BTS' Touching Speech at UN… It Was ALL in Their Lyrics!

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Photo from UNICEF

BTS' seven-minute long speech given at the New York United Nations Headquarters on September 24, has become the talk of the town for its inspiring message. The group was invited to the launching event of 'Generation Unlimited', UNICEF's new global partnership, and their speech's main message to 'Love yourself', fitted perfectly to the campaign's aim, which is to expand educational opportunities for the youth.

All the things BTS tried to convey through their songs were compressed in this seven-minute long speech.

Photo from Yonhap

The speech of RM, the leader who stood at the podium on behalf of the entire group, was filled with well-written sentences about the agony of growing up and introspection of a young person. But to BTS' fans, these sentences were very familiar.

"From the speech, I could feel the same touching impression I get when I read the lyrics of their songs," said an ARMY. Like what this fan said, BTS' past five years of work was compressed in the seven-minute speech. So, we tried to look for the traces of the speech in their lyrics.

1. INTRO: O!RUL8,2?

BTS' debut song 'No more dream' concept photo, Photo from BigHit Entertainment

In the beginning part of RM's speech, he mentioned the time when he lost his dreams by 'trying to jam himself into the molds that other people made'. This story was reflected in BTS' album released in 2013, O!RUL8,2?. In the intro of this album, RM rapped, "Why did unnatural become natural / And why did the unnatural become natural / Why am I not in my life and / In some others' life? / This is real, it isn't a gamble or a game / It's just one life / Who are you living for? / My heart stopped when I was nine or ten / Put your hand on your heart and ask what your dream was / What was it really"

Photo from BTS Official Facebook

2. Paradise

The speech went onto explaining about the process of finding and actualizing true selves through music, friends, and fans. RM said, "Even after the decision to join BTS, there were a lot of hurdles. Most people thought we were hopeless."

Photo from Online Community

Despite the discouraging situation, BTS constantly shouted out to the world like this; "It's alright to stop / There's no need to run without even knowing the reason / It's alright to have no dream / If you have moments you feel happiness / It's alright to stop / Now we don't run without knowing the destination / It's alright not to have a dream / All the breaths you let out are already in paradise / We borrow dreams from others / We learn that we need to be great / Your dream, is actually a burden."

3. Epiphany & Answer: Love Myself

RM expressed his gratefulness about not giving up in the middle. "I think I was very lucky that I didn't give it all up."

Photo from Online Community

In the song Epiphany, they wrote lyrics expressing what they finally realized after all the hardships; "I'm the one I should love in this world / Shining me, precious soul of mine / I finally realized / So I love me / Not so perfect but so beautiful." And in the song, Answer: Love Myself, they sang, "From the beginning to the very end / There's only one answer / Why do you keep trying to hide under your mask / Even all the scars from my mistakes make up my constellation."

Photo from Online Community

Just like these lyrics, RM emphasizes like this towards the end of the speech, "Maybe I made a mistake yesterday. But yesterday's me is still me. Today, I am who I am with all of my faults and mistakes. Tomorrow, I might be a tiny bit wiser and that would be me too. These faults and mistakes are what I am, making the brightest stars in the constellation of my life. I have come to love myself for who I am, for who I was, and for who I hope to become."

By Bongbong and Soohyoun Nam voomvoomk@gmail.com