What a day to be a fan of South Korean boy band BTS. That’s an acronym for Bangtan Sonyeondan or “Beyond the Scene,” but seemingly everyone stateside will know that soon enough.
The septet—made of members RM (Kim Namjoon), Jin (Kim Seokjin), Suga (Min Yoongi), J-hope (Jung Hoseok), Jimin (Park Jimin), V (Kim Taehyung), and Jung Kook (Jeon Jeong-guk)—dropped their highly anticipated comeback album, Map of the Soul: Persona, as well as the music video for their lead single, “Boy With Luv” featuring American singer Halsey, on Friday.
On Friday morning, seven of the top 10 Twitter trends in the U.S. were related to BTS, according to Trends 24.
#BTS #방탄소년단 #MAP_OF_THE_SOUL_PERSONA Album Release #작은것들을위한시 #BoyWithLuv
— BIGHIT MUSIC (@BIGHIT_MUSIC) April 12, 2019
▶Apple: https://t.co/HRdfnqHrtQ
▶Spotify: https://t.co/leuT0w908Y
▶Amazon: https://t.co/xEc4U9DGS8
▶Youtube Music: https://t.co/E2J4Ww7osZ
▶DEEZER: https://t.co/xTk79DPy6s
There’s a lot to unpack —from the songs to the video to Ed Sheeran to the fan reactions on Twitter—so let’s break this down one trending hashtag at a time.
#Map_of_the_Soul_Persona
The K-pop superstars’ sixth EP, Map of the Soul: Persona features seven songs, two of which feature collaborations with two other artists: apart from Halsey, the boys also collaborated with Ed Sheeran, this time on the song “Make It Right.” BTS’ Suga teased this in December when he tweeted about a song he was working on, tagging Sheeran (who penned the song), and saying, “This is for you.”
There’s no word yet on whether “Make It Right” will be the next song to get a music video, or if Map of the Soul will become a compilation album to form a series like the chart-topping Love Yourself.
Now available on digital media platforms, Map of the Soul: Persona comes less than a year after BTS dropped Love Yourself: Answer, the third and final Korean-language compilation album in BTS’ series that featured record-breaking track “Idol” as its lead single.
If the anticipation and reaction to the release are any indications, BTS is sure to be topping charts very soon.
So far, it’s the boy band’s most preordered album, according to its distribution management company, surpassing 3,021,822 copies on Friday alone and breaking its previous record of 1.51 million copies set by Love Yourself: Answer.
Rounding up the tracklist are songs “Intro: Persona,” “Mikrokosmos,” “Home,” “Jamais Vu,” and “Dionysus.” There are theories about the meaning behind some of these songs that you can read about here and here—for K-pop fans, that’s half the fun.
According to MTV, Map of the Soul is a concept from Swiss psychologist Carl Jung. “It’s specifically referring to a book by Murray Stein, titled Jung’s Map Of The Soul, which is even being sold in their Korean management company’s online store. In the video for ‘Intro: Persona,’ RM is confronted with many different versions of himself, while words like ‘persona,’ ‘shadow,’ and ‘ego’ are seen scribbled on a classroom chalkboard behind him. This is a direct reference to Jung’s theories,” writes MTV’s Crystal Bell.
If Twitter trends are any indication, the songs “Dionysus” (the Greek god), “Jamais Vu” (French for “never seen”), and “Mikrokosmos” just might become the next big hits. Some even want the powerful “Dionysus” played at their funeral.
when i say i want dyonisus played at my funeral this is what i mean #MAP_OF_THE_SOUL_PERSONA pic.twitter.com/Bp25HujuNF
— ً (@mindales) April 12, 2019
https://twitter.com/Jin_Butterfly/status/1116656398568284160
When my playlist went from
— MOVED!!! (@staeberrycake) April 12, 2019
JAMAIS VU to DIONYSUS #PERSONAWelcomeParty #MAP_OF_THE_SOUL_PERSONA @BTS_twt pic.twitter.com/OiUVs9KMcV
https://twitter.com/ctrItaegi/status/1116633743823900673
“’Mikrokosmos’ makes me want to run in a forest and ride a horse,” tweeted @ask_bts_stuff.
Mikrokosmos makes me want to run in a forest and ride a horse #MAP_OF_THE_SOUL_PERSONA #방탄소년단 #BTS @BTS_twt
— Sarah°˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖° (@ask_bts_stuff) April 12, 2019
https://twitter.com/iBangtanholic/status/1116633505738317825
And then after all the “cute and fun and happy” songs, there’s “Jamais Vu” ripping fans’ hearts out. The lovesick breakup ballad has been received with reaction memes.
https://twitter.com/lavenderyoongs/status/1116632962844389377
https://twitter.com/rainberryvmin/status/1116633550839865344
The names of members Yoongi, Jimin, and Hoseok trended too, with fans gushing about how they sounded in the songs.
https://twitter.com/hiplikejibooty/status/1116628765361094661
@blurbts thinks Yoongi’s voice dropped “5,000 octaves.”
https://twitter.com/blurbts/status/1116628467259301888
https://twitter.com/douxslvt/status/1116629634597019648
Some were caught off guard by Yoongi’s verse in “Boy With Luv,” which features surprisingly poignant rapping.
https://twitter.com/JHSDlONYSUS/status/1116628719609634816
OK BUT YOONGIS RAP ON BOY WITH LUV AHSNJANSUXJD
— keish isn’t suspended anymore?? (@JHSMlCDROP) April 12, 2019
https://twitter.com/myoonjins/status/1116628294051307522
Fans loved Hoseok’s vocals in “Make It Right” and “Jamais Vu,” as well as his dance moves in the latest music video.
https://twitter.com/loveyanochu/status/1116656111598178305
I HAVE NO WORD JUNG HOSEOK#MAP_OF_THE_SOUL_PERSONA#BoyWithLuvOutNow pic.twitter.com/bsLRMjFZ5W
— ☻ (@jhside18) April 12, 2019
https://twitter.com/jhside18/status/1116639357727854592
https://twitter.com/mygrokosmos_/status/1116015403786952704
@beemyhope_ pointed out to everyone that Hoseok wrote Dionysus.
https://twitter.com/beemyhope_/status/1116657041337135104
“Hoseok’s versatility in this album… Who is doing it like him literally, who?” @tinieseok asked Twitter.
https://twitter.com/tinieseok/status/1116638645866369024
#BoyWithLuvOutNow
“Boy With Luv,” an upbeat and highly catchy English-Korean pop song and the septet’s first single of 2019, is poised to set new records with the release of its summer-ready music video, which also dropped on Friday. It reportedly caused its management Big Hit Entertainment’s YouTube channel to become “down briefly as fans flocked to watch the video for the lead single,” Kpop Herald reports.
#BTS once again proved its massive global power by crashing #YouTube with explosive traffic for #BoyWithLuv.
— KpopHerald (@Kpop_Herald) April 12, 2019
Watch the video: https://t.co/1h63vhgtzC@BTS_twt #MapOfTheSoulPersona #PERSONAWelcomeParty @bts_bighit pic.twitter.com/HbX7dhigCN
Hmm 493k views but 1.2m likes 🧐 I guess bts broke YouTube again #MAP_OF_THE_SOUL_PERSONA #PERSONAWelcomeParty #BTSCOMEBACK2019 @BTS_twt pic.twitter.com/3BmJSWUVBb
— 𝚕𝚊𝚞𝚛𝚊 (@laubiggles) April 12, 2019
The likes on the video have already surpassed 3 million two hours after its release.
‘Boy With Luv’ | @BTS_twt feat. Halsey has now surpassed 2.9M+ likes 2 hours after release, their fastest MV to achieve this mark. #BoyWithLuvOutNow
— worldwideBTS (Rest) (@btsanalytics) April 12, 2019
(https://t.co/VZoz3TyTFh)
https://twitter.com/Armys__Crew/status/1116660594898350080
https://twitter.com/Jin_Butterfly/status/1116660523481751552
#BTS “Boy with Luv” MV feat. Halsey’ MV has 2.9M likes on Youtube in just 2 hours and 4 minutes. 🔥🔥😱😱🚀🚀#BoyWithLuvOutNow #MAP_OF_THE__SOUL_PERSONA #BTSxHalsey pic.twitter.com/MqiBw935fK
— Kpop on Charts (@SerieTV46) April 12, 2019
The video features a tribute to the 1952 movie musical Singing in the Rain, as seen in the theater-themed set, choreography, and leader RM’s homage to Gene Kelly.
IT’S SINGIN IN THE RAIN!! !!#BoyWithLuvTeaser2 pic.twitter.com/xKY83yFWH6
— 💌 (@mo_onriver) April 10, 2019
Fans love everything about it—from the boys’ voices, facial expressions, hair, outfits, and Halsey’s part, of course.
https://twitter.com/kingjiminnie1/status/1116636978588426244
For a lot of fans, “the ending was the cutest part. They deserve so much love.”
the ending was the cutest part. they deserve so much love. #BoyWithLuvOutNow https://t.co/cFXrYR0auy
— neish⁷ (@RETR0VANTE) April 12, 2019
THE ENDING IS SO CUTEhttps://t.co/5sDcto9PUt@BTS_twt #BoyWithLuvOutNow #BTSCOMEBACK2019 pic.twitter.com/lXLeCRYean
— max⁷ (@bangtansoshi) April 12, 2019
im glad we’re collectively agreeing that this is the cutest and bestest part of the mv #BoyWithLuvOutNow pic.twitter.com/BJlw3WW5k3
— D- DAY🥢🎸 (@mapplesuga) April 12, 2019
https://twitter.com/beemyhope_/status/1116662455713898496
It helps that beat is incredibly catchy.
https://twitter.com/amorkive/status/1116629810032328704
#PersonaWelcomeParty
A few hours ahead of the launch, members of the BTS fandom expressed their anticipation for the new album and shared how they’re waiting with memes and GIFs—a lot of which featured the boys—using the hashtag #PersonaWelcomeParty.
the tl currently
— ⁷ (@hormonaljimin) April 12, 2019
#PERSONAWelcomeParty pic.twitter.com/rEtEiXVWgW
YOU ARE INVITED#PERSONAWelcomeParty https://t.co/dgDF1xzBSK
— ana. (@taemworks) April 12, 2019
It’s basically a countdown to when the album and “Boy With Luv” music video would be released (some with reminders for how to stream on YouTube to ensure the boys make history again).
https://twitter.com/sorayaxyoongi/status/1116622380762222594
if this ain’t us armys…. #PERSONAWelcomeParty pic.twitter.com/6mMfjGeLJ0
— ًpipay (@jeonierals) April 12, 2019
https://twitter.com/YoonminLove14/status/1116623170696437760
Incidentally, before #PersonaWelcomeParty even began to trend, #Run100M trended on Twitter, as fans celebrated the music video for the boy band’s 2015 song “Run” finally earning 100 million views on YouTube—its 17th one to do so.
https://twitter.com/btsanalytics/status/1116590533860659201
#BTSComeback2019
#BTSComeback2019 began trending an hour before the album dropped, followed by #PersonaIsComing. These hashtags belong to a list that BTS ARMY members aim to trend on Twitter, along with their main goal for the launch: 100 million views in 24 hours on YouTube. As @__crystalclaire reminded her fellow BTS ARMY members, “ARMYs RT this post so everyone will know what’s our goal today. Remember: Don’t engage in fan wars. Stream the music video. Don’t clear your history.”
https://twitter.com/__crystalclaire/status/1116621976380907522
Some used the hashtags along with images of a “BTS comeback starter pack Persona version,” which includes pink everything, including a coffin.
BTS comeback starter pack persona version.#BTSxSNL #BTS #PERSONAWelcomeParty #BTSCOMEBACK2019 #Persona3MPreorders #MapOfTheSoulPersona @BTS_twt pic.twitter.com/dIsMa7g7Ni
— ᴮᴱHappy⁷ ☻ (@btsrkives7) April 12, 2019
https://twitter.com/kthvwi95z/status/1116570164869230592
2019 is proving to be a phenomenal year for BTS. In February, the K-pop group made its first Grammy appearance and made history for becoming the first Korean act to present at the music awards and for having the first Korean album nominated for best recording package. Tomorrow, a day after the album drop and music video release, the group is set to make its Saturday Night Live debut. What follows are a series of concerts around the U.S. in May as part of the boy band’s world tour, and the release of the BTS Mattel dolls in September.
We can’t wait for what else these boys—and their devoted fans—have up their pink sleeves.
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