Back in April, I wrote for Teen Vogue, “BTS can make a massive stadium feel intimate, and then massive again: a whole world to live inside as one part of many, and then something personal. A solar system of glowing light sticks, and a small star you can clutch in the palm of your hand.”
At the time, I was writing about Bang Bang Con, a weekend marathon of the seven-member Korean group’s old concert footage that attracted 50 million views. But the words held true this past weekend, when Bangtan Sonyeondan held their two-day Map of the Soul ON:E concert.
It was a virtual event that was originally intended to have both an in-person audience and an online one; in September, Big Hit Entertainment called off the audience portion to abide by government guidelines around pandemic safety. But the group made ON:E no less epic for its online status — the live shows felt huge, intensely detailed, and imaginative, proving once again that nobody in 2020 is doing it quite like them.
Below, we’ve recapped some of our favorite moments from Map of the Soul ON:E, a live virtual concert that made it easy to focus — if only for a few hours — on what we’ve gained, instead of what we’ve lost.
President Kim Namjoon Takes the Stage
Rising on his podium during “Intro: Persona,” ON:E presented President Kim Namjoon. Though ARMYs have been using the nickname for years to describe member RM’s penchant for motivational speeches and comforting lyrics, the moniker took on new meaning during the ending ments for Day 1. “We’ll find a way, we always have,” he said during the concert, referencing BTS and ARMY being able to be together during these difficult times. “If there’s no way, we’ll redraw the map.” —P. Claire Dodson
A Familiar Dance Break
Leave it to BTS to kick things off not only with a literal blast but also a blast from the past. The septet started the much-awaited concert on a high note with a transition from 2020’s “ON” to 2013’s “N.O.” However, it was the dance break from “N.O.” to “We Are Bulletproof Part 2” that took the cake. As is customary for Bangtan, the high-powered, zestful dance solo also included an Easter egg for ARMY. The beginning of the dance mirrored the choreography of their 2014 MBC Gayo Daejejeon dance battle with GOT7, a segment that Big Hit later uploaded to YouTube with different camerawork as “Intro Performance Trailer.” Flags were updated with new logos, but the passion remained — only this time with a touch of nostalgia. — Sara Delgado
The Grunge Looks in “Boy in Luv”
Bangtan in school uniforms is a concept. Whether it’s for commercials, music videos, or Run! BTS episodes, the septet has been seen clad in the juvenile attire multiple times but nothing has quite compared to the MOTS ON:E’s rendition. After last year’s Melon Music Awards, Jin pointed out on Weverse they looked more like office employees than high schoolers wearing uniforms at this point, and the stylists found the perfect solution: Make it grunge.