All of those things had been called into question by critics, or at times by the artists themselves, in 2021. In truth, they also served as a kind of vindication of BTS-of their talent, authenticity, reach, and emotional connection with fans. So when the group finally took the stage in Los Angeles in late November and early December, the shows might have seemed like a simple victory lap. This fall, they spoke at the United Nations General Assembly for the third time, accompanying South Korean President Moon Jae-in as special envoys. They won millions of new fans and became the first K-pop act to receive a Grammy nomination last year for their single “Dynamite” (followed by another nomination this year for “Butter”).
They’d released three albums and scored six Billboard Hot 100 No. Already global superstars before the pandemic, RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook had only gotten bigger since 2020. And for the first time in months, I smiled at the idea of time standing still.īy all appearances, time had been kind to the seven members of BTS. For one week, I’d share hotel rooms with dear friends, attend shows, and blast BTS’s extensive, genre-melding discography while carpooling in L.A. (Mask wearing and proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test would be required.) Knowing that demand was bound to be fierce, I hoped to attend once after a lot of planning, stress, and luck, I had tickets to all four dates. They’d play four nights at the open-air SoFi Stadium, in Los Angeles, where the Super Bowl would be held in 2022. In September, as live music was returning in earnest, the South Korean pop group BTS announced their first in-person concerts in two years. Then, for two weeks at the end of 2021, I tried to control time for myself. On others, like when I saw family and friends, it seemed to flow like a river that I couldn’t stop or outrun. Time warped around me, as it did for so many people. For 20 months, I was haunted by two fears: that some things (the pandemic, isolation, anxiety) would last forever, and that others (dreams, loved ones, entire years) would be lost forever.