The LED screen was ready.
The energy of the fans, fondly called ARMY, from the BORAHAE Manila community was buzzing. Everyone in the room could feel the excitement, with each passing minute marking the much-anticipated comeback of the global sensation, the Korean pop group BTS.
After four years of hiatus due to mandatory military service in their home country, South Korea, BTS, consisting of RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook, returned to the stage.
READ: BTS concert in South Korea to herald stream of live events, Netflix says
This time, they are delivering show-stopping performances and moving soundtracks for their fans who patiently waited for their return.
The comeback performance, “BTS the Comeback Live | Arirang,” took place on Saturday, March 21, at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea. Some members of BORAHAE from Manila were able to enjoy a watch party as if they were at the venue, made possible by the streaming platform Netflix and the country’s leading broadband provider, PLDT Home.
For some, it was simply a comeback of a band, but for ARMYs around the world, it felt as if they were brought back to life. Not everyone may understand, but for some ARMYs, the existence of these seven individuals has had a life-changing impact.
This is a fact shared with Interaksyon by Kankan Ramos, one of the admins of BORAHAE Manila. When BTS was not yet as big as they are now, Kankan’s daughter was already a fan of the group. She did not give them much attention, even as her daughter would often talk about them. However, when she saw them in a video speaking at the United Nations, everything changed.
“I think it’s the message of their songs, how it heals so many people,” Kankan said, treferring to BTS’s impact on the lives of their fans. This is something close to her heart as well, as her daughter personally experienced how BTS became a source of support during the pandemic.
“It helped them with their mental health. It helped them with their depression. It helped them love themselves more. It’s not just music, it’s how they’ve touched the lives of ARMY at the right time,” she shared.
As the music filled the venue, with lightsticks glowing and cheers from ARMYs syncing with the group’s every move, it was not just about watching their idols perform. It was about seeing life and joy reflected in the eyes of the fans, in unison with the overwhelming happiness BTS felt to be back on stage and reunited with the ARMY who patiently waited for them.
Speaking of overwhelming joy, the excitement to perform again did not stop BTS member RM from going on stage despite his injury.
Two days before their big performance, RM suffered an ankle injury and was advised to limit his movements for about two weeks and to wear a cast. Despite his condition, he was never left out during the performances, and there was even an instance when he became so immersed in the performance that he accidentally raised his injured foot.
“BTS the Comeback Live | Arirang” is just the beginning of the many things ARMY can look forward to in the next two years. Aside from their recent album drop, Arirang, fans are anticipating their world tour, which is set to begin in 2026.
The great news for Filipino ARMYs is that BIGHIT Music’s tour announcement confirmed Manila as one of BTS’s stops next year.
READ: ARMY survival guide, Photobooth pop-up: BTS fever builds ahead of historic comeback | Kpop boyband BTS to visit 34 cities in a year for comeback world tour ‘ARIRANG’
