Yet Another Fan Theory of the BTS Trilogy: I Need U / Prologue / Run

There is no doubt that Bangtan Boys, also known as BTS, are one of my favorite Kpop groups to emerge from the industry in recent years. The talent of the seven-member boy group has been recognized both at home in South Korea, with awards such as the MelOn and Golden Disk “New Artist of the Year” awards, and abroad, with their third EP, The Most Beautiful Moment in Life Part 1, appearing on Fuse's english-dominated “Best Albums of 2015 (So Far)” alongside musical heavyweights Kendrick Lamar, Ciara, Drake, and Calvin Harris.

With the release of the group's newest MV, “Run” and accompanying album, The Most Beautiful Moment in Life Part 2, fan theories have been circulating as to the hidden meaning behind the BTS “Trilogy,” composed of “I Need U,” the prologue from their solo concert, and “Run.” The theories are lush and range from one member being dead, to all the members being dead, to hallucinations and the Butterfly Effect, to an Inception-type dreamscape, to an illustration of the stages of depression and mental illness, to suicide and simple bullying between friends.

My own theory around the BTS Trilogy is rather simple, but symbolically dense: this is a complicated metaphor for growing up.

When BTS released The Most Beautiful Moment in Life Pt 1, leader and rapper Kim Namjoon described it as an album about adolescence, which is the most joyful part of life, but also wrought with “anxiety and insecurity.” Since the members of BTS range in age from approximately 18-23, they are in the stage between youth and adulthood where things get awkward and confusing. To me, the BTS Trilogy is about the death of helpless childhood innocence and the inevitable transition to adulthood.

In a lot of ways, the BTS Trilogy of videos reminds me of the 1986 film, Stand By Me, wherein a group of 4 childhood friends set out to discover the body of a dead boy from their town with the hopes of becoming local heroes. However, in the process, the boys confide in each other and shed their childhood and innocence. By the end of the film, the boys are separated and are no longer friends, but still hold onto their memories of that time.

All three videos are rich with symbolism, and although the lyrics of the music play an important part, they aren't absolutely essential to understanding the story. There is quite a lot of shifting timelines and perspectives between characters, which means that this story belongs to all the characters in their own ways. Unpacking this story is easier if we follow the same non-linear timeline.

“I Need U” represents a helpless descent as the chorus repeats “fall, fall.” The characters are seemingly not in control of their own behaviors and feelings, reacting to what happens around them in youthful innocence and ignorance. In this MV, we see the characters reacting to their environments and situations. The focus shifts from scenes of the group together, acting jovial and friendly, to scenes of each member alone, where they turn to despair and sadness in its many forms. When together, the seven characters are carefree and wild. For example, Hoseok, who is seen taking handfuls of medication, dumps the entire bottle into the fire when joined by his friends, preferring to feel emotions with his friends, rather than the numbness of loneliness.

But each character is ultimately a product of the world around them, unable to control their decisions, as they are “children.” The climax of the MV occurs when Taeyhun, driven to anger, witnesses his father hitting his mother and stabs him to death. Each character also “dies” when alone: Hoseok collapses onto a busy road after overdosing on the same prescription medication, Jungkook is hit by a car after being beaten by thugs, Yoongi and Namjoon are presumed to self-immolate and Jimin drowns. Jin doesn’t necessarily and explicitly die, but he does appear in an empty room, isolated and restless and obviously in pain.

The Prologue continues this sense of losing control as it opens with Taehyun, bloodied and visibly shaken after stabbing his father. But it soon shifts to a bright open space where he is calm and clean. He holds a photo of his father and crumples it in his hands. This is more symbolic than literal: in “killing” his father, Taehyun has severed ties with an important figure in his life, no longer needing his presence. Here we also see Jin recording everything from an outsider’s perspective, showing us viewers only the beauty of youth, maybe even making us long for it. When looking back on youth, it is often remembered as the most beautiful moment in life, but with it comes fear, anxiety, loneliness and all manner of mixed emotions

Namjoon is also seen writing “you need to survive” in Korean onto a foggy window before joining his friends fireside. While this may seem literal, it feels more like a pep talk, encouraging his friends (and the viewer) that survival is most important and that living in childish ignorance will result in the brain-dead, lifeless state that we see Namjoon in, working at the gas station. We can tie this back to “I Need U” where it’s revealed that Namjoon’s lollipop is actually a cigarette and by dropping it onto the money thrown at him from a car, he is giving up his childish state, knowing that it is time to move forward instead of being stagnant.

In the second half of the video, the group is together at the beach, and Taehyun climbs up scaffolding while the others look on and beg him to come down. Jin is again, recording this through his video camera and does not pressure Taehyun to climb down. After “killing” his father, Taehyun has to take a leap from being a child to becoming an adult, leaving the responsibility of his life in his own hands, rather than anyone from the outside. Taehyun offers his friends a smile and then confidently jumps off the scaffolding while the music in the background swells and repeats “butterfly”. Now Taehyun is literally flying instead of falling, emerging from his cocoon and is free to make his own decisions.

In the third MV, “Run”, there is a marked difference in the actions of the characters.



They no longer appear to be passive, but rather acting based on the world around them. They are literally more “alive” than they were in “I Need U,” running throughout most of the video, acting out without regrets. Jin, our observer, builds a house of cards which is destroyed as Yoongi breaks a mirror after playfighting with Jungkook becomes violent. The camera then pans towards Jungook sitting on the ground where we can see the rest of the group around him, but when the camera pans out it’s obvious he is alone. Now we know that the party is over. The way Jungkook sees himself, as a fragile house of cards is now over. He glances back to the mirror for a split second, as though he is seeing the reality of himself for the first time. And as Namjoon wrote earlier, he must also “survive.”

There is also heavy use of the symbolism of water and fire throughout the MVs. We see Taehyun falling backwards into water at the start of “Run” and struggling to swim throughout, but at the end he emerges from the water unharmed. Jimin also drowns in a bathtub, and is also seen being pushed into a bathtub and playfully being forced under. On the other hand, we also have Yoongi (and Namjoon) “die” by fire in “I Need U.”

Although these are opposite elements, it's interesting to note that fire can represent not only death, but also represents enlightenment and resurrection. Water, likewise, can symbolically refer to the cycle of life and rebirth, as well as higher or philosophical reasoning.Taehyun and Jin die and reawake in water, Yoongi and Namjoon, who are first seen as passive, are engulfed by fire and symbolically reborn. Hoseok casts aside his medication and embraces his emotions instead of running from them. Jungkook, who was helplessly beaten by thugs is able to see himself clearly and Jin is no longer on the outside looking in. In this way, each character reaches the end of their journey and emerges into adulthood.

Despite the chorus of “I Need U” ringing out for a girl, there is no instance of the members of BTS fighting over the affections of a woman, or lamenting about a lost crush. Nor are they parading their ego and confidence to draw the attention to themselves. This trilogy is purely about friendship, growth, and ultimately, the loss of innocence. Of course, this is only one theory of many, and there are symbols and metaphors that I have not accounted for. This chronicle stretches across two albums, photobooks, several music videos, and even a concert. As such, this theory is by no means exhaustive, nor even complete. Writing an entire analysis of every scene and symbol in this trilogy would ruin its appeal and story. One thing is absolutely certain, however: this is a mature and grown-up attempt at using music as storytelling.

Pinning down one explanation would take away the mystery and ultimately, the fun of unravelling this tale. By utilizing visual storytelling, strong metaphors and music cues, BTS has taken every available tool at their disposal to weave a complicated and lengthy concept without having to rely on the tired Kpop cliches of dancing in a box, or flashing their bodies. But isn’t that what we look for when we embrace a “concept”? Depth, relevance and relation to our own lives. BTS has checked off every box and made sure to not hold our hands throughout it. Here is an entire world, like our own but minutely different, and open to any and all interpretations. If this isn’t proof of a group growing up, I’m not sure what is.

'L' lives in Ontario, Canada. She is a pop culture and media junkie and has helped organize kpop parties and events across Ontario. Her biases are BTS, Block B, M.I.B and Infinite.

Exploring Realities in Infinite's 'Bad'

Amongst the onslaught of girl group releases this summer, there is still a shimmering hope that 2015 will regain its title as “Year of the Boyband.” With only the smallest hint of bias, I would like to turn your attention the newly released Infinite music video, “Bad.” In an increasingly popular Kpop-marketing strategy, Woollim released two versions of the MV. I know what you're thinking, “so a dance version and a story version?” Not quite. Instead, what Woollim has done is introduce the world to the first ever Kpop music video filmed with 360 degree Virtual Reality technology.

Standard Version

But before we wow you with that, let's take a look at the boring, regular, non-360 VR music video for “Bad” so that you can truly appreciate just how deep into the wormhole the VR version goes.

The first sequence of the video sees Sunggyu running from a figure dressed identical to himself, which we can assume is his duplicate since the rest of the video is full of mirrors and reflections. This leads us into the great symbolism of “duplicity,” rather than “duality.”

Duality is the concept of “doubleness,” or two contrasts between one subject, i.e two sides of one coin where neither has a value greater or less than the other. Duplicity is inherently deceitful, and the lyrics (and title itself) heavily reflect this, as the members sing into a broken mirror, again, illustrating that the “perfect reflection” is shattered, and broken:

“Your eyes have grown cold again/Your sharp tongue digs/into me, please stop/I can’t take it anymore.”

The video then cuts to Woohyun, singing into the camera, which pans out to reveal he is actually singing into a mirror, which draws the question of which reality is the “real” one. Is the real Woohyun the one inside the mirror, or outside of it? But there are so many other mirrors, too, so where are the Woohyuns inside the other mirrors? Why is only one of them reflecting back?

This symbolism continues throughout, especially when the viewer sees only the arms or the reflection of whoever is in the mirror, leading to the question of what, exactly is on the other side or whether or not we are on the side of the real world. This trope of the world behind the mirror is a popular one, as it creates a feeling of discomfort and curiosity. Mirrors are often used as portals for entirely different dimensions, where the other side may look completely the same, totally different except for only the reflection, or eerily similar with slight differences. This is especially evident when Sunggyu finally catches up to himself and watches his reflection turn away. Given the theme of duplicity, it’s not a stretch to believe that only one of the reflections is the “true” and “good” one, and the other must be evil or “wrong.” But these differences are subjective, depending on which side of the mirror we look through.

This concept is what makes the VR version of “Bad” so riveting. The whole point of this type of video is to click and drag (or use the ASWD and +, - keys) in order to see the entire 360 degrees of the scene that you're watching, putting yourself inside of the video. Its this immersion that brings you, as the casual observer into the role of the active participant. Initially, the effect can be dizzying as the scenes cut very quickly, and it's hard to focus on what to watch, but eventually the use of this technology adds another complex layer of symbolism into the media itself, which in this case, is the music video.

360 VR Version

There are some scenes missing from the VR version, simply because they would not fit the filming style, and because the message possibly wouldn't translate accurately. Because the concept of the video is rather commonplace, the introduction of the 360 degree perspective allows us to actually see what is on the other side of the mirror and symbolically travel into that “different” reality. Every cut will lead to a different frame depending on where you stop while watching the previous frame. Each viewing will be completely unique, perhaps in the same way that each view through a mirror will be. If you watch the entire video from the perspective facing downwards, you will notice that the two scenes on either side of the mirror are, in fact, different. Mind-blowing, right? You can watch the trailer as well, which illustrates this a little bit more clearly. Of course, you'll have to watch the MV multiple times to really notice all the minute differences in scenery and choreography.

In the 360 VR version of “Bad”, the viewer is now the mirror that was heavily featured in the non-VR version into which the group was singing, both the literal broken mirror, and then again as a figurative mirror in the hallway shots. In this way, the viewer becomes the subject and maintains control of all these “realities.” Now we can decide which reality we want to watch, and in a way, can also decide which one is good, and which is bad.

My favourite scenes are the pink hallway ones, where different members are in 4 different hallways, and by the action initiated, there are hidden images and thus a greater sense of depth. Another is the split second scene where a hand appears on all the mirrors and frames inside the blue room, except for the mirror on the floor, which reflects empty mirrors. Could this be a technical limitation? Most likely, but it completely works within the context.

Aside from being symbolically dense, the VR video also gives fans a unique experience each time they watch the video, meaning viewers will return time and time again to see what other hidden nuances are visible from different angles. Of course this is great for companies, as it increases viewership and therefore, popularity. There's also the potential to focus solely on a single member, during group scenes, providing a new type of fan service that is less intimidating (and sexually aggressive) than the “eye contact” video.

Hopefully more groups will adopt the concept of a VR MV, letting fans feel like they belong to the world of Kpop, rather than just ingesting its media. It would even be exciting to see this type of video done for concerts (Beck already proved this was possible with "Sound and Vision"), especially when international fans have difficulty getting to them. Could this open up an entirely new market and revenue stream? Potentially yes! Girl group Bambino also used the 360 VR technology in several of their dance practice videos, but the intent in those videos is, obviously, much different and perhaps saved for a different conversation. I can only hope that companies embrace the new potentials of storytelling that this technology provides and release more concepts that fully embrace 360 VR technology. In other words: this is so dang cool!


'L' lives in Ontario, Canada. She is a pop culture and media junkie and has helped organize kpop parties and events across Ontario. Her biases are BTS, Block B, M.I.B and Infinite.

Selling Acceptance: CFs as MVs

In 2014, a young woman by the name of Park Bo-Ram made her rookie debut with “Beautiful.” The title of the song certainly matches Park, who is young, fresh-face and beautiful. The song swept the top spots of many national digital singles charts, including the Gaon Chart. Here's what you may not know: before her official debut, Park lost a whopping 72lbs. This is an incredible accomplishment for anyone who has tried to slim down. But consider this: Park went from weighing 77kgs (169lbs) to her recorded weight of 44kgs (97lbs). This weight loss in itself does not raise any immediate concerns, but when placed into the context of the idol industry where already thin people are pushed to achieve even thinner bodies (often with the assistance of plastic surgery), it becomes clear that selling acceptance through the use of idols can be damaging.

Last month, Park released a new video and single by the name of “Super Body,” which is essentially a remix of her other hit, “Celepretty.” In the video, Park is seen confidently walking in a gym while everyone stares, and taking it upon herself to scout down the only person in the world to ever drink Coke while running on a treadmill. She then walks into a clothing store, and takes a pastry from a woman, gives her a magic elixir, and the woman emerges from a fitting room with a completely different body (and face). Everyone in the video is either beautiful and thin, or fat and shameful. Those that are thin are envied by others, while the only 2 non-thin people are ridiculed and receive unsolicited fitness advice, which basically consists of drinking this 1oz bottle, marching in place, and viola, becoming skinny and therefore adored—just like her!

It should be obvious by now that “Super Body” is a thinly veiled CF, or commercial film, for a “weight loss product” by CJ E&M by the name of Fat Down. This is also the same company that Park is signed to as a performer. And although this is a commercial, it does not forgive the video for it’s troubling treatment of larger bodies and its misguided message.

The whole reason for drinking “Fat Down” is in order to lose weight. But why do the people in “Super Body” want to lose weight? To be skinny and beautiful, of course. The only two larger people in this video are treated as a spectacle. They are pointed out and pointed at in order to make them feel inadequate and undesirable. Even the men that are not large watch Park with a lustful, almost creepy stare, reinforcing the idea that if you are not thin and beautiful, and do not want to lose weight, like Park, you are an outcast. But what the CF doesn’t show is the immense hard work and dedication it takes to actually achieve a healthy and fit body. It is dirty, sweaty, and sometimes even painful. The “Super Body” commercial bypasses the complete lifestyle change and commitment to healthy eating and regular exercise for a quick fix in the form of a drink because it is easy, quick, and doesn’t take effort. Idols are normally seen as virtually flawless, but the actual dedication and ugly side of keeping their thin shapes is rarely brought to light. And when they are, the miniscule portions they eat despite hectic schedules and physical training is often placed under scrutiny.

Given the popularity of plastic surgery, not just in South Korea but worldwide, it’s not surprising then that the desire to change your entire appearance to keep up with society’s ideals is this generation’s version of “Keeping Up with the Neighbours.” Advertisers have tapped into this ubiquitous lack of self-esteem and have used idols to make us wish we were them. In “Super Body,” fat-shaming is used to reiterate the image of the perfect, idealized body, and thus the perfect life. Commercials use idols as the ideal representation of who we should be to sell products for us to want to achieve these perfect lives.

Using celebrities, or in regards to Kpop, idols, to sell products is hardly revolutionary. This type of marketing, dubbed, “Lifestyle branding” arguably began after WW2 when new technology became accessible and achieving the middle-class lifestyle was all that mattered. Marketing was no longer about selling the products themselves, but about the way of life that accompanies these products. Using Park Boram, who lost a whopping 33kgs (72lbs) and became an idol, to endorse a product that is meant to speed up weight loss, not for the sake of health, but rather to fulfil the desire to be accepted, loved, and even lusted after is a natural fit.

In 2010, then super groups SNSD and 2PM collaborated on a full-length video about lifeguard training at Caribbean Bay, at the popular South Korean theme park, Everworld. The video, “CABI Song” promises a plethora of defined abs and short shorts if you visit Everworld. But “CABI” doesn’t have the same effect as “Super Body” simply because its purpose as a CF is far more hidden. Instead of selling an actual product, it promises to sell an ideal (again, with a heavy focus on physical appearance and arguably an oversexualization of lifeguard training) and has nothing to do with the actual theme park except for location.

In the year following “CABI,” in perhaps an incredibly clever marketing ploy, G-Dragon released “Gmarket Party,” a catchy song/commercial for the online marketplace Gmarket, where you can purchase the very same clothing that G-Dragon wears in the video. But the clear difference is that “Gmarket Party” is an obvious commercial, and thus feels just slightly less dirty. Like “Super Body,” there is a product being sold and there is nothing hidden about that. The list of idolized commercials continues: 2NE1, Big Bang, Amber of f(x), Beast and A Pink are just a small sampling of idol groups that have promoted everything from vespas to laptops to cell phones to clothing lines.

But there are even more music videos that are commercials, and I bet you had no idea:

Orange Caramel released “Abing abing,” an advertisement for Baskin Robbins, and Girl's Day has an entire song devoted to hair dye with “Hello Bubble.” Both these releases are well-produced songs with their own choreography and costumes. But if I hadn't been told they were commercials, I wouldn't have caught onto it. This type of advertising is much more subtle and hidden. It's more sneaky, and feels rather devious. I even doubt that SNSD's “Galaxy Supernova” is an ode to the Samsung Galaxy cellphone, but the idea is still in my head, and now with every listen, I immediately think of the popular phone brand. JYJ's immensely popular “Get Out” has been alleged to be an advertisement for yet another phone: the LG Optimus Q2. This goes far beyond logo and product dropping into music videos, into a whole other subconscious level.

Don't believe me? Here's some more examples

Dara of 2NE1's solo release, “Kiss,” is about selling beer.

f(x)'s “Chocolate Love” is for the LG Chocolate cell phone.

Even my secret guilty pleasure, Phantom, has a song about beer called “Ice.” But at least they're upfront about it.

What this all comes down to is that commercials and advertisements are a regular, inescapable part our lives, especially when we indulge in pop culture so readily. When celebrity endorsements are outright and obvious, they aren’t really so bad. Who hasn’t bought a certain brand because their favourite idol has worn it? But when commercials are so deeply ingrained into a music video that the lines between product placement and creativity are completely blurred, where does one end and the other begin? Videos like Red Velvet’s “Ice Cream Cake” are an example of this new generation of CF. It’s part music video, but the Baskin Robbin’s imagery and convenient placement of ice cream cones is downright sneaky, and frankly, ingenious. Even Baskin Robbins proudly announces that they carry red velvet-flavoured ice cream cake. This can leave the average fan feeling more like a demographic with disposable income to spend on emulating their idols, rather than an actual person who appreciates the time, energy, and creativity that goes into producing a group. Trying to live up to the standards of Park Boram’s “Super Body” by fat-shaming and internalizing the ideal of skinny being the only way to be beautiful, makes that commercial especially damaging. In this case, imitating the commercial interests of an idol is a dangerous idea and viewing should be accompanied by some sort of investigative thought.

I doubt that companies will ever stop using idols to sell products and images. This in itself is not necessarily a bad thing, nor is it restricted to Kpop. This practice is used literally world-wide, and using popular faces can introduce people to some products that they may genuinely enjoy. It becomes troubling, however, when selling idealized images comes at the expense of another person’s dignity, and promises of acceptance are always associated with unachievable standards. Hopefully the trend of using music videos as secret commercials does not last forever.


'L' lives in Ontario, Canada. She is a pop culture and media junkie and has helped organize kpop parties and events across Ontario. Her biases are BTS, Block B, M.I.B and Infinite.

BIG BANG™: The Real Kpop Taste, Without The Real Kpop Guilt

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