Healing and Working on Themselves: Filipino BTS Fans Are Coping, Thank You Very Much
A look at what Pinoy ARMY is up to during enlistment era. By JC Franco.
(SPOT.ph) By the time this article is out, all seven members of K-pop supergroup BTS will have enlisted in the South Korean military. The practice of young South Korean men signing in for military training is so ingrained in the country’s culture and defense strategy that escaping it or getting exempted from it invites a kind of national scrutiny.
ARMY, BTS’s passionate and devoted fandom, has received a fair number of advanced notices leading to this era—or non-era—in the band’s career, the most salient being the statement released by recording label BIGHIT a mere two days after the heavily-streamed and well-attended “Yet to Come” concert in Busan in mid-October 2022. But nothing truly prepared fans for the painful reality of the boys’ military enlistment, even after a request for deferment, and especially because they had to send the band off in sorrow-riddled installments that took the stretch of a year. Getting notifications from BTS’s content hub Weverse elicited varying levels of panic as it announced the entry of Jin in December 2022, J-Hope in April 2023, Suga in September 2023, or the final four members RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook in December 2023.
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BTS ARMY Feelings
For fans who became acquainted with BTS’s music and content at the height of the global pandemic, the change in dynamic from 2020 to 2023—including the cancellation of the Map of the Soul world tour, the release of Dynamite, the announcement of the member’s solo projects, and today’s state of things—feels a bit jarring, to say the least.
“I sorta expected it. I mean, they kept dropping hints plus Proof—you don’t release an anthology unless there’s a shift in a career, hello!—plus all the greatest hits being performed at the Permission To Dance and Yet to Come concerts. But I cried when Jin went in, a kind of mourning for the group I loved—and I’m not iyakin in general!” shares Mel Lozano-Alcaraz, a podcast producer whose slate at ANIMA includes K-culture-driven titles such as All Things K and Fandemonium.
At the time of the announcement, stay-at-home mom, former plantita, and BTS Facebook fan group moderator Carmela Tanjangco had already flown to Las Vegas to see BTS in the flesh and designated a room in her home just for merch, including signed and numbered prints of James Jean’s BTS Seven Phases. Like many immersed in the fandom, she felt so much anxiety. “There was so much uncertainty around the whole thing—like how they would be treated [during training] and what content would be left for us. It was harder that it was my bias Jin who would be the first to go in. It was such uncharted territory for BTS and ARMY.”
Doctor, wife, and mother Macy Vida and her fellow Suga fans had just taken a 40-minute train ride to their bias’ (or favorite member’s) hometown of Daegu when they received notice of the band’s enlistment. “It was a very emotional day,” she says. “I remember us getting the notice in Daegu and all we could do was sit by the train station and cry. We were just having fun at the Busan concert two days prior.” But it hit harder when it was Suga’s turn to enlist. “He had just finished his solo D-Day tour when BIGHIT made the announcement. It was a roller coaster of emotions even if we knew it was inevitable. But the sooner they get in, the sooner they get out, too.”
Meanwhile, BTS content had become a sort of glue that holds ARMY groups together, or a source of inspiration for creative expression. “My daughters and I had a routine of watching [variety show] Run BTS! on Tuesday evenings after dinner. It made us all sad when Run BTS! stopped its regular broadcast in 2022 and when they aired the last special episode in February 2023,” recalls Elias Wicked Ales & Spirits Erin Masangcay. Erin, whose chance to see the boys in person via the Map of Soul concert in Seoul in 2020 was dashed by the lockdowns, also named their pineapple hard cider IDOL—the name of BTS’s explosive single from 2018.
Content developer and occasional journalist Michelle Alejandro, who admits to liking Jung Kook “from the moment he wiped that milk off in Dynamite,” feels the absence. “Especially with someone like him, who always comes on live [via the Weverse app] and spends time with ARMY [via impromptu karaoke sessions, ramblings while folding laundry, or sleeping with the camera on]. But I know they created a lot of content for the fans during this time, so that helps. But, truthfully, I do miss them all a lot.” Mere days before his enlistment, Jung Kook would release collaboration singles with his heroes Justin Timberlake and Usher as part of his solo album promotions then kaput!
Hoping and coping
Carmela has used this time to appreciate and engage with other K-pop groups. “Becoming a multistan [or a fan who supports and follows multiple K-pop groups] was a natural progression for me. I follow groups from BTS’ parent company HYBE such as Tomorrow x Together, ENHYPEN, &Team, Seventeen, and others. I have been able to relive the joy I felt with BTS when I attend these groups’ concerts and other events. With BTS’s hiatus, I mainly follow &Team—Hybe Labels Japan’s first group—that debuted in December 2022. Since they are rookies, I’ve been able to closely follow their journey in trying to succeed in a competitive industry.”
She adds, “I still feel every bit of sadness as any ARMY waiting for BTS to reunite but I’m kinda forced to snap out of it quicker because I need to get ready for another group’s comeback [K-pop term for new music or performance]. There’s just so much good music and performances to look forward to.”
Mel has been using this time to listen to BTS’ deep and wide discography. “I love playing their music, they provide so much comfort and companionship. And of course, catching up with content—watching the Run BTS! episodes I missed (and rewatching the ones I super love), and my annual rewatch of [BTS travel series] Bon Voyage Season 4 set in New Zealand. It’s just HEALING. I’m also excited to finish the BTS Monuments: Beyond The Star docuseries that’s now streaming.”
Macy, who watched Suga’s D-Day concerts in Bangkok and Singapore, has finally found the time to watch the videos she took in both cities. She claims an energizing effect as she reviews the performances of her one true BTS bias. She likewise keeps in touch every day with ARMY friends whom she met over the pandemic and traveled with, planning activities with them in the new year. “Compared to the past three years and after Suga enlisted, I have learned to slow down and do things in moderation,” says Macy, more mindful now of her expenses related to BTS merch and experiences—and the more essential roles she plays in life.
Though Erin and Michelle are keeping themselves busy with their day jobs and respective families, they are still very much ARMY. “I don’t think I can hibernate from being ARMY, even with the band on hiatus,” Erin quips. “In the same way I never stopped being a fan of New Kids on the Block or The Backstreet Boys after they disbanded earlier in their career, I will always have BTS’ music.”
Michelle, for her part, still supports BTS’s music by making their singles chart. “I’ve helped chart BTS songs since Butter in 2021, and I'm continuing that now as ARMY focuses on charting old songs! Imagine getting [BTS’ very first single from 2013] No More Dream back on the iTunes chart after all this time. It was amazing!”
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Prep work for BTS' Comeback
BIGHIT confirmed that BTS is expected to reconvene as a group in 2025 when all members have been discharged from their 18 to 21-month obligation: Jin will return in June, J-Hope is expected to follow in September, and Suga and the four others will return in June 2025. Members who are discharged earlier will likely pursue solo projects and fans will need to wait until the band, finally complete, releases a new album or announces a world tour which many predict will happen in 2026 at the earliest.
“BTS has never conformed to fit a mold. When they stage their comeback, they won't follow the new K-pop or any music map; they'll create a whole new map. And I am here for it,” Michelle foresees.
“They need to stop dropping merch while we wait though!” she adds. “But seriously, I'm taking this time to enjoy their music and will probably catch up on old content. I want to work on my personal goals too, so I'm the best version of myself when we see each other again.”
Carmela jokes about BTS entering their Beefy Bangtan Era, getting ripped from rigorous training. But she gets serious about the physical demands of a concert on fans her age. “As an old millennial, I really need to make sure I am fit for their comeback. A K-pop concert is almost like a sport to me—you need fitness and endurance to last from soundcheck to encore which is essentially a whole day affair.”
She adds, “You need all your executive functions working by the time tickets will be sold. I consider every concert and every ticket battle for my other groups as practice and preparation for BTS’s eventual comeback. I continue to find new hacks to improve the experience every concert.”
Erin looks forward to the group’s evolution in artistry and perspective. “I am excited! I cannot wait for the shift in their music and lyrics. I bet their perspective on life and love will change after almost two years of being away from the grind.”
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Holding out for Spring Day
Winter and spring are a big deal in the BTS lexicon. In their timeless hit ballad Spring Day, winter is depicted as a period of separation and yearning for a lost loved one. In real life, 5 out of 7 enlistments happened during the winter season, and winter is the metaphor ARMY uses to describe this era of time spent apart. Spring, therefore, is the collective goal BTS and ARMY wishes to achieve.
“Spring will come but in increments,” Macy ponders. “But the important thing is it will come—and this is all ARMY is looking forward to.”
Asked how much longer she sees herself as a fan, Michelle replied with a line every devoted fan knows so well. “I am a lifetime fan for sure. I'm in this Bangtan sh*t for life!”
Meanwhile, Mel quotes what every passionate ARMY believes deep down: “I came in late into this fandom but hey—you don’t find BTS, BTS finds you.”
By JC Franco.