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On BTS: Pop Music, Fandom, Sincerity
The supersonic rise of the Korean pop group BTS may seem enigmatic to some, but for Lenika Cruz, senior culture editor at The Atlantic, their worldwide fame is obvious. As Cruz argues in On BTS: Pop Music, Fandom, Sincerity, the group’s trajectory—debuting on a relatively obscure label in Korea to becoming a global household name in just four years—is a natural result of their authenticity, artistry, energy, social conscientiousness, and general coolness. As a non-English-language band finding record-breaking international success, BTS is helping usher in a fresh, more inclusive era in the music industry. In this love letter to the once-in-a-generation pop sensation, Cruz narrates her own unexpected embrace of the fandom and in doing so might welcome you in, too.
The books under the Atlantic Editions imprint with Zando feature long-form journalism by Atlantic writers devoted to a single topic, drawing from contemporary articles or classic storytelling from the magazine’s rich archive.
The books under the Atlantic Editions imprint with Zando feature long-form journalism by Atlantic writers devoted to a single topic, drawing from contemporary articles or classic storytelling from the magazine’s rich archive.
- GenresNonfictionMusicFandom
112 pages, Paperback
Published January 10, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
March 12, 2023
"I wasn't a fan of BTS.
And then I was."
This little collection is made up of the pieces Lenika Cruz wrote for The Atlantic, and a fun dive into her introduction and full-tilt immersion into the BTS fandom.
"I'll just learn their names...
A week later I knew much more than just their names."
This sounds so familiar to me! I love hearing how other fans came to love Bangtan.
For me, I first heard the bop Dynamite. But that wasn't it. It was Mic Drop. The music video. The choreography. The synchronicity.
"Wait, play that again.... what the heck?? These boys are good!" I was mesmerized by their dancing and the rapping. What?! I hated rap music!
But if you like choreography, watch the "ON" music video. I did, so many times!
I learned their names.
Their talents. Is he a singer or a rapper? That boy - V - he's got a beautiful soulful voice.
But I like that one rapper - the leader, what's his real name? Kim Namjoon? He's positive and kind and sensitive and he loves books. He would become my bias, for so many reasons.
"I wish I could love myself..."
and we answer, "Saranghae..."
But who's that angry little rapper guy? They don't need an angry rapper, they're all so sweet, he doesn't fit...
Only to have that precious grandpa of a little rapper man become my ultimate bias wrecker, coming after my heart with "People" and "Interlude:Shadow" and his verse in "Life Goes On."
My Min Yoongi. SUGA. Agust d. 💜
One by one, I learned them. Their quirks. Their hearts. Their lyrics.
And now they possess some of my most cherished happy memories. Time spent with my daughter and husband and daughter in law, becoming ARMY together. Collecting photo cards and albums. Hanging posters in my bedroom like I'm 15 again.
PTD LA
PTD LV
3 am watch parties, the girls all sleeping over.
Meeting strangers who are friends, found family, ARMY. Participating in a culture of gift giving and creativity.
And soon...SUGA on a world tour.
They just keep giving.
I'm so here for it. And so thankful I learned their names in spring of 2020.
Seokjin, Yoongi, Hoseok, Namjoon, Jimin, Taehyung, Jungkook
APOBANGPO
🫰🏻
And then I was."
This little collection is made up of the pieces Lenika Cruz wrote for The Atlantic, and a fun dive into her introduction and full-tilt immersion into the BTS fandom.
"I'll just learn their names...
A week later I knew much more than just their names."
This sounds so familiar to me! I love hearing how other fans came to love Bangtan.
For me, I first heard the bop Dynamite. But that wasn't it. It was Mic Drop. The music video. The choreography. The synchronicity.
"Wait, play that again.... what the heck?? These boys are good!" I was mesmerized by their dancing and the rapping. What?! I hated rap music!
But if you like choreography, watch the "ON" music video. I did, so many times!
I learned their names.
Their talents. Is he a singer or a rapper? That boy - V - he's got a beautiful soulful voice.
But I like that one rapper - the leader, what's his real name? Kim Namjoon? He's positive and kind and sensitive and he loves books. He would become my bias, for so many reasons.
"I wish I could love myself..."
and we answer, "Saranghae..."
But who's that angry little rapper guy? They don't need an angry rapper, they're all so sweet, he doesn't fit...
Only to have that precious grandpa of a little rapper man become my ultimate bias wrecker, coming after my heart with "People" and "Interlude:Shadow" and his verse in "Life Goes On."
My Min Yoongi. SUGA. Agust d. 💜
One by one, I learned them. Their quirks. Their hearts. Their lyrics.
And now they possess some of my most cherished happy memories. Time spent with my daughter and husband and daughter in law, becoming ARMY together. Collecting photo cards and albums. Hanging posters in my bedroom like I'm 15 again.
PTD LA
PTD LV
3 am watch parties, the girls all sleeping over.
Meeting strangers who are friends, found family, ARMY. Participating in a culture of gift giving and creativity.
And soon...SUGA on a world tour.
They just keep giving.
I'm so here for it. And so thankful I learned their names in spring of 2020.
Seokjin, Yoongi, Hoseok, Namjoon, Jimin, Taehyung, Jungkook
APOBANGPO
🫰🏻
January 31, 2023
“Being a fan of BTS means becoming intimately familiar with the many prejudices and hierarchies of taste that casually belittle the thing you love—and then deciding that none of it has any real power over you.” Maybe the fact that we’ve all collectively decided that things that teenage girls love are dumb is misogyny. Perhaps people aren’t as open-minded to what pop music or “serious music” looks like if it doesn’t conform to the West’s conceptualization of music or if it isn’t in English. I really think that if people read Lenika’s book they’d understand why people are so into this band, why they draw comparisons to the Beatles, and why BTS — the underdogs who write, produce, and perform songs that reference Ursula K. Le Guin and Jungian psychology while unabashedly tackling themes of mental health, toxic masculinity, vulnerability, and social issues — is the biggest band in the world.
January 28, 2023
[5.0]
bawled my eyes out :)
bawled my eyes out :)
December 26, 2023
APOBANGPO💜
I received this essay collection as a Christmas gift, sat down with it, and inhaled everything in one sitting. And tabbed the absolute hell out of it, this was such a good read. Whether you're ARMY or you know very little about BTS and would like to understand more about them, this is an absolutely amazing read.
I received this essay collection as a Christmas gift, sat down with it, and inhaled everything in one sitting. And tabbed the absolute hell out of it, this was such a good read. Whether you're ARMY or you know very little about BTS and would like to understand more about them, this is an absolutely amazing read.
April 3, 2023
Lenika, thanks as always for doing the hard work of putting into words what so many army feel and struggle to express 💜
October 12, 2023
is this the only book i’ve actually finished this year. yes. was it awesome. also yes
“The tradition of sneering at “boy bands” and their fans—who are often, but not always, young women—transcends national borders and is an old one rooted in ageism and misogyny. While comparisons between BTS and the Beatles can sometimes be reductive, they are instructive in at least one way: When the English band’s fanbase was considered mostly young and female, male music critics generally regarded the Beatles as unserious and commercially minded rather than artistic. The archetype of the teen-girl fan has long served to diminish young women, in turn denigrating the cultural works they embrace.”
“The tradition of sneering at “boy bands” and their fans—who are often, but not always, young women—transcends national borders and is an old one rooted in ageism and misogyny. While comparisons between BTS and the Beatles can sometimes be reductive, they are instructive in at least one way: When the English band’s fanbase was considered mostly young and female, male music critics generally regarded the Beatles as unserious and commercially minded rather than artistic. The archetype of the teen-girl fan has long served to diminish young women, in turn denigrating the cultural works they embrace.”
February 15, 2023
This book reminded me of my journey with BTS, what joy they’ve brought into my life, and why I’ll be ARMY for life! I highlighted so many passages that I could relate to!! If you want to reminisce about your journey and relate to another fan, check out Lenika’s book - you’ll be reminded of the joys that this group has brought into your life. Or maybe you can check out Carpool Karaoke and figure out who your bias is if you’re new to BTS and don’t know where to start 🤗💜 Borahae! 🫰
January 19, 2023
The rating on this book is going to be strange for me, because I think I fundamentally misunderstood what this book was - I don't think I realized (despite the labeling, so this is on me) that this is literally a reprint of Lenika Cruz's six articles on BTS for the Atlantic.
To rate it without the context of my misunderstanding, I would probably rate it lower - I have read these articles and the curation of them in this book does not elevate them to a different level (see Hanif Abdurraqib's They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us). I think this is, in part, because of its length - while the Goodreads lists this book at 111 pages, it would be charitable to say that it is 70. I read this in a single sitting.
But I cannot rate a thing on what it is not; it never set out to be anything other than a collection of Lenika Cruz's 6 articles on BTS for the Atlantic, a love letter to the band. I appreciate the spirit in which it was written, I will probably keep it with my other BTS stuff because it's cute and it's a fun little time capsule into their careers 2019-2022.
If Lenika Cruz ever decides to write an entire book on BTS, I'd love to read it.
To rate it without the context of my misunderstanding, I would probably rate it lower - I have read these articles and the curation of them in this book does not elevate them to a different level (see Hanif Abdurraqib's They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us). I think this is, in part, because of its length - while the Goodreads lists this book at 111 pages, it would be charitable to say that it is 70. I read this in a single sitting.
But I cannot rate a thing on what it is not; it never set out to be anything other than a collection of Lenika Cruz's 6 articles on BTS for the Atlantic, a love letter to the band. I appreciate the spirit in which it was written, I will probably keep it with my other BTS stuff because it's cute and it's a fun little time capsule into their careers 2019-2022.
If Lenika Cruz ever decides to write an entire book on BTS, I'd love to read it.
November 11, 2022
💜 Do you have a favorite BTS song? Album? Bias?
BTS fandom rejoice! Here's a fabulous nonfiction read coming this spring!
If you're a fan of BTS and have trouble explaining to your friends, family, or co-workers just why you love the group so much, this book is for you!
Lenika Cruz writes for The Atlantic, and has collected her BTS essays together in this book.
She begins with "I wasn't a fan of BTS. And then I was."
"To confess these details is both cathartic and, given the stigma around fangirling, a little embarrassing," she writes. "Yet my whirlwind evolution from a nonbeliever to an ARMY isn't a rare one."
I loved this little book. I found myself in its pages, and can see how some of my ARMY friends would love it too 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
I also think this is the perfect book to share with people who have no idea why we love BTS.
Try "The Astonishing Duality of BTS" or "The Spectacular Vindication of BTS". These two chapters are so well written. Definitely the proof our passion is not misplaced.
"Imagine some 50,000 people gathered in the darkness as lights blink around them like stars. They're dancing like one body, singing with a single voice in a language that may not be their own. Many of the people in this little universe understand how easily their happiness at seeing a "boy band" or a "K-pop sensation" could be derided as trivial or childish. But that condenscension has no place here. As the night goes on, thoughts of what they've suffered or lost recently grow dimmer, and the strangers around them start to look like family." (Cruz 52)
I wish I had the way with words that BTS has. Lenika Cruz writes so well about the group. This is definitely a 5-star choice. 💜
BTS fandom rejoice! Here's a fabulous nonfiction read coming this spring!
If you're a fan of BTS and have trouble explaining to your friends, family, or co-workers just why you love the group so much, this book is for you!
Lenika Cruz writes for The Atlantic, and has collected her BTS essays together in this book.
She begins with "I wasn't a fan of BTS. And then I was."
"To confess these details is both cathartic and, given the stigma around fangirling, a little embarrassing," she writes. "Yet my whirlwind evolution from a nonbeliever to an ARMY isn't a rare one."
I loved this little book. I found myself in its pages, and can see how some of my ARMY friends would love it too 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
I also think this is the perfect book to share with people who have no idea why we love BTS.
Try "The Astonishing Duality of BTS" or "The Spectacular Vindication of BTS". These two chapters are so well written. Definitely the proof our passion is not misplaced.
"Imagine some 50,000 people gathered in the darkness as lights blink around them like stars. They're dancing like one body, singing with a single voice in a language that may not be their own. Many of the people in this little universe understand how easily their happiness at seeing a "boy band" or a "K-pop sensation" could be derided as trivial or childish. But that condenscension has no place here. As the night goes on, thoughts of what they've suffered or lost recently grow dimmer, and the strangers around them start to look like family." (Cruz 52)
I wish I had the way with words that BTS has. Lenika Cruz writes so well about the group. This is definitely a 5-star choice. 💜
January 28, 2023
As a journalist who loves BTS, this book showcased perfectly how to cover topics that you’re deeply involved with. While providing an in-depth run down of the history of BTS, Cruz’s adoration for the group oozes from every page in an entirely too relatable fashion. I was able to relate to Cruz by noting that we’ve attended multiple of the same BTS shows, are both captivated by Jimin’s vibrant pink BWL era hair, but also by her noting that BTS is not a “guilty pleasure” but a way of life for so many people regardless of age, race or gender. Absolutely stunning journalism.
January 13, 2023
An astute and sweet collection of Cruz's essays from The Atlantic that manages to straddle that divide between journalist and fan. I like what Cruz said about the importance of looking at BTS's specific trajectory - as outsiders even in kpop, small label innovators - rather than in the larger context of the history of boy bands (whatever that term even means) or kpop itself. I would read more about this.
February 23, 2023
It’s so lovely to read all of Lenika’s BTS stories in one single book (with some new material)! She approaches BTS with the curiosity of a journalist, the knowledge of a fan, and the sincerity of someone who loves very deeply. Being able to read about the rise of the biggest band in the world by one of the most talented writers in the world is such a gift.
February 21, 2024
I love how these essays captured what makes BTS so special and also addresses a lot of the negative reactions to their success. My only complaint was that I wanted this book to be longer lol
October 23, 2024
I cried like three times reading this don't @ me
January 21, 2023
I had so much fun reading this book. Even though I have been a fan of BTS and a member of Army for a while I learned things. I felt like I was talking to an Army friend. Thank you for writing this book, Lenika!
January 23, 2023
I'm not going to lie, I bought this on ebook the day it came out. I'd read some of Lenika Cruz's articles and was interested in what she had to say about her journey as both a BTS fan and a journalist. While she admits that she was initially hesitant to write about BTS because she was a fan, she came to the realization (that I agree with) that as a fan and not a casual author she was able to more thoroughly place her topics within the larger context of BTS's history and body of work, something few journalists seem able to do.
I laughed to myself when I read the first chapter of the book, titled: "I wasn't a fan of BTS. And then I was." My story paralleled Cruz's in so many ways - being peripherally aware of BTS for a number of years, but not being into K-pop or boy bands - then chancing upon a performance. Which of course led to: what are their names? And down the rabbit hole I went.
I really liked this book, which was a very quick read, and I think Cruz did an excellent job of marrying her personal and professional sides. Like Cruz, for me part of the appeal is that the music and messages are smart - in that songs reference literature, psychology, art, etc. I've got books on my TBR list that I never thought I would: Jungian theory, Demain, self-help/mindfulness, etc. If she ever decides to publish further books I'm certain I'll buy a copy.
I laughed to myself when I read the first chapter of the book, titled: "I wasn't a fan of BTS. And then I was." My story paralleled Cruz's in so many ways - being peripherally aware of BTS for a number of years, but not being into K-pop or boy bands - then chancing upon a performance. Which of course led to: what are their names? And down the rabbit hole I went.
I really liked this book, which was a very quick read, and I think Cruz did an excellent job of marrying her personal and professional sides. Like Cruz, for me part of the appeal is that the music and messages are smart - in that songs reference literature, psychology, art, etc. I've got books on my TBR list that I never thought I would: Jungian theory, Demain, self-help/mindfulness, etc. If she ever decides to publish further books I'm certain I'll buy a copy.
Read
February 4, 2023I was gonna write a whole thing about how in many instances fans of an artist or a piece of media write better articles with better analysis (and when it's necessary even better critique) than non-fans and why I think that's especially true with an artist like BTS, but I really don't feel like getting into that, so I'll just say I really liked (re)reading these articles altogether in this book. It's really interesting to see how much BTS has grown in the last 4-ish years all laid out because I think it's easy to sometimes forget just how groundbreaking and unprecedented some things are, especially when you've been a fan for a long time.
so this made me nostalgic about the past and excited about the future and now I gotta go stream bts' entire discography top to bottom once again
so this made me nostalgic about the past and excited about the future and now I gotta go stream bts' entire discography top to bottom once again
July 18, 2023
This was a great collection of essays but I think the fact that I read it as a hard copy book threw me off a bit. At times I was confused who the audience was. There wasn’t enough background information for it to be written for a random Atlantic reader and there wasn’t enough new information to satisfy a hardcore ARMY. It missed the mark for me as “a book about BTS” much less a love letter to them. However, when Cruz is writing about herself.. that’s where the book shines. Specifically when she writes about her mental health in relation to her BTS concert experiences. I found these sections of the book comforting and relatable in a way I wasn’t expecting. Cruz is a great writer but as a book, these pieces feel disjointed and random, lacking necessary context and depth. Overall I liked it but it’s not a favorite.
November 22, 2022
I really enjoyed this collection of essays about BTS and the fandom experience - it's a great short read for anyone interested in fandom research or who liked EVERYTHING I NEED I GET FROM YOU. I'd love to see more being published on fandom, specifically the way it's created online and/or by young women.
Thank you to the Atlantic and Edelweiss for the ARC!
Thank you to the Atlantic and Edelweiss for the ARC!
January 19, 2023
Lenika writes in a way only she can! There is no one else writing in English about the world’s biggest band with her empathy, open-heartedness, and critical eye. I know ARMY are all over this book, but for those who are a bit curious, you’ll find beautiful culture writing. What’s not to love!!!!!! 7/7 stars
June 23, 2023
a book about BTS! two of my favorites — book & BTS in one place! I can’t wait to read it. 💜
December 6, 2024
Justo ayer fui con una compañera de mi trabajo y noté que en su teléfono se encontraba la foto de alguien conocido. Creí que sería V, pero luego me acerqué y vi a Jungkook en su traje militar. Mi amiga se alegró e inmediatamente me dijo que todavía no veía su fondo de pantalla entonces prendió su teléfono y me mostró a Jimin. Entre risas le conté que ese era mi novio y ambas acordamos que así era. Luego regresé a mi lugar pensando en lo unida que me sentía en ese momento con ella solo por el hecho de haber reconocido aquella foto.
Leer a Lenika Cruz me ha acompañado en este proceso de ser fan de algo otra vez. Su experiencia conectó mucho conmigo y me hizo creer que sí, al final todo desarrollamos una conexión muy especial con BTS si así nos lo permitimos.
Al igual que Lenika, yo también empecé creyendo que aprenderme sus nombres y aprender a distinguirlos sería suficiente. La primera interacción que tuve con ellos fue con el concierto de Permission To Dance. En ese momento me encontraba en un estado mental terrible en el que casi no dormía y la depresión no me dejaba pensar en otras cosas. Entonces tratando de auto motivarme, me compré un juego de Lego y luego puse el concierto de BTS "nada más para ver de qué se trataba". Cuando ON empezó, recuerdo que me emocioné mucho. La coreografía, la canción, las voces. Todo era nuevo y me hacía sentir algo que hace mucho no sentía.
Terminó el concierto y me puse a buscar sus nombres. Mi primer bias fue Jungkook por lo que corrí a oír todo Golden y a ver sus videos. Luego pensé que V era muy guapo y en aquel momento estaba el vídeo de "Fri(end)s" y por unos días me quedé ahí. Admito que al inicio me intimidaba mucho la cantidad de cosas que hay relacionadas con BTS. Todo el contenido, los videos, las canciones, la entrevistas y más porque es una banda con muchos años de carrera y yo claramente iba en desventaja. Entonces me puse a buscar guías para entender todo y poco a poco he ido acercándome a todo.
Al final, mi bias terminó siendo Jimin. Todo fue por un día que después del trabajo, recordé que Jimin ya tenía un álbum solista y pensé que era buen momento para oírlo. Puse "Like Crazy" y estoy segura que esa canción alteró la química de mi cerebro porque desde entonces me enamoré completamente de Jimin.
Así que sí, ser ARMY ha sido un proceso evolutivo y en el que todavía me falta mucho por aprender. Por ahora, creo que todavía me falta conocer a más ARMY e integrarme más para hacer comunidad y tener con quién hablar de mi bias y todo lo relacionado con los chicos. Por ahora, me quedo feliz en donde estoy y sé que todavía me espera mucho por conocer de BTS, pero al menos es lindo saber que a veces nuestros inicios son parecidos y eso es lo bonito de ser fan y de saber las historias de otros fans.
Leer a Lenika Cruz me ha acompañado en este proceso de ser fan de algo otra vez. Su experiencia conectó mucho conmigo y me hizo creer que sí, al final todo desarrollamos una conexión muy especial con BTS si así nos lo permitimos.
Al igual que Lenika, yo también empecé creyendo que aprenderme sus nombres y aprender a distinguirlos sería suficiente. La primera interacción que tuve con ellos fue con el concierto de Permission To Dance. En ese momento me encontraba en un estado mental terrible en el que casi no dormía y la depresión no me dejaba pensar en otras cosas. Entonces tratando de auto motivarme, me compré un juego de Lego y luego puse el concierto de BTS "nada más para ver de qué se trataba". Cuando ON empezó, recuerdo que me emocioné mucho. La coreografía, la canción, las voces. Todo era nuevo y me hacía sentir algo que hace mucho no sentía.
Terminó el concierto y me puse a buscar sus nombres. Mi primer bias fue Jungkook por lo que corrí a oír todo Golden y a ver sus videos. Luego pensé que V era muy guapo y en aquel momento estaba el vídeo de "Fri(end)s" y por unos días me quedé ahí. Admito que al inicio me intimidaba mucho la cantidad de cosas que hay relacionadas con BTS. Todo el contenido, los videos, las canciones, la entrevistas y más porque es una banda con muchos años de carrera y yo claramente iba en desventaja. Entonces me puse a buscar guías para entender todo y poco a poco he ido acercándome a todo.
Al final, mi bias terminó siendo Jimin. Todo fue por un día que después del trabajo, recordé que Jimin ya tenía un álbum solista y pensé que era buen momento para oírlo. Puse "Like Crazy" y estoy segura que esa canción alteró la química de mi cerebro porque desde entonces me enamoré completamente de Jimin.
Así que sí, ser ARMY ha sido un proceso evolutivo y en el que todavía me falta mucho por aprender. Por ahora, creo que todavía me falta conocer a más ARMY e integrarme más para hacer comunidad y tener con quién hablar de mi bias y todo lo relacionado con los chicos. Por ahora, me quedo feliz en donde estoy y sé que todavía me espera mucho por conocer de BTS, pero al menos es lindo saber que a veces nuestros inicios son parecidos y eso es lo bonito de ser fan y de saber las historias de otros fans.
September 8, 2025
3.5
I really liked this collection of The Atlantic articles about BTS. My favorite article was " I Wasn't a Fan of BTS. And Then I Was.". This article really does encapsulate how it feels to become a fan a BTS. These collection of articles were also a major throwback to era of the pandemic as a majority of these articles were written in 2020-2022, when BTS came out with their first English singles. It feels wild to be nostalgic for an era that was only a few years ago but BTS really were thriving during the pandemic (musically) and their popularity exploded. We got so many performances during this time and this period of their career really cemented them in both Kpop and Pop history as a legendary group.
These group of articles really brought me back to this time, and I love that because, for me, 2020-2021 really are complete blanks in my mind, except for BTS.
My only wish is that this collection of articles be expanded/updated in the future to include more articles as the years go on. Again this stops in 2022 but soooooo much has happened in that time that some of these articles can feel a little outdated (hence why I say they are a snapshot of the pandemic era). Even saying that, a lot of the issues mentioned in these articles relating to xenophobia and the perception of BTS and ARMYs are still relevant and ongoing issues they/we still face.
I really liked this collection of The Atlantic articles about BTS. My favorite article was " I Wasn't a Fan of BTS. And Then I Was.". This article really does encapsulate how it feels to become a fan a BTS. These collection of articles were also a major throwback to era of the pandemic as a majority of these articles were written in 2020-2022, when BTS came out with their first English singles. It feels wild to be nostalgic for an era that was only a few years ago but BTS really were thriving during the pandemic (musically) and their popularity exploded. We got so many performances during this time and this period of their career really cemented them in both Kpop and Pop history as a legendary group.
These group of articles really brought me back to this time, and I love that because, for me, 2020-2021 really are complete blanks in my mind, except for BTS.
My only wish is that this collection of articles be expanded/updated in the future to include more articles as the years go on. Again this stops in 2022 but soooooo much has happened in that time that some of these articles can feel a little outdated (hence why I say they are a snapshot of the pandemic era). Even saying that, a lot of the issues mentioned in these articles relating to xenophobia and the perception of BTS and ARMYs are still relevant and ongoing issues they/we still face.
August 10, 2025
বিটিএসকে নিয়ে নিয়মিত পড়ার চেষ্টা করি। সেই সূত্রে এবারে এই বইটা জুলাই মাসে পড়ে শেষ করেছি। লেখিকা ‘দ্যা আটলান্টিক’ এর সিনিয়র সম্পাদক এবং পড়ালেখা করেছেন ইউসিএলএ-তে, বিষয় ছিল ইংরেজী।
বইটি ‘আটলান্টিক এডিশানস’ নামক সিরিজের অংশ। ক্ষীণ কলেবরের বইটির পৃষ্ঠা সংখ্যা একশোর নিচে এবং মাপটিও সাধারণ একটি বইয়ের মাপের চেয়ে ছোট, আবার পকেট বুকের তুলনায় বড়। প্রচ্ছদে বিটিএসের রং, পার্পল।
বইটিতে মোট পাঁচটি প্রবন্ধ রয়েছে যার সুর একটুও গুরুগম্ভীর নয়। লেখনী এতোই ভালো যে এক রত্তি অতিকথন নেই। ভূমিকায় জানিয়েছেন কি করে পরিণত বয়সে তিনি কোরিয়ান কে-পপ গ্রুপ বিটিএসের সংস্পর্শে এসেছেন। সেটি ২০২২ এর জুনে লেখা। আর প্রথম প্রবন্ধটির লেখার সময়কাল ২০১৯, যেটার শিরোনাম, ‘I Wasn’t a Fan of BTS, and Then I was’। এই শিরোনাম পড়ে ও ভেতরের লেখা পড়ে পরিনত বয়সে লেখিকার বিটিএসের ফ্যান হবার জার্নির সাথে নিজের মিল পেলাম।
এরপর বিটিএসের ভক্ত হলে আরো যেসব ব্যাপার আবিষ্কার করে একটু চমকে যেতে হয়, লেখিকা দেখলাম সেসবের মুখোমুখি হয়ে মোটামুটি বাকিদের মতোই অভিজ্ঞতা আহরণ করেছেন। তিনিও বুঝেছেন যে এই যে সহজ ও সুন্দরের প্রতি এক ধরনের ভালোবাসা, যা বিটিএসের প্রতি আকৃ্ষ্ট করে তা শুরুতে মনের ভেতর এক রকমের কুন্ঠা তৈরি করে। আর তাতে ঘি ঢালে বিটিএসকে স্রেফ একটা বয়ব্যান্ড ভাবা বিটিএস সম্পর্কে ধারনা না থাকা লোকজন।
কিন্তু, এসব যে আসলে সমাজের এক ধরনের মানুষের চিন্তার দৈন্য বৈ আর কিছু নয় তা বুঝতে দেরী হয় নি লেনিকার। আর বিটিএস প্রেমে নিজেকে ভাসিয়ে দিলে যে ভালো থাকার অসাধারন কিছু উপায় রপ্ত করা যায়, তা তিনি বাকি সব ভক্তদের মতোই বুঝে অন্য রাস্তায় হাঁটেন নি। মানে, বিটিএসের ফ্যান বনে যাওয়াটা লজ্জার বিষয় ভেবে ঝেড়ে ফেলেন নি, বরং তাদেরকে আরো গভীরভাবে জেনে তাদের কাজের মূল্যায়নের চেষ্টা করেছেন।
বিটিএসের সাথে কি কি হয় এবং তারা সেসব কেমনে সাম��ায়, তা নিয়ে বলেছেন বাকি আর্টিকেল গুলোতে। তাদের ইতিহাস, ভালোমানুষি, তাদের দক্ষতা ও পরিশ্রম, এসবের চেয়ে অনেক বেশি যে তাদেরকে তাদের ভক্তের বাইরে পুরো পৃথিবী শুধুমাত্র এশিয়ান বলে ছোট করার চেষ্টা করে এবং মোটামুটি তাতে এক ধরনের সমর্থন পায় সেটাও তিনি লেখায় এনেছেন। আর শেষমেশ এ কথাও আছে যে বিটিএস কতো সৎভাবে, মার্জিতভাবে সেটা তাদের কাজ দিয়ে মোকাবিলা করে। তারা বাস্তবতা জেনেই যে নিরলসভাবে ভক্তদের জন্য জীবন উৎসর্গ করেছে, তাও বলেছেন।
ভক্তদের সাথে তাদের যেই সম্পর্ক, তা নিয়ে বিষদে লিখেছেন লেনিকা। বিটিএস ও আর্মি (বিটিএসের ভক্তদের যেই নাম দিয়েছে বিটিএস) যে আসলে অবিচ্ছেদ্য একটি সত্তা তা ব্যাখ্যা করেছেন। লিখেছেন আর্মির প্রতি বিটিএসের ভালোবাসা নিয়ে আর্মি বা বিটিএস কারোর যে কোন সন্দেহ নেই, সেটাও। কারন, একে অপরের পাশে থাকার ব্যাপারে বিটিএস ও তাদের ভক্তরা পিছিয়ে আসে না এক ধাপও। বিটিএস যেমন নিত্যনতুন উপায়ে ভক্তদের মন ভালো করে দেবার মতো তাদের নানা কাজ সময়মতো সামনে নিয়ে আসে, তেমনি ভক্তরা বিটিএসকে নানাভাবে নানারকম বিপত্তি থেকে রক্ষা করতে ও তাদেরকে ভালোবাসা জানাতে সুন্দর সব পদক্ষেপ নেয়।
২০২৩ এ প্রকাশিত বইটিতে লেনিকা ক্রুজ যা লিখেছেন, তা মন ভালো করে দেয়, কারন, তার লেখায় আর্মিদের মধ্যে যেই সমষ্টিগত অনুভুতিটা তৈরি হয় বিটিএস তাদের জীবনে আসার পর, তারই প্রতিধ্বনি পাওয়া যায়। আর সেটি সুলিখিত ও সৎ বলে মনে হয় যে এটি সব আর্মির না বলা অনেক কথার একটি ছোট সংকলন।
লেনিকা ক্রুজের কাছ থেকে বিটিএস নিয়ে আরো লেখা আশা করি। আর্মিদের প্রতিনিধি হিসাবে এমন একজন সুলেখিকার সন্ধান পেয়ে আমি তৃপ্ত।
April 2, 2024
I really enjoyed these essays on BTS, fandom, and the impact music can have on fans' lives, especially during times of trouble and stress. It reminded me a lot of when I first got into BTS in 2020, and made me reflect on how much BTS' music means to me personally, almost five years later since I first heard them. I am very grateful for Cruz's writing on this topic, and I hope it opens people's eyes to how genuine and sincere fans' love for musicians can be, and how important the community-building aspect of fandom can be for people involved.
January 22, 2023
this was unironically my most anticipated 2023 release & i forgot i preordered it until i came home and found it waiting for me—and what a beautiful surprise!! beautiful collection of essays w/ love and pride pouring from the crevices of each sentence; my own heart felt full to bursting as i read <3
July 9, 2023
With On BTS: Pop Music, Fandom, Sincerity by Lenika Cruz, I got to relive a bit of it has been like to be a fan of BTS for the past couple of years. Cruz is excellent at both showing who BTS is and showing what it feels like to be an ARMY. Remembering the past couple of years through this book has been a happy and sad experience. I recommend for anyone with a bit of interest in BTS.
September 7, 2023
Enjoyable look at how pop stars are creates and maintained. IT also deals nicely with foreign pop stars and the bias against them. The articles do have some overlap, because these were seperate articles, there is a need for information to be presented more than once. This took me out of the book for a bit, but the writing was strong and she made the topic worthwhile to read about.
May 7, 2024
Why am I crying? Maybe because somebody put my feelings about these seven normal boys from Korea into writing♥️ I've never seen them live, YET!, but I've met a lot of great people because I never shut up about them. In march 2022 I went by myself to PTD on stage Seoul live at the cinema in different town and found my people ♥️ in this bangtan shit for life 💜
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