For those who need to GET EDUCATED...
Let's learn some faces and names.
A quick note from yours truly…
I am thrilled to welcome a stunningly gorgeous guest writer…my #1 ARMY bestie…Dani! She texted me yesterday “I’m doing something kind of embarrassing. Idk if you want to share it on the stack” with a picture of this draft. Naturally I said absolutely share it do not be embarrassed why would you be embarrassed?! Never apologize never surrender! Wellll if you are a baby ARMY reading this, you are in absolute LUCK.
Listen up: comeback is in T-MINUS 3 DAYS and y’all need all the help you can get. This is the perfect introduction to the seven members. Believe me when I say every single ARMY has the same villain origin story: one day we watched a performance of theirs and decided ‘oh wow okay. I am finally going to learn their names!’ And then there was truly no going back. Ask any of us what it was and we will have an answer for you at the ready!
So please. Take a minute and check this sucker out because Dani truly went above and beyond. The amount of wisdom and A+ content she compiled for us is a gift. And then after you read this reach out to HER to thank her for taking the time to do this! She promised me it was so much fun for her too. And again…that’s why I’m here! It is literally SO much fun for us both no matter who else reads what we have to say. I am grateful to her for staying by my side amidst this insanity (both the good kind and the bad kind 🙃) over the past few years. We love her!
One more quick THANK YOU to you subscribers of this newsletter so far. When I tell you I genuinely thought my ARMY close friends list would be only three people…I mean it. Sending a big kiss to all the friends/acquaintances/strangers who have been so nice to me ever since I started this lil thing! And if you are new here because you want to support our queen Dani, maybe read my first post and send this newsletter to any of your internet friends that follow her too because I promise she has just as much to do with this as I do :) OKAY I’M DONE TAKE IT AWAY ERN !!!
-Alyanna
Disclaimer from Dani: I AM NOT AN EXPERT WHEN IT COMES TO BTS. I AM NOT A MANAGER ARMY AND I AM ONLY AN ARMY OF 2 YEARS. I am not Korean nor do I speak Korean. I have not and will never claim to have the knowledge and background of a K-ARMY or an original 2013 US ARMY. I am sharing this as a simple guide to NEW AMIs that may want to finally “just learn their names”. If I need to change anything or miss anything, please let me know and I will change it. I will include an edits and updates section at the end of this. I do not own any of the pictures or videos shared unless specifically stated. BTS has hundreds of videos and pictures that ARMY consider “the” pictures or “the” videos, but I picked some of MY personal favorites. All of my BTS knowledge comes from learning from other AMI and Google. Lastly, I am not including personalities, all member nicknames (I’ve included some), quirks, hobbies, or friendships at this time. That requires a whole other post. Ok are you ready? Let’s get it! Ssag da bultaewola bow wow wow!
HOMEWORK (Videos to Watch):
The Most Beautiful Life Goes On: A Story of BTS (2022 Update!)
Learn How to Pronounce BTS Members Korean Names!
RM AKA Kim Nam-Joon or Kim Namjoon
Position: Leader, Main Rapper
Birthday: September 12, 1994
Sign: Virgo
Representative Emoji: 🐨
IG: @rkive
Some of Dani’s Favorite RM performances and moments:
Look Here during BTS 2021 Festa Medley
Jin AKA Kim Seok-Jin or Kim Seokjin
Position: Sub Vocalist, Visual
Birthday: December 4, 1992
Sign: Sagittarius
Representative Emoji: 🐹
IG: @jin
Some of Dani’s Favorite Jin performances and moments:
SUGA AKA Min Yoon-Gi or Min Yunki or Min Yoongi
Position: Lead Rapper
Birthday: March 9, 1993
Sign: Pisces
Representative Emoji: 🐱
IG: @agustd
Some of Dani’s Favorite SUGA performances and moments:
Daechwita (as his AGUST D Persona)
j-hope AKA Jung Ho-Seok or Jung Hoseok or Hobi
Position: Main Dancer, Sub Rapper, Sub Vocalist
Birthday: February 18, 1994
Sign: Aquarius
Representative Emoji: 🐿
IG: @uarmyhope
Some of Dani’s Favorite j-hope performances and moments:
Jimin AKA Park Ji-Min or Park Jimin
Position: Main Dancer, Lead Vocalist
Birthday: October 13, 1994
Sign: Libra
Representative Emoji: 🐣/🐥
IG: @j.m
Some of Dani’s Favorite Jimin performances and moments:
Filter (good luck recovering after seeing this)
Serendipity (my fave BTS solo)
V AKA Kim Tae-Hyung or Kim Taehyung
Position: Lead Dancer, Sub Vocalist, Visual
Birthday: December 30, 1995
Sign: Capricorn
Representative Emoji: 🐻/🐯
IG: @thv
Some of Dani’s Favorite V performances and moments:
Stay PTD LV D4 (one of my fave moments ever tbh)
Jungkook AKA Jeon Jung-Kook or Jeon Jungkook (pronounced Jeongguk, his birth name is Jeon Jeongguk)
Position: Main Vocalist, Lead Dancer, Sub Rapper, Center, and most importantly GOLDEN Maknae (our baby star candy)
Birthday: September 1, 1997
Sign: Virgo
Representative Emoji: 🐰
IG: @jungkook.97
Some of Dani’s Favorite Jungkook performances and moments:
Now that I’ve educated bb AMIs and entertained veteran ARMY, here are my current BTS stats. I would love to know yours in the comments or over on IG @daniruizabbott.
First bias: j-hope (Hobi or Jung Hoseok) and Jin (Kim Seokjin)
Current bias: RM (Kim Namjoon, Namjoon, Joon), rapline, OT7 (one true 7)
Bias Wrecker(s) (in order of their power): Jungkook and SUGA
Concerts I’ve been to: Permission to Dance (PTD) LA D3 and PTD LV D4
NOW I WANT TO KNOW. Who’s your BTS bias?
END NOTE: And now, because I feel like it’s important to point this out. BTS and K-pop in general benefits from Black culture and cultural appropriation. The music they create was first created by Black people. The styles they wore at their debut were appropriated from Black Rap Culture. They are famous because of the ART and styles that came from Black Hip Hop and Rap Artists. I truly do feel like their work, lyrics, and songs are their own, and that they draw deeply from inspiration and appreciation, but their beginnings were questionable!
While ARMY is a wildly diverse group, it is important to acknowledge that BTS has not been and will not always be perfect with their activism and with cultural appropriation in general even if they seem to be ON THE PULSE and aware now. And not every ARMY feels the same way I do.
Again, they had problematic beginnings and middles (can’t forget j-hope’s twists in CNS). I cannot speak or accept apologies for any community. Especially the Black ARMY community. Stay educated on BTS history and remember that BLACK LIVES MATTER. Listen to, uplift, and amplify BIPOC ARMY. Full stop. You can love a group of seven men and still hold them accountable.
List of articles to learn more about BTS’ history with social justice and cultural appropriation/appreciation:
Everything BTS has ever done, both good and bad, related to all social justice issues
BTS owes a lot of their success to Black people and they know it
You Never Walk Alone: The Black ARMY Coalition’s Mission To Uplift Black BTS Fans
Edits and Updates: This is where I’ll put in any necessary edits, updates, and corrections.
…my bias is RM…🫡