Last Thursday night, I was scrolling through an e-commerce platform to see what I could get myself for the mid-year sale. I paused after spotting a markdown of almost ₱600 on a BTS’ biography book, Beyond The Story, I’d been eyeing for over a year. Of course, I hit the checkout.
With only a week left before RM, Suga, Jimin, V, and Jungkook return from their military service—and with Jin and j-hope already discharged and busy spoiling us with Festa content, it feels like the perfect time to treat myself. June 13 is just around the corner, and with it comes not only BTS’ 12th anniversary but the start of a long-awaited new chapter for ARMYs around the world.
If you’re like me constantly caught between excitement and nostalgia, you might find comfort in the music that’s carried us through these quiet years. As I wait (and try not to cry every time a military discharge date gets closer), I’ve been playing these seven BTS songs on repeat. Each one hits differently now, and together, they feel like a warm hug from the boys we’ve missed so much.
“00:00 (Zero O’Clock)”
A song that feels like starting fresh. Whenever life feels overwhelming, this track reminds me that “you’re gonna be happy,” eventually. It’s soft, sincere, and quietly hopeful, just like the moments of healing BTS has always given us.
“2! 3!”
For me, this song is practically an ARMY anthem. It’s BTS saying they wish they could take away our pain—and haven’t they, in so many ways? Listening to it now, I’m reminded of how they’ve stayed with us through every high and low, even from afar.
“Butterfly”
Delicate, bittersweet, and emotional—”Butterfly” has taken on new meaning for me during the group’s enlistment period. The fear of change, the desire to hold on, and the fragile hope that things will stay beautiful all come through in every note. It feels like a love letter to the idea of staying connected even while apart.
“Just One Day”
Sometimes I laugh at how I can sing the Korean lyrics to this song almost fluently even though I don’t speak Korean. But that’s what BTS does: they make you feel the language. This one brings me back to simpler eras of the fandom, when the wish to spend “just one day” with them was all we needed to keep going.
“Magic Shop”
Whenever I feel overwhelmed, “Magic Shop” becomes my escape. The song feels like BTS reaching out with open arms, saying, “It’s okay, you’re not alone.” The lyrics offer comfort and reassurance, like a warm embrace from someone who just gets it. The line “So show me (I’ll show you)” is more than a lyric—it’s a promise of mutual healing, a reminder that even in our darkest moments, there’s a place where we’re understood and accepted.
“Permission to Dance”
This might sound cliché, but “Permission to Dance” reminds me that joy is a choice, even when it feels like the world is standing still. And if you listen closely, the song says it all: “The wait is over.” I know that line is symbolic, but right now, it feels like a promise.
“We Are Bulletproof: The Eternal”
No list would be complete without this. It’s the kind of song that makes me ugly cry every time. The line “we are only seven with you” hits harder than ever. It’s a reminder that this journey has always been about us—BTS and ARMY, side by side. Always.
The countdown is real now. After three years of solo releases and livestreams, we’re finally here—on the cusp of seeing BTS as seven again.
