I can’t do much because things (life-wise) are still… not where I want them to be, but I wanted to do a giveaway for 2 copies of the compact version of BTS’ upcoming anthology album, Proof. It makes me feel happier to share the love with fellow ARMY and get a copy to someone who couldn’t afford it at all or would have to choose between it and an essential item.
So, here’s how to enter:
Comment below with:
- Something the member you’re most attached to (either your bias, if you have one, or the member you feel you’re the most similar to) has done or said that lives in your head rent free!
- A moment or memory that made you feel like you’d proven (to yourself/the universe) that you were an ARMY!
(It could be something like “I never miss a Live. When I first got into BTS, I was up at 5AM to watch their lives even though my grasp of Korean sucks” or “I cried so hard when I rewatched their MAMA 2018 acceptance speech… you know, the one”. Something that made you think to yourself “hey, I… I’m really here”)
Important Stuff:
- The giveaway will end June 4th at 11:59PM. Any entries received after that time will not be accepted. I will reply to the winners on June 5th at a reasonable time!
- This is open worldwide as long as you’re willing to go and get your copy on your own on release day if you’re international. (For any US winner/s, I’ll just order through Amazon. Anyone else who wins gets the cost of the compact version!)
- If the comment field looks like it’s eaten your comment, don’t worry. I have comment moderation on HEAVY so someone else has to manually approve comments!
- If you can’t comment at all, however, you need to message me either through twitter DMs (if you can) or through my website’s contact form!
- There are NO following requirements. I don’t care if you follow me on Twitter or on my website. You don’t have to be a follower to enter because it’s not about me, it’s about our shared love of BTS!
Thanks so much for loving BTS too and I’m looking forward to listening to old songs and new songs with y’all!
Good luck pumpkins!
Stitch's Media Mix 
Definitely it’s one of Namjoon’s dialogues from the BE album’s Skit. In that, they’re all talking about their Billboard Number 1, and then squabble good-naturedly about practicing, and practicing No More Dream along with their whole discography now that they’re such big artists, and Joon’s voice addresses J-hope near the end saying “Hope, isn’t this happiness?” And I love it so much because it’s that kind of in-the-moment, on-the-spur profound realization about his circumstances that is one of his verbal trademarks. I’ve thought about it often in moments where I’m unexpectedly happy, where I’ve found joy over the past year and a half. My brain always keeps that phrase swirling around my mind, grabbing onto it in those moments where I do manage to feel content.
Watching Muster 2021!! And realizing I knew every single one of the songs, that was an incredible, incredible moment for me. because Muster isn’t where they’re catering to everyone, it’s where they’re catering exactly to us, to ARMYs who know and love every facet of their music. The standouts to me were the OT7 Daechwita, Wishing on a Star, and actually seeing them perform Fire again after so long! In these black slashed-fabric outfits! It was unbelievable on so many levels and in the moment I was actually making all these noises and shrieking with delight, which is something no other artist could make me do in the moment, whether in real life or through a screen. And that moment – knowing that it’s only them who could make me feel so happy – really cemented it for me that I’m an ARMY, when I was like “god, I’m in so, so deep and it’s amazing.”
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😍💜
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This is where I always watch BTS content, from RUN BTS, American Hustle Life, Rookie King, Season Greetings, Summer Package, Winter Package, Bangtan Gayo, and all. And I always listen to their songs. Moreover, I was very focused when watching Dionysus’ performance by BTS, how professional they were, even though they were very tired but they were able to finish their performance. Especially when their part was supposed to be sitting on the bench, but Jimin didn’t get his seat and pretended as if he was also sitting on the bench which he finally sat on the bench after being given by his back dancer. There I was very proud of BTS’s professional attitude. I also always follow Bangtan’s voting, and when the awards show has started, I always hope that Bangtan can win it all. I also always follow streaming parties. And sometimes I envy, why can’t I buy Bangtan’s album? Why can’t I buy Bangtan concert tickets? Why can’t I meet Bangtan in person? Why can I only vote and stream? And why can’t I follow them from the moment they debut? But, that’s where I realized. that Bangtan only needs the Army as it is and always together and loyal to Bangtan, to run with them to the end. Army also always says that voting and streaming are also a form of our appreciation for Bangtan. From there, I’m not jealous anymore, and I’m very grateful that now I’m saving and continuing to save so that in the future if Bangtan holds a world tour concert and my country is included in the tour list, I will buy concert tickets and meet Bangtan! and I feel this is proof of my life’s journey to become a real Army and what it is. Cheers to us! Don’t feel discouraged just because we haven’t been able to buy all of Bangtan’s official merch, with us always following the voting and streaming for Bangtan too, it has made Bangtan happy and touched. Let’s continue to save so that what we hope for can be achieved. Hopefully we can all meet Bangtan and meet the other Army as well. Borahae! 🤩😍😍💜💜💜
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(Additional)
1. With my bias, Suga: We both have the same habit, which is to bite our fingernails when we’re thinking about something or when we’re nervous. We also like to cook, yes, although I can still make a little food.
And if it’s with my bias wrecker, Jimin: Jimin and I have something in common, that is, if we’re in a good mood, we’ll be the most excited humans. But if I have a problem, I will be quiet — and of course I will cry more every night if the problem is not resolved. Ah, I’m worried about Jimin’s condition at Incheon airport yesterday, he looks quiet and closed, I hope what he’s thinking, hopefully there will be a way out 😭💜.
And for the other members too, I have a resemblance to them. There’s just so many that I’m confused to double the sentence, hehe 😂💜
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thanks for hosting the GA stitch! I loved the entering GA requirement so much, that I feel like I’m doing it more for that, than the album (pre-ordered one for myself, and if I do win, I would love to share it with a kids’ centre I spend time at on alternate weekends) but also reading everyone’s replies here, just so heartwarming!
1. (bias are joon and yoongi, but the members I find most relatable, sometimes uncannily so, are namjoon and taehyung)
for namjoon: he’s written/spoken too many things that linger, resonate… probe; but I guess I’d pick what he wrote in 2019, for the 2020 season’s greeting message: “let this be your vintage year” – it’s ironic, how he said it for 2020, with some build up where he talked about the consequential moment of turn of a decade, and a year of much anticipation, etc etc. I keep thinking of those words occasionally enough, but not just in the irony they somehow came to bear; rather also in a manner of anchorage? Sometimes, it’s like catching myself getting on day after day like on some autopilot, and taking a pause to gather myself? What he said there has a steadiness for me – and I don’t mean it ambitiously, but more in tender aspiration? Not as let me make this a grand year, but as, I hope I really live knowingly through the year more than ever before? Against too many years of my basic overachiever reflexes, it’s curious that that’s the sense I draw from his words for my own self. What they meant for him, and what he hoped to pass on, and where they settle in my reality are likely all be distinct, but that too, is a happy autonomy. I love that they’re also words that come together to sound pretty even in translation (although I do wonder how they taste and sound and feel in korean itself!)
for taehyung: I could honest to god watch that scene in BV4 where they’re under the milky way at the observatory a million times, and I will positively still tear up when taehyung says how it makes him feel like he did well to hold on, to live on, to live well to be able to be there in that moment, and see such a day with bangtan. It’s so phenomenally taehyung to me, the fact that he’d realize and verbalize something profound so simply, so reflexively? And it just resonates for me a bunch, how things – not even grand ones, tbh! – make me feel sometimes; say like the timing of certain events and people in life falling unbelievably in place… I guess deep gratitude is a truly precious emotion to experience, and no number of times living it, makes it any less overwhelming, but in a good ways! And especially on days when it may feel impossibly distant to grasp that feeling, taehyung’s words are such a humbling reminder of the powerful sentiment of feeling alive, feeling deeply grateful for being alive, and wanting to continue to feel alive!
I think it’s the very mundane and little things for me? Viral memes and the shared humour? Coming online on exhausting days to the routine echo chamber of ‘going through it!!!!’ collectively bc bangtan! folks sharing how a day has been, or how they’ve been feeling/doing bc of xyz – and feeling seen? I know none of these are things that are exclusive to army or bangtan, but it’s been a few years now, and so much else has changed, including the fandom and it’s voices and agendas etc themselves from when I first got on here, but it’s still nice when the little mundane days happen, the kind that are most eventful bc a gym selca, or food/dog/cat/tree posts, or even just bts taking a flight, lol! oh and!! getting stopped somewhere in public for a person to go, are you? a bts fan? ARMY? and suddenly have at least 8 different things you can talk about like you totally know this person you just met?! the fandom’s grows, and gets more complicated with time, so the the basic and mundane almost feel rarer, and all the more my thing!
there’s also this other thing, harder to explain but anytime I share an army thing: a fan art, a music cover, a written piece, a fundraising project, etc. – with non-army irls, there’s a brand of fondness and pride to it? like sure there’s the gazillion and counting bangtan achievements themselves – but folks in the fandom are the more accessible, realizable community to claim; so even when it’s like I know I have zero credit to the making of thing X, sharing it feels like when you share a thing bc it’s about someone personal to you in intimate ways that are different from the kind of proud I’d feel for any and all of BTS (as blurred as my parasocial lines are on days and DAYS!) It’s a wholesome feeling to share a thing and hear ‘wow, that’s pretty neat’ and be able to say, ‘yeah, they’re army’ :))
(brevity is really not my virtue!! but thanks again for hosting this, stitch! I absolutely love the entering prompts! this was fun to do on a monday morning while I procrastinate emails w action items!)
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When Yoongi told E. Alex Jung, who interviewed them for a Billboard profile/cover story, that everyone is equal, in response to a question about gay rights. Also when Jin said he raps like Jay-Z and Yoongi lost his mind in response (and RM yelled at Yoongi for swearing).
When I saw them at the first US concert of their Wings tour and cried when Yoongi performed “First Love.”
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My bias is Jungkook and he just lives in my head rentfree most of the time, but especially that performance of My Time from Map of the Soul O:ne.
When I really felt like an ARMY: When I told someone I was flying to LA to see BTS and the way they reacted haha. (I’m on the East Coast.)
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In BTS I am attached to Evey member in one or the other way in my 4 years of being an army it was never a single day that I have not loved all the boys equally…idk what happens if I see them having fun a smile appears automatically and when I see them sad I become sad my connection with them it’s hard to put them in words. This is one statement that Jimin said always lives rent free on my mind “Remember there is a man in korea in the city of Seoul who understand you.” It’s been so long he hasn’t posted yet and my urge to tell him we are there for him is so strong idk but I connect to him the most like I can pour my heart out to him and he will never judge me there is something about him that makes me want to protect him and the rest of my boys from every evil out there..with Namjoon I always look up to him as a true leader he motivates me so much his letters to Armys are so heart touching.. Jungkook and I are similar in many ways I truly can’t put a finger in one thing..the way of showing love is so similar…Hobi, Jin, Tae and Yoongi they all have something I connect to each one of them 💜
My army journey was also full of hardships, tears and happiness…In may 2019 when I first watched their concerts that too illegally I always cherish those memories at that time there was no online concerts I used to watch in 144p quality and that too I loved so much 💜 Tannies works so hard and their recent visit to WH I am so so proud of them that very day I think I just had to be here as an army and I am glad I am still here for them, for myself and for any other army out there☺️ Thank you so much for the giveaway this album is going to be so good it BTS discoveries which Armys can relieve who where not there in those eras.
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While Suga is my bias for many reasons, what I initially connected to was his chill vibe and sure of himself demeanor that communicated that he didn’t have to change his behavior for the sake of others. Though I am a person who is slowly learning that assurance, sometimes days are hard, and I forget. There’s this Vlive episode of Yoongi where he is comforting someone about their upcoming exams by sharing that he hopes they do well but if they don’t do well on the exam that there is no need to feel defeated. He adds “It may feel like the world is collapsing when you don’t get the results you want but that’s not true. That’s not how our lives work. What’s important is that you get back up.” I’ve been a grad student for, well, forever, and though I don’t care about exam grades that much, I do sometimes worry if I am making the right choices. Am I on the path best suited for me? Much of my life has resulted in aspects where I didn’t get the results I wanted or that were expected of me. And yet, somehow life continues to figure itself out. Sometimes the resolution is rather quick, sometimes I reflect back years later on an incident that I now can see wasn’t meant for me. Yoongi’s words comfort me in those moments and remind me that just because something doesn’t go the way you expected, doesn’t mean that it’s all over!
As for a moment or memory that made me feel like I was ARMY, it’s maybe been in the past several months as I’ve started to bring up the fact that I am ARMY to friends and family that have no idea about my interests in BTS or Kpop in general. I became ARMY during this pandemic period, even though Boy with Luv was definitely in my top songs in 2019 (a bop is a bop!). While I was experiencing languishing and in a persistent state of anhedonia, BTS found me at just the right time and helped me look forward to something! Watching In the Soop or legendary Run BTS episodes helped me to connect with these 7 people during a time when it seemed impossible to do so in my life. Even though I had one other person to talk to about it, my recruiter, I was nervous about how others would view me. Would they automatically label me as something I am not just because of how ARMY is often portrayed on social media. But, I think it comes back to me feeling more sure in myself. Loving myself. Respecting myself to present my full self with my peers. I am really here, I am really in this as. A Black ARMY representing the 30+ age bracket. No matter what the world tells you, we are here. Deal with it!
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I think what live in my head, is when Jungkook said that he gets sad when his hyungs do. He has such a huge and open heart, and it shows how much he cares for his bandmates, and that they are family, and not just a kpop group. I think it showed that even though they ended up together this way, they created a bond, because don’t we get sad when our loved ones do? I think of that often, because it reminds me that BTS is a family.
I don’t have any big grand things that would make me an ARMY or something that other people think would make me an ARMY, I wasn’t really able to afford concerts or all their albums, but to me, I think what was proved I was ARMY was introducing my sister to BTS. She likes the music now (so she tells me) and I think being able to share your love of something, especially my love of BTS who I’ve been following since debut, was what proved I was an ARMY. If she liked it or not was not the most important part, but that now when I talk about them she knows who they are, because of me I think proves I was an ARMY.
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