From Medium: BTS’s Burn The Stage is groundbreaking

This piece was originally written by Luke Waltham and published on Medium. You can read the original article here.

BTS’s Burn The Stage is groundbreaking

BTS’s willingness to be open, vulnerable and honest is inspiring and empowering for all, and ultimately shows their authenticity and integrity.

Emotional. Impactful. Honesty. Those are three words that came to my mind after watching the first two episodes of the new online Youtube Red series, Burn The Stage. The series, which documents behind-the-scenes footage of BTS’s Wings Tour, reveals all the challenges, achievements and personal moments that all the members of Bangtan Sonyeondan, 방탄소년단, go through during their world tour, and what it is like to be so successful and involved in the music industry on a global scale.

Each episode thus far of Burn The Stage contains scenes of BTS practising and preparing for concerts, and actual moments of The Wings Tour concerts. In between those scenes, members of BTS provide their commentary and thoughts of various moments. Throughout the series, we get to witness what truly happens behind the stage, back in the hotel rooms, and during practices. Just like BTS, ARMYs are taken on a journey to see what BTS goes through in order to produce and perform the absolute excellence that they constantly deliver on stage, in studio and in life.

The series is extremely explicit in terms of revealing the raw emotions and experiences that BTS goes through. There are going to be many lows and highs which we will see and have to process. This is a “revealing” series and we must respect the fact that BTS is willing to reveal everything that happens despite the fact that there are times where there were struggles and difficulties. It truly is inspiring and heart warming to know that BTS are comfortable enough to share all of these moments with ARMYs, and in return, ARMYs will continue to admire, respect, love and support Bangtan for who they are.

This truly is a groundbreaking moment. Not only do we see everything that happens behind-the-scenes, but we also get to see how each member of BTS grows throughout the Wings Tour. We get to see RM grow and excel in his leadership position. We get to see how ecstatic Jin is to be himself and enjoy life. We get to see how Suga continues to reach new heights. We get to see how J-Hope aims to discover himself. We get to see how Jimin always aims to impress ARMYs. We get to see V grow and love what he does. We get to see Jungkook pushing himself and enduring the utmost in order to exceed all expectations. All of this, combined with their genuine personalities and passion to entertain ARMYs, ultimately brings the BTS x BTSARMY relationship to a new level of trust, mutual love and empathy.

Undoubtedly, this series is exceptionally empowering and inspiring for ARMYs, the fans of BTS. It is admirable of BTS to be so vulnerable with us, to show us all their trials and tribulations, but also to show us their moments of success and happiness too. Although BTS should not have to remind anyone that they are human, Burn The Stage definitely does show us the members’ humanity and the reality that they are just like us; they go face challenges too. That is the beauty and empowering story of Bangtan; they are who they are and they reminds us to be ourselves, to love ourselves and love the people around us.

Burn The Stage truly acknowledges and emphasises the personalities and overall mission of BTS which is to be authentic, genuine, loving individuals whose movement is to spread love, integrity, healing and hope around the world. The series will, without a doubt, connect more people to BTS and their message, and will ultimately empower people to be themselves and to face all the challenges, struggles and issues that they are going through regardless of how different or difficult they may be.