THE ABC’S OF THE BANGTAN UNIVERSE PART 4

Hi there ARMY!

Today we will continue diving into the Bangtan Universe (BU). It is as good of a time as any to go over some theories and explanations as this universe is expanding more with new updates. Let’s get on with it!

Once again, we would like to mention the BU deals with topics that might be sensitive and possibly triggering for some readers. BU content is not associated with real events or the members of BTS besides their names and ages, so mentions of the members’ names in this blog are only related to their respective BU characters.

M

Mother- The mother figure is important in the BU. Yoongi lost his mother in a fire, which made him spiral into darkness because of guilt. Taehyung's mother isn’t in the picture; he doesn’t have the ability to be consoled by a mother and only knows pain from his father. For Hoseok’s character, his mother abandoning him is the defining moment of his life, as he is left to try and figure out why. The BU shows how mother figures can shape the rest of our lives, just like it did for these characters.

MAMA- This is the title of Hoseok’s short film. The opening shows Hoseok unconscious in a padded room (most likely in a psychiatric facility), with a doctor approaching. By reading the doctor’s notes, we understand that Hoseok is diagnosed with Munchausen Syndrome, a disorder in which the person acts as if they have a mental or physical illness, but it is imagined and self-imposed. The disorder he suffers from is one that is believed to be caused by a form of trauma. It forces people to pay attention and take care of him—something he was deprived of as a child. In the film, the doctor treats him with placebo pills (fake medication), which Hoseok takes and has an intense reaction to.

Now, it is hard to say whether the following scenes are a hallucination, a dream, or a representation of Hoseok’s emotional state. The scene visualizes Hoseok still locked in the room, but this time, it is illuminated by blacklight, and the walls are covered in bright splatters of color. He reacts intensely to the new atmosphere and eventually wakes up.

When he rises, Hoseok leaves the room and stares at a painting of a forest. This, along with the feathers that appear, represents his connection to Jimin, as the same forest painting is in Jimin’s film. The film additionally reveals a connection to Taehyung, as they both were neglected by their parents, leading them on a destructive path.

After getting out of the room, Hoseok reaches in his pocket from which pills fall and takes out a candy bar. He bites it and smiles. Then, as he walks out of the shot, we are left with a painting of a mother hugging a child. The scene represents the fact that Hoseok sees his mother everywhere, showing the deep effect her abandonment had on him. The film reflects his inner struggle to cope with the fact that he never had his mother’s love.

Motel- In the BU, this setting is deeply connected to Yoongi and Jungkook. In the I NEED U music video, Yoongi sets fire to his motel room while still being in it. This is a manifestation of the guilt and helplessness he feels since not being able to save his mother from dying in a fire. Later on, the guilt increases when he feels he can’t help or protect someone he cares for (like Jungkook).

In one timeline, Jungkook is able to save Yoongi from burning in the motel room and is shown in the “Euphoria: Theme of Love Yourself Wonder” short film.

Memories- The characters in the BU are always plagued by memories—usually the bad ones that continuously haunt them. The good memories are the ones they hold onto for hope. Their memories together are what seem to be the only thing that keeps some of them afloat at times, hoping they could come together again.

Memories are also dynamic occurrences in the BU, as the constant changes in timelines affect the memories of the characters. There is also the implication that Taehyung knows that Seokjin can rewind time, and either he pretends or believes his memories are dreams.

Map of the Soul- This is the newest era in which the storyline continues to take its journey into these characters and how they shape themselves.

Mistakes- This is a big one in the BU. The boys make mistakes on screen, and we witness them go through different trials because of them. What the BU reveals are the various paths that one may take after a mistake. One can take the avoidant path or atone.

As we see different versions of these characters in multiple timelines, we witness how the response to a mistake is what defines people the most.

N

Namjoon- He is a character in the BU. His story is far from a fairytale. Namjoon and his family live in poverty, and we see him having to hold a job in a gas station. He is seen as wise and admirable by the others, but this enacts a sense of pressure within Namjoon as he does not see himself that way. He constantly seems to be internally struggling to figure out who he is. Namjoon is close with all the members, but has a special bond with Taehyung. His absence in Taehyung’s life leads to bad circumstances, and is something they both have to learn to deal with.

Numbers- Numbers are important because they give hints to what is happening in the universe. Look for times and dates as they can mark important moments that helps connect pieces together.

Notes- The notes are an essential aspect of the BU, they are entries of each member at a particular time in their life. Through these notes, a shared experience can be explained from different perspectives. The notes help explain how the characters feel and what leads them to act a certain way. Reading the notes is a very helpful way to figure out what really happened to each character.

O

Orphanage- This word is significant to Hoseok. He was abandoned as a little boy by his mother, resulting in his ten years at an orphanage. This scarred Hoseok forever, as he consequently struggles with many problems—one seeming to be the feeling of undesirability and another to be his struggle of finding out who he really is.

We hope that you are finding these helpful in your exploration of the BU, especially as the storyline is expanding with new releases of “The Notes”. If you haven’t already, please check parts 1, 2, and 3 of this series. What are your thoughts on the new updates so far?

Let us know and see you next time!

Written by: Lizette

Edited by: sno and Alice

Designed by: Judy

ARMY Magazine does not own any of the photos/videos shared in our blog. No copyright infringement intended.