On July 9, 2013, RM took to Twitter to reveal that BTS’ fanclub had finally been bestowed with the name ARMY (아미). No one could’ve quite imagined that these fans in the near future would go on to redefine what being an ARMY truly meant.
A Cultural Reset
Seven years on, ARMY has successfully positioned themselves alongside BTS as a global cultural phenomenon. The fandom’s instant collective reaction to #MatchAMillion right after it was revealed that the septet and their company, Big Hit Entertainment, had donated $1 million to Black Lives Matter is proof enough. Within less than 24 hours, ARMY had not only assembled and self-organized a campaign online but had also successfully attained their target goal.
While this might have been the largest donation drive undertaken by the BTS fans, the group is no stranger to social service and leading charity campaigns. Whether it is a member’s birthday or the band’s anniversary, ARMY have always commemorated the celebrations by giving back to the world. From adopting animals to providing kids with school supplies and clean water to the people in villages that lack the most basic facilities, the fanbase reaches out to all.
ARMY is not only a reflection of BTS’ socially conscious-driven selves; they are living proof that their fandom culture is more than just senseless hysteria, a narrative about “boy band fans” often shared by the mainstream media. While helping BTS rise to global stardom, it is double the effort in a xenophobic and English-supremist society, ARMY has solidified its own standing as a voice for the youth and beyond.
Just like BTS, ARMY has tirelessly worked over the years to soar higher and come out stronger against all odds. Therefore, it’s only right that we celebrate the life and achievements of ARMY over the years.
Walking The Purple Path Together
In 2016, when member V coined the term “I purple you”, and gave it the hue of love, which is often associated with red, ARMY wholeheartedly adopted it. Since then, the BTS-ARMY brand has molded a life of its own around “BORAHAE”.
The #PurpleRibbonARMY project, first carried out at LAX in 2018, saw ARMYs volunteer to use purple ribbons as a barricade to ensure that BTS were not mobbed at the airport. This thoughtful act and etiquette was both loved and appreciated by the members.
In fact, our very own Borasaek Vision is inspired from the endless purple love and respect shared between the artists and fans. It is at present a symbolic representation of our BTS and ARMY-centric insights viewed from a journalistic lens.
So how could purple not find itself at the very heart of our best days? Since the fandom’s 5th anniversary, #PurpleARMYDay has become a recurring celebratory outlet. From thoughtful fanart to honest feelings, purple has forged a lasting relationship with and within BTS and ARMYs.
This absolutely accidental definition and ownership of the color is now unfailingly acknowledged even by media and brands. For Samsung that meant weaving purple into their products as a hallmark to their collaboration with the global artists and the connection to their fans.
“What does ARMY mean to you?”
If purple is the color of unity and love to BTS fans, then ARMY is easily a callback to the term “family”. As a diverse fanbase with different cultural backgrounds, gender identities, sexual orientations, and religious beliefs, ARMYs have their moments when opinions clash and not everyone is in agreement. “[...] but at the end of the day family sticks together and fight[s] for each other and that connection and loyalty is unexplained,” Gracie Ranan pointed out in an interview with BTS Radio UK, a fanbase dedicated to promoting BTS airplay across the UK.
For those of you who are not familiar with Gracie Ranan, the ARMY goes by the username dailyhoping on Twitter and is the founder of Global ARMY Song. This annual project not only brings together ARMYs from all corners of the world to participate in the creation of an original musical piece year after year, but it is also a reminder of how music holds no language barrier - a thought dear to many ARMYs. How fitting is it to then celebrate our diversity on ARMY Day with our shared emotions?
For ARMY, By ARMY
These shared emotions are exactly what propels the ARMY community to bridge their differences and shoulder each other’s shortcomings, making them something akin to an extension of BTS. We have fan translators helping fellow fans understand BTS, and through them, their Korean culture better. Given BTS’ extensive use of book references in their music videos and songs, the fandom also has its own book clubs. From cooking tips to tutoring sessions to mental healthcare aid, the fans make an effort to assist in all walks of life.
Humble Beginnings
While BTS ARMY can fill out stadiums today, just like the septet, the fandom too started out small. From being a mere crowd of 400 at BTS’ debut showcase, to making them the first Asian act to sell out Wembley Stadium (which can hold a whopping 90,000 people!), ARMY has witnessed an explosive growth within the fandom over time. What could have been considered impossible once upon a time, for the current ARMY creating and breaking records is almost second nature.
Hey ARMY, it doesn’t matter whether you’ve been here since the very beginning or had the universe pick a beginning for you — being here now is what counts! Happy seventh birthday to you!
DISCLAIMER: We do not own any audio & visual content in this video except for the editing. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THE RIGHTFUL OWNERS. No copyright infringement intended.
Written By: Mei
Edit By: Ash
Checked By: Esma
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