TW // Includes mentions of su*cide, depre**ion, and mental health issues that may be traumatic for some readers.

Over 1 in 10 people have some sort of mental health disorder, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and eating disorders (Ritchie and Roser, 2018). According to Ortiz-Ospina et al. (2015), nearly 800,000 die from suicide a year (twice the number who die from homicide). This means that one person dies every 40 seconds.

In recent years, the stigma around these mental health disorders is slowly disappearing, as public figures, youth, and young adults began to discuss these issues more. One such public figure who has openly discussed their own mental health is Bangtan Sonyeondan, or BTS, the biggest group in the world. Through their songs, words, and actions, BTS has shown ARMYs, their fanbase, that it is okay to open up about mental health struggles.

From 2017 to 2018, BTS released a trilogy of albums dedicated to the journey from loving someone else to loving oneself. This trilogy, aptly titled Love Yourself, signified the climax of BTS’s journey in normalizing discussion around mental health. In “Magic Shop”, BTS openly sings for ARMYs to “show [BTS]” their issues. Jungkook, one of BTS’s vocalists, also lets ARMYs know that, instead of telling them to “find strength,” he will “let [ARMYs] hear [his] story” (BTS, 2018b). The members of BTS have shared their own mental health journeys through music, whether it is through their own personal projects or through co-produced/co-written songs in their albums.

In “마지막 (The Last)”, Yoongi, one of BTS’s rappers, describes his journey of combating social anxiety at 18 years old, as well as depression and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). He notes, “On the other side of the famous idol rapper/Stands my weak self, it’s a bit dangerous/.../They keep coming back again from time to time/H*ll no perhaps that might be my true self” (Agust D, 2016). Yoongi is comfortable with admitting to himself and others that his mental health issues still affect him and reflects that perhaps his “true self” is the “weak self” that he is hiding under the facade of a “famous idol rapper.”

Namjoon is another BTS rapper who has written several songs on mental health. One of his most prominent songs is “Always.” The first verse begins with a harsh reality for many: “One morning, I opened my eyes/And wished I was dead/I want someone to kill me/In this loud silence” (RM, 2017). These lyrics depict a more vulnerable, unmasked version of himself that many people try to hide. While RM did not feel the same when he released it as he did when he wrote it, releasing the song enabled him to let go of his former self and also to reflect on his own growth. Similarly, the song itself allows many listeners to relate with its lyrics and have helped ARMYs reflect on their own thoughts and interactions.

The last of the BTS rappers has also discussed mental health in his own mixtape, although through a more hopeful lens. In "P.O.P (Piece of Peace) Pt.1,” j-hope comforts listeners in the first lines, “Anyone makes mistakes/And anyone suffers/They don't get it/But I know that pain” (j-hope, 2018). Similar to the other members’ songs, j-hope does not try to define what is right and what is wrong for people with mental health. Instead, he tells listeners that they share the same experience of making mistakes and dealing with mental health, and that they are not alone in the journey.

Released last year, “Blue and Grey” also discusses mental health. According to the subtitles under BTS’s press conference about BE, their latest album, Taehyung, one of BTS’s vocalists, explains, “The depressing feelings and anxiety inside were expressed . . . using the colors blue and gray” (HYBE LABELS, 2020). In an interview with Weverse Magazine, Taehyung elaborates on what he wanted to convey:

Rather than just some stranger telling them to cheer up, I think it’s better to say something like, “You seem depressed lately,” or, “Seems like these days it’s tough for you to perk up.” “Blue & Grey” is the same:

• “You’re depressed lately? Me too. We’re in the same boat. Wanna talk about how you’re feeling? You wanna feel better, right? I know, but sometimes it feels like you’re being washed away by a whirlpool of stress.” (Kang, 2020)

Comparable to the “Magic Shop” lyrics, Taehyung understands that it is better to share his story than to apathetically tell someone who struggles with mental health to “cheer up.” The lyrics of “Blue and Grey” reflect this desire to connect with the struggles of mental health that others have to cope with: “My colors hid in the smile, blue and grey” (BTS, 2020). Many people who have mental health issues are forced to hide their issues under a fake smile, so that they will not be judged for having those issues nor be considered weak.

In “Answer: Love Myself,” BTS reflects on the journey of discovering self-love. Throughout the song, Jungkook sings, “I’m learning how to love myself” (BTS, 2018a). Even though the song concludes the search for the importance of self-love, it begins a new journey for learning how to love oneself. This line also highlights how learning to love oneself is a constant journey, and does not have a definitive end. Even though the members of BTS have advocated for years about mental health, they too have struggled with learning and practicing self-love. This song provides a safe-haven for many ARMYs who are struggling with or have struggled with mental health. User elia chi (2021) on YouTube explains, “Everytime I feel like the world is going down on me, I come back to this song.” She adds that, even though she “still may hate [herself] sometimes,” she’s “learning how to love herself,” and she credits BTS for “[saving] [her] life.”

In 2018, Jimin released his “first present” for ARMY on Soundcloud, “약속 (Promise).” He sings, “I want you to be your light, baby/You should be your light” (Jimin, 2018). These first two lines of the chorus echo a theme in “Answer: Love Myself,” that one should seek happiness within themselves, instead of relying on others for validation. He also adds, “I want you to be your night, baby/You could be your night.” In a VLIVE (a Korean live streaming app used by K-pop idols and groups) following the release of the song, he shares what Namjoon had explained to him: “Your hope and darkness are all a part of you, but you can lose yourself when you don’t recognize it and admit it” (BTS, 2019). No one is always positive and hopeful, and having “darkness” within themself doesn’t make them any less deserving of happiness or self-love.

In the note under “Abyss,” Jin, one of BTS’s vocalists, discusses his own struggles with mental health because of the pandemic and also his experience with imposter syndrome after getting Billboard Hot 100 #1. He notes that he “experienced a major burnout” and later “got counseling [on his mental health]” (Jin, 2020). Jin also explains that while he doesn’t feel comfortable sharing negative emotions with ARMY through talking and speeches, he is comfortable sharing his emotions through his music, as he has done through “Abyss.”

In 2017, BTS launched the Love Myself anti-violence campaign with UNICEF, which aims to make the world a safer place so that children and teenagers will be able to live without the fear of violence. The next year, they were invited to speak at the United Nations General Assembly. Namjoon’s most unforgettable line, which has been quoted many years since, is, “Tell me your story. I want to hear your voice, and I want to hear your conviction. No matter who you are, where you’re from, your skin colour, gender identity: speak yourself” (Namjoon, 2018). This sentiment echoes the line in “Magic Shop” once again, as Namjoon urges everyone to share their stories and their voices.

The BTS members have also reflected on mental health in interviews. In an interview with Esquire, Yoongi blurs the line between mental health and physical health: “People won’t say you’re a weak person if your physical condition is not that good. It should be the same for the mental condition as well” (Holmes, 2020). These words have sparked a wave of appreciation for Yoongi on social media. Twitter user ᴮᴱizzy⁷ 🌻 (2021) remarks, “Yoongi's ability to comfort you and give you strength with his words is what I feel encapsulates him the most.”

Indeed, Yoongi is considered one of the most outspoken members when it comes to discussing mental health. SUGA has pushed for more people to discuss mental health publicly:

• . . . if they [celebrities] talk about depression for example like it’s the common cold, then it becomes more and more accepted if it’s a common disorder like the cold. More and more, I think artists or celebrities who have a voice should talk about these problems and bring it up to the surface. (Greenblatt, 2019)

This open request for more discussion has caused many ARMYs to feel “validated,” “seen,” and safe (ᴮᴱ𝔄𝔤𝔲𝔰𝔱𝔅𝔶𝔲𝔩⁷𝔰ℭ𝔬𝔫𝔠𝔲𝔟𝔦𝔫𝔢♡MinMarch, 2021). More importantly, it has allowed ARMYs to open up about their own mental health journeys.

Many ARMYs on Quora have described the impact of BTS on their mental health. Misha Miyuki (2019) thanks BTS’s “music and encouraging words” for stopping her from taking her life. Sarah Allison (2020) described her own mental health journey dealing with minor anxiety and depression. She shares, “BTS brought back a tiny bit of joy to my life. It's still a work in progress, but I feel like they have helped me . . . . I hadn't listened to music for a long time because I felt like nothing had a point in life.” BTS has, unknowingly, saved dozens of people from themselves. Not only does their music bring comfort, but their willingness to discuss these issues even in interviews has helped people who struggle with mental health feel more “normal,” even in a society that often dismisses those who struggle with these internal battles.

Through their lyrics, interviews, and actions, BTS have shared their stories and struggles with mental health. They have taught us that it is okay to make mistakes and ask for help, that we are never alone on our journey, and that we should seek self-love from within, instead of seeking external validation to find our worth. Now, I urge you to share your story and to "speak yourself."

References

Lead Image: M, R. (2021, April 20). [BTS in front of the Magic Shop in the VCR].