WEEK 13 | Raise Your Voice
March 25 - 29, 2024
Defiance.
What happens when you reach the end of a journey only to find you’re not exactly where you thought you had been heading? Isn’t this what most of adulthood feels like? It’s a series of saying “Well, this isn’t what I thought I’d be doing by now…” to ourselves over and over again, then readjusting our expectations, and starting down a new path.
The conclusion of the HYYH (Hwa Yong Yeon Hwa) era is the album, The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever, released on May 2, 2016. Throughout the series of albums, BTS explored the various themes surrounding the concept of ‘youth’, and the transition from it into adulthood. Loneliness, uncertainty, friendship, excitement, determination, transformation—these are just a few of the themes we’ve covered in the past few weeks of content.
This final album is a reminder and culmination of these themes. There are two discs and 23 tracks, with the majority of them being repeats from the first two albums in the series. Also included were a few remixes of previous tracks and four brand-new songs to wrap everything up. According to ibighit.com:
The most beautiful moment in life : YOUNG FOREVER is a special album that marks the conclusion of the epic journey of the series, containing the last stories told by young people who, despite an uncertain and insecure reality (The most beautiful moment in life pt.1) continue to surge forward (The most beautiful moment in life pt.2).
The members of Bangtan Sonyeondan took a big leap with the HYYH series. They shed the harsher, ‘bad boy’ image of old in favor of one that showed more complexity, more personality. Their music and their media content shifted its focus from traditional hip-hop to something more story-based and thought-provoking. BTS looked to connect to a shared experience within themselves, and their fans. We all have to face transitional periods in our life, the biggest, arguably, being the shift from adolescence to adulthood. We all experience those conflicting emotions—the euphoric highs and devastating lows—in one way or another. HYYH takes us through that journey, and as we reach the “conclusion” of it here, there is a realization that we don’t have to accept it with an attitude of finality. In fact, we can just keep going. We can decide to start a new journey—or we could dance in the rain, like Jimin. Because no matter what, we’ll be okay.
Playlists & Lyrics
BTS HYYH: YOUNG FOREVER ALBUM SPOTIFY PLAYLIST (also embedded at bottom of post)
BTS HYYH: YOUNG FOREVER DISC 1 LYRICS TRANSLATION COMPILATION (pdf)
BTS HYYH: YOUNG FOREVER DISC 2 LYRICS TRANSLATION COMPILATION (pdf)
ARMY PROJECT 529 WEEK 13 VIDEO PLAYLIST (all YouTube links)
DAY ONE:
It often feels easier to stay still and do nothing when life is tough. The safety of inaction is tempting to sink into, but it can only allay our fear of unknown challenges for so long. In reality, when we do this, we’re adding to our burdens down the line. Eventually, when we do act, we realize it’s probably what we should have done in the first place.
BTS SUGA in HYYH: Young Forever shoot
On The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever, SUGA completes his trio of basketball-inspired intros for the HYYH series with “Intro: The Most Beautiful Moment in Life”. He uses the metaphor of the game to explain why inaction isn’t the solution, even when it feels protective.
The rim looks farther away today
My sighs well up on the court
A boy who’s afraid of the reality
His heart is at peace only when he’s throwing the ball…
Reality, especially when we’re faced with making tough decisions, is terrifying. And when our goal feels out of reach, it’s easy for us to say “What’s the point then?” and do nothing. But, as SUGA says here, there is only peace to be found in the act of doing something, even if it’s only a small step toward our overall destination.
With each new album release through their HYYH era, BTS was making incremental moves toward a bigger-picture goal. The respectable success they’d been enjoying in South Korea and some other countries around the globe was fantastic, but they wanted more. Each part of this series was bringing them closer to their “most beautiful moment in life”.
“INTRO: THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MOMENT IN LIFE” COLOR-CODED LYRICS (02:02 - shown below)
HYYH “YOUNG FOREVER” JACKET SHOOT (05:37 - shown above)
K-CON OPENING PERFORMANCE IN FRANCE 2016 (05:04, medley featuring other artists)
BANGTAN BOMB: BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE OPENING OF K-CON (05:22 - shown below)
BANGTAN BOMB: BTS CONTINUES TO DOMINATE AT ISAC (02:11, this time in wrestling!)
THIRD TIME IN A ROW BTS OBLITERATES IN THE 400M RELAY (01:52, but this time, there’s SUGA!)
BTS GUERILLA PERISCOPE LIVE #1 (07:14)
BANGTAN BOMB: JK THE KING OF DARTS (03:37, he really IS good at everything)
BANGTAN BOMB: JIMIN & V FREE DANCE PARTY (02:34, Peak VMin cuteness)
J-HOPE DANCE PRACTICE (01:02, j-hope doesn’t have bones)
BTS SHOW BIZ INTERVIEW (09:53)
Fun Fact
“This is. . .Taehyung and Jung Kookie’s… National Singing Contest!”
The various television stations in South Korea, particularly those that host weekly music shows, often have segments outside of their normal programming where they ask various Idols to partake in games or challenges.
One of these is called “Burning Karaoke” and it’s featured on the channel M2 (an offshoot of MNet.) In this long-running segment, Idols (usually in pairs) step into a karaoke booth and sing three or four songs originally by other artists.
In 2016, V & JungKook appeared on “Burning Karaoke” and it was just as chaotic and beautiful as you’d expect it to be. (We’re still waiting for that maknae subunit, Big Hit!)
DAY TWO:
BTS ready for the FIRE M/V
Despite their commitment to change and growth, we’ve seen time and time again that BTS has also always been just as determined to remember where they came from. While the delivery of their message has changed immensely over the years, the core of it has remained the same: be true to yourself—whatever that looks like for you.
The group’s Debut title track, “No More Dream” had told us all the way back in the beginning that it’s okay to not have a big dream, as long as you have a dream. It can be simple, but it should be your own, and pursuing it should make you happy. Nearly three years later, BTS doubled-down on this message with another new track from The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever…“Fire”.
How many of you immediately said “Bultaoreune” in your head? “FIRE” is an epic song, easily one of BTS’ most iconic. The beat is infectious, the styling’s immaculate, the choreography… INSANE. It sounds like an aggressive summer dance bop, rightfully so, but that’s not all it is. The lyrics tell us, once again, that it’s okay to not have a big plan for yourself. It’s okay to have fun while you’re figuring things out and to be happy while pursuing your journey. But most importantly…it’s okay to fail and have to try again.
Jin has an iconic moment in the M/V where he’s standing in front of a burning car, giving us a cocky look and beckoning us closer. As if to say, “What are you going to do about it?”
Live as you like, your life is yours anyway
Don’t try too hard, it’s okay to lose
And then, later in the song:
(Fire) Those who are scared, come here
(Fire) Those who are agonized, come here
(Fire) With your bare fists raised, All night long
In other words, “FIRE” is an anthem. It’s a rallying cry for everyone who feels like they don’t know what they’re doing (which is probably most of us, let’s be honest). No matter what it is we’re pursuing, failing is not the end. It’s okay. We’ll get there eventually. The fun is in the journey, and we’re stronger when we gather and take it together.
“FIRE” OFFICIAL M/V (04:54, praise the tight pants era - shown above)
“FIRE” M/V MAKING OF (03:52 - as shown)
BANGTAN: “FIRE” 3:33 VERSION (00:31)
BANGTAN BOMB: SPIDER KOOKIE (00:43)
BANGTAN BOMB: WHY IS J-HOPE SO CUTE? (0:17, a never-ending question)
2016 MAMA “FIRE” (05:42 - as shown)
MPD CELEBRATES BTS’ “FIRE” WIN (01:51, they take the cake from V so he can’t eat all the strawberries again)
“FIRE” WIN ON MCOUNTDOWN (03:00, first win for “Fire”)
BTS GUERILLA PERISCOPE LIVE #2 (08:14)
“FIRE” WIN ON MUSIC BANK (08:14, second win for “Fire”)
MUSIC BANK PERFORMANCE OF “FIRE” (03:34)
BONUS: CLIP FROM BTS FANSIGN 05/13/16 (01:18, where V shoves j-hope off the stage)
BONUS: ENTIRE BTS FANSIGN 05/13/16 (03:34, no subtitles, but it’s adorable)
Bangtan Bubble: Give us your best SUGA “Bultaoreune” moment…
Answer in the comments below or on social media (be sure to tag @ARMYProject529 and mention #BangtanBubble)!
DAY THREE:
Never let it be said that BTS is not willing to lead by example. It would be all too easy for them to talk a big game about always trying and never giving up—even when things don’t immediately work out the way they want them to—but then being content to just ride along safely on the path of least resistance.
But that’s not their way. The members of BTS have never backed down from tackling a new challenge, even when it’s something outside of their comfort zones. In fact, they are always determined to show ARMY how they try to improve themselves through hard work and trying new things.
Prior to 2016, some of the members, most notably the hyungs (Jin, SUGA, j-hope, and Rap Monster) had opportunities to MC (host) a few times, whether it was on music shows, or even just as various BTS events. But the maknaes (Jimin, V, and Jung Kook) had yet to have their turns. During promotions for The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever, that would change.
V was a special MC along with j-hope on Inkigayo, where he got to flex his burgeoning acting chops. Jung Kook appeared as a special MC on Music Core, and then a few weeks later was asked, along with Jimin, to MC at a summer music festival in Ulsan. In videos linked below (on Days 3 & 4), we see the members practicing their lines endlessly, determined to do well, even when they are clearly nervous that they’ll mess up. Jimin in particular, admits that he is so far out of his comfort zone, but he tries nonetheless. After it’s over, he’s convinced he messed up, but tells ARMY that he did okay, but he’ll do even better next time.
“FIRE” OFFICIAL M/V (CHOREOGRAPHY VERSION) (03:37, Thank you to the stylists)
“FIRE” DANCE PRACTICE (03:32)
BANGTAN BOMB: “FIRE” SPECIAL COMEBACK STAGE (BTS FOCUS) (03:53, worship at the altar of ripped jeans)
FLASH FORWARD: “FIRE” LIVE AT YET TO COME IN BUSAN 2022 (04:06)
BANGTAN BOMB: THE KIM DAILY PHOTOGRAPHER (00:50, Jimin takes his task seriously)
FIRST EVER WIN ON INKIGAYO (01:26, with “FIRE”)
BANGTAN BOMB: BEHIND THE FIRST INKIGAYO WIN (05:21 - shown below)
J-HOPE & V AS SPECIAL MCs ON INKIGAYO (05:07, feat. Moon Byul & Wheein of Mamamoo, and…V’s acting - as shown above)
BTS ANNOUNCE THEIR APPEARANCE AT K-CON LA 2016 (00:26, chaos ensues)
“FIRE” AT K-CON LA 2016 (03:32)
BTS INTERVIEW AND SING LIVE AT K-CON NY 2016 (03:20, Namjoon Englishing)
BONUS: BTS AT MV BANK STARDUST (20:21, Jin has to MC…again, not in YouTube playlist)
Fun Fact
These days we’re so used to fancams at concerts that focus on one member during certain songs, as well as official releases from groups’ companies that show us individual members. But this wasn’t always as common as it is now.
When “FIRE” was released from The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever, Big Hit filmed and released “Follow Cams” for the first time ever. They are clips of raw performance footage from the “FIRE” Official M/V (Choreography Version).
These “Follow Cams” are an amazing resource to have because it allows us to focus on one member at a time during the same choreography/song. ARMYs often “complain” (like it’s really a chore, haha) to each other that we have to watch M/Vs and performances at least eight times—once for each member, and once for the entire group!
DAY FOUR:
BTS members on site of “Save ME”
The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever is fundamentally a cry against accepting what befalls you. Defiance, however, manifests itself in many ways. “FIRE” is a declaration—bold and in your face. On the flip side, “Save ME” is a plea.
At the risk of getting ahead of ourselves a bit, the phrase “You never walk alone” is familiar to ARMY. (We’ll talk about why another time!) Independence is an important part of developing our identities as adults, but it’s also important to remember that we don’t have to take it to an extreme. One of the biggest lessons we learn as we age is that sometimes we need support and love—a community.
I knew that the salvation called you
is a part of my life and the only hand to embrace my pain
The best of me, I have only you
So that I can smile again, please raise your voice more
The desperation we hear in the lyrics and the way the members reach out to us with such longing in their choreography emphasizes how important connection truly is. We can only flourish to our full potential by surrounding ourselves with people who make us feel loved, people who value and cherish us. Whether it’s family, a romantic partner, or close friendships… we all need a feeling of community to truly thrive.
“SAVE ME” OFFICIAL M/V (03:36 - shown above)
“SAVE ME” M/V SHOOT (06:16, the weather was not cooperative)
“SAVE ME” COMEBACK ON INKIGAYO (03:19 - shown below)
JUNG KOOK MC MOMENTS ON MUSIC CORE (01:01, no subs, but it’s adorable)
“SAVE ME” COMEBACK ON MCOUNTDOWN (03:21, feat. Taehyung’s iconic spin from “Jung Kook” to “V”)
BANGTAN BOMB: JIMIN & JUNG KOOK AS SPECIAL MCs AT ULSAN SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL (08:03, the Bunny smile is out in full effect)
BTS AT ULSAN SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL (FANCAM) (11:48, “Fire”, “DOPE” & “Save ME” - shown below)
BONUS: DATV K-POP FESTIVAL (46:12, full performance)
Fun Fact:
ARMY has so many running jokes about BTS and the individual members, they give us a lot of content to create them from!
But, as we’ve mentioned before, nothing is better than when BTS makes fun of themselves. And when they take that to the next level with a joke that spans several years? That’s the pièce de résistance, right there.
We’ve all seen the “Save ME” Official M/V, correct? (If not, it’s linked above… what are you waiting for?!) Jimin opens the song and M/V with a few solo lines and a bit of choreography. It’s very dramatic, which is what the song calls for.
But… for some reason, the other members immediately found his choreography to be hilarious and wasted no time in imitating him whenever possible. And they’ve done it several times over the years and still to this day—much to ARMY’s delight.
DAY FIVE:
We’ve just established the importance of community. Finding it is easier said than done though, right? Especially as we get older. When we’re young, life doesn’t hold as many responsibilities for us. We forge relationships often based around school and shared interests—bonds formed through a shared opinion that society (adults) don’t get us, but we get each other. When you were young, did you ever feel like it was you and your friends against the world?
One of the underlying messages throughout the entire HYYH series is the importance of friendship and its impact on us as we experience life. When we’re young, we think the people who are important to us will always be a big part of our life. And sometimes… that isn’t true. As we age, we change. Sometimes people grow apart and lose touch—there’s nothing inherently wrong with that. Going through the ending of a relationship (whatever kind of relationship it may be) is an important developmental part of life. However, accepting that sometimes relationships end doesn’t mean we should ever stop trying to create new ones. “EPILOGUE: Young Forever” is that acceptance. It’s fitting that this track, the ending of the HYYH series, is the first ever produced by Rap Monster.
Gradually, I empty myself
The huge applause can’t be mine forever
I talk to myself, shamelessly,
“Raise your voice, to reach farther”
Even if there is no everlasting audience, I will sing
Even if they think no one is listening to them, BTS will keep singing. They will keep going. The message: we must never stop looking for our community. It may end up different than the one we started out with, but we must always pursue connection with the same passion we had for it when we were young. “Forever… we are young…”
On June 2, 2019, during the second night of their record-breaking sell out run of Love Yourself shows at Wembley Stadium in London, BTS got to experience something rare. A real time example of how rewarding it can be to cultivate a strong community. As they were saying their ending ‘ments’ and drawing the concert to a close, the 60,000 ARMYs in attendance surprised the group by suddenly singing “EPILOGUE: Young Forever” to them.
In a video from the concert linked below, you can see the emotion clearly on their faces, some of the members breaking down in tears. It was a message from ARMY to BTS. A way to let them know that we love them—we hear them. Their voices have reached farther, and we will be their everlasting audience. Their community.
And don’t forget, ARMY is our community as well. Let’s continue to cultivate our spaces in it with a strong sense of connection and love. If we fail sometimes, so be it. But let’s keep trying.
“EPILOGUE: YOUNG FOREVER” OFFICIAL M/V (03:25 - shown above)
“EPILOGUE: YOUNG FOREVER” M/V SHOOT (04:05, legend has it Hobi is STILL finding feathers in his hair)
“EPILOGUE: YOUNG FOREVER” STAGE MIX (04:29 - as shown)
BTS GUERILLA PERISCOPE LIVE #3 (12:37 - shown below)
FLASH FORWARD: WHEN ARMY MADE BTS CRY - E:YF AT WEMBLEY STADIUM 2019 (07:37 - as shown)
Bangtan Bubble: Would you want to be “Young Forever”? Why or why not?
Answer in the comments below or on social media (be sure to tag @ARMYProject529 and mention #BangtanBubble)!
FINAL THOUGHTS:
This week was a lot of feelings. As always, BTS encourages us to treat ourselves well. To look for love, and to try even in the face of adversity. These are lessons that continue to be vital all throughout life, not just as we leave behind the buds of youth.
When we come back, we’ll be continuing the final chapter in the HYYH series, The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever, and maybe going on a few side adventures as well...
BTS The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever
Side Quest
Bon Voyage: Season 1
BTS’ first foray into creating their own show content, “Run BTS!” (which began airing in 2015), had proven to be very successful. So it was no surprise that Big Hit began to come up with other show concepts for the group to try. In July of 2016, they premiered “Bon Voyage”. This show follows BTS as they travel the world and tackle different situations that travelers might encounter while vacationing.
The first season takes the members to Northern Europe (Norway, Sweden, and Finland). It had eight episodes, as well as eight behind-the-scenes videos. As you watch, you’ll notice a common theme running throughout: loss. Luggage, identification documents, members of the band… nothing and no one is safe. Enjoy this compilation video of some of the best moments from Season One! (And if you have the means, we encourage you to visit Weverse on your computer and purchase the entire series in order to support BTS making more content like this in the future.)
BON BOYAGE SEASON 1 (THIRD ANNIVERSARY PRESENT) (link to purchase on Weverse)
BTS Hiking in Bon Voyage Season 1
CREDITS:
YouTube/Web
HYBE LABELS, BANGTANTV, Bangtan Subs, Brilliant, 1theK (원더케이), 춘향누나, BTS Live Archive, 스브스케이팝 X INKIGAYO, Old Peppy Grace, Cooky, babypinkhaneul, Misxing You (GOT7/BTS), Mnet TV, Mnet K-POP, M2, KBS WORLD TV, Vates Bts, Prime Video México, KCONUSA, KCON official, iHeartRadio, Taehyungiee BTS, JOSER, ddaejjae, BTS_LAND, BTS KINGS, BangtanGirlARMY, Enjoy BTS more, dailymotion.com (KimmyYang, MK Shows), ibighit.com, weverse.io
ARMY Project 529 Volunteers
Research Team: Angel (TikTok: Lilangel2828), Leslie Day (TikTok: Leslie Day), Merry (TikTok: merryj67), Sam T (TikTok: samt_26), Shelley (TikTok: shels167), Trudy (TikTok: theeducationmommy), Viv (TikTok: VivEliz); Video Team: Leslie Day (TikTok: Leslie Day); Editing Team: Kendra (Discord: Mudskipper); Website Team: Colette (TikTok: voicesinmyhead2)
Join us on TikTok every Sunday evening at 8pm ET for #the529live, a wrap up of each week's The 529 Connection. It’s hosted by AP529 Founder, Stefne, on her channel (@StefARMYProject529). If you can't watch live and want to watch later, Lives will be recorded and posted to our YouTube (@ARMY Project 529).
