THEY. STAND. ALONE. Thank you!!! I love that you GET it. I can tell how hard YOU have worked, that you're able to recognize those little details and explain it to us.

*You have to watch their very first performance of the song Run BTS from their Busan concert this past saturday. Omfg!* 🤯

no one's gonna get mad at you because what you just said is true. BTS does stand out with their stage presence. 10 years into their career and theyre eagerness is still there

They do stand out and that is not saying that the other groups aren’t talented or that they don’t work hard but there is just something special about BTS dynamics that can’t be replicated. 💜

I love how you recognize not only their talent but their discipline. You absolutely hit it the nail on the head BTS is a cut above the rest in terms of quality! Not to say that other Kpop groups don’t have as much talent but as a group their discography alone dwarfs other groups or artist in SK and in the world.

I really don’t see any reason why anyone would get mad at you for saying that BTS stand out among other acts. Realistically, if they weren’t special, if they weren’t as hardworking, if they didn’t have such good quality music and performances, they wouldn’t be where they are. But they are here, standing as the first korean group to be nominated for a grammy, the first korean group to perform at western award shows, the first korean group to debut a song at the billboard #1 hot100 and #1 album at hot200. The only korean group to win any award at the US award shows till this day, as well as the only act ever to win all grand awards at Asian award shows in one night. There’s a reason why they’re as successful as they are, and that is simply because they are better than others. They are dedicated to making their music, to creating their performances themselves, to giving back to the fans, to practicing and practicing until they can’t stand anymore. During their whole career of 9 years, they only took a break once and it lasted for a month. They kept releasing two or three albums A YEAR. All their success is simply a reflection of all the hard work they put into their craft. Anyways, thank you so much for reacting to Black Swan. I loved the part where you talked about the way they use autotune, and you’re totally correct - the use of autotune is always a personal choice for BTS which is meant to convey a certain type of feelings to the audience. Suga especially loves to play with autotune and one of the best examples of it is his solo song Shadow, where he used autotune to distort his voice in parts where he rapped from the point of view of his shadow - a monster that threatens to swallow him. The stylistic choice he made there is truly something incredible. Black Swan is a song that’s very special for BTS because it reflects their deepest thoughts and concerns about whether the music will always be their salvation. “The heart no longer beats When the music starts to play, Tryna pull up It feels like the time has stopped Oh that would be my first death I’ve been always afraid of” It speaks about their fear of losing their passion towards music - the thing that was always the most important thing for them. There’s of course more to the song, but just allowing us to have insight into their inner struggles like this is already so meaningful for me. Their honesty truly never ceases to amaze me. I suggest reacting to the lyrics video before reacting to the performance of any of their songs, because lyrics play big part in the way they execute their performances. Also, since the song is in a different language and live performance videos don’t always have the best sound quality, I think it would help you to truly grasp the song if you listened to it beforehand. Btw, the performance you reacted to is the one where only six of the members participated - Jin had an arm injury and couldn’t perform at this concert. So that was unfortunate, but I’m glad it still didn’t stop you from admiring the performance. However, their best performances are the ones where there’s all seven of them participating - I suggest reacting to the performance of Run BTS, the song they performed at their concert just three days ago. It was the last group performance we’ll get in a long time unfortunately, since they have to enlist in the military and will not be discharged at least until 2025… The passion they showed at that last concert is something all armys will remember for a long time. I’m really looking forward to more BTS reactions! You quickly became one of my favorite reactors on youtube and I can’t wait to see more of your videos💜

I was there that night! 😭Close enough to see the sweat on JK’s lower back in that crop top! They sounded absolutely incredible live both in Vegas and LA. V’s voice particularly surprised me just because some of the richness of his voice is lost when recorded vs live. He always sounds amazing but it was so much better in person. I was STRUCK by it in DNA the first time I heard him in person. And yes BTS 100% stand alone- artistically, talent-wise, skill-level, etc.

black swan is based off a quote by martha graham that goes "a dancer dies twice-once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful.". so the song is basically about losing passion for what you enjoy doing (in their case, music), but it can be applied to every situation possible. this song actually has a whole new weight for army, since this passed june the guys released a one hour video celebrating their 9 year anniversary and told us they were taking a break from doing group music because they felt increbibly burned out and had planned on taking this break back in 2020 (when this song was released)after the end of their "map of the soul" tour, but the tour was canceled due to covid and they didnt want to abandon army in such a difficult time. yesterday their label also announced they will be halting group activities for three years because the members need to serve in the military (mandatory in korea for all able bodied men, icluding musicians and actors). the oldest member, jin, will be enlisting at the end of this moth after his solo song (a collab with coldplay) is released. the rest of the members will follow once they have completed their schedules of solo album releases (jhope is the only one to have released it so far) and will be back together at the end of 2025 :))) i know this comment is getting super long, but i just want to recommend their mic drop and run bts perfomances from their free concert this saturday. its mind blowing and amazing, and it really proves they are the absolute kings of live performances (the videos for both of these performances can be found on thei youtube channel "bangtantv"). please stay healthy. borahae

black swan is a song where they honestly write about how scary it is to lose one's passion as music artists, they speak about how scary it is for them to imagine losing their musicality that the day they can't resonate with music anymore is the day they have their first death which is much more painful than the second death i.e., the actual death so to sum it up in short it is a song where they describe how painful it is to not vibe with something they were so passionate about anymore

The more you delve deeper into BTS the more you’ll realize why they are the top act and how unique they are… we love the popular songs of course but there are gems only ARMYs enjoy and these are worth experiencing for any human

6:06 you are not lying. It is the truth. That is why no other kpop catches my attention. I have been spoiled and expect this level of musicality, performance, and depth

The song is about their fear of the day that they no longer feel passion for music. There is a quote, I can't remember by whom sorry, that states something like, "A dancer dies twice & the first time is the most painful." I am paraphrasing here. You need to watch the original MV, on your own time even, you'll see the lyrics & the place they filmed was a closed concert hall. It adds so much. The choreography, lyrics, staging, their voices. It's the WHOLE PACKAGE. It all makes you feel the fear & pain with them. PLEASE WATCH THE MV?!?! Even if you don't react to it. It's so moving. Be well, be strong and remember to Love Yourself and others. Borahae! 🙏💪💜

This song is about what happens if an artist loses their passion or they can no longer to their art (see quote by Martha Graham about a dancer dying twice). Having had to give up both music and dance due to medical issues, this song speaks to me at a deep level. Beyond that it is a beautiful song, with beautiful choreo and MV, stunning actually, and a companion art film that is amazing. Don’t kid yourself, these boys are intensely competitive (some more than others), never when it comes to the art/music, but they will lie, cheat, steal, and betray each other without a qualm if it means they get the prize (e.g. ramen) or avoid the no doubt weird, embarrassing, penalty (e.g. having to wear a sunflower head piece to the airport) - see the Run BTS variety shows 🤣. In all seriousness, they always do what is best for the music, for BTS, and support and hype each other up to the max. That always impresses me and I am happy you saw that so early on.

there's a saying that goes somewhere along the line of "a dancer dies twice. first is when they cant dance anymore, and second is the real death. however this first death is the most painful". bts here is representing their fear of losing that joy, that passion for music

This song is also a part of an album that was based Carl Jung’s theories about the Persona, Shadow, and Ego. One part of the choreography that always gets me is with Jhope and Suga. Jhope has a solo song on the album titled Ego and Suga has a song titled Shadow. And at one point in the black song choreography during Jhope’s verse, he grabs Suga’s hand and pulls him back, as though the Ego is confronting the Shadow. The depth of this song just really resonates so much. I would agree you need to watch the music video if you haven’t already, especially pay attention to shadows on the walls and ceilings, and reflections.

One of the most beautiful artistic performances they do live. Pure art. They absolutely love that e everyone gets their moment they have a remarkable lack of jealousy for the spotlight. The song started with an all orchestrated version (the one it opened with) and an MV that was an art film without BTS but a contemporary dance piece by a European dance troupe to the classical version of the song. Without warning they dropped a stunning MV and it’s about their fear as artists of losing their passion for making music and art. A very raw look at their deep love of music/dance etc. And nope no K-pop group compares.

5:59 i love how honest you were, not all kpop reactors can say that even if they want to because they are more afraid of losing viewers than being honest with their opinions and reactions. great video btw!

Martha Graham, the famous choreographer once said, "When a dancer loses their passion and can no longer perform, that will be their first death and it will be the most painful." Suga speaks of his "first death" early in the song. The MV is VERY much an art piece and I hope you will watch that on your own time if you like. The location was a very old and incredibly beautiful old theater. The MV is stunning. Thanks for the great reaction! 💜

Love your reactions, if you noticed Jin was seating down, he was recovering from hand surgery. BTS gave a free concert last weekend on Busan, it was transmitted trough Weverse with over 45M viewers world wide. They are going to transmit it again this weekend, you should watch it, this would be their last concert for a while and it would be free.

They put this as a press release for this song: In ‘Black Swan,’ BTS steps into the deep, inner side of the self and faces the shadow it has been hiding as an artist. It is the confession of BTS as an artist, who grew up to a global superstar. “A dancer dies twice - once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful.” - Martha Graham. Black Swan is created with dancer Martha Graham’s quote as a motif. Like a dancer faces their first death when they stop dancing, the track contains the fear of the moment where BTS is no longer able to perform on the stage as an artist. Through Black Swan, the members of BTS express that, as they continue to do music more and more, they will face their first death as well if the music fails to touch their hearts or to make them excited. But every time such a moment happens, ‘I’ hear another voice of mine from deep inside, ‘I’ face the Black Swan in me, and, ironically, ‘I’ come to a realization that music is the only thing ‘I’ have. Through the mature, self-reflecting lyrics, BTS conveys its confession as an artist who learned what music means to self. If you wanna do a deep dive on this song i recommend Bookish Theories Explanations kzfaq.info/get/bejne/hriUhrufp9fPkZ8.html and also the lyrics translation from DoolsetBangtan doolsetbangtan.wordpress.com/2020/01/17/black-swan/ Even if you don't react in a video, this helps to explain quite a lot about their artistry and the place in the Map Of The Soul Exploration they make in their MotS 7 album.

08:51 Jin was seated in part of the song because one of his hands was hurt (in a cast) He got hurt while practicing for the concert at the time

How to summarize the meaning of Black Swan? I think this explanation from a recent entertainment article helps - “[Black Swan is] …about the tragedy of an artist falling out of love with their art. RM said he “wrote the lyrics imagining how the life of a dancer could be.” According to the band’s description of the song on Spotify, “The song lends voice to the band’s darkest fears-the music they do will one day cease to touch or move them. Yet, every time they come face to face with this “black swan” within themselves, they hear voices calling out from deep within their hearts and are stricken with the realization that music is all they have. This track is a confession of an artist who has truly learned what music means to himself. Bringing their audience into such a deeply personal fear is standard for Bangtan, who have made it a point to comfort their fans by sharing their own human struggles. Still, that makes it no less powerful for them to share such a vulnerable fear when they’re at the top of their game, especially one that deals so directly with their ability to continue their careers.”

honestly, mad props for your comment about bts standing out among other kpop acts. bts stand out on the worldwide music stage in general, but most reactioners around youtube like to put the whole of kpop into the same box, as if all the artists in them are interchangeable. i've known kpop since 2008 and i know bts to be the most atypical acts in this genre, to the point they stuck out like a sore thumb in most ways. when new people get introduced to kpop through bts they almost every time tend to think this is how the whole genre is. which is one of the most misleading things ever because bts goes against most kpop patterns and practices. they are a unique, once in a lifetime artists on a global scale, least of all kpop.

6:25 That's Jimin, he really has a beautiful voice :) And I'd recommend to watch the music video and the lyrics if you want to know more about the story and meaning behind the song

its about how losing your passion for your artwork is the first death you experience hence the "Oh, that would be my first death, I've been always afraid of". its based on the quote "a dancer dies twice-once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful." by dancer martha graham hence the "black swan" theme. to BTS losing their passion for music would be their first death, a death more painful than physical death.

There's a quote by American dancer/choreographer Martha Graham that was served as a theme to the song and that's: "A dancer dies twice - once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful." The two deaths an artist has is when they lose their love/meaning for their art (dance, music, painting, etc) and then their second death is in physical form. Essentially, there's a theory/belief that this album the song was featured in (Map of the Soul) was going to be the guys' last album before they ventured out to do other things (solo projects, military, etc). The guys have said multiple times that they don't know when their end is going to take place. They are aware that they can't do what they do for much longer. This song is talking about the group's fear of losing music. In the song, Suga raps "the heart no longer rac(es) when listening to music"..."that will be my FIRST DEATH, I've been always afraid of". RM follows him with "If (music) can no longer resonate/No longer make my heart vibrate/Then this may be how/I die my first death". What follows is more lyrics about their fear and worry over losing their love/passion: "No song affects me anymore/crying out a silent cry". Then in the lines "deeper, yeah, I think I'm going deeper/I keep losing focus/Please free me" is referring to their depression and dark state after their first death. However, Suga follows it with "Slowly, I open my eyes/I'm in my workroom, it's my studio/The darkness goes darkly in a throe/But I'll never get dragged again/Inside I saw myself". This is referring to his passion for his art coming back--his second life. Here, Suga is bringing a different meaning to the theory that an artist dies twice. For Suga/BTS, they have two professional lives within music. The first one was the era of their youth where music was the center (as young artists, hungry and desperate to prove themselves and where music meant EVERYTHING to them). Slowly, that passion/love faded as they grew up--they had their first death. But then the passion came back, and as Suga says, he/they "will never get dragged again". RM, the main lyricist of the band and one of the main visionaries who comes up with themes for their music, said in Festa 2022 he could not see where the group stood beyond "MotS". He and Suga, the band's main producer and co-songwriter, found it difficult to write music after MotS. The theme around MotS is about the end of an era for them. "Black Swan" is about them recognizing that the first part of their life as artists is passing/dying, but towards the end of the song, it shows hope that this is not their complete end. They still have their second life to live. The guys were set to go on a world tour in early 2020. It's theorized that after this world tour, they were all going to venture out. However, because of the pandemic, it was postponed. The group hoped the world tour would only get pushed back a few months--MAYBE a year, but after the pandemic continued, they knew it was too late. They canceled their world tour in mid 2021 and allowed for more individual projects in 2022. So, we have witnessed the bands' first death. I love this song/album. I appreciate their self-awareness and how they don't shy away from their fears and worries, which in turn forces US fans from being in denial that they can do this forever. They won't be able to do what they used to do in 2017, which is play in umpteen amount of cities in less than a month and cover multiple countries in a few months. They'll be older and not have the stamina. They're all basically going to be in their 30s when they come back in 2025 (Jungkook, the youngest, will be about 28). But that's life. We all grow. And that's a good thing. It will be a beautiful thing to witness how their SECOND life turns out. 🥰

The story is based on a movie by the same name which is about a dancer that can't dance anymore (their first death, which is said to be more painful than their real death). So, basically, it's about losing your passion for your art (music, dance, etc.) and BTS' fear that they will do so. In a way, they kind of did a little bit as a group which they mentioned in their 2022 Festa dinner (that's a whole other story). This came out January 17, 2020 - just before the pandemic. I believe BTS was trying hard to figure out how to move forward and then the pandemic threw them into a situation where they had to stick together and created more upbeat songs for ARMY to help us get through the pandemic. They themselves were struggling though, since they couldn't perform in front of Live audiences and also trying to figure out what kind of group they were or wanted to be. Hope all that made sense. The result, post-pandemic, is they are working on solo albums, just did a Free concert in Busan, South Korea which was live streamed (sort of - it crashed), and now will be enlisting in the mandatory Military in South Korea one by one over the next half year or so. We are still expecting content, but no group music until 2025 post-military.

My understanding is that "Black Swan" was inspired by the movie of the same name and the quote by Martha Graham' “a dancer dies twice - once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful.” They are asking the question "What happens when I don't love this anymore?" BTS writes about what they know and they poured their youth into their art. Also I just wanted to note that in this performance Jin is injured which is why you might notice that he isn't dancing with them. One of the things that made me fall in love with them is their incredible friendship. Jin apologized because he felt he was a "burden" to the others because he couldn't fully participate. Of course the members, especially V, and all ARMY there quickly told him he wasn't. This is one of thousands of similar stories where the boys loved and supported each other.

you like jimin’s voice, u should watch “lie” performance 🔥

Black swan music video is art.

*You love JIMIN voice 😊*

5:25 it's Jimin, you noticed him also in your other BTS reactions!! He is an amazing artist/vocalist, his voice stands out so much (in a good way)!! He literally had no vocal lessons and had to practice alone. He improved so much and is one if the best in the whole industry!!

And consider that this was an adaptation, because Jin (the guy sitting in the chair all the time) couldn't dance due to hand surgery.... and this song talks about the first death of an artist, when he loses passion by their art, this death is the most painful, and would be their greatest fear

Well jimin is different he’s just too noticeable

I also love Jimin’s voice his tone is so unique 💜🔥

Great reaction. If you watch the official Black Swan MV, you see a lot more choreo. Especially Jimin's solo spots.

Your love for the one vocalist Jimin means you should definitely react to his solo song Serendipity. Such a gorgeous song and the performance of it... Top notch.

You have no idea the amount of serotonin you bring ARMY during this difficult time! Thank you 💜

Black Swan is about losing your passion for your art. They say a dancer dies two deaths - the first death is the hardest as it is when you can no longer dance (the second death being your actual death). In BTS's Black Swan they ponder losing their passion, then as the piece moves forward they resolve not to let that happen. You are so right about this being art. No matter what version I watch it is like a living, breathing piece of art. Only BTS can produce something as beautiful as this and then something as raw as Run BTS or Cypher.

Man, everytime I watch your videos I am reminded that you are extremely smart, and notice so many things about them, that others don't, which shows your dedication to music. Indeed, they do not need autotune, as their vocal range is insane, they only use it as a stylistic choice. I also agree with what you said about them standing out in the industry. I am no fan of kpop, it's not my cup of tea, but BTS are a whole different story. I cannot wait for you to get to know them, so that you can see how talented each one is. Black Swan is an indication of the many genres they perform, and how they take over a stage. Wait until you get to MMA 2019, now that's when you'll be blown away for good.

Jimin collecting souls 😂

They are singing about their fear of burning out as artists and embracing it to fight on. That whole album has a recurring theme of embracing all the parts of your psyche and fighting through any internal obstacles. We didn't know about their plans to release that album Map of The Soul:7 in the end of 2019, have a massive world tour and go into a break to explore their solo work and serve in the military (which is obligatory in Korea), but pandemic happened and they put their plans on hold until this year. Now they are doing quick solo work and going into the army one by one to reunite hopefully in 2025, so we all saw this song and the album in a whole new light this year, when they finally explained what was brewing. 💜💜💜

3:58 yeh Jungkook is the “center” of BTS… so he def knows what’s up with those cameras lol they all do… but def part of his position

Black Swan is based on the quote by Martha Graham. “A dancer dies twice - once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful.” RM was one of the writers in the team.

BTS really do stand out because no one in the industry can make a song like Black Swan where the artists conveyed their fears of losing their passion and make it an art and no one can perform Black Swan and make it an art like BTS do

Black swan is a song about losing ones fear for music. This being what BTS would consider as their “first death”. This track was released in the Map of the soul: 7 album. Which as of June 14th (when BTS festa was released) we learnt that they were struggling at the time mentally and where considering going on a break. However due to the pandemic they felt like they should keep going, this was why dynamite was released (to keep peoples spirits up). This is also why they are currently on a break as it is well deserved and needed. Lastly, Jin the oldest member will be going into the Korean army at the end of October and the rest of the members will follow, this should be finished by 2025.

The song is about the tragedy of an artist falling out of love with their art. This track is a confession of an artist who has truly learned what music means to himself. Martha Graham said : “A dancer dies twice-once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful.” This quote is a theme throughout “Black Swan,” with lyrics rapped by both members Suga and RM referring to dying the persona’s first death. Hope this helps 😊

I agree..BTS is really on another level..i only stan and follow BTS..tried to hear other kpop groups but there were just not the same level as BTS..

I think you would enjoy their most recent concert in Busan. Especially their Mic Drop and Run BTS performance. Its a heavier rock sound with a live band. 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜🐳

We all love Jimin's voice. Yes BTS stands alone. the amount of practice, talent and dedication is amazing. They will soon do Military Service but we will continue to support them.

The Map of the Soul album series encompasses the psychological theories of Carl Jung. Jung believes that there are 3 parts of personality. The Persona which is the part of ourself that we show the world. The Shadow which is our inner self where we hide our fears and doubts. The Ego which is our hopes and dreams. Black Swan is a part of the Shadow concept. BTS is singing about their fear of losing their passion for music.

Black swan has an MV and an Art Film which are both works of art!!! At the start of the art film we see the quote "a dancer dies twice once when the stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful" by Martha Graham, this quote suggest the main theme of the song & performance. (bit of background info) Martha Graham was an American modern dancer and choreographer and saw dance as a form of expression that allowed performers to be used by art to send messages & tell a story. Young (SUGA) raps the lyrics: "Ayy, the heart no longer races/when the music starts to play/ tryna' pull up/ seems like time has stopped/ oh that would be my first death/I've always been afraid of" In this verse he talks about how his heart no longer races when he hears the music which could mean he has lost his passion for music. They talk about how they are afraid to lose their passion for music and that losing that passion for music is their first death, a death they have always been afraid of it's about fear of a point in time where their music and performances stop being so exciting and meaningful for them. The thing that brings them satisfaction and happiness can be the thing they fear the most. From what I've seen in the official MV and the dance video, it talks about a "white swan" that can't fly because it's held back by the "black swan" Which is symbolic as it shows the "black swan" as the fear of giving up on music. Namjoon (RM) raps: " this can no longer resonate/ no longer make ury heart vibrate/ Then like this may be how/ die my first death/ But what if the moments right now/ right now" As artists (musicians performers, artists, dancers, etc.) carry on to perfect art, they can experience burn outs or periods of time where they can't think of new ideas and come up with their own original ideas causing a stress and anxiety and they start to doubt if this is what they really want to do. They can have thoughts or the urge to leave behind the art form and choose an easier career. Leaving behind this passion and losing the passion for the things they love can someone feeling empty and it can be like they have died their "first death". BTS have faced many moments of self-doubt insecurities, hardships and emotional struggles and debated whether they should disband or not, they mentioned this in the MAMA 2018 Artist of the year speech The song lends voice to the band's darkest fears the music they do will day cease to touch or move them. Yet, every time they come face to face with this "Black Swan" within themselves, they hear voices calling out from deep within the hearts and stricken with the realization that music is all they have. This track is a confession of an artist who has truly learned what music means to himself -BTS Spotify Black Swan Storyline

Others have explained the meaning behind this song to you, but I couldn't find where certain things about the boys themselves were mentioned. So backpedaling a bit for the backstory, at the 2018 MAMAs, for their Artist of the Year speech, Jin mentioned that during 2018, they had thought about disbanding. I'm not sure of the FULL reasoning because I've only been here since 2021, but I know part of it was that they had skyrocketed to fame so quickly and it was becoming so much. They had been fighting (but solving their issues, as they were encouraged and taught to do by Bang PD) a lot, but in the end, they decided to stay together and signed another 7 year contract. The struggles the rap line was feeling at that time can be heard in the lyrics of Tear, your very first reaction. Fast forward to Festa in June of 2022, their 9th debut anniversary. The boys turned the conversation serious, and Festa is typically a very joyous occasion for ARMY to "enjoy a meal" with them online. But 2022 was different, and while we knew the meaning behind Black Swan and everything, their confession during the dinner that they were burnt out and felt like they were forcing music out of themselves, it made the song AND the whole MOTS 7 album take on a much deeper meaning. They talked about how they had originally planned to create the Map of the Soul: 7 album (which came out in 2020), do a world tour, do their military service, then come back. But as we all know, the pandemic happened, and they had to cancel their tour. They could've gone to the military then, but they chose to stay for ARMY and not tell us what they were feeling at that time. They created Dynamite to cheer us up as they were working on their album BE, which came out in November of 2020. They also confessed during Festa that BE was supposed to be their last album before they went off to the military, and Yoongi mentioned how they'd all probably be back by now with their service over and done with (and I feel bad for kinda wishing they would've done that anyway, but then we wouldn't have had PTD and the amazing performance above). But again, they continued to stay with ARMY, and they created Butter and decided why the hell not just go for a Grammy. Why not try? They stayed, and stayed, and stayed to make sure ARMY was taken care of throughout the pandemic so we weren't alone, even as it proved to carry on long past 2020. But doing all of this and not being able to take an actual break drained them, too, which contributed to our precious Namjoon during Festa, who poured his poor heart out to all of us because he knows ARMY will never judge them for expressing themselves. So that is where we all found ourselves last summer; a crying mess, confused, wondering what the future was gonna hold, only to discover that we would be inundated with so much individual member content during their "break" that it was nearly impossible to keep up with, and still is. I don't think you've seen the "Life Goes On" music video (from BE), but Jungkook directed it, and after Festa, when ARMY looked back on it, we could then see the little moments between the members and Jin that would indicate he'd be leaving first. Just sweet little moments, little stares, the camera focusing on him at certain parts. But really, telling you all of this is just to simply say that the guys were suffering and were keeping it a secret while also telling us through their lyrics, and yet we never picked up on it. While Black Swan was always a fan favorite, now it's even more so, and ARMY holds it close to their hearts, now knowing what they had been personally going through, and we so appreciate them being able to tell us to our faces rather than through a WeVerse message. It shows that they trust us.

Yesssss! Someone once said BTS are BTS’ best backup dancers. They really let each other stand out. They each are willing to support the other members moment to shine and it’s so precious. It speaks so loud of their respect for each other as well and their commitment to the group

Nobody is doing it like BTS, there is a reason why Kpop groups aren't even considered as "real artists", K-pop music is called "idol music" it's not called real music in Korea. But BTS is the only artists who are in the Kpop industry. They have always been different than a typical K-pop group. I hope Jin comes back from his enlistment fast and we get our 7 boys back as 7!

Dont worry you are perfectly right ..our 7 kings are another level ..please hope you can react to their Busan concert mic drop and run bts at BangtanTV .. thank you

If other kpop Stans get mad at you for saying truth don't worry army's support you

I wouldn't have recommended watching this particular performance of Black Swan bc one of the members is injured but still, amazing song, and even more amazing meaning behind it

Yes they do stand alone. There is no one in the world who can sing live with the toughest or intricate choreo plus expressions and perform so perfectly. U cannot blink or hav a dull moment in their whole performance.

6:27 I love his voice, his visuals, his dance, his everything. My ultimate bias, my King Jimin. This song is amazing. Army loves it. They all did amazing here. 7 black swans 💜💜💜💜💓💜💜

Hi I am back. Good reaction, ty. This one has beautiful deep meaning of their lyrics. As you notice like lines " It would be my first death. That's what I'm afraid of ." It has that emotional theme of an artist fear for losing their passion for what they do. With this song BTS dives deep into their inner selves as artists and faces the shadows they had once hidden. The song lends voice to their fears that one day music will no longer be able to move or touch them. The very moment they come face to face with the ‘Black Swan’ within themselves, however, they are stricken with a paradoxical realization that music is all they have. It is a confession of an artist who has truly learned what music means to himself. It's also inspired from Martha Graham, who said “A dancer dies twice once when they stop dancing, and this first death is more painful.” Now with the band on a break from group work and focusing more on solo projects (solo albums). We know this was also a hint to us that they were struggling. Stay safe. - 2019 ARMY NY USA 💜 Jen W said on 6/7/22 Black Swan ballet: changing from white to black swan - growing up, losing innocence. Black Swan movie - sacrificing mental and physical health to reach the top. Shadow/mirror images - self reflection. Black Swan: Mainly written by RM, is about their fears of losing all passion for music, either writing it or performing on stage. It's also based on a quote by Martha Graham who was an important figure in the world of modern dance, "A dancer dies twice. Once when they stop dancing and this death is more painful." They've been doing this for a long time now and for some of them it's all they've ever done from a young age but realized music is their life.

In Black Swan and it’s ‘sequel’ ON, the use of autotune is very deliberate and is intended to compress their individual timbres to a singular voice. They’re playing a single character, the artist who is grappling with their Jungian Shadow, the demon of doubt about whether they may be losing their passion for their art. The key is a quote from the dancer Martha Graham, “A dancer dies twice, once when they stop dancing, and that death is the more painful”. I know you’re really into the live performance side of it but as others have said, you should also watch the official mv, which is a masterpiece and which contains more visual symbolism, even down to the way they exploit the location (the historic Los Angeles Theatre) and the costume.

Black Swan is from their album, Map of The Soul: 7, which is based on the analytic psychological theories of Carl Jung - persona, shadow and ego. Aside from its official MV, Black Swan also has an art film which opens with Martha Graham's quote, "A dancer dies twice - once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful." Rooting from this quote, the song confesses their fear of losing the passion for creating art. As RM raps, "If this can no longer resonate / No longer make my heart vibrate / Then this may be how I die my first death", it's evident that more than the fame, what matters to them the most is the music/art that they create. Some may find Black Swan heavily auto-tuned for their liking, but this song echoed to me the most out of all their songs from MOTS:7 💜

You watch any other male Korean group and they do work hard, they dance well, many have great voices. But BTS has that X factor that you just can't explain. They are like the avengers, powerful in their own right but indestructible when together. And they have such a varied catalogue unlike other groups whose songs do quite often sound the same with lyrics that are quite boring. And it is more than singing and dancing, it is them as people, their underdogs come good backstory, their love and commitment to their fans. They can never be replicated or replaced, EVER. You should watch the live performance of Your Eyes Tell, a beautiful Japanese song written by Jungkook. It is just them standing and singing, you get to hear the great vocals.💜

Jimin is amazing 🔥🔥🔥

The official mv is a work of art, plus you get to see Jimin's contemporary dancing.

The “Black Swan” performances represent BTS acknowledging their deepest fears and choosing instead to use those fears to grow creatively. Borrowing heavily from modern dance, they create an artistic spectacle that's so beautiful it demands the audience hold their breath, if only for a moment.

Thanks for doing this 💜💜 Black Swan is a brilliant song. In a nutshell, it is about the fear of losing their artistic inspiration, their passion for music and the ability to create. I am sure others have mentioned the Martha Graham quote about a dancer dying twice, the first time when they can no longer dance, and this first death being the most painful? The dude sitting down is Jin, he had injured his finger and had surgery, so was in a hand-splint and wasn’t allowed to do the choreo for this performance. The voice you said you loved belongs to Jimin. They are extremely polished, smooth performers and they practice until they drop to be able to give us this calibre of performance. I agree, even in K-pop, they are in a league of their own when it comes to dance (and also, song writing, to me, they are so much more sophisticated that K-pop in general, as songwriters…).

Please look up the lyrics to Black Swan! I'm a fantasy writer and my artistry is so important to me; any artist would relate to Black Swan. They describe the universal struggle all artists face at some point in their creativity process. You might be interested, but this is kind of a follow-up to Blood, Sweat, and Tears, which also discusses some of their concerns about being an artist (giving into temptation to take the easy way to fame).

You have to understand they were working without Jin. He was not able to perform because of an injury. They always leave a spot open when a member can not be in the mix. Jin was sitting down and singing his part. They always leave a spot open if a member can't be there. They will never not be brothers in everything they do!

Jimin is amazing

i remember when black swan dropped as part of their new album. absolutely stunning. it was done with a dance troupe and an orchestral version of the song and then they dropped the music video with this choreography. the beginning of the orchestral version shows a quote about your first death being when you no longer are able to do art in the same way or at all. its beautiful. also jimin is the voice that you said you liked i would watch the serendipity stage mix or even watch the behind the scenes of him dancing to black swan since his background is in the style of dance this song was written to compliment.

That song should’ve won a Grammy

I also love Jimin's voice .

I count myself lucky to have seen this in person. The roar of the crowd was amazing.

And you're right nobody touching bts

If you do react to the performance of run bts, keep in mind, that the song is called RUN BTS. Not run by bts and not their reality show. They have another song called just run. But this particular first seen performance and song we're talking about has bts in the title of the song too (RUN. BTS). It's confusing I know but I tried my best to make it less so😅. It's from their concert they just did a few days ago, you can't miss it😉😁👌🏾💜. As a rockstar yourself I just know you'll be shocked and amazed, and be able to appreciate such a well done performance😎🤘🏾 Also I feel like you would really enjoy their dance practices. It really shows you all the intricacies of their movements without things like cuts or camera angles preventing you from seeing the full choreography. They certainly are good at what they do

"They stand alone" yes they do, whatever they've acheaved so far is only cause of their hardwork and nothing else... they started from absolutely nothing... you're so real for that also thank you sm for your videos

Yes, I love Jimin’s voice too 😊

Black Swan is a song about their fear of losing their passion for music , what makes BTS special and different from most other acts kpop and non kpop is that they are GENUINE They genuinely love making music they love performing and they enjoy it so their lyrics dances and energy on stage always look better than anyone’s else I saw other acts perform and you can see it on their faces and the way they sing that they are not so passionate about what they do

Jimin una voz especial y sus movimientos delicados, precisos hace de el un gran artista sensacional.

Music critics have said that BTS's genre is BTS, not solely K-pop. They are truly in a class by themselves.

You're right BTS is different.. they stand out. They went beyond kpop a long time ago. Truly there's no other like BTS

i was right behind where jin was sitting that same day, 10/10

Many are asking you to react to Run BTS from their most recent concert. If you are interested in a full appreciation for their decade-plus long journey, I would recommend you take some time to start over from the beginning. boracity magazine (but one KZfaq channel) has several very insightful videoessays on various topics highlighting why BTS' success is not just some fluke but a result of innovation, synergy, passion, dedication, humility, vision, introspection, sincerity, love ... (I could go on, but others tell the story well). Every ARMY would easily tell you they are beautiful human beings who prefer to connect with us in the most non-celebrity ways and it almost feels like a disservice not to have every admirer know more than just their song and dance. Bang Shi Hyuk is visionary. He also got a bit lucky with these particular seven human beings...

Black swan is based on the quote of famous ballet dancer Martha Graham that a dancer dies twice. First when they stop dancing, and this death is more painful. They're saying the same that they'll have their first death when they are no longer passionate for music. But they're also fearful whether that moment is right now. But as the song progresses, you'll see that the lyrics have a hopeful feel that they'll fight through this It wasn't known back then, but due to recent events things are started to be more clear. They said in their anniversary dinner that they had started to experience a creative block during this album and they were planning for a break, but then the pandemic hit and things changed so they decided to postpone it.

Thank you for watching my favorite song…I hope you’ll watch another performance of this since Jin was injured here. Actually my favorite more simple performance is the one in your thumbnail from james. Corden which was their first ever performance of black swan. Loving your journey. The lyrics are based on Martha grahams quote “a dancer dies twice, first when they stop dancing, and this death is the most painful “ about their fear of losing their passion for music. Their recent concert in busan was amazing and “run bts” was incredible 💜

When he saw Jin he was like WOW.... same! lol

Im not sure if anyone has mentioned this, but if you noticed, seokjin was sitting at the side of the stage and not dancing with the rest. Just to clarify, he had injured his hand and had to get surgery, so his hand was in a cast, thus not being able to perform

IMO, Black Swan (and a good portion of the Map of the Soul: 7 album) is an introspection on their identity and lives in relation to their career. Suga's solo from this album is called Shadow, and thematically is somewhat similar. Both talk about wrestling with the fame-monster and the darker self. But Black Swan also talks about the fear of burnout, and what happens if they fall out of love with music and lose the ability to create. Both Suga and RM reference the Martha Graham quote: "a dancer dies twice - once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful." I think the choice of title is also right on theme - the transformation from Odette to Odile (because both roles are usually played by the same dancer) in Swan Lake has become a kind of metaphor outside of the context of the original story. Not only are these 7 guys incredibly talented and hardworking performers, but they are also artists. Sure, they have a fair number of catchy lightweight pop songs, but a lot of their work discusses heavy topics like big social issues and their own personal struggles. I know you have your own reasons for doing these reactions, but you seem to be genuinely appreciating what you've seen so far. I would really recommend that you check out the lyrics along with watching the performance (separately, of course, because it's impossible to watch, read, and listen at the same time), and be prepared to be even more impressed. 😉💜

i guess we can add you to the next compilation of men who fell in love with Jimin.

I’m new here and I hope you’ve watched the MV at least on your own. It’s beautiful and elegant. Jimin really shines even more in these contemporary pieces. I recommend his behind the scenes video. Our guys are really impressive, aren’t they! 😁💜

The deeper story: Was that at this point in time, they were thinking of taking a break from working together all the time as a group- they stressed so many times that they needed to remain a group however, they said they needed to learn more from themselves in order to thrive as a group later on. They are not on hiatus, they won't make albums as 7 until the near future. Black swan in about dying your first painful death when you lose your passion- I believe it must have been the fear of not being able to cultivate those past feelings that lead them to write this song.

Jimin’s classical dancing skills shine brightly in this number. I love his unique voice, too, as I also love JK, V and Jin’s voices and dancing. I’m happy we have 7 boys who are uniquely gifted. It’s honestly like a miracle to have all this talent together, but also just their brotherhood is something otherworldly.

Your comment on other kpop acts...bts is one of only a handful of idol groups that actually always sing live too

Thanks for you reactions and comments, bts is so independent and different to other groups, they're so unique, greetings from Colombia.

Really appreciate you stating that BTS stand out amongst K-pop acts. It’s the kind of authenticity that Army’s in particular responds to. Sadly it isn’t at all common amongst KZfaq reactors, so you are very refreshing! Whilst it may cost you with some K-pop Stan’s, I guarantee you authenticity always prevails. Thank you!

Other kpop group stans always say our music is so westernized but thats what makes them stand out, they make unusual kpop songs in a good way that is unique, thats what makes me into this group alone, they are literally the only kpop group I listen to, since I'm kinda a western music kinda guy. I'm also not saying they are that westernized, sure they have aspects that looks westernized but you can't say that this is a western song with art and lyrics this great, thats why I think their in a genre of their own. I normally woudn't comment on videos like this but this is the song my girlfriend got me into BTS and I coudn't believe someting like this is in the music industry. I've tried listening to other kpop groups but it just ain't it FOR ME.

Jimin !! you said you like his voice. that is jimin. his voice is one of a kind. and pls check his dance. his dance is like classical ballet when he is just stand , very beautiful ... well I know you are not dancer but just check it..

Even though Jin and V were sick at this concert, they performed great..