After the Covid-19 emerged in late 2019, it spread to all parts of the world and every single soul became confined to their homes. With activities being limited, depression and stress surged, destroying peace and halting the whole world. The youth, in particular, faced a lot of stress as their studies and activities came to a halt, but some of them found relief in the music of K-Pop, a band seven boys serving as a ray of hope in this pandemic.

The boy band, consisting of seven members, RM, Jin, Suga, J-hope, V, Jimin, and Jk, were soaring in the skies of success. They were celebrating the popularity of their forth studio album, “Map of the Soul: 7”. The album was a journey of their own, idol selves, laid down in the form of an album, spiritually connecting to the hearts of their fans.

In April, BTS was gearing up for the World Tour 2020, set to begin on 11 April, but because of the pandemic, the tour got cancelled. Everyone was devastated to such an extent that in the online concert, 25-year-old dancer, Jimin, broke down into tears.

He opened up saying: “I wasn’t too focused on the encore performance, but there were a lot of things I felt were unfair before preparing for the concert. When Covid-19 became widespread, I wanted to perform with the members more than anything and hang out with you all and be happy. I don’t know why we have to go through this.”

The septet kept their distress aside and connected with their fans through live streams as much as possible, giving them strength and making them believe that better times will come.

To make things better, on August 21, 2020, the heartthrob band dropped their single “Dynamite”, surprising fans with their very first song fully recorded in English. The upbeat disco-pop song brought back the vibes of 90’s music, filled with elements of hip hop, purely intended to soothe listeners during the Covid-19 pandemic. The song talks about joy and appreciation for the little things that make life valuable.

Their fans, known as ARMY, held this track close to their hearts, reminiscing the good times before this pandemic and raising hopes for better times in the future. The song became a worldwide hit when it debuted at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for two consecutive weeks. The song set several new records, for most viewed MV in 24 hours with 101.1 million on YouTube, reaching the #1 spot on iTunes’ Top Songs chart in 100 countries, and topping the main Global Top 50 chart on Spotify. The song, giving off party vibes, attracted many foreign fans, yet again being a reason for their immense popularity.

On September 23, 2020, BTS left heartfelt messages at the United Nations, Unicef speech.

Suga, the rapper and songwriter of the group, summed up, “Life became simple, maybe for the first time. It was a precious time, unwanted but welcomed. I’m used to an entire world shrinking in an instant. When I’m on tour, I stand in bright lights and loud cheers, but at night back in my room, my world becomes only a few paces wide. The room itself was small, but my world and our world reached far and wide. In this world, we had our instruments, phones and fans.”

Due to the tour cancellation, the group got together to work on their first self-produced album. The album mainly focused on the effects of this pandemic on the thoughts of people. BTS dropped their deluxe album “BE” on November 20, and said in an announcement, “The new album imparts a message of healing to the world by declaring, ‘Even in the face of this new normality, our life goes on’.”

The lead single “Life Goes On” is more introspective than the group’s summer hit “Dynamite”, and “our way of providing healing and consolation,” says RM.

The album featured eight songs, “Life Goes On”, “Dynamite”, “Blue and Grey”, “Telepathy”, “Fly To My Room”, “Skit”, “Dis-ease”, “Stay”. All the songs, even by their names, were somehow connected to the pandemic situation, making it relatable for the fans.

The biggest motivation in the life of an ARMY is BTS itself. BTS never shy away from speaking up on sensitive topics, such as self-appreciation, loving yourself, prioritisation, class difference, mental health issues, as well as the troubles of school-age youth, stressing more on the struggles of young people. These goals, set from the day they debuted, are the main reasons for an ideal bond between BTS and the Army. When seen through the eyes of the ARMY itself, BTS indeed are an angel.

Aaliya, a hardcore ARMY, shared, “Their songs beautifully sum the messages; to never give up hope and to give our best. And that is exactly what I am doing. The situation is bad right now but, we got to have hope! Other than that, I am watching their old shows and concerts and movies to keep myself occupied.”

“It won’t be wrong to call BTS as one of the 2020 heroes. In the time of this awful pandemic, they never left our side. They produced songs that provide inner peace and motivation in difficult times. It would not be wrong to say that they also stayed with us in this pandemic as we did with them. This time not only the ARMY’s but workers of every field, students, artists, even parents got the power to fight Covid-19 with their music and became mentally, physically and spiritually more strong because of them.”

It is refreshing to see how a band of seven members can spread such positivity in a world that seems gloomy, at best. Their motto of love yourself is exactly what we need in a time of crisis as extreme as the current situation.

As J-Hope said it best, “You will know when you listen to our new album and watch the performances; that liking BTS was the best decision ever!”

Whoever is a dedicated ARMY will know, what it meant to have BTS in their lives, to cope with the most devastating year, 2020, and I am sure they are still thankful for having come across this family at a time like this.

Published in Dawn, Young World, January 23rd, 2021