BTS paved the way

Photo+by%3A+Tamar+Herman

Tamar Herman

BTS began their world stadium tour in the Rose Bowl, selling out the venue and adding on another day.

In 2013, in Seoul, South Korea, a new boy group was emerging. With little funds and increased judgment from the entertainment world, the boys took the stage with confidence. Now, six years later, that same group has performed across the globe, from award show stages to stadiums. BTS continues to accomplish the inevitable every day, breaking language and societal barriers and creating a path for many acts to come.

The group is made up of seven members, sometimes known by their stage names: RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook. As a K-pop group, they debuted under Big Hit Entertainment in 2013 with the hopes of becoming stars, and they have done just that. Over the years, their music style has grown and changed, from the dark and slightly aggressive rap of their beginnings to the heartfelt ballads (still with the rap) that they tend to produce today. Their new album, Map of the Soul: Persona, was released April 12, 2019 and sold 3.2 million copies within one month, topping the charts and crowning it as the best-selling album in South Korea.

With a new album comes a new tour. BTS began their world stadium tour in the Rose Bowl, selling out the venue (60,000 seats) and adding on another day. The concert is two and a half hours long and features 24 songs, each performed by either the group or individually. I was fortunate enough to secure tickets to the Soldier Field show May 11 in Chicago, and the concert was the best thing I have ever experienced. The boys delivered flawless performances, illuminated by the light sticks (called Army Bombs) held by the crowd. The effects were incredible, full of fireworks and flames lining the stage. Although it was cold and rainy, the joy of the fans and the love and appreciation from BTS warmed the arena.

Even if you aren’t a fan of BTS or K-pop in general, the hard work and love they put into their performances is definitely worth seeing. It is a night that I will never forget and wish that everyone got to experience the pure happiness that radiated from the stadium as BTS took the stage.