I’m not a person with many talents, however, I do have many passions. The way I see it, a passion is something you truly enjoy. While it’s possible to benefit from a passion, like making money off of selling artwork or staying healthy through dancing, I do not believe all passions need to have a direct impact on one’s life. I am personally passionate about a plethora of things from anime to makeup to fashion. However, simultaneously discussing all of my passions may be just a tad overwhelming. So, as of right now, I will focus on talking about something that I am passionate about that is a crucial part of my daily life — music.
Now, some of you may think that I play an instrument or sing or even compose music electronically. The sad reality is that I have no musical talent whatsoever. I took keyboard lessons and singing lessons when I was younger but those are now just memories to me. Alas, all I can do with music is simply listen to and enjoy it. My most pertinent passion as of late is listening to my favorite music or performance groups, many of which fall into the category of K-Pop [for those unfamiliar with the term, Korean Pop].
Social media plays a crucial role in how I enjoy the groups and music I am so fond of. I love many different groups, but I am limiting myself to talking about my two favorites — BTS and ATEEZ. I follow both of these groups on Twitter (and of course I have their notifications on at all times). Though they don’t directly interact with fans’ posts often, I still get to see the pictures they post and read their messages and updates regularly. It makes me feel very connected to these artists despite the pandemic and the fact that they live in a country half way across the world from me. ATEEZ and BTS also use an application called V Live where every so often they will broadcast a live video and interact with fans through the comments section (almost like going live on Instagram). Usually these live videos are just the idols sitting and chatting with fans about random things like music, food, etc. This casual conversation helps distract from that nagging lonely feeling that creeps its way to the forefront of my mind every now and then. BTS uses an application called Weverse where they directly respond to fan’s comments or posts sometimes.
In addition to staying connected with these artists, using social media further allows individuals to interact with other members of the fanbase. For those who don’t keep in contact with many people in “real life”, this can be a nice way to meet new friends that share similar interests. I myself have met a good handful of people that I would now consider friends through my passion for BTS and ATEEZ. TikTok is a great place to find quality, comedic, fan-made content for BTS and ATEEZ. I can always look to Twitter if I’m searching for answers concerning important upcoming dates for when new content will premier. Instagram introduces me to many small businesses that create beautiful and unique BTS and ATEEZ inspired merchandise. These fanbases take up a majority of my time on social media, but I welcome it. I like immersing myself in a community of people that share love for the same music, basically forming a family of sorts. Sure, lots of drama ensues within these fanbases on social media, but one of the beauties of social media is that I can choose to ignore and avoid the petty fights that occur online.
I use social media to express my passion for BTS and ATEEZ nearly every day for a minimum of a few hours. It may seem like a lot, but I enjoy every second of it. I used social media often before the rise of the pandemic, so this is not necessarily a new aspect of my life. Nonetheless, prior to the pandemic, I was able to attend concerts. I have seen BTS four [4] times and unfortunately I have yet to see ATEEZ live. This past spring, I had made plans to attend five [5] different shows — four [4] for BTS, and one [1] for ATEEZ. However, since the shut-down began in March, all of these concerts have been postponed and have yet to be rescheduled. I am inherently upset over this, and I will remain upset until I can see my favorite artists in person once more. Though I must admit, BTS and ATEEZ have produced a significant amount of new content throughout this unforeseen pandemic. BTS and ATEEZ have released new albums within the past year. BTS streamed old concerts for free on YouTube to try and cheer up fans who were disappointed by the temporary cancellation of the tour. ATEEZ has held two fan meet-and-greets over video calls. Both groups even performed in virtual live shows that I was lucky enough to attend. I am truly impressed with the efforts of the companies and the artists to keep fans’ spirits uplifted through this strange and difficult time. BTS and ATEEZ have created songs about missing getting to be with their fans in person, and BTS’ newest self-produced album, BE, features an intimate track list that expresses the artists’ emotions and struggles with quarantining and the pandemic.
My passion for BTS and ATEEZ is honestly what keeps me going most days. I’m in no way trying to imply that I am the only one struggling with the challenges of living through a pandemic, as I know many people are not as lucky as I am to still live a relatively normal life. While it may seem absolutely ludicrous, I genuinely love all fifteen members of BTS and ATEEZ combined more than I love nearly anything else (excluding my mother and my best friend). These wonderful, talented, caring, and humble individuals are able to put a smile on my face when nothing else can. Watching video compilations of them goofing around never fails to make me laugh. They constantly remind me that there is more to life than just school and work. They encourage me to find happiness and to love myself. They remind me that I am never alone because I will always have them, even if they aren’t physically next to me. This love I have for these groups is what makes it so easy to connect with other fans that I know feel the same way. If it weren’t for BTS and ATEEZ, there are so many relationships and experiences I would have missed out on. I am forever grateful to these lovely people, and to social media for allowing me the opportunity to stay connected with them even when we can’t meet in person.
I most certainly could use my passion for BTS and ATEEZ to further the progress of a social movement on social media, or even in my local community. For example, many fans of BTS that are POC were elated when BTS tweeted in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. The same goes for ATEEZ’ fans when they also tweeted their support for the BLM movement. These groups have such a large international presence, and I greatly respect that they use their platforms to spread love and acceptance (in fact it is one of the main reasons I adore them so much). I have seen BTS and ATEEZ fan accounts use their larger following on social media to discuss and advocate for social movements as well. I have yet to start up my own movement for social justice. But, if I did, I would definitely consider my connection to these fanbases as an asset. BTS and ATEEZ tend to attract more progressive fans that advocate for social justice, at least in my own experience. This would lead me to assume that these fanbases would be able to efficiently spread awareness of social justice movements.
I am so very thankful to have BTS, ATEEZ, and many other amazing artists in my life. Being a part of these fanbases is something that I am very proud of, because many of us simply want to see each other thrive and find happiness. This large family that has been built through music and social media is a reminder that the world isn’t all bad all the time.