to celebrate the eight years with BTS,here are the countdown list of their songs that I hold dearly.

Disclaimer alert: these are based on my own preferences. Feel free to take the good part and leave out the bad ones. 

1. Tomorrow

Our dreams are never that far nor near to us, but we can't deny of having doubts and anxious about how things gonna turn out. Guess what? It is going to be more wasteful if we don't act instead of waiting for your dreams to come true. If your day hasn't turned out well, it's okay. You've tried your best and that's what matters. Keep on going one step at a time. 

We're living in a real world, and there's no such thing as fairy godmother unless you're a Disney princess.

2. Epilogue: Young Forever

This one is really something for me. It tells one that it's okay to fall down and found yourself getting hurt from it. Even if you cry, it's really okay. A friend of mine once said, crying shows how soft a person's heart can be. We're all fooled into thinking that crying is part of human weakness, when actually it's not.

No matter how many times we fall, it's all about how we pick ourselves up going to bring such meaning to us. Dreams, hope, forward, forward.

3. Not Today

Today is not your day, negativity. Not today. 

This faith I have on myself won't be shaken by it, and I believe I can make it. As long as we have each other, that's more than enough for us to break you, negativity. 

4. Spring Day 

If you happen to know the tragedy of Sewol Ferry, fans believed this song and music video was dedicated for the lost loved ones. More than half of the victim was high school students, and it still bring such pain to this very day for the Koreans at the thought of it. This song is about losing a friend, and we can't help but wonder for how long we're going to keep missing them.

This song is so close to me too, and I dedicated this for my late grandpa, that has passed away 11 months after this was released. 

 

5. Mikrokosmos

Teamwork makes the dream work. 

*Enough said because I literally can't stand another tears for this one. 😀

6. I'm Fine

As you can see from the gif, I'm Fine was actually somehow a sequel (or a prequel) from Save Me song. Before, it was about how when one succumbed into darkness of their own journey and we hoped for others to help us, save us. Yet on reality, we have the power to save ourselves. People may not understand or know what we've been through in life. All it takes are for us to try to learn to accept that it has happened and learn to understand ourselves better: the good and bad side of us. 

I always scream my lungs out for each part of  I'm Fine in this song. It feels good to give assurance to ourselves tho. 

7. Interlude: Shadow

The genius Min Yoongi with this song is like dissing both his past and present self. More importantly, this song was created by sampling the instrument sounds from O!RUL8,2? (source from Spotify on the summary of this song).

It's like the shadow of his past self is daunting his present self. After all the hard work, effort and countless of night to get to the place where he is now, his shadow keep on saying was it all worth that he has given his best. Does that makes him feel happy with the whole world is watching his every movement? It's a big responsibility for himself to keep sane and moving forward. 

We have the right and choice to choose for ourselves, and there's no denying that we all have our own Hyde & Jekyll. 

8. We are Bulletproof: The Eternal

The animated music video itself compiles all the seven seasons of this seven boys journey throughout their career together. We are Bulletproof: The Eternal was released one year ago on this day. What makes this as the last one in my list, is because how I can feel each ARMY are connected with this song after the earlier days of We are Bulletproof song was released before.

Back then, if it wasn't because of their fans who keeps on encouraging and supporting them to get through all the struggles and challenges. They won't be where they are now, and so do the fans. It's about how we got each others back to live on in this life, and thus that's where the bulletproof came from.

Plus, it was Bulletproof Boy Scouts before the BTS we know now 😎

Honourable mention for:

1.  Intro: Never Mind

2. O!RUL8,2?

3. RUN

4. Magic Shop

5. Hearthbeat  

Bangtan Sonyeondan is more than just a Kpop boy band. And I hope they will bring more good cause for others to follow and inspired with. 

Happy eight year anniversary, our Bangtan Sonyeondan! 

보라해!