I’ve always wanted to learn about what an artist is thinking when they create their work and how they can tell a story within their medium. BTS is one of the artists I wish I was a fly on the wall, watching them craft songs. They’ve told stories about their lives through their music and because music is supposed to an open dialogue, I wanted to add what I gained from listening to this album. I never did well in poetry English classes, but this review of BTS’s “WINGS” album is not actually a review, nor is it an analysis. It is more like an observation of what I’ve felt after repeating them, plus a little bit of fanning out.
Also, as new information came out and as I found more qualities of the album, my thoughts kept changing and rearranging. I’m not sure this post will be certain in all that I want to say, but it feels close to what I thought, whether it affected me personally or as I continued to find keywords that matched the concept.
So, here goes...
1. Intro: Boy Meets Evil
Story (in my head or what I choose to believe): What kinds of evils do young people face? Family, school, peer pressure, money troubles, the unknown future, and the fear of failing. This greed to succeed at all costs, the ambition to dream bigger and higher, becomes evil when reality snaps you out of all of it. These all would cause the temptation being used as a theme. The more you believe you are striving intrepidly toward your goals, the less the world cares. The world will not let go of you willingly. Without clean intention in your heart as you aspire, the world will throw curveballs from every corner to test your resolve. It is your duty not to fall on the wrong path and into temptation. That’s exactly what the song is not doing. The character has fallen into sin(?), i.e. pride, ego, lust, greed etc., because that is what humans do.
General Thoughts: I want to thank Jung Hoseok. Thank you for working so hard to provide us with such a powerful introduction into the album. It was his first time doing an intro to one of their albums and I got to see how much he's been wanting to do it, Hopie-style. He spent a lot of time stressing out about perfecting the choreography and the song for us. He ended up giving A.R.M.Ys, like me, who were on the edge of stanning, a reason to fall even harder for him. Where was the cute Hopie? Answer: Elsewhere. This was aggressive, sexy, rude Hoseok. That high kick, those body rolls, that tongue, the cheeks, the sudden appearance of J-abs. I'm positive he just wanted fangirls/boys to die. Read my post about J-Hoping.
2. Blood, Sweat & Tears
Story: This is the story of young people falling into temptation to what seems to be the devil of adulthood. I wrote about the music video already in my last post. Check it out.
General Thoughts: From the swoosh sound in the beginning that I use as my alarm to the end of this song is like coming off of a scary yet thrilling rollercoaster. I personally wish BTS could perform this song till the end my life. It is such a gorgeous song. I already know the key choreography points. I touch up all over myself when I perform it in my car. I do the fanchants all by myself. I nearly kill myself doing the adlibs. This song shows their maturity, not only as men, but in their music, their dance, and their teamwork.
Story: Honestly, I was excepting the song to be slow or ballady, coming from the sad tone his short film gave us. But, it was a bit of half and half, deeply personal side we haven't seen in a song from Jungkook and a bit EDM. It showed his love for the members who basically raised him in Bangtan since he was 15 and first joined the company. Jungkook is known for being a little cold in showing his true feelings to people. You can't blame him. As a young person growing up in an industry where anything could be misconstrued, having to deal with complicated young life thoughts, and also practicing to improve himself and touring for his fans while making music. We also know now that at the beginning of this year, Bangtan sat with Bang PD and talked about their feelings. While Jungkook was watching them, he started crying because hearing all of the other members feel this pain that he couldn't do anything about. Then they all started crying because he was crying and I'm crying because they cried.
General Thoughts: I'm glad he got this off his chest and sang such a beautiful song for us. Rapmon did write the lyrics to this song with Jungkook's words but next time, when Jungkook gets to make a solo song next time, I hope he would write his own lyrics so we can learn about his musical style. We’ve already watched Jungkook grow up before our eyes. Just imagining him learning more and developing his musical identity would be a joy to witness. Also, I love his voice.
Story: In the song, Jimin writes about how he felt like he's been living a lie. The negative thoughts he has creep into his ears "smooth like a snake" and make him afraid of himself. "Save him from this lie he has created inside him." "Give him back his smile." "Let him escape the punishment he made for himself." Because since I finally watched American Hustle Life (AHL). When he and Rapmon were making lyrics to Warren G's song, Jimin talked about how he was aware that his actions could affect the image of the group and that he worried especially about what people thought about him. Rapmon realized then that he and Jimin had a lot in common.
General Thoughts: This song was instantly recognizable because I was stunned by it from the short film. Yet again, I was expecting a sadder type of song. But, my bias did that. It felt like he channeled The Weeknd as he sang it. When I read that he wrote this song, I almost cried. I felt like Jimin is telling us his story. As a fan, I hope to make sure that he and the boys don't continue to feel this way. And now if you can't tell now, it seems as if a weight has been lifted off of Jimin. He smiles easier, he takes compliments better, he teases the others and receives it well. This song showcased Jimin's vocal ability very well and his range. After dreaming about this moment for my bias it came true finally came true: a song for Jimin expressing his inner struggles. Thank you, BigHit.
Story: From when the beat hits, you know you will love this song. Taehyung talks about his family, especially his little brother and sister, and how he feels sorry he wasn't around for them. It seems like he feels that he abandoned them to follow his dreams. Taehyung was trying to hide his guilt, but can't anymore because "the wound became deeper". He asks his siblings to punish him and forgive him of the sin he committed by leaving them to fend for themselves without an older brother. I appreciate that Tae, according to Rapmon, spent a lot of time agonizing over which spoken lines in the song should in Korean and English. I think he did a great job executing them with the actor voice we know he has. "Are you calling a sinner?" and "Geu ttae nahante wae geuraesseo? Mian.” (Why did you do that to me then? I’m sorry.) will be added into the Bangtan history of lyrics forever.
General Thoughts: After watching AHL, I learned a lot about Tae. He loves his family, he misses his Dad a lot when he is away, and Iris Stevenson truly taught him how to use his unique voice to his potential. The song broke my heart because I am also the oldest in my family and I could understand the feelings he has. Seriously, high note goals! He came for Jimin's crown and almost took it, I can't deny it.
Story: Suga wrote about how his introduction to music before hip-hop was through the piano. We've all seen more recently how much Yoongi loves the piano and how his members and his job support him in that. I like that he personified the piano into a woman in the song and called it his "first love". From a young age, Yoongi seemed to know that this piano he became attached to meant something content. Even after he grew older and forgot her, the piano kept waiting for him to come back. When he did, the awkwardness he felt yet the acceptance she gave lead the lyrics to be on the lesser side of suggestive (which would explain why this song was censored from broadcasts). In my head, I felt like Yoongi was married to the piano, because like a wife, she stayed by his side through all of their hardships together which made their relationship stronger.
General Thoughts: Yoongi and piano are basically synonymous now. All A.R.M.Y's melt when he plays the piano, and while rapping emotionally! Why must I cry every time Yoongi makes music? Where is my coffin? The bias wrecker has wrecked me.
Story: From Ttukseom Station, Namjoon writes down his thoughts. He reveals that when he feels like his self-esteem is low, he comforts himself by sitting in the darkness of the station, listening to the train, watching pairs of friends and couples smile and walk by. I always tear up during this line because he sings it so well:
"Hey you, who’s looking over the Han River
If we bump into each other while passing, would it be fate?
Or maybe we bumped into each other in our past life
Maybe we bumped into each other countless times"
General Thoughts: Namjoon is always so thoughtful. He acknowledges that he knows people are acting in their own movies but he wanted us to watch his for a little bit. There are many beautiful lyrics in this song. I appreciate how hard Namjoon practiced so hard to sing, well enough to make this song feel like a soothing, nostalgic winter song. Thank you, Namjoonie, for telling us your stories.
Story: I knew a little about Hopie's mom before this song; that she used to stroke his hair so he would fall asleep faster and how the members found that he developed that memory into a sleeping habit. But I don't think I knew to what extent his mother played as a role model in his life and I guess neither did he until he sat down to write his gratefulness into a song. He said she worked many odd jobs to provide for his dream, kept them afloat as she worked, and shielded him from negativity. Even though the road to this point wasn’t paved in stone, through debt and failure, he gained so much for his living example of kindness and selflessness. I love how he added his mother into the song, too. So cute!
General Thoughts: This is the song fans were anticipating the most after Jimin's, only because we could hear it well in the teaser film. This song is so J-Hope, so multi-dimensional, so hype yet so sentimental. I hope people will play this for Parent's Day in Korea and that more older people will discover BTS and love Jung Hoseok for it. Primary, a well-known Korean producer, helped write and produce the song, too. Side note: J-Hope had two solos on the album. If this is the type of music Hopie can produce, then it makes me anticipate how his mixtape will sound like even more.
9. Awake
Story: I think I wouldn’t be wrong in saying could be both a song about not wanting to be an adult or Jin’s struggle to an appropriate “mat hyung” for his six young members. I’m sure that he is always thinking about how to reach his own expectations for himself while keeping up with the members. He practices so hard to sing, dance, and express like them that he might feel like he’s being left behind and he wants to stay at a place he is comfortable in. He says he wants to “struggle and fight”, but he’s afraid to. While holding six flowers in his hand, he knows he has to move forward.
General Thoughts: For me personally, this is the best solo on the album. It may be because I’ve never heard Jin sing so fully before, not including covers, but that Jin really delivered the song without a flaw. I claimed this song from the moment I heard it in the teaser film and I am still in love with it. God, his voice is so clear and close, just whispering soft and sweet sad hopefulness. I hope that in the live performance of this in concert, Jin would have the center stage with a spotlight, a real live orchestra and choir behind him, and ARMY would just be overwhelmed by his high notes. To see that up close would be amazing.
Sorry, this post took so long to write for the little value it has on you. I knew it wasn’t going to be perfect but I still wanted to extract my thoughts about each song of this album because BTS work so hard to write lyrics that are relatable to anywhere, meaningful to everyone, and clear with intention. There's still more thoughts I have to give. Part 4 will come soon...
Image credit: 1, 2. My gif made on Imgur. All video credits goes to owners of involved videos.
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| My dream is to own all BTS merchandise one day. |
So, here goes...
1. Intro: Boy Meets Evil
Story (in my head or what I choose to believe): What kinds of evils do young people face? Family, school, peer pressure, money troubles, the unknown future, and the fear of failing. This greed to succeed at all costs, the ambition to dream bigger and higher, becomes evil when reality snaps you out of all of it. These all would cause the temptation being used as a theme. The more you believe you are striving intrepidly toward your goals, the less the world cares. The world will not let go of you willingly. Without clean intention in your heart as you aspire, the world will throw curveballs from every corner to test your resolve. It is your duty not to fall on the wrong path and into temptation. That’s exactly what the song is not doing. The character has fallen into sin(?), i.e. pride, ego, lust, greed etc., because that is what humans do.
General Thoughts: I want to thank Jung Hoseok. Thank you for working so hard to provide us with such a powerful introduction into the album. It was his first time doing an intro to one of their albums and I got to see how much he's been wanting to do it, Hopie-style. He spent a lot of time stressing out about perfecting the choreography and the song for us. He ended up giving A.R.M.Ys, like me, who were on the edge of stanning, a reason to fall even harder for him. Where was the cute Hopie? Answer: Elsewhere. This was aggressive, sexy, rude Hoseok. That high kick, those body rolls, that tongue, the cheeks, the sudden appearance of J-abs. I'm positive he just wanted fangirls/boys to die. Read my post about J-Hoping.
Watch J-Hope - 'WINGS' Comeback Trailer: Boy Meets Evil - over and over and over again.
2. Blood, Sweat & Tears
Story: This is the story of young people falling into temptation to what seems to be the devil of adulthood. I wrote about the music video already in my last post. Check it out.
General Thoughts: From the swoosh sound in the beginning that I use as my alarm to the end of this song is like coming off of a scary yet thrilling rollercoaster. I personally wish BTS could perform this song till the end my life. It is such a gorgeous song. I already know the key choreography points. I touch up all over myself when I perform it in my car. I do the fanchants all by myself. I nearly kill myself doing the adlibs. This song shows their maturity, not only as men, but in their music, their dance, and their teamwork.
Jimin’s accidents?
3. BeginStory: Honestly, I was excepting the song to be slow or ballady, coming from the sad tone his short film gave us. But, it was a bit of half and half, deeply personal side we haven't seen in a song from Jungkook and a bit EDM. It showed his love for the members who basically raised him in Bangtan since he was 15 and first joined the company. Jungkook is known for being a little cold in showing his true feelings to people. You can't blame him. As a young person growing up in an industry where anything could be misconstrued, having to deal with complicated young life thoughts, and also practicing to improve himself and touring for his fans while making music. We also know now that at the beginning of this year, Bangtan sat with Bang PD and talked about their feelings. While Jungkook was watching them, he started crying because hearing all of the other members feel this pain that he couldn't do anything about. Then they all started crying because he was crying and I'm crying because they cried.
General Thoughts: I'm glad he got this off his chest and sang such a beautiful song for us. Rapmon did write the lyrics to this song with Jungkook's words but next time, when Jungkook gets to make a solo song next time, I hope he would write his own lyrics so we can learn about his musical style. We’ve already watched Jungkook grow up before our eyes. Just imagining him learning more and developing his musical identity would be a joy to witness. Also, I love his voice.
Jungkook feeding snacks to his favorite hyungs,
(a.k.a He feeds all of them)
4. Lie(a.k.a He feeds all of them)
Story: In the song, Jimin writes about how he felt like he's been living a lie. The negative thoughts he has creep into his ears "smooth like a snake" and make him afraid of himself. "Save him from this lie he has created inside him." "Give him back his smile." "Let him escape the punishment he made for himself." Because since I finally watched American Hustle Life (AHL). When he and Rapmon were making lyrics to Warren G's song, Jimin talked about how he was aware that his actions could affect the image of the group and that he worried especially about what people thought about him. Rapmon realized then that he and Jimin had a lot in common.
General Thoughts: This song was instantly recognizable because I was stunned by it from the short film. Yet again, I was expecting a sadder type of song. But, my bias did that. It felt like he channeled The Weeknd as he sang it. When I read that he wrote this song, I almost cried. I felt like Jimin is telling us his story. As a fan, I hope to make sure that he and the boys don't continue to feel this way. And now if you can't tell now, it seems as if a weight has been lifted off of Jimin. He smiles easier, he takes compliments better, he teases the others and receives it well. This song showcased Jimin's vocal ability very well and his range. After dreaming about this moment for my bias it came true finally came true: a song for Jimin expressing his inner struggles. Thank you, BigHit.
Why are you my bias?
5. StigmaStory: From when the beat hits, you know you will love this song. Taehyung talks about his family, especially his little brother and sister, and how he feels sorry he wasn't around for them. It seems like he feels that he abandoned them to follow his dreams. Taehyung was trying to hide his guilt, but can't anymore because "the wound became deeper". He asks his siblings to punish him and forgive him of the sin he committed by leaving them to fend for themselves without an older brother. I appreciate that Tae, according to Rapmon, spent a lot of time agonizing over which spoken lines in the song should in Korean and English. I think he did a great job executing them with the actor voice we know he has. "Are you calling a sinner?" and "Geu ttae nahante wae geuraesseo? Mian.” (Why did you do that to me then? I’m sorry.) will be added into the Bangtan history of lyrics forever.
General Thoughts: After watching AHL, I learned a lot about Tae. He loves his family, he misses his Dad a lot when he is away, and Iris Stevenson truly taught him how to use his unique voice to his potential. The song broke my heart because I am also the oldest in my family and I could understand the feelings he has. Seriously, high note goals! He came for Jimin's crown and almost took it, I can't deny it.
V being praised by Dr. Stevenson at 6:44
6. First LoveStory: Suga wrote about how his introduction to music before hip-hop was through the piano. We've all seen more recently how much Yoongi loves the piano and how his members and his job support him in that. I like that he personified the piano into a woman in the song and called it his "first love". From a young age, Yoongi seemed to know that this piano he became attached to meant something content. Even after he grew older and forgot her, the piano kept waiting for him to come back. When he did, the awkwardness he felt yet the acceptance she gave lead the lyrics to be on the lesser side of suggestive (which would explain why this song was censored from broadcasts). In my head, I felt like Yoongi was married to the piano, because like a wife, she stayed by his side through all of their hardships together which made their relationship stronger.
General Thoughts: Yoongi and piano are basically synonymous now. All A.R.M.Y's melt when he plays the piano, and while rapping emotionally! Why must I cry every time Yoongi makes music? Where is my coffin? The bias wrecker has wrecked me.
Suga playing the piano for PUMA
7. ReflectionStory: From Ttukseom Station, Namjoon writes down his thoughts. He reveals that when he feels like his self-esteem is low, he comforts himself by sitting in the darkness of the station, listening to the train, watching pairs of friends and couples smile and walk by. I always tear up during this line because he sings it so well:
"Hey you, who’s looking over the Han River
If we bump into each other while passing, would it be fate?
Or maybe we bumped into each other in our past life
Maybe we bumped into each other countless times"
General Thoughts: Namjoon is always so thoughtful. He acknowledges that he knows people are acting in their own movies but he wanted us to watch his for a little bit. There are many beautiful lyrics in this song. I appreciate how hard Namjoon practiced so hard to sing, well enough to make this song feel like a soothing, nostalgic winter song. Thank you, Namjoonie, for telling us your stories.
Moni dancing in the BS&T MV making. Enough said.
8. MAMAStory: I knew a little about Hopie's mom before this song; that she used to stroke his hair so he would fall asleep faster and how the members found that he developed that memory into a sleeping habit. But I don't think I knew to what extent his mother played as a role model in his life and I guess neither did he until he sat down to write his gratefulness into a song. He said she worked many odd jobs to provide for his dream, kept them afloat as she worked, and shielded him from negativity. Even though the road to this point wasn’t paved in stone, through debt and failure, he gained so much for his living example of kindness and selflessness. I love how he added his mother into the song, too. So cute!
General Thoughts: This is the song fans were anticipating the most after Jimin's, only because we could hear it well in the teaser film. This song is so J-Hope, so multi-dimensional, so hype yet so sentimental. I hope people will play this for Parent's Day in Korea and that more older people will discover BTS and love Jung Hoseok for it. Primary, a well-known Korean producer, helped write and produce the song, too. Side note: J-Hope had two solos on the album. If this is the type of music Hopie can produce, then it makes me anticipate how his mixtape will sound like even more.
Hopie has emerged.
9. Awake
Story: I think I wouldn’t be wrong in saying could be both a song about not wanting to be an adult or Jin’s struggle to an appropriate “mat hyung” for his six young members. I’m sure that he is always thinking about how to reach his own expectations for himself while keeping up with the members. He practices so hard to sing, dance, and express like them that he might feel like he’s being left behind and he wants to stay at a place he is comfortable in. He says he wants to “struggle and fight”, but he’s afraid to. While holding six flowers in his hand, he knows he has to move forward.
General Thoughts: For me personally, this is the best solo on the album. It may be because I’ve never heard Jin sing so fully before, not including covers, but that Jin really delivered the song without a flaw. I claimed this song from the moment I heard it in the teaser film and I am still in love with it. God, his voice is so clear and close, just whispering soft and sweet sad hopefulness. I hope that in the live performance of this in concert, Jin would have the center stage with a spotlight, a real live orchestra and choir behind him, and ARMY would just be overwhelmed by his high notes. To see that up close would be amazing.
V was right. Jin has been doing it since debut.
My Ranking of the Solo Songs:
1st = Jin, 2nd = V, 3rd = Jimin, J-Hope, Reflection, First Love, Begin
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