The ABC’s of the Bangtan Universe Part 5
Hello ARMY!
The Bangtan Universe (BU) continues to expand the story of the characters we know and love. With the release of the BTS Universe Story game, there is no better time to explore the BU a bit further. As we get more content we may get some resolutions soon. In the meantime, let’s explore what has been happening.
Before we begin, we would like to mention the BU deals with topics that might be sensitive and possibly triggering for some readers. BU content is not associated with real events or the members of BTS besides their names and ages.
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Persona- According to psychiatrist Carl Jung, a persona is a social mask the individual wears to make a good impression or to conceal the truth of their nature. This applies to the BU because the characters pretend to be something they’re not. They all have moments of pretending to be okay when they are not, putting up a front with a smile on their face.
Though the moments they spend together are some of their most beautiful moments, they do conceal some truths. For instance, Seokjin telling the principal about what his friends did and thus getting them in trouble. There is also the instance in which Seokjin pretends to be the ‘perfect guy’ to a girl, but he can only do so by concealing the fact he has her diary and is only pretending to be the perfect match for her.
Pain- The characters go through an incredible amount of pain in the story. They suffer physical pain, but the pain they suffer emotionally and mentally is what marks them and their destructive paths. Through time and with the support of one another, they try to learn from their pain to become better versions of themselves.
Psyche- This term is defined as the totality of the human mind (conscious, unconscious) and/or the human soul. The BU dives into mental health and the human psyche, why some may be prone to make choices that can positively and negatively affect those around them. In the BU the character’s actions in their youth are a consequence of traumas, society norms, flaky role models, and abandonment/isolation, to name a few.
Personal Crisis- The characters suffer through many tragedies, and their personal crisis is part of what Seokjin’s character tries to fix. Many of them are trying to find reasons to stay alive, in part the fact that they are friends is enough at first. Seokjin also realizes that he can only efficiently help his friends when he understands the roots of their problems, their personal crisis. Seokjin later concludes that he needs to help his friends understand they should live for themselves, and they can achieve this through the ‘map of the soul’ and the key is loving themselves.
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Quote(s)- Many of the quotes in the BU, especially the “Wings” short films and part of “The Notes”, come from “Demian” by Hermann Hesse. The book is a reflection on youth, which is what the BU focuses on the most. Important quotes are throughout, but one that sticks out is in the Blood, Sweat, and Tears MV which reads “He too was a tempter. He too was a link to the other second, the evil world with which I no longer wanted to have anything to do [with].” This quote is important as it pinpoints the moment in which the characters are in a fight between the good and evil within themselves.
Another quote comes from “The Art of Loving” by Erich Fromm and can be found in the “The Notes 1.” It partly reads “If I can say to somebody else, ‘I love you,’ I must be able to say, ‘I love in you everybody, I love through you the world, I love in you also myself’.” This quote embodies a part of what the BU is about, one can only wholly love others and life when they love themselves or it might as well be fake love.
Question(s)- “Would I be able to straighten out the errors and mistakes and save the others? I didn't grasp the depth and weight of this question.” – Seokjin, 2 May Year 22. This is the main question of the BU, Seokjin must go on a journey with his friends to figure out who they truly are and want to be. Can they learn from their mistakes and find the happiness they seek?
Quaglio- (“Frescoes on the ceiling” in Ljubljana Cathedral, done by Giulio Quaglio the Younger). This painting appears in the Korean and Japanese versions of Blood, Sweat, and Tears MVs. It depicts the imagery of angels and what seems to be a war between mankind. It seems to be another reference to the struggle between good and evil, as well as the temptation to do bad things for power.
We hope you are enjoying these dives into the BU as much as we are, and if you haven’t already, please check out our previous blogs of this series (part 1, 2, 3, 4).
See you next time!
Written by: Lizette
Edited by: Lisa K
Designed by: Judy
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