It’s good to be back, and oh so good to be back writing about “Boy with Luv” by BTS feat. Halsey, for the simple reason that it gave me many moments of happiness in this godforsaken year.
Hear me out. I don’t consider myself ARMY (Adorable Representative M.C for Youth), the name for fans, not because I’m not a fan, nor ashamed to be one, but because I feel I simply don’t deserve it. I haven’t purchased a single bit of their music or merch, and I only got on the bandwagon this year, after their appearances on the quarantine version of the Tonight Show leading up to the release of “Dynamite”. I only know Map of the Soul: 7 and other ubiquitously played singles, and haven’t yet gotten to their earlier discography. But I know who each member is now, I can tell them by vocal style by just listening, each adorable personality (or persona) they inhabit in the group. That’s more information than I ever thought I’d retain, listening to a K-pop band, but too pitiful to be truly considered ARMY, that living, breathing mob of goodness and/or wokeness, for better or worse (BTW, making fun of an ESL person’s accent or syntax is racist).
But this is not to convince you to become a BTS stan–only to profess my luv for a song that my favourite ARMY, Kathy G., described to me as a perfect pop song. After I finally told her I was joining the fold, having watched the aforementioned Tonight Show performances, being wowed by “ON” and finally putting MOTS: 7 on repeat. I gushed to her about this and that, but said I didn’t really like “Boy with Luv” because it seemed saccharine, cliche, a fun boy band song 20+ years too late for me. She paused and, very kindly I now see, changed the subject to other things about BTS she wanted to share with me. And then one day, like any epiphany, I knew it in my heart to be true: I luved “Boy with Luv”.
I was so fucking dumb to have said before that I didn’t like it. Because now I can’t stop listening to it. It’s just pure fun.
“Boy with Luv” is the perfect pop song.
That was it, no “I told you so” nor any sort of agreement that I had been indeed a dumbass. So much benevolence.
“I’m curious about everything, how’s your day? What makes you happy? Come be my teacher. Teach me everything about you.” All those inane thoughts in those early days, they were left unsaid, and you now boldly sing them in impossible falsetto, syncing with the mouths of beautiful Korean angels. I don’t have a “bias”–I love every single one of them and their unique quirks, but I have to admit that looking at Jung-kook and hearing him sing “Oh wow wow wow” in the last chorus sometimes make my cells go, “Awwwwww shucks”.
If you’ve ever liked pop in your life and don’t like this song, my advice is: check your prejudice. The song is not in English, there’s not a single white boy in the group and they don’t look like the boybands of yore who wore baggy pants and sported beards. So fucking what? Underneath those designer clothes, their abs are just as rock hard, but heck, take everything away, the earrings, the eye makeup, the pristine foundation and you still have those voices, the massive talent, the performances. Just rip away the narrative in your head and take them all in, the rap breaks and every sugary bit. “Oh my my my, oh my my my.” None of it makes sense to your rock n’ roll heart–shhh, you whisper, just let go and luv.
With the wings of Icarus you gave me / Not toward the sun but toward you / Let me fly
Also, “you’re welcome” for this next video.
doloresappreciationsociety 