Unboxing: BTS — BTS, The Best Regular Edition, 7net Exclusive Edition, and Universal Music Store Exclusive Edition

(Warning: This post is long and photo-heavy.)

BTS, The Best is the third Japanese compilation album by BTS that was released on June 16, 2021. (In case you're wondering, "The Best" refers to the best of BTS' Japanese songs, not just that they're the best. Because I legitimately did not realize this until I saw the track listing.) There are a total of seven editions of BTS, The Best. If you want to know the differences between all the versions, you can read my original set unboxing post here, where I break it all down for you. This post will focus on BTS, The Best Regular Edition, 7net Exclusive Edition, and Universal Music Store Exclusive Edition. The Regular Edition retails for ¥2,700 (approximately $25 USD or $30 CAD), and both 7net and Universal Music Store Exclusive Editions retail for ¥2,970 (approximately $27 USD or $33 CAD) each, not including shipping. I bought all of my albums from CDJapan.

From top: BTS BTS, The Best 7net Exclusive Edition, Universal Music Store Edition, and Regular Edition
The Regular Edition is the original album; it includes the two CDs plus a lyric booklet (First Press albums will also include two randomized photo cards) and comes in a standard plastic CD case. There are also two retailer exclusive editions of the original album: one for 7net and one for Universal Music Store. Both of these exclusive editions contain the same contents as the Regular Edition and also come in standard plastic CD cases, but with different covers/artwork. All Editions of BTS, The Best contain a total of 23 songs: 16 of the Japanese versions of BTS' greatest hits from 2017 to 2020, six original Japanese tracks, and "Dynamite" as a bonus track. The track list for all Editions is as follows:

Disc 1:

1. Film Out (Japanese ver.)
2. DNA (Japanese ver.)
3. Best of Me (Japanese ver.)
4. Lights
5. Blood Sweat & Tears (Japanese ver.)
6. Fake Love (Japanese ver.)
7. Black Swan (Japanese ver.)
8. Airplane, Pt. 2 (Japanese ver.)
9. Go Go (Japanese ver.)
10. Idol (Japanese ver.)
11. Dionysus (Japanese ver.)
12. MIC Drop (Japanese ver.)
13. Bonus Track: Dynamite

Disc 2:

1. Boy with Luv (Japanese ver.)
2. Stay Gold
3. Let Go
4. Spring Day (Japanese ver.)
5. ON (Japanese ver.)
6. Don't Leave Me
7. Not Today (Japanese ver.)
8. Make It Right (Japanese ver.)
9. Your Eyes Tell
10. Crystal Snow

BTS BTS, The Best — Regular Edition — Front
BTS BTS, The Best — Regular Edition — Back (Track Listing)
BTS BTS, The Best — Regular Edition — Inside (Disc 1 + 2)
BTS BTS, The Best — Regular Edition — Lyric Booklet (Spread Photo)
BTS BTS, The Best — Regular Edition — First Press Photocards (Jimin: "Blood Sweat & Tears" and BTS, The Best)
Let's start with the Regular Edition, which is the standard version of the album and comes in a standard plastic CD case. It comes with two discs containing the 23 songs and a 36-page lyrics booklet featuring one spread photo. The First Press version comes with two randomized photocards of the same member, one featuring an unreleased design from "Blood Sweat & Tears" and one featuring the Type A costume design for BTS, The Best. (I got Jimin for these photocards!) The cover design for the Regular Edition features the BTS logo in white in the middle of a purple desert. The back design features a ruined building with Greek columns standing atop purple sand. The lyrics booklet is coloured in a lavender purple with the spread photo featuring BTS in lavender and white suits with the BTS logo behind them. The CDs are coloured in a lighter lilac purple.

BTS BTS, The Best — 7net Exclusive Edition — Front
BTS BTS, The Best — 7net Exclusive Edition — Back (Track Listing)
BTS BTS, The Best — 7net Exclusive Edition — Inside (Disc 1 + 2)
BTS BTS, The Best — 7net Exclusive Edition — Lyric Booklet (Spread Photo)
BTS BTS, The Best — 7net Exclusive Edition — First Press Photocards (RM: Map of the Soul: 7 ~ The Journey ~ and "Lights/Boy With Luv")
Next up is the 7net Exclusive Edition, which was made for Japanese retailer, 7net. Like the Regular Edition, it comes in a standard plastic CD case with two discs containing the 23 songs and a 36-page lyrics booklet featuring one spread photo. The First Press version comes with two randomized photocards of the same member, one featuring an unreleased design from "Lights/Boy With Luv" and one featuring an unreleased design from Map of the Soul: 7 ~ The Journey ~. (I got RM for these ones!) The cover design for the 7net Exclusive Edition features eight photos in a grid pattern, one for each member and one featuring an image of a vintage Airstream trailer in a desert, bordered in beige. The back design features a cluttered desk with a lamp, a lightbulb, a couple books, and some photo prints. The lyrics booklet is coloured in beige with the spread photo featuring BTS in casual wear in front of a vintage Airstream trailer. The CDs are coloured in a light peach.

BTS BTS, The Best — Universal Music Store Exclusive Edition — Front
BTS BTS, The Best — Universal Music Store Exclusive Edition — Back (Track Listing)
BTS BTS, The Best — Universal Music Store Exclusive Edition — Inside (Disc 1 + 2)
BTS BTS, The Best — Universal Music Store Exclusive Edition — Lyric Booklet (Spread Photo)
BTS BTS, The Best — Universal Music Store Exclusive Edition — First Press Photocards (RM: Map of the Soul: 7 ~ The Journey ~ and "Lights/Boy With Luv")
Finally, we have the Universal Music Store Exclusive Edition, which was made for the Universal Music Store Japan. Like the Regular Edition, it comes in a standard plastic CD case with two discs containing the 23 songs and a 36-page lyrics booklet featuring one spread photo. The First Press version comes with two randomized photocards of the same member, one featuring an unreleased design from "Fake Love/Airplane Pt. 2" and one featuring an unreleased design from Face Yourself. (I got J-Hope for these ones!) The cover design for the Universal Music Store Exclusive Edition features eight photos in a grid pattern, one for each member and one featuring an image of a ruined building with Greek pillars in a purple desert, bordered in lavender. The back design features a ruined building with a fallen Greek column, sitting atop purple sand. The lyrics booklet is coloured in a lavender purple with the spread photo featuring BTS in lavender and white suits with the BTS logo behind them. The CDs are coloured in a lighter lilac purple.

Now, the hardest part is just deciding which one you want. Unless you're like me, and even the slightest difference will make you buy all versions...