BTS and ARMY are two words that go together. Whenever BTS is around, it is no secret that their fans scream their lungs out, whether at a concert, an award show, or an airport. What is or who is BTS ARMY? Is the BTS ARMY overhyped and overrated? Armies are just a bunch of screaming fans?
Why BTS ARMY is More Than Just a Fandom?
The BTS fandom, BTS ARMY, more so through viral hashtags, works to the advantage of the group. It’s almost impossible to scroll through social media without stumbling into a post related to BTS. ARMY has revolutionized how they can use social media to their advantage. The ARMY has created a significant buzz, giving BTS a platform to reach a wider audience than any other group of their time while becoming the world’s most powerful fandom. ARMY comes from many parts of the world, ranging from kids to elders over the 80s of all genders. Diversity itself has genuinely built a tight-knit sense of community among the fanbase.
What is the meaning of BTS A.R.M.Y?
A.R.M.Y stands for “Adorable Representative M.C (Master of Ceremonies) for Youth.“
Bangtan Sonyeondan (BTS) is a worldwide phenomenon. BTS undoubtedly paved the way to greatness and created a legacy for pop artists that will last for a long time. All the seven members of Bangtan Boys, RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, are incredibly talented, and through a lot of hard work and effort, they mastered their skills and reached a level of fame one can only dream of. Their journey to success was certainly not an easy one. But they succeeded with talent, dedication, and, of course, the unwavering support of their most dedicated and loyal fans.
How big is the BTS army?
According to a survey conducted by www.btsarmycensus.com, around 400,000 ARMYs responded to the survey, one of the biggest survey projects professionally done. Around 40.8 million unique social media users identify as BTS fans, AKA BTS ARMY.
How many ARMYs are there in the world?
The member-run Twitter account has 41.7 million followers and 61.3 million on their BANGTANTV YouTube channel as of December 1st, 2021.
Can anyone be a BTS ARMY?
ARMY fandom is one of the most beautifully diverse fandoms, and there are no limits or boundaries that hold anyone back from becoming an ARMY. ARMY welcomes all genders, age groups, nationalities, and all walks of life.
ARMY is a purple ocean of glowing globes yelling BTS fan chants in unison at concerts!
ARMY is a social media supremacy that has the power to dominate worldwide trends and top the charts!
This fandom is all above but much more…
Fan Projects by BTS ARMY as philanthropists
The septet of BTS is known for their philanthropic works, including their partnership with UNICEF for the Love Myself campaign, which aims to protect children and teenagers from violence and sexual assault. The members often engage in charity work using their personal income, but most actions are not publicized as the members request to keep them private. If you go to Wikipedia, there is a section for each member summarizing their Philanthropic work. But that is just the tip of the iceberg.
To name just a few, Jin has been a monthly donor to UNICEF Korea since 2018. J-Hope has been a high-value donor of Child Fund Korea since 2018, while Suga has been supporting child cancer patients with donations, and Jimin is supporting lower-income students on several occasions. BTS also donated 100 million won to the Sewol Ferry Disaster victims.
BTS has grown into artists who share the concerns of young people in their teens and 20s through music and global influence. They share a strong vision so that younger generations move into positive change.
UNICEF
Following the idols’ footsteps
BTS ARMYs follow the BTS footsteps and organize numerous offline and online charity-focused projects and campaigns. There are a few such projects that caught the public eye.
In 2020, the Black Lives Matter movement informed that BTS donated $1 million to support their cause. Shortly after, ARMY came together as the social media powerhouse that they are and created a hashtag #MatchAMillion and raised another $1+ million in 25 hours.
However, there are many more projects organized by the ARMY that are not known to the general public.
One In An ARMY (OIAA) is one such volunteer ARMY group collaborating with many nonprofits and conducting multiple campaigns since 2018. They also maintain a database where other BTS ARMYs can list their charity projects.
You can check their world map to see what the BTS army has done in your country. The lineup is too long to list here, and it is just heartwarming.
Protecting BTS as a loyal ARMY would do
BTS is a global superstar who has touched millions of hearts worldwide. But they are also often subjected to hate, bullying, and xenophobia by people with different mindsets and agendas. BTS ARMY rightly so, ready to defend their septet at all costs.
The loyal fandom is known to raise their voice defending and protecting their idols against cyberbullying and hate towards the septet. Sometimes, they take action outside social media. Below are some such incidents.
A human barricade
In 2017, when BTS arrived at Mexico airport, ARMY acted as a human barricade to protect BTS. (Around this time, a BTS member received death threats from haters via social media.)
I love you and respect you Mexican army ✌ ❤❤ #BTS #방탄소년단#WelcomeToMexicoBTS pic.twitter.com/wjXPR76hLN
— Golden Wings (@goldenwings0207) March 16, 2017
White Paper Project
In 2018, BTS was scheduled to appear on a Japanese Asahi music station program. Around the same time, a picture of BTS Jimin was released wearing a t-shirt with images of Koreans celebrating their independence from Japan and Japan’s atomic bombings during World War 2. The image caused controversy. BTS was accused by extreme conservatives of the Japanese media and some international media.
International ARMYs did not understand the reasoning behind the issue. So, twenty international ARMYs from across the world, without any involvement from the band or their management, deep-dived into this incident by researching the history of Korea and Japan and referred to details about the Second World War, compulsory imprisonment, atomic bombing, and slavery. Later, they published a 150+ page paper called “The Impact of a T-shirt: BTS Meets Politics in A Digital World” in both English and Korean as the “White Paper Project,” which pointed out wrong information spreading through media and provided facts to prove their arguments and prove why BTS was not to blame.
ARMY Scholars and Global Conferences
Yes, you read it right! Scholars and researchers who are ARMYs from over 30 countries gather annually for conferences. “BTS: A Global Interdisciplinary Conference Project” is one of those held in London.
They discuss and research the impact of BTS globally and in various disciplines, including cultural studies, psychology, anthropology, art theory, media studies, philosophy, literature, linguistics, politics, international relations, and education.
“BTS and ARMY are like seismometers that can sense people’s longings and the subtle vibrations of the changing world” and “The reasons for BTS’s success were perhaps by chance consistent with the direction of change that people all around the world desired.”
Professor Lee Jiyoung
Read more about “ARMY Scholars” from around the world discussing BTS at the Global conference in London.
Looking after their own
BTS music often discusses learning to stand up against criticism, stereotypes, and false prejudices. According to BTS J-hope, the meaning of the BTS name itself is “to block out stereotypes, criticisms, and expectations that aim at adolescents like bullets.”
But being a BTS ARMY sometimes meets with discrimination and prejudice. ARMY often get hurt or bullied by such remarks. So, ARMYs specialized in Psychology and mental health came together from across the world to look after their own. They are offering free counseling and guidance to any ARMY who needs mental health care.
Some social media accounts work as book clubs and study groups. Some accounts connect teachers and professors who are ARMY with ARMY students for free educational support.
Interestingly, fans organize all this without getting orders or any involvement from the BTS management or BTS members themselves. But BTS members often praise and admire these fan projects and provide moral support to the fandom to do more.
Why is BTS ARMY fandom so loyal and devoted?
Time magazine calls BTS ARMY a “devoted fandom with an unrivaled level of organization.”
BTS is always admiring their fandom and expressing gratitude to their true fans, ARMYs.
“Wherever you are, whatever language you speak, however old you are — we are one. We speak the same voice, we speak the same language — this is what we call a community!”
BTS RM
Dr Jiyoung Lee once said, “The reason ARMYs spend their precious time doing these things is because they feel they’ve received too much from BTS. Because they feel BTS changed their life, consoled them when they were going through a hard time, and because BTS gave them the strength to keep on living. They (ARMY) want to share and implement that love and the values they got with the rest of the world, wanting to make the world a better place.”
Watch Dr Jiyoung Lee’s TV program on YouTube.
“Thank you BTS for helping me to love myself.”
You will read many grateful messages fans leave for BTS on various social media platforms.
BTS ARMY is Just a Bunch of Screaming Fans?
BTS ARMY is very vocal and excited every time they see their idols. Yes, but their fan chants are loud and cheerful, and nothing beats the feeling of belongingness than when you hear thousands of people singing a non-native song in unison. And also, it is just the tip of an iceberg, or rather,
Those screams are like waves of an ocean, a deep ocean of purple glowing globes of which depths and possibilities are boundless!
The 9th of July is the BTS ARMY’s birthday.
Read More: An Asian Success Story: Bangtan Sonyeondan – BTS
- How Did BTS Become Victims in a Smear Campaign Despite Organic Success
- Young Men’s Struggles Explored in BTS Music
- Min Yoongi: Musical Talent and Resilience
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