ARMY Are You There?

Not so long ago, in the grand scale of my ARMY timeline, I had the opportunity to participate in a BTS-related research project. As I joined the zoom call, I heard the interviewer calling, “ARMY are you there?” It was the first time I had ever been addressed as ARMY, and it felt oddly comforting. In the absence of my name, here was someone acknowledging my existence as an ARMY — and it felt great!

However, take a scroll through Twitterverse any time of the day or night, and you’re sure to come across at least one post from an ARMY sharing their confusion or disappointment because they’ve been berated for not being ARMY enough! ‘Too old to be ARMY’ is a common criticism. Another one is ‘haven’t been ARMY long enough.’ In these instances, we can appreciate why some ARMYs may not feel confident with declaring themselves as such.

Thankfully, the BTS members have told us many times, in many different ways, that regardless of when we became an ARMY or how long we stay with BTS, they are always grateful for our love and support. To be fair, being ARMY can sometimes feel like a competition for all the wrong reasons, and yet it isn’t — nor should it be. Borasaek Vision once asked the question, “Being ARMY: Is That A Competition?” Now, a year later, we find ourselves knocking on the same door, and the conversation is still as frustrating now as it was then. The only difference is that millions more have joined the group chat.

With the number of BTS fans totaling more than the population of Canada or Poland, it’s easy to see why the recent ARTIST-MADE COLLECTIONS by BTS have sold out within minutes of release. A result notably different from the concerns shared by various members as they talked about their creations and questioned whether ARMYs would like them, let alone want to buy them. In these moments, the title of this blog “ARMY Are You There?” takes on a different persona. Likewise, when the BTS members were preparing for their first on-stage concert after a two-year pandemic-induced hiatus, different members shared their thoughts. Would ARMYs still be waiting for them? Would the tickets sell? Will they be able to see ARMYs again? What if no one comes? While these sentiments might seem preposterous to us as fans, for the BTS members, this was a very important part of preparing their minds (and their hearts) for their long-awaited return to the stage. More importantly though, it demonstrated that BTS do not take their fans for granted.

In a highly competitive music and entertainment industry, there really are no guarantees that an artist’s number one position is safe. Especially when TikTok has become a dynamic platform for many breakthrough artists, such as Olivia Rodrigo. Similarly, in South Korea where the K-pop industry debuts idols at an unparalleled rate, the competition is fierce. This is perhaps one reason why fans will often hear their idols say, “please wait for us.”

That’s not to say that fans are fickle and change their minds haphazardly. On the contrary, fans are known to be extremely passionate, devoted, and loyal. While the ARMY fandom is no exception to this, when it comes to fandoms in general, it really does feel like ARMY broke the mold. Because of this, ARMYs continue to show up for BTS, and sometimes, this amount of love and support forces others to revisit their own products and practices. A classic example of this is Billboard’s recent change to the rules surrounding digital sales that impact “Hot 100” results. As a result of that change, only one digital sale per customer per week will now be attributed to songs and albums.

“ARMY Are You There?” might sound like a rhetorical question, because for the millions of fans across the globe, the answer is loud and clear. Likewise, to the uninitiated, “Got ARMY right behind us” might just sound like a catchy lyrical phrase in a BTS song. In reality though, these poignant words are an acknowledgment that BTS and ARMY are a package deal. One exists because of the other. Sometimes we walk hand-in-hand; other times, one behind the other, leading from the front, supporting from the back.

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Written By: Shelley

Edit By: Esma

Checked By: Aury