Dept. of OMG
Wednesday, 25 February 2026 05:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kaffy_rSo ... It's Another KPop First
At least for me; I'm joining 19 other KPop fans, all of them BTS ARMYs, for the BTS concert in Chicago in August. For about the same amount of money that I paid for the Lolla ticket I had to see Stray Kids. I'm buying into a box with AC, a private bathroom and apparently all the popcorn one could possibly want.
And why did I do this? Why did I pay very good money to watch a group I'm truly not interested in beyond a curiosity about the first KPop group to break into the Western World, and upset the KPop apple cart whilst doing so?
I think I just answered my own question with the last sentence.
I have KPop friends who are ARMY (the name for BTS fandom) first, last, and always. The crew I tend to hang with in Discord often has multiple groups they like, but many of them got into KPop because of BTS. The music reactor who led me to the crew on Discord got into KPop via BTS. And there is a veritable army of ARMY across the world who love the group.
I've had more than one invitation to watch the group perform. Until now, I hadn't the slightest intention of doing so (beyond the concert films I went to see with some of my friendly ARMY acquaintances.)
Somehow, this time I knew this was a chance. I need to talk to these people about what lured them into being BTS fans. And I need to listen to some of their music - I have until August to get a little more acquainted with the music. (I do like the solo music from two group members, RM and Suga. If I like their music, perhaps I can listen to group songs and figure out a little bit of what makes them ... great? Yes, probably great.
That doesn't mean I'll come out of this expensive experiment as a dedicated member of ARMY. It does mean that I really want to understand the BTS deal, and approach that with people I'm already at least a bit friendly with. I mean, they invited me, which to me says that they're the positive type of ARMY, not the toxic ones that are apparently out there.
So at the age of 70 - hell, I'll be almost 71 when the concert happens - I'm checking out something new. At least for me.
I don't want to say pray for me, because I doubt it'll be a terrible experience. I do want to say cross your fingers for me.
JFC,kaffy_r ....
At least for me; I'm joining 19 other KPop fans, all of them BTS ARMYs, for the BTS concert in Chicago in August. For about the same amount of money that I paid for the Lolla ticket I had to see Stray Kids. I'm buying into a box with AC, a private bathroom and apparently all the popcorn one could possibly want.
And why did I do this? Why did I pay very good money to watch a group I'm truly not interested in beyond a curiosity about the first KPop group to break into the Western World, and upset the KPop apple cart whilst doing so?
I think I just answered my own question with the last sentence.
I have KPop friends who are ARMY (the name for BTS fandom) first, last, and always. The crew I tend to hang with in Discord often has multiple groups they like, but many of them got into KPop because of BTS. The music reactor who led me to the crew on Discord got into KPop via BTS. And there is a veritable army of ARMY across the world who love the group.
I've had more than one invitation to watch the group perform. Until now, I hadn't the slightest intention of doing so (beyond the concert films I went to see with some of my friendly ARMY acquaintances.)
Somehow, this time I knew this was a chance. I need to talk to these people about what lured them into being BTS fans. And I need to listen to some of their music - I have until August to get a little more acquainted with the music. (I do like the solo music from two group members, RM and Suga. If I like their music, perhaps I can listen to group songs and figure out a little bit of what makes them ... great? Yes, probably great.
That doesn't mean I'll come out of this expensive experiment as a dedicated member of ARMY. It does mean that I really want to understand the BTS deal, and approach that with people I'm already at least a bit friendly with. I mean, they invited me, which to me says that they're the positive type of ARMY, not the toxic ones that are apparently out there.
So at the age of 70 - hell, I'll be almost 71 when the concert happens - I'm checking out something new. At least for me.
I don't want to say pray for me, because I doubt it'll be a terrible experience. I do want to say cross your fingers for me.
JFC,
kaffy_r ....
no subject
Date: Thursday, 26 February 2026 01:13 pm (UTC)Also congrats on the upcoming b-day!
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Date: Thursday, 26 February 2026 03:48 pm (UTC)I've learned that being a KPop fan often involves multiple generations in a family. That's similar to generations of baseball team fans, I imagine. Here in Chicago, there are Cubs and Sox families with multi-generational heft. Probably the same for hockey and soccer/football as well.
no subject
Date: Thursday, 26 February 2026 03:15 pm (UTC)K. [doesn't "get it" but you can/will/should! enjoy the new people, too]
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Date: Thursday, 26 February 2026 03:53 pm (UTC)doesn't "get it"
I understand not getting it, for whatever power of "it" one might have. I'm not a fan at all of metal music, and definitely not a fan of the kind of death metal that my son still likes from time to time. And yet I'm willing to believe there are metal bands that are excellent within their category and perhaps even objectively, whilst not being my cup of tea in the least. And I will never be a Deadhead, despite liking one or two of their songs, even as I acknowledge that millions of people across the globe love the band and its members.