frodolagging⁷⁼¹ ARIRANG

There is a difference between being a fan of BTS and being part of ARMY. Lately those terms seem to be getting a bit blurred. Anyone can discover BTS at any time and every ARMY matters - whether you have been here since debut or found them yesterday. There is no correct time to become part of this community. BTS finds you when you need them. But ARMY works hard. ARMY is more than just an audience at a show or a group of fans who just like BTS. We are a community with a history and a culture that WE developed over time. Kpop fandom culture in general has its own traditions which include collective participation and supporting their artists through working together with things like streaming and voting. BTS and ARMY started with those roots and built something unique of our own. We have our fandom etiquette and our standards of being an ARMY and its not the same as a fan of BTS. When people join the community they adapt within our identity through learning and respecting our historical roots and standards. With the latest enormous influx of new fans we have also seen people arrive who don’t seem interested in understanding that culture. Some want to redefine what ARMY should be without understanding what made it what it is. Others bring attitudes and expectations from outside fandom spaces that don’t necessarily align with our values. Sometimes that goes beyond disrespecting the community - it disregards the very people who brought us together in the first place - BTS. Our ARMY culture matters and has deep layers of why it is what it is. We support all seven members. We respect their privacy. We promote their work through voting and streaming - we look out for one another. We have our own jokes and ancient texts. We also understand that supporting BTS does not mean we engage in fanwars or get rage baited during important times. We have BTS Lockdown. We also dont tear down others or make everything a competition - we are one global ARMY. We are not a monolith. We see each other with respect as only ARMY. We work together globally - which is what set us apart from other fandoms. We dont have to change our identity to fit what is popular outside our fandom or what other fans try to tell us our history was - we know who we are - we built it together. We dont have to adopt every trend or seek validation from other fan communities - we are enough. There are reasons our traditions and values developed the way they did - and we need to pass that on to baby ARMY. New fans are always welcome. Nobody expects you to know everything the day you discover BTS - but there is something to be said for learning about the community you are joining rather than expecting it to conform to what youre used to. Being ARMY is not just about what you get out of it - its also about what you contribute to it. We can grow and welcome new people and evolve as a community without losing the values that made ARMY what it is. Its a place we can find peace and community with each other in a chaotic world that wants everyone divided. Lets hold on tight to each other and focus on what we can achieve for the boys while remembering who we are. Fighting! 💜