BTS — IDOL

I AM SHOOK. It's nothing like "Ddaeng" at all, like I thought it would be from the teaser. It uses South African beats mixed in with traditional Korean instrumentals and EDM, and it goes hard. The video makes no sense and reminds me of an exotic acid trip, but it seems like that was the point. It's like a play in contradictions to troll their haters (the traditional Korean imagery and wearing traditional Korean hanbok seems like a big middle finger to those who said they were getting too "Westernized"; the non-sensical imagery, crazy chaotic colours, flamboyant outfits, and green screen/CGI work are meant to be tacky and reflective of stereotypical K-Pop videos that critics love to hate; the multiple imprints of themselves in various scenes seem to be poking fun at people that say "there are too many of them" or "they all look the same"; etc.). While this is not my favourite title track (that honour still goes to "Blood Sweat & Tears") and I can see why people have mixed feelings about it, this song is still hype as fuck. Like, it is literally impossible for me not to tap my foot, bop my head, shimmy my shoulders, or do all of the above while listening to this. It is going to be ridiculous live. Also, these boys look fucking divine no matter how ridiculous their outfits, and the choreography is as intense and impressive as ever. (Jimin is serving some serious fucking visuals in this video. He is coming for me hard.)

Both this video and Love Yourself 轉 'Answer' only dropped a couple hours ago, and I am already sufficiently overwhelmed. While I am waiting for my physical copies of the album to be shipped from Seoul (even though I said I would never do so again, I ended up having to order them from the BigHit site because they're the only retailer that offers all four different versions in one set... which means I may not get my albums until, like, October), I have downloaded the album both on Apple Music and bought every individual track on iTunes (because I am a dedicated fan who wants to contribute to their charting success both in South Korea and in Canada). And I noticed that all the speculations of the Nicki Minaj collab were all fucking true. Because there, at the bottom of the track listing, is a surprise 26th track that is available on the digital album only: an alternate version of "IDOL" featuring Nicki Minaj. I'm pretty indifferent when it comes to Nicki, but you can't deny the power behind this grouping. To think that a K-Pop group would ever be able to collaborate with an artist of this caliber was just a dream, totally unheard of. This is bigger than Steve Aoki, Desiigner, Wale, or Fall Out Boy. BTS is now out-of-control huge, and I am so glad that I joined the fandom just in time to witness these seven Asian men rule the music industry. It's something I never thought I would ever see in my lifetime.

Addendum (2:37AM EST, 08/25/18): I was at work all day, but I managed to watch the video at least 12 times and have played all 26 tracks of Love Yourself 轉 'Answer' about three times through. I love that they sectioned off the album by Love Yourself chapters, starting with Wonder and ending with Answer. What I will always appreciate about BTS is that they aren't afraid to experiment with sounds and genres. Listening to any of their albums is like a sonic adventure every single time, and there is something for every mood or atmosphere.

I am living for the full versions of "Euphoria" and "Serendipity." I can't believe they were holding out on us for that long. They honestly did such a disservice to "Euphoria" by not releasing the song officially when the video was first released. Of the rapline solos, "Trivia 轉 : Seesaw" really stood out to me with its laid-back, groovy feel; Suga's singing voice is truly wonderful and I love that he now has the confidence in his vocals to record a solo track that isn't solely rap. I love that they released "I'm Fine" as the sequel to "Save Me" and finally gives some closure to that part of the Youth era. "DNA" got a complete makeover with the Pedal 2 LA Mix, and for someone who loves rock music first and foremost, I thought this was a stunning transformation to the song with the '80s heavy metal guitars. And, of course, "IDOL," a straight-up bop, the ultimate anthem for self-acceptance and self-love. As for the video? Well, it's currently at just under 51 million views at Hour 22, which means it is now the most viewed music video within 24 hours of all time (and second most viewed video in general within 24 hours). Their world domination is no joke.