ARMY knows how much literal blood, sweat, and tears the members of BTS have put into their career over the years. How sleep deprived, hungry, and in pain they often were… particularly in the early days. Last week we began our exploration of the PROOF anthology album, and we discussed Disc 1, which was a nod to how far the group as a whole had come (including a retrospective look at their title tracks over the years) as well as a promise of hope for the future. This week, we’re covering Disc 2, which includes another brand-new song that talks about the hard work and dedication they put in to forge their path, as well as fourteen songs from their discography that the members selected themselves. Each member chose two songs, and we will learn why they picked them, and watch as they reflect on how these songs, and the journey they’ve been on in BTS, shaped who they are as individuals.

What is an anthology album? It’s a collection of favorite songs chosen by the compiler, and usually includes backlogged/unreleased content as well. Any artist, after they’ve been out for a few years and have a few releases under their belt can release a “Greatest Hits” album, but few have enough material, nor enough of an interested fanbase to warrant the creation of an anthology. Anthologies are meant to be a true retrospective of an artist’s career up to that point. I can name just a few others off the top of my head who have done it—Michael Jackson, The Rolling Stones, Queen, The Beatles. By 2022, this was the level BTS was playing at. They were about to release a celebration of how far they had come in their nine-year career. This week we’ll discuss the first disc of their anthology album, PROOF, which included a retrospective of all of their title tracks from 2013 to 2021, as well as a brand-new song, and a remastered version of one they’d released on SoundCloud just after they debuted.

At the end of February, 2020, BTS released MAP OF THE SOUL: 7 and announced that they’d be going on a massive world tour starting that spring to support it. Dates and locations were announced and when tickets went on sale, they sold out in record time. ARMYs around the world posted videos and screenshots after successfully making it through the stressful ticket-buying experience. Just weeks later, that elation would turn into disappointment as COVID-19 swept across the globe, causing the tour (and pretty much everything) to be canceled. Over the next six months, BTS would pivot and remake all their plans—instead of album promotions and touring, they would focus on connecting with ARMY through LIVEs, VLOGs, and online performances. And then, in August, they took their comfort mission one step further, by trying something they’d never done before—releasing a song entirely in English. Little did they know, this song they recorded as a gift to distract ARMY from the devastation of the Pandemic would launch their already impressive fame into the stratosphere. “Dynamite”, meant to be a random one-off, ended up changing the entire trajectory of their next few years, and truly—their entire career.

In late 2020, BTS held a global press conference to discuss the release of their next album. It had been three months since the release of their smash hit single “Dynamite”, and nine months since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. They weren’t supposed to be releasing an album at that time—if you remember our discussions from previous weeks, they were actually supposed to be on tour, supporting their last album, MAP OF THE SOUL: 7. The pandemic caused them to have to shift gears and replan. After “Dynamite”’s release and surprise success, it seemed natural to keep the momentum going with more music. During the press conference, Jimin mentioned that they hadn’t pre-planned anything for this album, so it had to come together very organically and with a lot of teamwork. They adapted, even though they were supposed to be doing something completely different. And that is one of the reasons why they chose to name the new album BE.

When ARMY talks about finding BTS, there is often a tinge of destiny woven into the conversation. I think most of us feel like we were always meant to have BTS as a part of our lives, no matter when we discovered them. And doesn’t it seem the same for them having found each other? It doesn’t seem possible that there could be a world in which Bangtan Sonyeondan did not exist. But their origin story is full of small “what ifs” and moments of complete chance. In 2019, the group, along with Takeone Company, developed and released a mobile game that explored the very idea of what could have happened if the members of BTS had not met and become an Idol group. It was called “BTS World” and it followed the members (and you, as their potential manager) trying to get them to Debut and beyond. But the game also shows us the other side of the coin… what life could have been like for the members without BTS, and how the idea of destiny brings people together even when it seems like it shouldn’t.

Carl Jung—whose theories on psychology heavily influenced MAP OF THE SOUL: 7— believed that the ‘ego’ is the part of ourselves we are most aware of. It is the part of the individual that deals most with identity. As BTS worked on creating MOTS: 7, the members reflected on their individual egos, and who they thought themselves to be—both past and present. While it’s not easy to look at ourselves in this way, there is also comfort to be found in recognizing the through line from our youth to where we are now. This week, as we finish up our exploration of this landmark album, we’ll also examine how recognizing all the parts of our past and how it shapes us is the most authentic way to keep moving forward in life with a sense of happiness.

MAP OF THE SOUL: 7 was written before the COVID-19 Pandemic began, but most of the album’s themes feel very prophetic in hindsight. 2020 was a year full of fear, pain, and a lot of uncertainty about the future. Through it all, BTS—even while navigating their own sadness and disappointment—took the time to reassure us that they were there, and they understood how we felt. They went LIVE for mundane reasons, just to hang out with ARMY, and held record-breaking online concerts. This week we’ll examine more of MOTS: 7 and BTS’ powerful message to us: “We hear you, let’s get through this together, and one day we WILL be happy again.

When we’re on the journey to find ourselves, one of the crucial steps is realizing there are many pieces to the puzzle, and then figuring out how to fit them all together. MAP OF THE SOUL: PERSONA was about the introspection that comes along with learning to love ourselves. The next step for BTS was taking the sense of self gained from that introspection and reconciling it with the world around them. How could they remain true to themselves while dealing with burnout, lack of inspiration, and the trappings of fame? That’s what we’ll talk about this week as we begin our trip through their next album, MAP OF THE SOUL:7.

It’s warm, and comforting, when you feel like you’ve found the place you’re supposed to be, and the person (or people) you’re supposed to be with. BTS wanted to use MAP OF THE SOUL: PERSONA to not only explore the path that led them to self love and finding themselves, but also to celebrate ARMY, who helped them navigate that path. This week is about recognizing when you’ve found what is important, and what you need to do to celebrate and protect it—whatever that “it” might be for you. Maybe it’s the right house to settle down in, that job you’ve been working toward for years, or even a person you’ve connected with deeply. It can be different for us all.