#bmt asks

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

Hey there BMT

Happy new year

So...after today's Tae Wlive...I was left feeling a bit confused

Okay to be honest...ever since the solo chapter two era began...I deleted my twitter account and it has been one of the best decisions I made...but in my journey as an Army...Tae has always rubbed me the wrong way and I couldn't really pinpoint what exactly it was about him because when you first come into this fandom it is ot7 kumbaya all the time....so I can't help but realize Tae doesn't like being left out on being in the spotlight...he is someone who seems to know what goes on in the fandom like how most of his solo stans are shippers of him and the maknae...and how said shippers are one of the biggest reasons this fandom is going to shit and how they portray he's supposed soulmate..so...it's how he always comes online when one of the other members is on the spotlight for some reason and he feels the need to name drop the maknae..like today...he comes on for two minutes,comes back and mentions how he is with the maknae and friends but he decided to do the live cause he was bored...plus I found it a bit weird how he didn't mention Jihope being in Paris....considering he likes fashion...something so big and new and exciting for his bandmates,his family,friends...but instead go on and just rally up his psycho cult by adding innuendos with strawberries and "pineapples?"....and I'm just wondering JK couldn't even pop in his head for a second to say hi but then I sit down and remember he likes to lie?troll?be funny? So many narratives to explain away his behaviour....anyways...what was the purpose of all this....you are one of the bangtan fans who is so level headed and I wanted to know if I'm just tripping..

Have an amazing day/night

Alright, I think it's time for a real talk here. I'm not going to mince my words because I don't care what anyone says. I'm no Army, you all know where I stand, so let's fucking go.

This fandom is made of butthurt, two-faced, kumbaya, fruity bangtan-lover people who are rarely able to show some spine because they're too afraid of losing their clout on twitter and their followers on tumblr. They're so programmned to believe that a bunch of seven men are the epitome of perfection, unable to do something even worthy of mentioning any type of criticism because they all live in this fairytale-like world. They are super human, incapable of actions and emotions that govern the daily lives of us, the inferior human race. Well guess what? Believing it doesn't make it real.

We can like nasty people and we can dislike them for the same damn reasons. We can dislike nice people and we can love those good people all the same. And guess what? BTS are people. Tae is one of them. Rm is one of them. Jimin. Yoongi and so on. And we can like BTS, while at the same time, not like some of the things they say or do. It's not the end of the world, the sky won't fall on us. Just as we have complex emotions and reactions towards the people in our own lives and towards our own self. I know I'm seen as some Tae/RM anti. Unfortunately for those people, I can never give them the satisfaction because I don't have a ''hate Tae today and talk shit about him'' on my to-do list every day. And they can say I'm biased and I only care about two people in BTS and I see them as perfect and I get frustrated when someone else talks shit about them. Yeah dude, I do care only about two of them. There ya go. The Earth is still spinning. And you know what? I can dislike stuff about them too.

I don't like Jimin treating the fandom as if they're all kids and even going as far as to cover a damn photo on a hotel wall. It's stupid and it won't help and he's part of the problem. I once thought that Jungkook is going to do something more artistic in the future because I saw the potential after My Time, but for now, all he did was confirm how damn basic he is from an artistic pov. I think he made a wrong decision making that song for the World Cup in Qatar and it shows that money comes first. I don't like RM because he's pretentious as fuck. I don't like Hobi because he's too damn loud and as a fan, I couldn't give a flying fuck about his presence at FW or what brand deals he gets. I think Jin is severely out of touch and money does that to you.I think Tae is insecure for no fucking damn reason, but he is. I think Yoongi can be so damn insensitive sometimes and he doesn't know when to shut up. And, for the sake of inclusivity and fairness, I'll add myself too in this dislike fest (not that I'm some world superstar and I have no fans, but you know what I mean).I am a selfish bitch that tends to ghost people. I have ex-friends that probably hate me and I don't blame them.

What does all this mean? That my opinions are facts? That the aspects I've mentioned reflect someone's entire being? That when I look at Hobi, all I see is an obnoxius loud guy? No. Of course not. He's not just that because none of us are only one thing. Layers, people. As simple as that. And if I or anyone else ends up thinking that Tae is insecure and doesn't like being left out, then so be it. Just as I mentioned all that stuff that I personally don't like, there are many more reasons that still make me enjoy them. They're not horrible people worthy of being burned at the stake. But one bad word and this fandom acts like that's exactly what one means when they are not a fan of a BTS member. Then they jump to call people antis, bitches, cunt whores and every other insult. Because that's certainly nicer that any sort of criticism made towards BTS, but it's an acceptable and desired form of bullying. If this was twitter or perhaps my inbox after this text is posted, some will jump and say that Tae would burn me to keep himself and JK warm. Oh no, I'm about to cry and do my penance and apply 30 lashes on my naked body.

Everything is so absurd and every day when I go on twitter and come here, I'm taking the bad pill on purpose so I can enter this alternative reality. And I accept that, I made my bed. But I'm also not going to be some sheep that parrots whatever this fandom deems acceptable.

So yes, anon. I don't blame you for thinking this. Yes, it does seem to look like a pattern. Why? I don't fucking know. Why doesn't it seem genuine? Because there's a history of lying for no damn reason. No one in their right mind should be upset that he's hanging out with his bandmate (be it in person or playing online games). That's not the problem here. It's just that it has become such a habit of only him doing this one-side whatever the fuck he is trying to do, that I had a bunch of people in my inbox from one-two weeks ago saying that this exact thing will happen at the right moment. And it did. I say we should place some bets next time. It will be more fun.

Why does he suffer from a bad case of mimetic desire? Is it needed? Not from an outsider pov, but I have no idea what insecurities Tae has. Except from that time he told Jungkook during their ITS talk that he uses weverse to get some love from fans because he was indeed insecure at that time. So, that tells you something. Which means, it's not completely out of the realm of all possibilities that some of the stuff he does can be on purpose. I'm glad I'm not a Tae stan or some ot7 army cause I would feel kinda shitty seeing Tae's attitude towards his fans. He laughts at them on Weverse while they believe they're laughing together. Look at how the others are using a live stream to connect with the fans they so much love, while he uses that because he's bored for 5 minutes. What is he? A teenage girl that gets bored after the guys come over? Is this high school? I didn't know he's some 16 year old cause at least his behavior would make more sense. But his fans thinks this is cool behavior, except he's a rebel without any cause that makes threats when the Paradise heir gets dragged in a scandal and other times he's keeping his mouth shut. Anyway......

And if we're dropping names (which doesn't happen just with JK, it's only that he's the main character lately) and if JK was there too, why couldn't he just give a shout and call him to say hi to his beloved fans? No one would think it's weird. We have footage of all the group hanging out together for years everywhere. Either tell him to shut up cause he's about to be live and doesn't want anyone to know, or actually do something? Cause this is what I don't get? Making situations be odd when it's not necessary. Now, it's not confirmed that JK is actually there, it could be just a theory and people having bad hearing and apparently Jungkook can sing like shit sometimes. We don't know.

And I don't want to hear anyone saying he doesn't know his stans and his shippers. First of all, they all do and second of all, he's on damn twitter and there's evidence of that. No, he doesn't have to call out his fans, but why rile them up? But then again, all of them are like that, so there's no escape.

Tae doesn't need to go live and talk about Paris Fashion Week and what his bandmates did. He's not the news so he can cover all the events that are happening. But the timing...like clockwork, every single time. Sometimes it's during and sometimes immediately after. Now he waited a day. Good for him, he's being considerate. If anyone would have to patience to look at the bts archive for the last half of year, I bet the pattern is more easily recognizable.

The point to all this and I'm going to end this post cause it got way too long, celebrities (that includes BTS) are people like everyone else. They put themselves in the public eye which means that everyone else watching them is bound to draw conclusions. Some are favorable and others are not. And saying that Tae seems to want some spotlight and he's not very nice sometimes is not a smear campaign. Whoever believes that, get a life. You have no idea what that means. But this fandom distorts all sense of reality and the actual meaning of words.

People can like Tae for exactly the same reasons I don't. I wish he would be an actual bad boy. That would make him at least interesting. I like shitty people. I like nice people who do shitty things. I like people who are considered persona non grata. So what? So if his fans like Tae for who he is, then absolutely fine. But then I can also say that I don't. That's the basics of all of this.

And one last thought. I can't truly take someone seriously or argue with them in some weird act of defending men. I value myself a bit more than that. So whoever wants to be an Army on a high horse and call me names, you can take them and shove them.

Happy New Year, Anon!

#bmt asks

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

Ok there's something that needs to be said about this solo stuff. Hobi focused on the US. Jin went to South America. RM went "exclusive" with his small gig in Korea. So tell me why Jimin is being lambasted for doing a rigorous but wholly normal Kpop promotional period? Are fans really so stupid they don't understand that each person picked what they wanted to do in consultation with their management etc? Are they really so thick-headed that they can't see how the group's western favortism has changed the group and its focus?

Jimin is doing 70 fan calls and going on K music shows, what every other Kpop group does as a matter of course for their releases. THAT isn't favortism. It's a choice to do these promotions. Everyone had this choice, and they didn't take it. Maybe fans should digest that before deigning to speak.

It seems to me the fans are changing their tune depending on what they decide to be angry on any given day. They tell people to "trust the boys and their words" and then when these men actually talk about their own decision regarding their work, all of a sudden "clearly RM and Hobi didn't want this or that and the company failed them". It's impossible to take any argument seriously.

Especially RM and Hobi's projects were conducted and promoted exactly in the manner of how Army wants them and sees them when part of the group. "Bigger than K-Pop", performing on a global stage or promoting it in exclusive settings or American museums. They had opportunities that other idols in the business for as long as they have been, do not have. And it was all thanks to BTS success. What they did was perfectly in line with the status of the group. Their fans complain about delays in shipping or physical releases, all because it impacted negatively their chances of charting high, completely ignoring that being a headline at Lolapalloza is bigger than any of that. Again, they don't see the forest for the trees.

And now they have an issue with Jimin because he embraced and reinforced his professional identity and career as an idol. His other bandmates did not do that. I thought the fans wanted them to be bigger than idols. Again, changing their tune because it's Jimin. Why do they mind so much. Is it envy? Are they projecting their own frustrations? Jimin is only doing the standard promotions for an album release, especially domestically. It's his choice. Just as everyone else had their own choice and control over what they want and how they want their music to be released to the public. The Disney+ documentary on Hobi is a testament to that because it says exactly what we are talking about. Each of these men have free will and enough autonomy to be able to decide how their career to be like. But fans would rather believe they are puppets on a string and invent lies and make vicious comments.

And an underline of this (especially from I-fans) is how army and solo stans infantilize Asian/Korean men and idols by taking away their own agency. Which means they need to be coddled, protected, defended or free from the consequences of their harmful actions, depending on the situations.

#bmt asks #bts #bts army #jimin #hobi #rm

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

Steps into solo phase, and brings out Greek mythology, German poetry from 1800s... I don't know what more is coming or whatever I missed noticing...

I want to know what this man, Park Jimin, does in his free time. What are his personal interests and inspirations? Talk to us, Jimin, I beg.

If someone were to write a biography of him, it could be titled Jimin's Enigma. I don't think we'll ever know what's inside that head. Or he'll talk here and there, vaguely mentioning something or repeating about The Notebook. You know, something that is not too deep. And then, as you said, we get the Greek mythology, 19th century German poetry, latin words on the palm of his hands, all from someone who is an idol who freely talks about mainstream interests while supposedly he's also an art collector. Who are you, Park Jimin?

I do hope he addresses the Rilke poem. Even if it only scratches the surface. How did he come up with the idea? Or someone suggested it? Either way, he had to approve it which is still a lot.

I have hopes for Jimin this solo season to freely talk about his album and all the little details that went into it.

#bmt asks #jimin #jimin set me free pt 2 #for my few Ro followers #you'll get the book title reference 😄

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

I see a lot of fans calling out the difference of approach in criticising members for doing essentially the same thing at different times. Everyone called out Tae for name dropping JK but no one is calling out JK for name dropping JM or Namjoon. No one is calling out JHope for Name dropping Jimin and no one is calling out Jimin for name dropping Yoongi.

Anon, let's call a spade a spade. The ones who are now taking some high moral ground and calling fans out are taekookers. Cause they saw what other fans were saying about Tae and they feel in the right to talk. They're a bunch of jealous bitches who will never get what they want. And Jimin is their target. Even if he just breathes.

Jimin is not name dropping. Take his last wlive when he did the lego sets. He talked about everyone. And it's not like he just started saying something about Hobi and JK, without being able to or wanting to finish his sentence. He actually talked like anyone would when mentioning something about a friend. He added context, we all knew what he was going on about. He didn't name drop and then just move immediately to another topic. Maybe his friend could learn a thing or two about that.

Jimin talked extensively about Yoongi because he watched his show. He wasn't like "Oh, I just talked to Yoongi....anyway I want to make a lego". Huge difference. I mean, it's quite obvious.

Just how JK didn't name drop NJ. He was all up in his comments during the vlive and that was the starting point of JK talking about him. And don't get me started with him and JM with the latest wlives. I mean, come on...

Do I have to go on?

The day Jimin comes online for 5 minutes because he's bored, name dropping X member or asking for joint live streams in which he has shit to say, then we'll talk more. In the meantime, Jimin tells other members to have fun with their fans and excuses himself for just dropping on a wlive. Because that's the type of person he is.

#bmt asks #jimin #jungkook #bts #bts wlives

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

Yet another of your followers eagerly waiting to hear your reaction to Jimin's teaser. The music, the dancers, the choir, JIMIN...This is going to be huge, right? Could it be a true kpop crossover hit?

Who is ready to follow warrior leader Jimin to fight at the gates of Mordor? Raise your hand 👋

Anon, I really didn't know what to expect. Perhaps some contemporary, gut wrenching emotional performance? But this is not necessarily better, but different in the best of ways. He's coming for everyone, merciless.

It's quite dramatic and I'm curious to see where Jimin is taking this. It looks like a large scale spectacle that will tell a story. The dancers look like inmates (judging by their clothes as well, they're like wearing a uniform) and Jimin is freeing everyone, starting with himself. The revolution is going to be streamed 💀

I love the choir, the drums, the epic feel of it. I can't wait to see a live performance. And I'll come right out and say it. This is what BTS could have been if they decided to keep doing good stuff after mots7 and not Dynamite. Set Me Free Pt. 2 sounds like the melange of Lie and ON and if there is someone who can carry that on their own, it's Jimin.

Damn, that choir gave me chills.

#bmt asks #jimin #jimin face #jimin set me free pt 2

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

"Please me i don’t wanna please me"… is that what I hear? Please me whaaaaat??! The lyrics are gonna wreck us all byeeee

I hear please me, play with me, break me 👀 Oh, Jimin is really coming for us. And given the other clues, who hurt him?

Either way, we're getting a sensual track, probably perfect for pole dancing. It's Jimin's time to really shine. "Please me" "fuck me", I don't really care. I'm here for all of this.

And I need him to show the moon tattoos. Or any other tattoos he might have. Dancing in the rain, mud, with barely any clothes on while singing about separation and going crazy.

#bmt asks #jimin #jimin like crazy

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

I would love to know your thoughts about the German poem being seemingly corded around his body. Also has your interpretation of the panopticon usage changed at all given that the same set was used for the entire music video and he never left it?

First, I'd like to put side by side the poem and this text that from the very beginning hints at the message(s) in the album.

The first four lines in the Face text are mirroring Rilke's first stanza, like this:

I live my life in widening circles

That reach out across the world

Wave spreads beautifully,

Finding its own flow.

I think it shows being open and willing to experience whatever life brings on. The speaker, and in this particular case Jimin, is at the center of it. His existence is the one that creates the waves, the widening circles that can encompass a myriad of people, experiences. But, it comes with an important observation:

I may not complete this last one

But I will give myself to it.

Despite wounds and distortions

From a smallest scratch.

There a show of resilience here, of accepting that despite how much it can hurt, it's the only way to actually live. It's not an easy task. And that last circle doesn't need to be completed. Perhaps only in death, but until then, it's about the trajectory, of keep trying. Yes, he might get hurt along along the way but let's not forget the hint of optimism of the way in which the wave spreads beautifully. It's not a contradiction, but just the way life works.

I've been circling for thousands of years

And I still don't know: am I a falcon, a storm, or a great song?

The face of unwavering effort

Despite repeated falls and pain.

One ends with a question, while the other one hints at choosing an answer. In Rilke's poem, it is left to the reader's choice to take away from it what one might be after questioning's life purpose. Or perhaps one key of interpretation is that we can be all of those three at different times in our lives, depending on the experiences we have when we let things in.

Jimin might be a beautiful song, but also the falcon. God here can be interpreted as a metaphor. The primordial tower. That can take a meaning depending on what the one thing or more in someone's life that stands at the center of their existence. We each have our own answer to that. For Jimin, it might be himself, "the face on unwavering effort". That's his answer.

The panopticon is not a physical place. That struggle and the reveal of inner demons happens inside, and the metaphorical liberation from the imprisonment takes place at the end. I think Jimin showed throughout the video that he's a falcon, a storm and a beautiful song and lastly, he chose himself.

I found a beautiful interpretation of the poem. I suggest reading it because it can actually help in understanding a lot more the concept of Set Me Free Pt. 2 and why it makes such good sense to have it connected to Jimin.

#bmt asks #jimin #jimin set me free pt 2 #I'm not good at interpreting poetry so I apologize in advance

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

It's an EP, in between a solo and a full album. Mostly contains 4 to 6 songs.

Some artists release EP before a full album sometimes. It helps them test the pulse of the fans, to see whats working and what's not, their reactions and to also gain newer fans, to put themselves out there and get exposure and set expectations for their future full album.

I don't know if that's what Jimin has on mind.

Seems like some songs didn't make it into this one. Some pictures we got from different producers, those producers aren't on this album. So maybe it's set aside for his full album, or maybe it'll be singles later on.

And then also, if he's telling us a certain story about a certain phase of his life with this album, maybe 6 songs were enough, and didn't need to be stretched out.

Eitherways, I am looking forward to it. Let's see.

You see anon, the so called arguments used by those complaining (they are definitely not Jimin's fans) shows that they are not actually music fans. They like BTS and whatever is popular on the radio or on top charts. Just casual listeners. Fundamentally, there's nothing wrong with that. But they also act like they're experts despite having no idea that what an EP is. They have no actual knowledge and it's quite obvious from the way they write because they expose themselves easily.

And despite possibly falling into the trap of victimizing Jimin, he is usually seen guilty of everything, including his mere existence. If he's quiet on social media and doesn't do anything with his career, he's jobless. Then when it's revealed he actually worked on his music and how that project is rolling out, he's privileged. There's nothing he can do. But he doesn't have to. They can make jokes about him and fans saying that people shouldn't be butthurt because it's just a joke, except he's always the target with a not so subtle message delivered every single time. The Jimin they all talk about, be it in my asks, on twitter or any other platform, by army, some of his stans and those outside his own fandom, does not exist. He is some made up character that they can project on to all their insecurities, bad taste and bad manners and show how miserable they are.

If Face is the only album before enlistment, that's fine. If there's more to come until then, than that's fine again. He's young and he has so many opportunities to make his music and get involved in the projects he wants. I'm just happy I get to see the beginning of his journey and if at some point, along the years, long after I move on from this kpop world, if I happen to see or hear something about Jimin or his music, I hope it will be something nice.

#bmt asks #jimin #jimin face #jimin solo album

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

You articulated everything I think about Tae and ARMY in one post in a clear way I definitely couldn't express properly. I do love Tae but he these 2 characteristics of him are getting me down 1) He loves his fans but he also has some amount of disdain for them and 2) His insecurity (also leading to his mimetic tendency as you mentioned).

Regarding point 2, I think he knows that he's arguably the most popular member but I think he also knows that he lacks something he stands out at - JK being the best singer, Jimin and JHope being the best dancers, RM being being the leader and songwriter, Suga being the producer and best rapper. Like Tae is talented of course but he seems to lack the kind of self confidence of someone like Jin, because Jins in the same boat but I don't think he gives a f*ck about not being the most superlative of anything. Jin knows his importance in Bangtan and is comfortable with it.

His mimetic thing - yeah that's pretty noticeable during Run BTS, where he'll copy someone if they get attention. But for me the one that really cemented it was his trail of hobbies. So he used to be really interested in art and that was his thing (similar to RM's love of art) and then he was really into photography for a while (JK was getting videography around the same), then he started practicing boxing (about the time JK started doing that). I mean of course these aren't copyrighted hobbies and maybe you see your friends doing something and you want to get into it - but it really followed a pattern for me where he'd notice a member getting attention for something, adopt that as his latest passion, make a few posts or stories and then lose interest. Like he has genuine ones like golfing or movies but the ones he picks up from the other members are just attention grabbers. Unlike his trolling of ARMY which I think is pretty deliberate, I don't think he's even aware of this pattern of behaviour so even though I don't like it, I'm not too hard on him about it.

The thing he does with fans though makes me side eye him. The name dropping, the lying, the trolling, the fanservice, his backlash to the want of fanservice (dude you're fueling the fire, you can't have it both ways) and his rudeness. No other bangtan member engages in the kind of mind games with their fans like Tae does. He seems to be doing it like a "I'm a wildcard and a loose canon and that makes me adorable but also sexy" way but it's exhausting because his stans take all their cues from him and it just creates this situation where if you don't want to be a so called Tae anti you have to look at what is clearly a Sharpie drawing and pretend it's a tattoo.

His rudeness personally rubs me the wrong way but he's been like that since day 1 with both fans and the other members and it's pretty much a character trait at this point and I've accepted it as such. His particular rudeness towards JK, the only one younger than him was very characteristic of their friendship before and I think that's something that's actually gotten better after they got closer in 2020.

And finally, the name dropping and his love of celebrity. The schmoozing and the networking - those are actually useful life skills but I still feel uneasy. Because sometimes I wonder, do you only have friends who are rich and/or famous? Is the reason your dynamics with the other members in Bangtan - the thing I like most about you - so good because they're "equal" to you? His comfort and happiness schmoozing during fashion week while not greeting fans properly - is it because these fans are just "ordinary" folk? I don't know - maybe it's nothing and I'm projecting - I don't know about this point - if it's really true or not.

Good lord, I've written paras and paras dunking on Tae but I feel there's no space in fandom to express this without being labelled an anti. Despite everything, I do actually still like him (I swear I do), just not as much as before.

I don't want to clog your blog with too much Tae discourse if that's not something you're comfortable with so feel free to not post this. I just felt everything you wrote very strongly and just wanted to give you my view too. Thanks for reading if you made it this far and thanks for your blog - I enjoy reading it a lot 😊.

I think I'm going to wrap up the Tae talks for today with your ask, anon. And that is because you provided the examples that basically support everything I said in that post. I won't elaborate too much on that.

But I will say, I do think he's the most celebrity-like in the entire group, followed by Hobi (but his style is different). I think he enjoys his status and he doesn't hide it. Of course networking is essential, but usually, one can spot a social climber when they see one. He's taking advantage of what he can. He said he's a people person and how he was also surrounded by those who were only interested in his status, but I can't help but wonder if he's not doing the same thing, just at a different level. Yes, he's famous and he's part of this supergroup, but you only have to pay attention to the people he surrounds himself with. Do I get bad vibes from it? Maybe, but it's just vibes.

If public personal associations with chabeols and the like is his thing and then others are dragged into it, then what can I say? I just observe. He's not the first and only and certainly not the last. The businesses are connected but army still believes the Hybe/BH are different, lol. They gush at Samsung and Hyundai commercials because they boys are cute, while ignoring others, ones that tell stories, but not for kindergarten army. Mind you, the company has partnered with those people for a long time, including Bang Bang Con and the recent concert in Busan. No shocker there. But it just shows a very specific elitist social group. Random bbq restaurants in Seoul are a far cry from luxury hotels to make tiktok directorial/editing/acting debuts, but I guess it's called being open to various experiences. And that comes with baggage. But fans are too focused on believing it's a product of hot sex post Qatar flight so they don't see the forest for the trees.

So if media is making up dating rumors, you post Ugh lyrics on twitter, but the reckless gesture is fixed in a few hours. If someone is posting private photos of you and a girl with threats of releasing nudes which end up being photos in a bathtub of said girl, you keep your mouth shut cause you don't want to be rejected by your crazy fans if they find out you have sex as a 28 year old man. But it's fine. Priorities. The gay-sex-during-award-show-breaks squad is here to the rescue because they all know photoshop and gaslighting. If RM has army right behind him when he says so, then Tae has the lunatics and shippers at his 5 min live call. Which then again, may be irrelevant for others and not a deal breaker, while for some it leaves a bad taste in their mouth.

And within all this, we're supposed to see him as relatable and cute and nothing that he ever does can be questioned. If he follows someone on IG, his stans are saying the poor baby made a mistake and fell asleep. He is without fault and the double standards are everywhere. He's the most protected and excused member in the entire group, while others get thrown under the bus for far less. But this is one of the most sensitive topics in this fandom, especially because it's close to opening other doors and people don't wanna go there. Time will tell and once they are not the hottest shit anymore and they'll find themselves in their 30s and 40s, it will be much more evident.

That's all I'm going to say for now. I don't write posts for sensitive fans and I'm sort of done with beating around the bush. Because I've been nice and polite and gave him and the other stuff the benefit of the doubt and I found a shit ton of excuses. But no more. I made my point and I stand by it.

#bmt asks

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

I want to put my fingers through his shinny hair. What's he being so cute for?

Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!

#bmt asks #jimin #jimin wlive

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

I want to know why Jungkook goes all eeeeeeeeeeeee when he sees Jimin in the comments.

Talk to me Jungkook, what's happening, what are you feeling/thinking?

I don't know what you want me to say anon, I react the same when I see Jimin in the comments or I get a weverse notif from him. Instant happiness so I do understand Jungkook. As they say once again you are me, I am you.

And how could we not?

#bmt asks #jimin

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

JK says he wants to be a rock. Says he sleeps in Bam's house sometimes. Said he enjoys doing nothing. Went live a few days in a row drinking rather heavily & said he needs it, which isn't good. He keeps flirting with fans too. Seems single, depressed & unmotivated to me. And seeing people make jokes about it & says he's just having a fun time doing nothing, hanging with Army's. Or maybe he's sad & wants attention cause he's not getting it at home since the members have gone their separate ways.

1. I guess you never met or had a conversation with an introvert. Staying indoors is our thing, we like to recharge the batteries and be rocks for days if it's possible.

2. JK once had a fight with a rooster, so what's not clicking about him sleeping in Bam's house? He's a weirdo but also I'm almost sure that was an exaggeration.

3. Drinking rather heavily. SK has a drinking culture and what you saw on that live was nothing. It was just a few beers. Just because you think it's unusual or too much and you're basically implying he has an issue, it doesn't mean it's true. I wonder how you'll react if you ever see people drinking together at a party.

4.Keeps flirting with fans, wow. As if this isn't something idols have done forever, especially during fanmeetings. And now Jungkook does it on IG or live. And if you can't see how over the top and cringey he is on purpose, then that's on you. Again.

5. Seems single, depressed and unmotivated. You don't know the status of his relationship. Maybe he fucks around, maybe he has a partner and maybe he got his dick wet after finishing the mukbang live. Don't diagnose people and say they might have depression if you're not a licensed therapist and if you never met the person in real life. And I guess Jungkook is a lazy unmotivated ass because he wants to do fuck all after working almost non stop for 10 years since he was a teenager. How dare he?

5. Wants attention cause the members have gone their separate ways. Of course, because it's inimaginable that Jungkook might have other people in his life, that he is an actual person with his separate life and not someone made up of other 6 people.

Fuck you.

#bmt asks #jungkook

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

This is my favorite

But this one comes in almost as in a package

But I can't sleep on this one either...

BUT THIS ONE

I always had a thing for Jimin surrounded by flowers or flower prints or flowers in his head, in his mouth. Flowers everwhere, shoulder out and him with a handheld camera does something to me. Yes, please return the gaze 😳

Finally, some good thing are happening and makes it worthwhile. It was about time.

#bmt asks #jimin #jimin W Korea #jimin photoshoot

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

I find many maknae line solo fans to be unbearable - probably because they're currently the most popular members. At some point, a lot of stans started believing their own hype and if I see another variation of "Jungkook made BTS" my eyes are gonna roll back so hard I'm not gonna be able to see anymore.

PS: Not completely unrelated but I also recently saw a twitter bio with "Kim Taehyung global it boy" written and I got such a dose of second hand embarrassment that I almost cringed to death. I know a lot of these titles are somewhat arbitrary but to just summarily assign Jimin's most popular and widely recognised kpop title to another BTS member - like you're just setting up Taehyung at that point.

Taekookers/Tae stans want for Tae everything that Jimin has/is. The ass, those specific type of plump lips, the talent, the beauty, the dick appointments.

#bmt asks #bmt shit posting

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

Yeah, it's not a bad thing. It had to happen. I guess each of their solo albums will release during the period and any other group work they did.

When they come back, well they may or may not be a group again. Everyone except Jungkook would be in their 30s. Maybe won't make sense to be in a boy group. They might come back and continue solo work. But they can't come back and immediately release stuff in 2025, so not expecting anything in solos until 2026 or so.

Why wouldn't it make sense to be in a group once they are in their 30s? Life doesn't end for anyone after 29. None of us cease to exist or become irrelevant once we change the prefix. So many other groups have had comebacks after they finished the military service. Hell, it may get even more exciting because they have the chance to try out more things, develop as solo artists and have a comeback in which everyone one of them will bring new experiences and skills to the table.

People make music and go on tours even in their 80s. Because that's their calling, their passion. And others don't because their life gets new meaning depending on everything else that might happen in the future. But it has nothing to do with age. Nothing.

#bmt asks #bts #bts enlistment #bts comeback #bts solo activities

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

Thank you for your write up on Jimin's wkorea interview.

Maybe the questions are reviewed and approved by his label/manager?

Because when you get to ask Park Jimin questions, why would you stick to some general topics? He's such a mysterious man, ask him something/anything so we can deep dive into the man he is. He's like an unsolved puzzle. You would think he'll do x but he'll turn around and do y and surprise you. You never know what his next steps are or what he's doing while he's quiet on sm. That's how he drives his fans and also his antis crazy.

Iam fine that he didn't reveal much about his album and kept the expectations low saying it's his first and it's not grand. That's humble but also clever.

Considering he's in the middle of his album, they could have asked questions about his past work.

They could have picked a few of his memorable/viral acts and asked more open ended questions about his preparations, his feeling, thoughts on them. His routine with learning those choreos, the idea behind how they come up with it etc.

But again, that might lead him to talk about the group I guess. But this was supposed to be only about him.

But they could have asked atleast some dance related questions. It bothers me that his dancing is almost sidelined. I really want someone to discuss dancing at length with him.

Honestly I thought this interview was not meant to reveal anything about his album or future plans. It was just to get some pictures of him in Dior outfits.

Finally, Jimin has a way with words. When you're listening to him, your listening to him thinking he's telling you soo much. But he really isn't. He seems vulnerable and open about his feelings and thoughts but same time he's also guarded. I don't know how he manages that.

I'm going to rant here because the more I think about it, the more disappointed and frustrated I am because somehow, I still have high expectations.

Indeed, the main point of the photoshoot was to be linked to the official announcement of Jimin becoming a Dior GA. They dedicated one question to that and Jimin said it's an opportunity for him to learn more about fashion. Great. But the logical follow up question wouldn't have been about his own fashion style throughout his career? How it changed along the years, how/if it was influenced by the changes happening to him throughout his 20s in the public eye? Or how about something related to his photofolio where obviously clothing was used as a metaphor for what he wanted to express about himself. Damn, it was called tailor of chaos. So many missed opportunities there.

As to his performances and him as a dancer, there were ways of talking about it. How about his work in Filter? Or the fan dance? His contemporary solo in 2019?

I reached the conclusion that perhaps it's pointless to want him to talk about the creative process in detail, when that's something that never happened. He has the skill, he spends countless hours practicing in the studio and the final product is an amazing performance, but maybe sticking to just doing that is all there is to it. I want to hear Jimin talking in depth about the inner meanings of Filter, but does he want to do that? Is he capable of doing that? I see Jimin as a great speaker and master of his words in so many occassions, but what he actually says leaves me with barely anything (and he's not the only one, I will say the same about Jungkook too. Tae and Jin fall in that category as well. The only in depth talks - at the BTS level - came from the rap line in terms of creative process. But that doesn't mean just writing lyrics and producing songs. Dancing gets in there as well, their involvement in the concepts. They seem to be ignored and not offered as a chance for the vocal line to talk about). I don't want to be fully missunderstood here and I hope that those who know my blog will understand nuance. I know incredibly talented film directors who made some really great movies which shaped an entire cinematic movement while at the same time, they were shit at talking about their films and what meaning they were trying to convey. And let me tell you, it was high level stuff from an ideological point of view. But they didn't know how to express that through dialogue. More or less, I see the same situation with some BTS members too. Not to mention Black Swan, a highlight of their career conceptual wise and nothing was or will be spoken about it more in depth.

This is an issue that is visible in the type of content the company releases. They focus on providing footage of them giggling in between rehearsals and a quick 1 minute montage of rehearsal, without actually showing the work. And it became worse and worse as the years went by because there is evidence that for at least a few years, they still cared about that. As a fan, I would love to see the work, or at least hear them talk more about the work. I see fans praising Jimin for coming up with bridges and melodies for what ended up as famous songs for them, but no actual real talk about that work. They push the cameras in their faces for Bangtan Bombs and they are asked to say something about the most insignificant thing ever (and it shows through their responses), but they wouldn't focus more on the recording process.

And why would they change the strategy when it proves to be enough for the fans? They can sell their Memories DVDs with more than half of it already released as free content on youtube, the fans buy it, half of them waste their time fighting over the ship content, while the other half just fucking loves it and we all see it through gifs and short clips on twitter, reposted and quote retweeted ad naseum.

To end all this and go back to my initial point, there's many ways of giving a valuable insight about someone's work through and interview, but I have yet to read something actually good. Will I be naive enough to believe that it's going to be different when Jimin releases his album? Not as much as I would have been in the past. But, to end this on a more positive note, he still has time to grow and gain experience on doing stuff on his own. And perhaps that once it happens, it will open the door to a different way of talking about his work.

#bmt asks #jimin #jimin w korea interview #bts #bighit