By Angely Peña-Agramonte

Anticipating. Exhilarated. Thrilled.

ARMYs all around the world join screens today to commemorate their 7th anniversary together with the Korean boy group and K-pop sensation — 방탄소년단 (Bulletproof proof boyscouts), also known as BTS or Beyond the Scenes. 

Their dances render the crowd speechless. Their music delves into the heart of millions. And their poetic speeches spark hope in the face of adversity, inspiring the youth to believe in their own convictions and voices.

Ceaselessly uprising and successful like never before, a group that debuted 7 years ago — on this very day —  is finally where all of their fans envisioned them to be. BTS has helped many with the very infinite struggles of life, and as the years progress, ARMYs widespread hope that they continue to do so. 

Running for about two weeks is a celebration religiously observed by millions, memorating the growth of K-pop band BTS. The air of today clenches differently in the heart of fans, as it marks both the debut date of their idols and the last day to actively honor their success in this multi-day event.

This idol-fan tradition is known as “FESTA,” an annual celebration that grants ARMYS the chance to see their all-time favorites doing various activities ranging from videos of them dancing, to watching the release of never-before-seen footage beyond the process of creating albums, and even playbacks that recollect their life’s achievements over the years. FESTA reminds ARMYs of all the time they have spent supporting BTS and all the events that have occurred in those years. 

Just a few days earlier, BTS released a video titled We are Bulletproof: The Eternal — a sentimental and heartwarming song that truly depicts the struggles that these idols have confronted, and it explains their resilience knowing that ARMYs will be there to support them. The song covers how the BTS members would incessantly lose hope amidst their idol lives, only to recharge and push forward with the love they would receive from fans. The video in itself is a relapse of animated clips from different music videos released throughout the past seven years — a pensive experience for long-term followers and a demonstration showing how far they have truly come along.

Honoring BTS’s debut anniversary with ARMY, the FESTA, which had commenced June 1st, is to be concluded with a final celebration on this day — their official anniversary — counting as a time to reminisce the past and consider what is to come onwards, revealing not only how they have felt these past seven years, but also delving into their smiles and complaints. The very elements that show these boys coming a long way, from amateur rookies to an inspirational Korean boy band that recurrently made history.

Although what was usually followed by a world tour is now canceled, that alone is not the silver lining. Knowing that the FESTA leads off via V-Live and Youtube, ARMY’s all over the world are now utilizing this opportunity to see their idols to a personal degree, reinstating how BTS is more than just a group of professionals onstage. They are family. 

Many remember them as an underdeveloped K-pop band that was often criticized for not being “broadcast quality” — who were neglected by variety shows because of their company’s former inferior status. Many thought that these boys, who “were not as good as other groups,” would not last. However, these idols grew to become the same people that have repeatedly exceeded expectations, changed lives, and became a crowned global influence — with the U.S. media going even further by denoting BTS as the face of K-pop.

“We are not seven with you,” echoed BTS. In We Are Bulletproof: The Eternal, these idols remind their fans that none of their accomplishments in the entertainment industry would have been possible without the strength of their followers. 

And so, the seven years spent with these seven boys is a period to be remembered for millions of fans as they hope this year won’t certainly be the last.