Purple-Blooded Public Figures: Celebrity ARMY Among Us
As the largest fandom in the world, it’s no surprise that ARMY have attracted members from all walks of life. Many celebrities are casual fans of BTS and most public figures recognize that being associated with BTS publicly can have incredibly positive impacts on their overall brand and presence. However, this blog is dedicated to the purple-blooded celebrities who have truly earned their ARMY status as dedicated fans of the group and their work.
Naomi Osaka
As one of the most prolific athletes in the world, it’s no stretch to call Naomi Osaka the BTS of tennis. At the age of 20, she became the first Japanese woman to win a Grand Slam title and the US Open, and is also the first Asian woman to be ranked No. 1 in the world. As a Black-Japanese individual of mixed race descent, Osaka also uses her platform to raise awareness for Black Lives Matter and various other racial equality initiatives. Somehow she’s also found time to support Bangtan since at least the DOPE era, even running a “free hobi’s forehead” Instagram page before her career catapulted her into global stardom. Her love for BTS’ catalog runs deep: in 2019 she declared that the “best song” from Map of the Soul: Persona was B-side Make It Right, and recently Osaka told SUGA that Autumn Leaves was a “great song” when she met him at a Golden State Warriors game in Japan last year.
Lea Salonga
A Tony, Olivier, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Theatre World Award-winning musical actress (who also voiced the titular Mulan in Disney’s 1998 animated feature and the singing voice of Jasmine in “Aladdin”), Lea Salonga’s powerful vocals and perfect pitch make her one of the most iconic vocalists of our time. She also knows a thing or two about Asian representation in the West, breaking through racial barriers on Broadway to become the first Asian Tony Award winner. From seeing "Yet to Come in Busan” in theaters and sending the members birthday wishes, to tweeting her dismay at the “bloodbath” that was the artist-made merch buying war of 2022, Salonga is 100% invested in the full ARMY experience. She also remarked that BTS “saved my mental health,” a deeper sentiment also shared by many ARMYs around the world.
John Cena
One of BTS’ most consistent and stalwart champions, former wrestler and present-day actor John Cena’s love for BTS has elevated him to celebratory meme status within the ARMY community.
Cena has passionately and thoughtfully explained the depth, complexity, and value-driven messages of BTS’ music over the years, using his platform to uplift the boys and encourage Western audiences to truly understand BTS. BTS members are Cena fans as well, which is no surprise given SUGA’s love of wrestling and Cena’s popularity on “Friday Night Smackdown” during the boys’ childhood and teenage years. We hope they get to meet at some point in the future after years of expressing mutual love and admiration online!
Lizzo
The shiny gold-printed “VMIN” t-shirt Lizzo wore while covering Butter is a pretty clear indication that the four-time Grammy winner is a fan of BTS. Introduced to Bangtan by her sister, the singer and flute player fell hard down the rabbit hole and eventually met some of the members at a 2021 Harry Styles concert. Now, Lizzo maintains an international friendship with at least j-hope, mentioning in interviews that the two of them figured out international area codes to call each other and that he never leaves her on read. Lizzo feels that her shared values drive her connection to Bangtan, explaining that, “I’ve gravitated towards BTS because they remind me of myself….self-love….and the way they love their fans. I feel the same way and they genuinely have just a pure, positive energy all the time.” Other ARMYs couldn’t agree more!
ARMYs Everywhere
These four celebrities are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to incredible members of ARMY. From toddlers to rocket scientists and everyone in between, BTS continuously reminds us that every member of ARMY is remarkable and worthy of love. If there’s anyone you want ARMY Magazine to add to this list, let us know on our social media channels. We can’t wait to see who falls down the purple rabbit hole next!
Written by: Mariko
Edited by: Sanam
Designed by:ThornToHisRose
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