The post no one asked for from a 2014 ARMY: I just hit 11 years as an ARMY. I discovered BTS in my teens, and now Iâm in my mid-to-late 20s. Itâs wild to think how much time has passed since I first found them and how much my life has changed in the process. For years, they were part of my daily routine. Their music helped me through some of the hardest and most defining years of my life. But these days, Iâve taken a step back. The military enlistment definitely played a role in that, but if Iâm being honest, I thought Iâd still be just as strong of a fan post-enlistment as I was before. Hitting this milestone made me reflect not just on my journey, but on theirs, and how much BTS has changed over the years, for better and for worse (though I hesitate to call any of it âbadâ outright). â this is the part where Iâd say will spark controversy. In the beginning, BTS felt raw. There was a sense of purpose and honesty in their music that felt deeply personal â like it was made for people to connect with. They tackled topics that rarely got attention in K-pop: mental health, societal pressure, youth identity, social expectations. It felt real. Urgent. Human. I still get that feeling from some of the membersâ solo work. But with others, it feels more like theyâre just going through the motions like, âIâm famous and successful now, so this is enough.â And honestly? Thatâs not wrong or bad. I donât blame them. But itâs one of the reasons Iâve stepped back. Itâs not wrong to say BTS has changed. Thatâs just life. A fact. Now BTS is a global brand. And while Iâm so proud of everything theyâve accomplished, I canât help but feel like the intimacy â that deeply personal connection â has shifted into something more commercial. Fame does that. And it makes sense. But as someone who literally grew up alongside them, the distance now feels very real⊠and kind of uncomfortable. Iâm not saying theyâve âsold outâ or become something negative. Change is natural â for artists, and for fans. Iâve changed, too. I just thought we might change in similar ways, together, since we were close in age and once so emotionally aligned. Now I feel the distance as large as the ocean. Not even the sun and the moon but farther. Untouchable. Unreachable. I do miss the connection I used to feel. And Iâm not sure Iâll ever experience BTS the way I once did. These days, I support them from afar â still rooting for them, still loving them, but not as closely and not with the same excitement. And thatâs okay. This is not a post to hate on BTS. They remain my ult group and I donât think that will ever change in my heart, but just as theyâve grown up and moved on, so have I. TL;DR: I just hit 11 years as an ARMY, and while Iâll always love BTS, Iâve taken a step back. Their earlier music felt raw, honest, and deeply personal ,,something I connected with during my most formative years. But over time, especially with fame and enlistment, that intimacy has shifted. Some solo work still resonates, but other parts feel more distant or commercial. I havenât âlost interest,â but my relationship with BTS has changed. and thatâs okay. submitted by /u/Skylar_Kim98 [link] [comments]
