K-Pop LOVE: A Mature Woman's Journey to Music
Two key moments come to mind when I think about how I discovered BTS and K-Pop. My love for Korean dramas were living large for five years and counting. I was late on the ‘Man From Nowhere,’ tip and even later for ‘No Tears For The Dead,’ but for a writer, falling in love with Kdrama was inevitable.
The mystery, the drama, the gorgeous characters, who could not fall for this genre?
BTS just kind of happened. Somewhere around 2018, I started to hear about them. ‘Love Yourself,’ was a striking theme resonating throughout the Western hemisphere. Soon it was ‘Boys with Luv,’ and then of course, the ultimate record breaking, ‘Dynamite.’
They were everywhere performing Dynamite, and I could not help but jump up and dance. It was 2020 and the pandemic was in full effect. Everyone needed a lift and this song did the trick.
Pop and R&B has always been my thing. Don’t get me wrong, I like rap and Hip Hop too, but those genres are a mood. A pop song could come on at any time and get me off my butt.
Great gym music!
2020 began as a new chapter for everyone. My plans after graduating from my masters program from Loyola Marymount University were now officially on hold. Everyone’s life seemed on hold.
K-Pop Music Blasted From Everyone Everywhere
When I wanted more, I turned to YouTube to feel my need. I got what I was looking for. The history of BTS, their music and a few other choice groups I put on my speed dial when I needed a hit of energy.
I miss GOT7.
MonstaX, BlackPink, Exo and a few other groups rotated through my YouTube cycle but after a while, I realized I just had a thing for everything BTS.
When I found their car karaoke with James Corden a year after it aired, I fell in love with Hope’s smile and laugh, V’s handsomeness and deep voice, the voices of Jimin, Jungkook and Jin and the charisma of Suga and RM.
There was no one else like them. I found myself feeling like a 16-year-old girl craving the poster of Michael Jackson to put on my wall.
It feels good to feel sixteen again.
When I learned what bias and bias wreckers meant and before I really had a chance to discover everyone in the group, I chose J-hope, also known to those who love him, as Hobi, as my bias and RM was my bias wrecker. You know how you feel like some people would just ‘get you.’
They would get your humor, your sarcasm, your music taste, your goals, etc. You feel me?
With that being said. Now, years later, I am committed to all seven. I am OT7.
How could anyone not be? They are fantastic men on a mission to give the world what it needs. Lots of love and more than one reason to get up and dance. I wish I could say the dancing has helped me stay in shape, but the pandemic and four surgeries later, I am now finally on the road to a healthy body.
Discovering BTS and Falling in Love with K-Pop
Maybe it was popular tracks like "Fake Love" or "DNA" that caught my attention. The colorful videos, the outfits, the hairdos, but it was not just those videos that had me scurrying across my living room to learn the dance moves.
I was obsessed with watching the “On,” video and “Fire.” I really thought I could dance like them if I practiced. Then, I found dance practice videos, “Mic Drop,” and “Not Today,” will go down in my history books as two of the hardest dances to learn.
Learning Korean
Listening to K-Pop and watching Kdramas encouraged me to learn Korean language, but there was still the desire to travel to Japan where I have family, which means, Japanese first, Korean second.
Why do I feel like I know more Korean than I do Japanese? After close to two years of studying Nihongo I am no closer to forming a complete sentence, yet, somehow I think my Kdrama Korean could get me by in Seoul.
K-pop and Fitness: How BTS Helped Me Stay in Shape
BTS music and some other choice hits became a staple in my brother’s garage gym workout routine. I was not able to keep all the weight off I had gained in the first six months of the pandemic, but before I left for Hawaii, I came within five pounds of my goal.
I wanted to be 185 pounds, 30 pounds from my dream weight, but left at 190. Before Covid-19 I had lost 120 pounds through diet and exercise and kept 100 off. I maintained 170 pounds through most of my return to college years.
In came the pandemic and it was too hard to keep up my gym routines and even harder to say no to comfort food.
Trying to dance as if I was member number 8 never felt so good. It was fun and exciting, even if I could only do two or three of the moves, I was so happy to dance around in this body at 53.
It’s insane how your life can change on a dime. When everyone said Covid was over. I went back to work to save money for a summer trip to Okinawa to see my family. The week before I left, the week I gave my notice. I got sick. I had four surgeries in four weeks. I spent nearly five weeks in the hospital.
Life sucked.
Thank God for BTS, Korean dramas and my love for writing my own stories,
k-drama style.
The hospital diet had me down to the 185 I sought nearly a year earlier. But the return to California and family living with no job for months had me 80 pounds heavier a year later. No matter how hard you try sometimes you just can’t make the right choices to take the weight off.
Now, in Japan, I am making the right choices but the weight is crawling off. When life throws you curveballs, get up and dance to BTS.
Mental Health and K-pop: Finding Sanity in Chaos
Did the pandemic and the bout of illness bring about stress? Of course, after I was home and spent too many hours in front of a computer trying to find work I would like to do for the remaining years of my life, that’s when you realize, everyone wants what you want. To work remotely, to make a great living and to live stress free. K-pop helped alleviate.
The lyrics of BTS’s songs about mental health like “Magic Shop” or “Epiphany,” stuck to me like glue. They still make me cry, but nowadays, it's a healthy cry.
Being jobless, overweight again and nowhere near my career dreams had me spiraling down a dark tunnel many times. BTS and K-pop music, along with my K-drama romances kept me from the deep end.
And prayer of course.
The Community: ARMY is where it's at
Calling myself an ARMY (BTS fandom) provided me with a sense of belonging, even when I am alone working on my writing, teaching English in Japan or riding the train to explore my surroundings. Sometimes I look around and wonder, “Are they ARMY?”
I was not always confident tooting BTS’ horns. Afterall, they seem as if they have just as many haters as they do fans. But seeing the vast diversity in the membership of ARMY and their strong loyalty to Bangtan and their health makes me realize I have found my people.
The numerous YouTube channels committed to BTS is overwhelming and mind-blowing. I wish I had the time to watch them all and become huge fans of every single content creator, but sometimes you have to pick the ones that work for you. There is nothing better than watching ARMY come together to have a member's back. Suga has really needed our support in the last few months and I hope he has felt the love shown from around the world.
Encouragement and Self-Improvement
BTS’s “Love Yourself” campaign inspired me to focus more on personal growth. Their lyrics encouraged self-love, and resilience. I did not want to fail again. I am on a mission to make this life happen. I can do it. And so can you.
Hobi is the best friend I never knew I needed until he came along. I thought I was optimistic and hard working, but he puts me to shame. OT7 - One True 7 puts us all to shame. With Hobi, it really is his love for dance and dance music that connects us. ‘Hope on the Street,’ was amazing and I can’t wait for part II.
The Power of K-pop Transformation
The Journey: My journey has just begun. I should say, my second chance has begun and with the help of BTS music, my friends and family, I am able to see the yellow brick road. This musical journey has transformed me as a person —emotionally, physically, and mentally, they are small gradual changes, but changes for the better.
My gratitude for BTS, K-Pop and Pop Culture in itself has opened my world in ways I never thought possible. In my dreams, I would find a way to make our beloved members as happy as they have made me.
Someone once said and probably an ARMY member, they are more than just musicians; they are a guided source of strength, love and hope.
Thanks for stopping by,
Nina
A K-Pop Love Story: A Mature Woman's Journey to Music