From Bangtan Boys to Men: Revisiting BTS and ‘MAP OF THE SOUL : 7’ (5 Year Anniversary)

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The year was 2020. Firstly, the COVID-19 pandemic was wrapping its tentacles around the world. America was approaching the tail-end of her first chapter with President Donald Trump. Also, TikTok, ‘Tiger King’, and cryptocurrency were on the ascendancy. And in the midst of it all, the biggest K-pop group in the world, the seven-member BTS, released their latest album to ravenous global fanfare: ‘MAP OF THE SOUL: 7’. 

Beginning and End of An Era

In retrospect, ‘MAP OF THE SOUL : 7’ would be the culmination of one era of BTS. The use of the numeral ‘7’ marked their seventh studio album. Furthermore, it marked the years since their debut under the Big Hit Entertainment label, and the volume of BTS members. But for a band that heavily engages in symbolism, ‘7’ signified the completion of their creation story. Much of the group’s earlier work was expressions of their Bangtan Sonyeondan ethos. This is a Korean phrase that translates to “Bulletproof Boy Scouts”. It was an almost paternal desire to arm their fans – affectionately and appropriately known as the ARMY – with lyrics and rhythm to fight generational pressures, stereotypes, and the good ‘ol fashioned blues. But as their fame grew, the members started to examine all the pressures they were facing in the spotlight.

It’s fair to suggest that ‘MAP OF THE SOUL : 7’ was released at the near-apex of BTS’ powers. All the risks undertaken in the past – from eschewing the three major K-pop labels to incorporating social commentary and philosophical concepts into their diverse discography – had paid off. ‘Love Yourself 轉 ‘Tear’‘ became the first Korean album to top the Billboard charts in 2018. Prior to the record’s release on February 21, 2020, ‘MAP OF THE SOUL : 7’ sold over 4 million pre-orders months in advance. This smashed records for any K-pop band at that time. For BTS members Jung Kook, Jimin, RM, SUGA, j-hope, Jin, and V, this LP would launch their attempt at “biggest group in the world” status. Their sights were set on the once-elusive American market. 

Underpinning it all, however, was a sense that the Bangtan Boys themselves were growing up. All members of the group were close to entering mandatory military service in South Korea. Moreover, BTS itself as a construct seemed ready to be usurped by each member’s individual ambitions as artists. From this point on, they almost exclusively released songs in English for the global market. For all of the popularity singles like ‘Dynamite’ and ‘Butter’ enjoyed, they lacked the conceptual guts that made the group, and ‘MAP OF THE SOUL : 7’, such a spectacle.

Persona, Shadow, Ego

Within that milieu lies the music. ‘MAP OF THE SOUL : 7’ follows ‘MAP OF THE SOUL: PERSONA’. The latter is a confident album that utilised Carl Jung’s theories on our different selves to chart their own growth as a group. Amidst hits like ‘Boy With Luv’ with Halsey and ‘Make It Right’ (co-written with Ed Sheeran), ‘PERSONA‘ featured other songs that asked deeper questions about BTS’ growing fame. For example, ‘Dionysus’, a giant rap-rock anthem, has become a concert favourite. Here, Suga rhetorically asks, “What does it matter if I’m an idol or an artist?”. Another standout track, the smooth ‘HOME’, questioned whether the heart felt at ease within the growing cachet of luxuries. 

‘MAP OF THE SOUL : 7’ folded the Jungian ideas of “shadow” and “ego”, and almost all the major ‘PERSONA’ songs, into a larger, 20-song tapestry. ‘Interlude : Shadow’ saw Suga undertake a confessional tone. Additionally, this set the stage where the desires of the outer world fought the fears of his inner one. This song formed the basis of this comeback’s trailer. It used images of men in black hoods chasing him interspersed with performances in bright lights. This was the conflict all members of BTS were having. To help illustrate the overall picture, we pulled out three songs from ‘MAP OF THE SOUL : 7’ that explored the group’s negotiation with their dark side.

Black Swan

Sonically, ‘Black Swan’ starts with twinkling tenderness on the synth, before trap beats and familiar pop drives create the catchy hooks BTS is known for. But to those listening closely, they found a group crying out in plain sight. “Ayy, the heart no longer races / When hearing the music play,” was one of many common incantations. These lyrics point to a group struggling to fuse a love for the art with the many distractions around.

The song’s title pointed to Darren Aronofsky’s 2010 film of the same name. This was a movie that delved into the chaotic psyche of a ballerina’s attempt at greatness. The music video itself had BTS alternating between black and white clothes, like two sides dancing on the same coin. It’s the journey yesterday’s worldwide sensations like The Beatles are all too familiar with: a fight to keep your creative soul while facing a tidal wave of public adoration. 

We are Bulletproof: the Eternal

‘We are Bulletproof: the Eternal’ forms the last part of a trilogy of tracks that includes ‘We are Bulletproof’ and ‘We are Bulletproof Pt.2’. Previous iterations functioned as hype machines meant to lift their reputation as impervious artists. In direct reference to their moniker, however, this third version acts as a love letter to the ARMY. An almost melancholic feel permeates the start of the track before it morphs into a phone-waving stadium anthem. “We were only seven / But we have you all now,” was the choral refrain as the song briefly recapped the group’s rise to the top.

In hindsight, the song tied a bow around this period. Above all, this era saw the ARMY take on an outsized role in creating the global phenomenon of BTS through sheer passion. The group was in a reflective mood, acknowledging they were in this position in no small part because their fans had become an intrinsic part of them.

ON

In the glare of the spotlight, no song illustrated the group’s desire to remain true to themselves more than ‘ON’. The track itself is a callback to their 2013 song ‘N.O’, a pulsating hip-hop track that calls youths to fight the ceiling placed on them.

This time, however, the pressures turned inward. ‘ON’ detailed the current journey of BTS. At this point, they were waking up in big cities all over the world and had a reconciliation with their current status. “Together with that black wind, I fly,” rapped RM during the defiant pop-tune, with a chorus that called life to “bring the pain”. This track acted as a background for some mega-feats, including their choreography-heavy performance video filmed at Los Angeles’ Sepulveda Dam. They would later take this song and replicate it in an eerily hollow Grand Central Terminal in New York City.  

In many ways, this event encapsulated the conflict the K-pop juggernauts were embracing. That a song about going on and on in the face of outward forces was showcased within the confines of American landmarks told a larger story of where BTS was. Not only this, it also showed where they were heading. The road was paved with gold and platinum records, and in ‘MAP OF THE SOUL : 7’, it sounded like BTS had found peace with the costs it took to get there. With the last of the members ending their military service this year, a new era awaits. What comes next feels as open-ended as it has ever been for the Korean boy band. 

BTS is on Instagram, X, and TikTok. Stream the album below or buy here, and read more anniversary pieces here.

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