Permission to Dance LA 2021

If there’s only one thing you know about me it should be that I love Kpop. There are many groups that I like to listen to from the genre, but my favorite group is BTS. Two-time GRAMMY nominee, nine-time Billboards award winner, six videos with 1 billion views on Youtube, the list goes on… Obviously, BTS have set themselves apart from other Kpop artists and have surpassed many western artists with their achievements. I could go on and on about why I love BTS. And I will.

I have been a fan of BTS since 2017. The seven-member band has been making music for going on nine years now. In that time, they have made many unique albums with songs that are catchy, fun, emotional, and thought-provoking. I can guarantee there is at least one song in their enormous discography that people will like no matter what kind of music they prefer to listen to. The music that BTS makes has inspiration from many sub-genres and has transcended language to connect with fans all around the world. Even though I don’t speak Korean fluently, the beat and melodies of their songs connect with certain parts of my soul when I listen. They have songs about the struggle of being idols, missing lost friendships, living life to the fullest, and loving yourself for who you are. No matter what mood I’m in, there’s a song by BTS that I can connect with. They taught me that even when life seems bleak there is always a silver lining. I learned to have fun in the moment and cherish the friendships I have. BTS has helped me create connections with other fans and gave me the confidence to be myself unabashedly. For that, I am forever grateful to BTS and will be a fan of them for years to come.

The pandemic caused a stir with BTS and the fandom. They were unable to travel for the world tour they had planned for 2020. It was going to be the biggest tour they had ever done. As we all know, 2020 was not a good year for everyone. The lockdowns that happened around the world separated everyone to ensure the safety and well-being of the population. Thus, the MOTS:7 World Tour 2020 was canceled. Army (BTS fandom) had hoped that one day the tour could happen, but to all of our dismay, it was canceled.

BTS recently mentioned that they were concerned they would lose fans during the pandemic. On the contrary, BTS is bigger than ever before. The turnout from the collection of concerts Permission to Dance On Stage is proof that BTS is one of, if not the biggest music group in the world. Even though the MOTS:7 tour was canceled, BTS was determined to perform for their fans again. To everyone’s surprise and joy, BTS announced a series of concerts in LA for Fall 2021. With only a month to prepare, Army scrambled to prepare for one of the biggest concerts of BTS’s career. Fortunately, I was lucky enough to be a part of it.

Growing up, my family wasn’t very well off. There were instances where we paid for gas with coins and slept all in one room to keep warm when the heat turned off. I am glad to say that now, things are a little better. Since I grew up this way, I knew that spending money on personal things only came once in a while. Sometimes I don’t feel like a good enough fan of BTS since I don’t own a lot of their merchandise, or albums, or have gone to concerts like others since I couldn’t afford it back then. Today, I have a job that allows me to support my wants and needs. Since I’ve never been to a concert before, I decided that the first concert of my life was going to be for my favorite band. I did everything I could to make it possible and I’ll never regret it.

The BTS concert in LA was the first time I have ever been to LA, flown in a plane, and gone to a concert. The whole experience was so surreal and I can’t believe that it even happened. If I didn’t have images and videos I think I would have forgotten everything since I blacked out from the shock of seeing my idols for the first time. I am so thankful to my friend for accompanying me on the trip (even though she definitely would have gone without me because she is more of a fan than I am and I respect that lol). This experience not only brought my friend and me closer together, but it also solidified my love and dedication for BTS. Going to the concert showed me why it was worth it to be their fan. I truly believe that BTS will go down in history as one of the most significant music groups of my generation.

I don’t mind that I didn’t see much of LA when I visited. While traveling to the venue, I did see palm trees for the first time and got to enjoy the dry heat that contrasts with the humid heat of Nebraska. I had fun traveling to a small mall where we could buy extra masks, knick-knacks, and kpop merch. Standing in that mall and sitting in my hotel room still wasn’t enough to make me really believe that I was going to see BTS in a few hours. The moment it did hit me was life-changing.

The concerts themselves made the entire trip worth it. Even though I stood in a line for hours in the sweltering sun and got heat exhaustion, it was still an experience that I would do over and over again. Yes, I did have a pounding headache and throbbing feet at the end of it all. But the moment when the members came onto the stage I forgot all my pain and cheered for my favorite band. The entire experience is one that I will cherish for as long as I am a fan.

Everything about it was breathtaking. The lights from the lightsticks created an ocean of colors you could see from any direction. Every song they played had the audience cheering, singing, and chanting along. Even in moments of rest, you could feel the anticipation from the fans waiting for the next song. Seeing the members up close changed my admiration for them since I could clearly see how bright and genuine the smiles of adoration for their fans were. Even though they were tired from dancing and singing, they took the time to talk to the audience and ask if we were having fun and thanked us for attending the concert.

As the brightly colored confetti sprinkled down onto the audience, I thought to myself that this was a moment I never wanted to forget. Whenever I’m sad or unmotivated, I look back on the videos I took and think about how much fun I had. When another tour happens in the future, I want to attend because I want to support my favorite band and experience the fun of a BTS concert again. Listening to their music has introduced me to so many people and has created unique unforgettable experiences. BTS inspired me to explore new cultures and to study abroad in South Korea in Fall 2022. Thank you for everything BTS.

Catch me at the next concert!

Evelin~

This was one of the coolest moments of the entire night! I was so glad to have been so close to the stage to be able to experience the confetti cannons and to see the members up close too!

 

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