Bangtan Sonyeondan (BTS). From L-R: V, Suga, Jin, Jungkook, Rap Monster, Jimin, and J-Hope. INQUIRER.net.
MANILA, Philippines — Since its debut in June 12, 2013, Korean boy group Bangtan Sonyeondan (BTS), or Bulletproof Boy Scouts in English, has established a good amount of following both in the local (Korean) and the international music scene. The septet composed of V, Suga, Jin, Jungkook, Rap Monster, Jimin, and J-Hope has in fact won a total of 23 awards from various Korean and Asian award-giving bodies in just a span of one year and five months.
And being a country with teens and not-so-teen-anymore individuals under the ‘Hallyu Wave’ spell, the Philippines is not spared from the charm these boys exude.
When BTS arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 on December 6, 2014, fans of the group not only tweeted nonstop to express their warm welcome for the boys — making the hashtag #BTSWelcomeToThePhilippines trend number one worldwide — but many also went to the airport to catch a glimpse of their idols.
And by 5 p.m. of the same day, fan girls and boys camped out at the MOA Arena to attend the ‘Hi-Touch’ event with BTS, an intimate type of fan-meet where fans will be allowed to high-five each member of their favorite Korean boy group.
But before the boys met their fans, BTS first sat down in an interview with the Philippine press.
During the interview, each media outlet was given the opportunity to ask the group at least nine questions, and here’s what they shared with INQUIRER.net:
Above (L-R): Suga, Jin, Jungkook, Rap Monster, and J-Hope. Below (L-R): V and Jimin. INQUIRER.net.
Q: How do you find your Filipino fans so far?
Suga: They’re so passionate. We’re really thankful to them for cheering us on.
Q: How has this touring experience helped you improve as a group? Can you cite any changes/improvements among the members since the tour started?
Jin: We used to get easily exhausted when we do lengthy shows. But because of the tour, we improved physically and can now do better and perform better in our shows.
Q: When you stand on a foreign stage, does the culture or the people affect the way you perform?
Suga: Of course.
Q: Do these factors help boost your confidence or do you also experience some sort of “cold feet”?
Suga: Every country has its own culture and color. We just enjoy our concerts performances in these foreign lands.
Q: What’s your favorite part about doing tours?
J-Hope: It’s meeting the fans.
Q: Which artists inspire you the most?
Jimin: For me, I like Usher and Chris Brown the most.
Jungkook: Recently I’ve been listening to August Alsina.
Meanwhile, here’s more of what the BTS boys had to say about music, touring, fans, and their fellow BTS members:
[Disclaimer: The subtitles are based from the translations provided by the interpreter during the interview.]
BTS is in the country for the Manila leg of its “The Red Bullet” tour which will happen today, December 7, 2014 at the SM Mall Of Asia Arena. The concert is presented by PULP Live World.