what i submitted for "it's 5 pm, and this is kim namjoon"



The following was submitted for the fan-meeting special, "It's 5PM, and this is Kim Namjoon."

I feel like I always have the hardest time writing what BTS means to me in a proper little piece, but I liked what I wrote for the special. Even if it didn't get aired, it was a nice opportunity for a little bit of reflection. 

Happy 10 years to BTS. 

Hi Bangtan! 

So I've been reading a lot more lately (something that I've been doing out of inspiration from the well-read Kim Namjoon). And I find that the stories that are the best for me are those that end, short and sweet. Not the ongoing series that, over time, lose their unique flavor that made them so meaningful and good. Not Hollywood-adapted franchises whose themes get severely watered down to be palatable for the consumption of the general public. 

But I find that there is one longtime ongoing series that I do enjoy - it's the one about you and me. 

I don't mean for it to sound so romantic, but it does!

I found the seven of you at the age of 17, sometime before I set out on my final year of high school before college. I am 25 years old now. 

Never would I ever think that in these 8 years since I found you have I thought that our story has in any way been watered down. 

You found me, actually. You found me at every major moment of change, from the beginning of my senior year to my high school graduation, to my college entry, to graduating college in 2020 (you even spoke at my -YouTube special- graduation!), to the years of trial throughout the pandemic as I struggled to pave my path in adulthood. In every trial, in every tribulation, whether it was school or friends or my mental stability, you found me, your voice held my hand, and the words you write in your music squeezed it tight. 

I watched you all grow up, just as I watched myself grow. You inspired me to challenge myself, to be my best self, to look outside of myself and help those in need, to look inward and love myself. 

Something ARMY says a lot is that each of us become found at the perfect time, when it comes to you. Maybe I wasn't there all the way back in 2013, but at the point I arrived, you were there at the right moment to very much possibly save my life. And you did this, over and over and over again. Your heroism wasn't a one-time thing, it's ever-occurring. You haven't only saved me. You taught me how to save myself. 

You've been a comforting and encouraging and inspiring presence in my life. This particular story may be a little too long for you to read out on your program, but the story of us could span tens to hundreds of volumes and never lose what made it so special. 

What was it exactly that makes us so special? 

I still don't know. 

I'll keep reading and maybe I'll find out. 


Welcome to the Recommendation Corner! Today, I will be recommending the instant classic, Take Two by BTS. Hehe. 



BYE! 

-Ash

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