A beginner’s guide to BTS’s Bangtan Universe
K-pop sensations Bangtan Sonyeondan (BTS), known for their synchronised choreographies, introspective messages, and upbeat music, has been recently taking over the music world as one of the most genuine and passionate contemporary artists. BTS's music, at a glance, might seem to be generic pop music, but it is so much more.
What most people might not be aware of is BTS's music tends to be divided into chapters, each with its unique message and music style, and most importantly, backstory. Most of BTS's music videos are linked, and together they create a fantastic story known as the Bangtan Universe (BU for short).
Chronologically, BU content dates back as far as mid-2015, beginning with the iconic music video for their song I Need You. This fictional universe is vast and complex, and for fans of the group, it is a fun activity to look out for BU clues in all the different content BTS puts out, almost like a puzzle. It draws the fans in and allows them to be an active part of the group's musical journey.
The plot revolves around seven high-school boys, played by the seven members of BTS, whose fates are intertwined through thick and thin. As each of them goes through personal adversaries and struggles to cope with everything life throws at them, one of them is given the chance to go back in time and fix the mistakes that led his friends down this dark path.
But the question is, where exactly did it all go wrong? Was it a singular moment that changed everything like the butterfly effect, or a series of unfortunate circumstances that are too complicated to change? Willing to do anything to save his friends, he goes back in time over and over again, attempting to fix things, but is it even possible to do so? Or is he too late?
Stuck in a seemingly endless time loop, the Bangtan Universe takes on various twists and turns as the story gets more complex and intriguing with each new chapter added to it.
The messages in the story are raw and honest, with topics like growing up, mental health struggles, societal pressures, trauma, love, loss, and self-love taking centre stage. While BTS members often play a pivotal role in creating these storylines from their own experiences, it is essential to note that the members themselves and the characters they play in the BU storyline are separate entities. New fans often mistake the Bangtan Universe for being real, and it has caused some quite hilarious interactions within the fandom over the years.
As BTS's popularity has grown, so has the content and the reach of the Bangtan Universe. Although it first started as a concept for some of their music videos, BU content can now be found in all sorts of BTS-related mediums. This includes music videos, short films, webtoons, video games, a couple of books and visual novels, and even some of the notes from their albums.
With over 230 songs and 9 studio albums in BTS's discography, not to mention the numerous reality shows, live streams, and vlogs, it can take weeks or even months for new fans to catch up with all of it. A famous pun in the fandom goes like this – "Once you Jimin, you can't Jimout." But that simply means that you will never run out of new BTS content to enjoy.