I. Welcome, first time with BTS?
The time had finally arrived. Mia was about to meet the seven members of a Kpop boy band she had first discovered a couple years ago through a friend in college. As the line moves and voices chatter around her, she thinks back to when she first was introduced to Bangtan Sonyeondan.
~
“Mia, I’m telling you, these guys are good! You’ve got to listen to them,” Sook insisted, holding an ear bud out to her best friend she met freshman year. “Just give them a try, please? I promise you’ll love them.”
“Okay, okay. What am I listening to?” Mia sighs, placing the bud in her ear. “And don’t have it too loud, I know you like to crank it up but I’m not deaf like you!”
Sook rolls her eyes, searching for a song on her iPhone she knows Mia will love. “The song is called ‘Boy in Luv’. It has an edgy hip-hop sound. You should see the choreography. This one really makes me want to get up and follow the dance!”
Mia listens intently, the base rocking her body. “How do you jam to this? It’s not in English!” She frowns scrunching her nose up at Sook.
Sook huffs at how close-minded her friend is. She was born in South Korea and moved to America when she was two while Mia has probably never left the east coast of the United States. Her parents speak Korean, of course, but Sook doesn’t beyond the couple phrases her parents use when communicating with her. She began learning Korean as a child but quickly lost the language once she entered school in the U.S. and learned to speak English.
A trip to Korea to visit her Aunt and Uncle her Senior year in high school, introduced her to BTS. Her Aunt insisted she get out and discover a little of what the teens were into in Korea. Broaden her horizons, so to speak. She tagged along with a friend of the family who spoke zero English and just so happened to have a spare concert ticket. The experience was something else.
Sook remembers feeling small because communicating with anyone at the venue was a struggle. She relied heavily on imagery to get around and to express her needs or interests. The seven boys were debuting and she had thought J-Hope was pretty cute. She’d come to learn that his personality is infectious and he’d never cease her laughing. Second to J-Hope, Sook really liked Jimin. He was so baby faced and adorable. The black eyeliner did wonders to his already deep brown eyes. His stage persona definitely attracted Sook.
“It doesn’t have to be in English to be a good song. Instead of worrying about the lyrics, feel the beat. What do you think?”
“It’s okay. I’m not so sure I’m ready to swoon like you are,” Mia teased.
“Okay, okay, how about this one?” Sook questions changing the song to ‘Danger’.
Mia’s eyebrows raise hearing the words come to fruition. “There’s English!” She pipes up. “I dig this one,” she grins giving Sook a thumbs up.
“Now for the final song that’ll have you fan-girling just as much as me...it’s called ‘Ma City’.”
Mia shakes her head ‘no’. “I don’t think so, Sook. I’m not feeling it. The rapping is dull, not to mention I have no clue whats being said,” Mia says pulling the bud from her ear.
“No, wait until the chorus. Go on, listen. It’s coming up.”
The girl rolls her eyes, placing the bud back in her ear as Jimin’s melodic voice sings to her. She begins nodding her head as V entices with ‘say, la la la la la’. “All right, who sang first?” She questions Sook.
“His name is Jimin. I’m thinking he’s going to be your favorite, also known as bias.”
“Uh-huh, if you say so.” Mia replies in disbelief.
~
That was two years ago and it seems like yesterday to Mia. She remembers spending the evening with Sook watching BangtanTV music videos, dance practices, and clips of their appearances on American Hustle Life. It was that night that seven individuals from South Korea wrecked every N’sync and Backstreet Boys song she’d ever liked as a kid. She became a member of the A.R.M.Y.
The line shuffles forward and Mia is third in line to be greeted by V. Her palms begin to sweat and her knees shake. Her fingers fiddle with the pages of the album book in her hand, each one tab marked for one of them to flip to.
Never did she imagine that her parents would allow her to travel to South Korea alone, attend a BTS fan sign and witness their DNA comeback. Then again, she’s twenty-six, she can do as she pleases with the expectation that she call her parents every couple hours regardless of the time difference. They really do worry too much.
Finally, it’s Mia’s turn to join the other fans on stage, kneeling on the floor on the opposite side of the table across from V. He smiles at Mia raising his hand to wave. Mia politely says ‘Hi’ as they exchange pleasantries. V questions her name and asks how she’s doing, in addition to where she’s from. She answers as clearly as she can using simple English since she’s aware that V isn’t exceptionally fluent but knows common introductory phrases. V signs her book passing it back to her as she waves ‘bye’ and slides to the next member, Jin.
Jin is first to acknowledge Mia, saying ‘Hello’. Mia smiles teasing Jin, “Hello, Mr. Worldwide Handsome”. A blush from Jin has him dropping in head, clearing his throat, and murmuring a ‘thank you’. He signs the album book before asking where she is from. Mia responds, “America” as Jin replies with a, “Wow, you came...here...for comeback?” Suggesting she came a long way and he is impressed. She nods, grinning. “I’m excited to see you all perform,” Mia says gesturing to the others sitting at the tables. “Really? Ah, wow. Thank you,” Jin replies before telling Mia ‘good bye’.
Jin slides Mia’s album book to RM who glances up with a quick, “Hello, where are you from?” “America,” Mia repeats. “Oh yeah, what state?” Mia mentions she’s from the east coast, Virginia. “Wow, you are a long way from home,” RM acknowledges. “Yes, I am but it’s been worth it so far.” She smiles at RM and he lifts his head to make eye contact with her. He reaches a hand out to her wanting to hold hers. Mia obliges placing her hand in his. “Sincerely, thank you for coming here and supporting us internationally. We can’t do this without your support. It means so much to us to have fans in other countries.” He finishes by squeezing Mia’s hand and pulling away to give her a finger heart. “Of course, I love you guys!” RM bows his head in thanks as Mia continues on to the next band member.
He immediately looks up, taking in the American girl in front of him. Her long dark hair is braided over her right shoulder exposing the flesh of her soft neck. Large bright brown eyes stare back at him, the girl biting and licking her full beige lips in nervousness. Her palms are sweating and she drags them down her jean clad thighs beneath the table. Realizing she may be just as nervous as he is because clearly they’re both at a communication disadvantage, he decides to relieve the tension and break the ice.
“You know, I don’t speak English?”
