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Probably the most important—and the most confusing—thing to figure out when traveling to somewhere new is how you’re going to get around. Not just from the airport to where you’re staying, but how you can get to the places you’re visiting while you’re there. If you’re heading to South Korea, we’ve collected all of the basic information you might need when traveling in Seoul and websites that might help answer any questions I happen to miss.
Where do you go when you arrive at the airport?
The first thing anyone needs to worry about when landing in the Incheon International Airport is how they’re going to get to where they’re staying. More specifically, how are they going to get to Seoul?
This is relatively simple, actually.
The Incheon International Airport provides a couple of different public transportation options for you to utilize in order to get to Seoul. This includes different kinds of railways and bus lines.
Airport Railroad Express (AREX)
The AREX is the airport’s provided railway system that will take you to Seoul. There are two different trains you can take: the Express Train and the All Stop Train. Like their names, they each have a few different things they do. The Express Train will take you directly to the Seoul Station without stopping. Whereas the All Stop Train will stop by thirteen other stations on the way to Seoul Station.
Be aware that there are two terminals in the Incheon International Airport that these trains depart from.
Of course, since each train offers different things (zero stops vs. many stops; lots of room vs. less room), the price will vary for each. For the Express Train, it is 9,000 won for adults and 7,000 won for children. For the All Stop Train, it is 4,150 won from Terminal 1 Station and 4,750 from Terminal 2 Station.
If you’re purchasing a single-use transportation card, you will need to deposit 500 won into it. You can get a refund for it at the arrival station, though.
For a few instructions on where you can buy tickets and use these trains in the Incheon International Airport (with pictures!), you can visit this website to read more.
Airport Bus
Like the railway system provided by the airport, they also offer a couple different buses you can take. You can take a Deluxe Bus or a Standard Bus.
The Deluxe Bus runs on non-stop or shortened routes to major hotels and popular destinations. And the Standard Bus runs with more stops and smaller seats. Prices for these tickets may vary depending on where you’re going, so make sure to check with the ticketing offices for prices.
What forms of public transportations can you use when traveling in Seoul?
Like any large city across the world, there are multiple different forms of public transportation you can take when traveling in Seoul. The main forms of public transportation include a subway system and multiple different busing options. However, there are slight differences to those systems in Seoul that you will need to know more about before traveling there.
I should also mention that there are various other forms of public transportation that you can use as well—including taxis and railways used to travel from city to city across South Korea. However, I will focus most on the subway and the bus systems that run directly in the city of Seoul.
The Seoul Subway System
The subway system in Seoul is just as confusing as any subway system around the world. With two different types of subways, the rapid transit and the commuter rail, there are several different lines.
For lines within the city, rapid transit lines, they are usually labeled by numbers (Line 1, Line 2, Line 3, etc.) with a few exceptions. And commuter rails are usually labeled by location names.
Though the subway map is a bit daunting to look at (or a lot daunting…), it is best to make sure you have a good understand of the path you are taking before you head to the subway.
You can do this a few different ways:
One: You can simply find out which stations are closest to where you are and closest to where you’re going and find a path that connects them. Some might include transfers, so you’ll need to be careful when manually finding your path.
Two: You can use the official Seoul Metro Cyber Station website. On this website, you can type in the station you are coming from and the one you are going to and it will calculate the best route for you. It will detail the transfer stations you might have and give the approximate time it will take to travel.
Three: There are a couple of apps that might be helpful for you: Naver Map and Kakao Metro. I will talk about these apps more in a later section.
Personally, I find bus systems to be a little bit more confusing in terms of travel. However, they do tend to have more stops and they might be closer to your location than a subway station. So, when traveling in Seoul by bus, there are a few things you need to know before you do.
Firstly, there are four different kinds of buses you can take. There are blue buses, green buses, red buses, and yellow buses. Each color of the bus differentiates the type of bus it is.
Blue buses run for longer distances throughout Seoul.
Green buses run on shorter distances and are used to transport passengers to and from their transfer points (for subways or other, longer bus routes).
Red buses are express buses that travel from downtown Seoul to its suburban areas.
And yellow buses are circulation buses that run on a specific route that stops at popular businesses and tourist areas. It can also be connections for the other buses.
Along with these four bus types, there is also a night bus that runs from 11:30 pm to 6:00 am.
Bus Numbering
For each color bus, the buses themselves are divided into ones for/from different areas within Seoul. They have an intricate numbering system to help differentiate which bus is on which route.
For example, the first number on every blue bus will be the number associate with the area it departed from. The second number will be the area the bus is arriving at. For each bus, there is a varying reason for each number.
To read more about it, you can go to this website that details what each number means and explains which numbers are for what areas.
What should you know about buying tickets for public transportation before traveling in Seoul?
A lot of things, actually.
Firstly, it’s important to know whether you’re taking public transportation only once or during the whole time you visit. If it’s only once, you can usually survive by only buying a one trip ticket or paying cash (though, it will cost a little bit more if you pay cash). However, if you plan on using public transportation more than once, it would be best for you to get a public transportation card.
What is a public transportation card?
Simply, this is a card that lets you travel on public transportation. Of course, there are various different cards you can buy, so look into a few different ones to find which one best fits you.
A few main cards include:
T-Money Cards
This is probably one of the more popular transportation cards in South Korea. It can be bought at the airport when you arrive, at convenience stores all around Seoul, and at the subway stations. You can also refill it at most of these locations.
Cashbee Cards
This is another popular transportation card in South Korea. Though, this one is center more to Seoul than other cities like the T-Money card. You can find it in most places you find the T-Money card.
Korea Tour Card
If you’re just visiting South Korea for a little while, you will be able to get away with only getting a Korea Tour Card. This card provides access to places all around Seoul via public transportation. It basically acts like the other transportation cards, but it’s geared more towards tourists and visitors. You can buy this card at major subway stations in Seoul, at the airport, or online. For more information, you can read through their website.
How do you find the right route for your travel in Seoul?
Like I mentioned earlier, there are a few different ways you can find the route you need to get to where you’re going. However, some of them are difficult to do when you don’t understand how the systems work. All of the colored lines on a map isn’t going to help you if you’re not sure how to even start comprehending it.
One of the easiest solutions for this is technology. Of course, technology isn’t always the best to rely on… but, in this case, I’m sure it will help.
There are a few apps that you can download on your phone to help you traveling in Seoul become so much easier.
1. Naver Maps
Naver Maps is basically the Google Maps of South Korea. It’s able to show you different public transportation routes and able to outline the stops you need to take. As long as you can find out which stops are closest to where you are and where you’re going, then you should be able to use this with no problem.
2. Kakao Metro
Very similar to the website I mentioned earlier, this app allows you to select the subway station you are departing from and the one you’re going to and it will calculate the route you need to follow. It tells you where you need to transfer and the amount of time that your ride will take.
This app is also in English, so you won’t have to try to learn Korean just to read the metro app.
3. Kakao Bus
Different to Kakao Metro, this app allows you to input either the bus you’re searching for or the bus stop you are at. It can also find bus stops near you.
The only downside, if you can’t speak Korean, it is very difficult to get past finding your bus number. The stops are in Korean, so you will need know the language in order to understand where you’re going.
The Approximate Running-Time of Public Transportation for your Travel in Seoul
A few things you can say in Korean to help you travel in Seoul
Hello: 안녕하세요 (ahn-nyung-ha-sey-yo)
Excuse me: 실례합니다 (sil-ley-ham-ni-da)
I’m lost: 길을 잃었어요 (geel-eul ihl-lus-eo-yo)
Where is ____?: ____ 어디 있어요? ( [insert place you’re going] eo-di iss-eo-yo)
How much?: 얼마예요? (eol-ma-ye-yo)
Thank you: 감사합니다 (gam-sam-ni-da)
Hopefully, after reading through this article, you have a little bit of an understanding on the transportation in Seoul. Or, at least, have resources that you can read into further and use to understand the public transportation in South Korea.
If you have any other questions about travel in Seoul, South Korea, you can look at our Travel Page and see a few different articles written on attractions you can see during your visit. And, if you have any questions about what you need to do in order to travel to South Korea, you can read our article “Travel to South Korea”.
K-pop is one of the leading industries in South Korea, So it makes sense that they’d have a lot of attractions dedicated to that specific matter. From K-pop themed cafés/restaurants to sculptures and art pieces decorating the streets, there’s no shortage of finding things for or relating to K-pop. Though many things are business/government created, there are plenty of things that fans of K-pop groups have put together for their favorite idols. If you’re a fan of K-pop and you’re planning on heading to South Korea soon, here’s a list of five K-pop travel destinations you’ll definitely want to stop by!
Kpop Travel Destinations: Gwangju
Gwangju K-Pop Star Street
As one of the bigger cities in South Korea, it should be no surprise that Gwangju is the first location on this list. Besides, there’s been numerous idols from Gwangju—including BTS’ j-hope, Monsta X’ I.M and Hyungwon, Ateez’ Yunho, and fromis_9’s Nagyung and Hayoung. Because of the numerous idols from this city, there’s a road dedicated specifically to K-pop. And even more specifically to those idols from the area.
This road is known as the Gwangju K-Pop Star Street (also known as the Chungjang-ro K-Pop Star Street).
Located in the downtown area of Gwangju, this street was built to represent all of the idols from Gwangju who’ve achieved their dreams of debuting. There’s a few different things you can see on this street—including handprint art (with the actual handprints of idols!), a star memorial hall, and a shutter mural that shows various albums from K-pop artists.
There’s even a “Fan Zone” on this street where many idols have gone and donated various things for fans to look at. Back in March, boy group Ateez took a trip to the Gwangju K-Pop Star Street and donated their own things. You can watch this video here:
If you’re a fan of BTS, then you’ve definitely heard of this K-pop travel destination. This destination in particular contains the HOPE WORLD sculpture for BTS member j-hope. And what a sight it is.
Gwangju’s HOPE WORLD Sculpture
At the opening of Gwangju’s K-pop Star Street, there stands an enormous sculpture of the word “HOPE.” On this sculpture, there’s 21,800 messages full of love and support for j-hope from ARMY around the world.
Named HOPE WORLD after the artist’s first mixtape, the sculpture is aimed at giving j-hope what he gives to fans with his music: hope, happiness, and love. It stands in front of the Hope World mural, being one of the first things on the street to see.
Overall, if you’re a fan of BTS—and of other groups that have members from Gwangju—then you’ll definitely want to add the Gwangju K-Pop Star Street to your list of K-pop travel destinations not to miss!
Kpop Travel Destinations: Gangnam
After growing in popularity around the world thanks to Psy’s song “Gangnam Style,” it should be no surprise that Gangnam is also on our list. Jam packed with K-Pop memorabilia, Gangnam has quite a few things worth stopping by and checking out.
Much like Gwangju, there’s also a K-Pop street in Gangnam. However, this one was actually made first! This street is known as the Gangnam K-Star Road.
Another popular location in Gangnam is the Statue of Gangnam Style.
Statue of Gangnam Style
Like I mentioned earlier, the worldwide popularity of Gangnam had a lot to do with Psy’s worldwide hit “Gangnam Style.” This song came out back in 2012. And it quickly swept across the world in a mixture of parodies and truly loved mixes. Everywhere you went, you would find people making the famous Gangnam-Style dance moves. (You know which one I’m talking about… the jumping, the crossed hands… mostly known as a “horse-riding” dance move.)
Well, after the worldwide, record-breaking song continued to grow in popularity, Gangnam decided to put up a statue in its honor. At the end of 2015/early 2016, the Statue of Gangnam Style was unveiled. Of course, this is now one of the most visit K-Pop travel destinations on this list.
You can find this statue you in fron of the COEX Mall’s East Gate.
Gangnam K-Star Road
Located on the main road of Gangnam—connecting the Apgujeong Rodeo Station and the Cheongdam crossroad—this road has quickly become one of the most popular K-pop travel destinations.
Like the Gwangju K-Pop Star Street, the Gangnam K-Star Road has a few things you can see. The biggest attraction is the GangnamDols. These large character dolls represent various K-pop groups.
There’s dolls for SHINee, Miss A, Block B, BTS, EXO, and many others. They’re quite large, so it’s a perfect picture location!
And, if you like the look of the GangnamDols, there’s actually a gift shop. You can buy magnets or miniature versions of the dolls here! So you take a little piece of the Gangnam K-Star Road with you when you leave. There’s nothing like visiting K-Pop travel destinations and getting to take some of it back home with you!
If you want more things to look at while you’re visiting Gangam, after hitting the most important K-Pop travel destinations, there’s plenty for you to see! This street is actually pretty close to some of the bigger entertainment companies… a quick internet search and you could find yourself standing in front of your favorite artist’s company building. And if shopping is more your route, then you’re in luck.
The Gangnam K-Star Road is in a shopping-fanatic’s dreamland. There’s a ton of shopping stores nearby—including the Hyundai Department Store—and the Cheongdam Fashion Street is actually one of the more luxurious shopping areas in Seoul. There’s also another street—the Sinsadong Garosu Street—that includes even more designer stores and plenty of other shops to fill your shopping needs.
The Gangnam K-Star Road has everything K-pop related and more that you’d ever want for a day trip. So be sure to add this location to your K-pop travel destinations list—and perhaps your regular travel destination list, too!
K-Pop Travel Destinations: Seoul
Though Gangnam is a district within Seoul, there’s a few K-Pop travel destinations you’ll want to visit from Seoul in general. The Seoul Forest. Firstly, this park is a great place to visit regardless of your feelings for K-pop; there’s different sections to this park that can include anything from educational parks to art parks. There’s enough stuff for you to enjoy the park all on its own!
However, since you’re here to add to your K-pop travel destinations list, then you’ll want to mark this one down, too!
In particular, Seoul Forest has become the place that K-pop fans buy/plant plots of trees (with benches or plaques usually) to dedicate to their favorite idols. If you look up K-Pop Forests in Seoul, Seoul Forest will be one of the first locations to come up. In fact, if you look up K-Pop travel destinations in general, Seoul Forest will be the top results.
If you’re a fan of BTS, then you’ll want to take a walk through this park as well. Because this park has not one, but two forests dedicated to member RM. Making three (four if you count the GangnamDol) K-Pop travel destinations in South Korea for BTS!
RM Forests
RM Forest #1
Set up back in 2019 to celebrate RM’s birthday, fans banded together to donate and plant nearly 1,250 trees for the—officially named—RM Forest No. 1.
This forest was a long time coming. Years and months were put into raising money and finding people to plant the trees. But after it all, fans love it.
You can find this first RM Forest at the Han River Park in Jamsil.
RM Forest #2
The second RM Forest was created by fans once again to celebrate the leader’s birthday in 2020. They planted three hackberry trees and two-hundred stocks of spirea.
Both forests were put together by the account @HoneyJoonie94 on Twitter. Because of their dedication to completing the task, there’s two lovely K-Pop travel destinations for BTS fans to visit in Seoul.
You can find this second RM Forest at the Han River Park in Ichon.
And since this is one of the quieter places on our K-pop travel destinations list, why don’t you take a load off and listen to RM’s “Bicycle” while visiting? I guarantee it’ll be a nice time!
K-Pop Travel Destinations for General K-Pop Related Things
Though it’s great to have specific places to visit and see only K-pop related things, there’s plenty of locations in South Korea (and particularly in Seoul) that just include a lot of K-pop things even if they’re not only for K-pop.
This includes places like shopping malls or amusement parks. There’s also plenty of restaurants and cafés that you can find around South Korea that include K-pop memorabilia. And, if you’re lucky, you might find yourself wandering into restaurants either owned by an idol or one owned by their family!
If you didn’t know, underground shopping centers are actually rather popular in South Korea. Many of these shopping centers can include anything from clothing to food to K-pop merchandise. That’s what makes them so great.
But what adds the Myeongdong Underground Shopping Center to our K-pop travel destinations list specifically has to do with the huge amount of K-pop merchandise you can find here.
Including albums, you can find posters and clothing and just about anything related to your idol. There’s quite a few different K-pop related stores in this shopping center, so it’s definitely worth a visit!
There’s a couple ways to get to this shopping center. However, you can actually get there without coming up to ground-level from the subway station. If you’re at the Myeongdong subway station (Line 4), you’ll be able to find it rather easily!
Which of these K-pop travel destinations will you be visiting?
With so many K-pop travel destinations in South Korea, we’ve barely scratched the surface with this list of five places. But there’s at least a few places for you to start with this list! If you are a JYP fan, then definitely check out their Soul Cup cafe with the video below!
If you want to read more about all things K-pop, then you can scroll through our K-Pop Category. We’ve written about plenty of the top K-pop artists and maybe some that you should check out. If you’d like to find more locations to add to your South Korea Visit List that aren’t K-Pop travel destinations, then you can scroll through our Travel Category. We’ve written about places you can visit in Jeju, things you can do to live like a local Korean, and various attractions you’d enjoy checking out. So be sure to scroll through our blogs!
Though South Korea is known for K-pop and K-dramas the most, many have started turning their heads at the fashion trends coming from the ever-changing country. Not only has South Korea spearheaded some of the most popular fashion trends, but they also carry their own unique styles that most countries can’t replicate.
If you’re into fashion, here are a few of the most popular Korean fashion styles you’ll find.
5 Korean Fashion Styles You Will LOVE!
Firstly, we should probably explain what we mean by a fashion style in this blog.
Trends come and go, especially in South Korea’s fast-paced lifestyle. Specific fads stick longer than others. Whether it’s a particular color, style of top, or an entire outfit making its way to the top of trendy fashion, there are plenty of fashion styles you can spot in South Korea.
But the fashion styles in this blog will encompass the entire outfit. They will be complete looks that have been incorporated into daily fashion rather than just one item of clothing that has gained popularity.
1. Streetwear
Probably the most popular fashion style you will see in South Korea is streetwear.
Heavily incorporated with younger generations and idols, streetwear fashion is exactly what you think it is. Casual clothes you can wear just about anywhere. However, there is a finer art to Korean streetwear fashion than you might expect.
To begin with, streetwear has been notably associated with the hip-hop genre or the “cooler” side of idols. When performing a song with heavier beats and more raps, idols will adorn a complete streetwear look, including oversized t-shirts with notable brand logos (such as Supreme, Nike, or Adidas), sweatpants or non-formfitting pants (including cargo pants), chunky shoes, and eccentric patterns/colors.
Streetwear in Korea also takes on a boxier element, a direct result of the oversized items of clothing. A few other popular items you will find in the streetwear style includes hoodies, beanies, bucket hats, fanny packs, and more. While some of these outfits might look a bit chaotic, there’s no denying that they simply work.
Out of the other Korean fashion styles on this blog, streetwear is definitely the most popular.
Much like streetwear, athleisure clothing tends to be on the side of comfort. This particular fashion trend combines clothing that you would wear to work out or to just lounge around the house in. This includes favorites such as sweatpants, leggings, tennis shoes, sports t-shirts, hoodies, and other related styles.
As more athletic-wear brands started incorporating clothing that could be worn in and out of the gym, the fashion style took off in South Korea. Many tend to combine athleisure with streetwear since the main idea of both of these Korean fashion styles is comfort.
Popular brands for athleisure include powerhouse names such as Nike, PUMA, Adidas, Champion, FILA, and more. As brands integrated more clothing, K-pop idols and groups started collaborating with those brands. For instance, BTS and PUMA used to have combined collections of clothing. More recently, BTS were global brand ambassadors for FILA.
As athleisure starts making its way to the top trendy Korean fashion styles, there is no doubt that we will continue to see idols and actors embracing the comfortable style.
Quite uniquely, the next trend on our Korean fashion styles list can be included with any other style you can think of. Minimalist clothing is the trend of wearing a singular color or fabric for your entire outfit.
Now, don’t get the wrong impression of the minimalist style; there are still some do’s and do not do’s with this style. For instance, don’t wear loud or expressive patterns. You want to wear something a bit more mellow—softer colors, less chaotic patterns, and easy to find wherever you go.
A typical minimalist-styled outfit would include a plain black t-shirt, black pants, and black shoes. If you wear accessories, they will also have to match the all-black aesthetic. You can also find outfits wearing all white, beige, and other muted colors.
Many also consider minimalist style to incorporate clothing without major designs. So wearing a simple t-shirt, blue jeans, and shoes could be considered minimalistic. What matters most is that you wear the bare minimum in terms of style.
In recent years, South Korea’s fashion styles have evolved to include more matching outfits. Not just matching colors or patterns, but complete outfits that were sold as one set. Especially in women’s fashion, the two-piece set has started taking over.
The most well-known two-piece sets are typically a top and bottom (usually skirts or shorts) that match. This means they are the same fabric, color, design, etc. Sets are generally made to be one entity.
More recently, two-piece sets in Korea have started exploring other matching pairs. This includes sets with a shirt and matching cardigan, a dress with an oversized sweater, and more. Two-piece sets have made their way to the top of popular Korean fashion styles in the past couple of years and they don’t seem to be going anywhere soon.
Many love two-piece sets because of how simple they make fashion. Not only do you not have to worry as much about finding something that would go together with that specific skirt or that specific top, but they don’t require as much extra work to make them gorgeous. Two-piece sets are a popular fashion statement and don’t require any extra effort to make work.
Image Source
5. Oversized Clothing
The final style on our Korean fashion styles list is the well-known and well-loved trend of oversized clothing.
You most likely already got the hint from all of the other Korean fashion styles on this list, but oversized clothes are in for Korean fashion. Not just oversized shirts, but also oversized hoodies, large jackets, baggy pants, chunky shoes, fluffy hats, and so much more. If it’s oversized, then it’s definitely worth wearing.
The trend with oversized clothes has especially hit in South Korea—where many have taken to wearing chunky shoes (shoes with especially large soles) and oversized sweatshirts. Another popular way to utilize oversized clothes is with jackets. If you wear a more form-fitting outfit, it’s easy to pair it with an oversized coat (especially a trench coat).
Other popular ways to utilize oversized items of clothing include a skirt with an oversized sweater, a more form-fitting top with wide-leg pants, an oversized button-up shirt left open above a t-shirt, and so many more. The possibilities are endless when mix-matching with the oversized style.
Overall, Korean fashion has a lot of areas to explore. From the ever-trendy streetwear to something a bit more minimalistic, you will never run out of Korean fashion styles to try.
As the last CD for PROOF, BTS had to bring something new. CD 1 is all of their title tracks and CD 2 is member-chosen songs, so what could PROOF CD 3 be? Well, it’s something that ARMY might appreciate.
Over the years, BTS have released snippets of their demo versions, sharing different verses or other lyrics that didn’t make it to the final cut. Sometimes they shared the demo snippets simply to make ARMY laugh or see what could’ve been, but other times it was just a way to show ARMY behind-the-scenes moments of their career. PROOF CD 3 is an entire CD dedicated to demo versions of some of BTS’ biggest tracks.
PROOF CD 3: Track Breakdown
There is a total of fourteen tracks on PROOF CD 3. Nine of which are demo versions, two are songs we haven’t heard before, two other ones are songs we’ve heard but in a different way, and the last song on the CD is the final new song from the entire PROOF album. Unfortunately, most of the songs on PROOF CD 3 are only on the CD, so you won’t be able to hear them unless you buy the album.
1. “Jump (Demo Ver.)” – Original Release: February 12, 2014
The first track on PROOF CD 3 is the demo version of their 2014 song “Jump.”
“Jump” is from BTS’ second mini-album Skool Luv Affair. The song is high in energy, full of iconic lines, and has an unbeatable vibe to it that ARMY still find a bit addicting to this day. (Especially V’s part! It’s iconic in its own way.)
The demo version of “Jump” features only the rap-line and their parts. It’s possible that this song was originally supposed to be just a rap-line song, but there hasn’t been any indication of this outside of the demo version. The rap seems to be a bit slower and the song immensely shorter (again, this could just be because the vocal-line isn’t in the demo).
While the demo version is still amazing, it seems to be missing that familiar hook from the singing parts—especially V’s part. Many ARMY missed the singer’s growl during the pre-chorus, but absolutely love what the rap-line did with it.
2. “애매한 사이 (Young Love)” – Original Release: Never?
The second track on PROOF CD 3 is a bit of a mystery. It’s not necessarily a song fans have heard before from BTS, but it’s not one of the new songs on the album. So what is it?
Most likely, “Young Love” is the demo of an unreleased song.
The track itself seems to only feature Jungkook and RM, a singing part and a short rap part. The overall sound of the song definitely fits the group’s earlier sound compared to now. Based on the title and the lyrics, this track is definitely a softer love song from the group.
The song is good, that’s for sure, but we have little information as to why they didn’t release it. We also don’t know why they released it on PROOF CD 3, but it’s definitely something fans will cherish from now on.
3. “상남자 (Boy In Luv – Demo Ver.)” – Original Release: February 12, 2014
Like “Jump,” ”Boy In Luv” is from the group’s album Skool Luv Affair. This song was actually the title track for the album and is also included on PROOF CD 1.
“Boy In Luv” is known for its strong dance, catchy chorus, and bad-boy lover feel (in other words, the group carries a certain bad-boy aura with them during this song but sings about being in love with a girl).
The demo version on PROOF CD 3 features a new section—perhaps a different bridge part—around the end of the song. It’s a bit rougher than the final product but is just as good to listen to. The new section is quite catchy to hear, too, it’s refreshing in the song and takes it in a new direction.
Perhaps they felt that section didn’t quite fit with the rest of the song (as they removed it in the final product). It does seem to stick out a little from the rest of the song. However, that could just be because we’re used to listening to “Boy In Luv” as the final product version.
4. “따옴표 (Quotation Mark)” – Original Release: Never?
The fourth track on PROOF CD 3 is another song ARMY hasn’t heard before from BTS. This song doesn’t seem to have been talked about at any point by the group or included in any past albums.
“Quotation Mark” is most likely a demo version of another unreleased song from the group.
This song seems to include only members RM, j-hope, and Jungkook. The two rappers each have a section and Jungkook fills in the rest with his beautiful vocals. While there’s no known date for when this song was originally released, it’s easy to tell it was written some time ago with how young their voices are.
Unlike the demo for “Young Love,” though, I personally feel that “Quotation Mark” is closer to the HYYH era or Love Yourself era for BTS (meaning between 2015-2018). This is simply because of Jungkook and j-hope’s voices in the song; they definitely sound younger, but not nearly as young as their voices have sounded in their earlier works. When do you think this song was first written?
5. “I Need U (Demo Ver.)” – Original Release: April 29, 2015
Originally from their third mini-album The Most Beautiful Moment in Life pt. 3, “I Need U” is one of the most important songs for ARMY and BTS. Not only is it the first song of theirs that won first place on a music show, but it’s the first title track that began a new era for BTS.
The demo version of “I Need U” on PROOF CD 3 is wildly different from the released version. Not only is it mostly the rap-line and Jungkook singing throughout the demo, but the chorus is completely different. The catchy “I need you, girl!” that starts the chorus on the finalized version isn’t there at all on this demo version. Instead, the chorus seems to drop—compared to ramping up in energy.
The whole feel of the “I Need U” demo is completely different than the released version. The emotions almost seem to be more raw. That could partially be because of the lack of finishing touches on it—this version of the song was only a demo, so there were no perfect recordings or nicely sounding music to make it truly sound like a finished song. This makes it very raw.
6. “흥탄소년단 (Boyz with Fun – Demo Version)” – Original Release: April 29, 2015
The next track on PROOF CD 3 is the demo version of “Boyz with Fun.” From the same album as “I Need U,” “Boyz with Fun” is one of the grander pump-up songs from BTS.
Not only is this song high in energy, but it’s something the boys enjoy performing. This song is quite popular since they performed it in their earlier years.
The demo version of “Boyz with Fun” on PROOF CD 3 isn’t too different from the final version. There are instances where it breaks off from what we already know the song to be—like RM’s minimani-minimani-minimani-mo part after j-hope’s verse—but you can still hear the familiar fun-loving song in it.
Having the demo version makes the song a bit more exciting to listen to. Of course, the song is already pretty exciting in the released version, but the demo version adds another layer of chaos to the song. You can hear a lot more adlibs in the background of the song and more harmonies. It makes it exciting all over again.
7. “Tony Montana (with Jimin)” – Original Release: August 16, 2016
One of the most anticipated songs from PROOF CD 3 is “Tony Montana.” Originally from member SUGA’s solo mixtape in 2016—under his other stage name Agust D—this song has a special history to it.
When “Tony Montana” was first released, it featured artist Yankie. For BTS’ third muster—ARMY.ZIP+ that took place at the very end of 2016—Jimin made a surprise performance on this song alongside SUGA.
Ever since this performance in 2016, ARMY have been begging BTS to release a studio version of the collaboration. It only took six years, but PROOF CD 3 is finally answering ARMY’s pleas.
The studio version of “Tony Montana” with Jimin is a bit different than the original. The tempo is a bit higher in tension and there is a lot more synthesizing throughout the song. Of course, the song still packs as powerful of a punch as it did in 2016. It’s not every day we get to experience Jimin rapping, so this song will be a fan favorite for a long time.
8. “Young Forever (RM Demo Ver.)” – Original Release: May 2, 2016
Known as the song ARMY sang to BTS in Wembley Stadium as a surprise, “Young Forever” is an iconic and emotional song that everyone treasures.
In PROOF CD 3, we are given RM’s demo version of “Young Forever.”
“Young Forever” is already a heart-breaking song as it is. However, RM’s demo version is almost sadder. The lyrics for the demo version are quite different than the final product. While the final lyrics talk about the conviction BTS have to just keep going through the tough times in their career and have a more hopeful tone about being young forever, the demo version’s lyrics seem to carry a heavier weight.
The lyrics in the demo version seem to almost beg whoever is listening to let him—RM—stay young forever. There is a line near the beginning that translates roughly to “life is beautiful, so it’s even more cruel” (translation source). This theme carries throughout the whole demo, the idea of being stuck between the beauty and the harshness of life.
9. “봄날 (Spring Day – V Demo Ver.)” – Original Release: February 13, 2017
Of course, PROOF CD 3 also includes a demo version of the queen “Spring Day.” For this demo version, it has a special section in it that wasn’t there before. This special part includes a new singing section for member V.
When the chorus of “Spring Day” starts, it breaks off to V’s new singing part. His voice is smooth, sultry, and a bit different from what fans are used to hearing. In this new part, V sings in a higher register than he usually does.
It’s not easy to tell if this version was meant to be a new chorus, bridge, or other section of the song, but it is really beautiful. The lyrics are enchanting and V’s voice sends chills down your spine. It would be interesting to see what the song would have been like had this section stayed in the final version.
10. “DNA (j-hope Demo Ver.)” – Original Release: September 18, 2017
The tenth track on PROOF CD 3 is one that fans have already fallen in love with. “DNA” is the title track from BTS’ mini-album Love Yourself: Her.
The finalized version has a dance-worthy chorus and a familiar “DNA” part right before the beat drops. While the demo version also has those parts, too, it is vastly different.
As a j-hope demo, this track on PROOF CD 3 features only the rapper. He sings/raps throughout the short snippet to a familiar yet slightly-off tune that the final version has. The lyrics still depict the same theme as the final version, but they are really different in the demo.
j-hope’s vocals in the pre-chorus part—as he is singing “try” and “fly”—are insane. We all know j-hope can sing, his parts usually border a sing-song rap style. But this is something we have never quite seen from the rapper before. ARMY are already raving about the demo version, praising the catchy tune and stunning vocals.
11. “Epiphany (Jin Demo Ver.)” – Original Release: August 9, 2018
The next track on PROOF CD 3 is Jin’s demo version of his solo song “Epiphany.”
“Epiphany” was initially released on the group’s 2018 album Love Yourself: Answer as the comeback trailer. It has been continuously used as the anthem for those trying to learn to love themselves. It was the song of Love Yourself: Answer that felt like the actual answer of the entire Love Yourself era.
The demo version has mostly the same backing music; however, the lyrics are something else entirely. Not only are the lyrics in full English, but they almost seem to be Jin talking to someone else rather than himself like in the finalized version.
In the demo version, epiphany seems to be a person he’s calling out to rather than a moment. The lyrics carry a less upbeat tone to them, no longer being one of acceptance and love for yourself. Instead, they are filled with apologies and amazement. Jin’s voice, of course, is heartbreakingly beautiful throughout the entire track.
12. “Seesaw (Demo Ver.)” – Original Release: August 24, 2018
“Seesaw” is already included in the PROOF album on CD 2. On PROOF CD 3, we get a song that seems completely new (in a good way, of course).
The final version is praised highly for SUGA’s change of pace—he adds dancing to the performance and sings a good portion of the song compared to his usual rap style.
The demo version of “Seesaw” is a simple music track, no vocals or anything else added to it. This piano-heavy tune brings a different kind of calmness to the song. The power behind it feels like it’s building throughout most of the track, a fast beat keeping consistent in the background.
If you listen to both the final version of “Seesaw” and the demo version, it’s really hard to tie them together. They are just that different. But it makes you wonder what the track would have been like had SUGA kept with this original tune. It would have been a different song altogether, that’s for sure.
13. “Still With You (Acapella)” – Original Release: June 5, 2020
The second-to-last track on PROOF CD 3 is actually another unique song. From BTS’ 2020 Festa event—the event they use to celebrate their anniversary each year—Jungkook released a solo song for ARMY called “Still With You.”
This song, of course, was treasured by fans. It was a different style for the singer, but it was still so amazing.
In PROOF CD 3, we are given the acapella version. With no music to overshadow his voice or carry the song forward, we are left with just Jungkook’s powerful vocals. But that is far from a bad thing. Jungkook’s voice is absolutely stunning to listen to on its own.
Throughout “Still With You,” Jungkook’s voice remains steady and strong, utilizing harmonies and intricate note patterns to fill the space music would have. Even without the backing music, this song is more than complete—it’s a haunting song that leaves you a bit in awe of Jungkook’s talent.
14. “For Youth” – Original Release: June 10, 2022
The final song on PROOF CD 3 is the third and final new song from BTS in the entire PROOF album. Much like the title track “Yet to Come,” this song is quite the tearjerker.
The track starts with the chants from ARMY singing “Young Forever” to/with BTS, a song that we already mentioned earlier as meaning a lot to both. In “For Youth” the group sings of staying with someone forever—and with the inclusion of ARMY at the beginning of the song, we can only assume BTS mean them.
The lyrics of “For Youth” speak of this person—ARMY—being there for BTS throughout the hard times and sticking with them even in the great times. It also talks about how much they appreciate that they (ARMY) were with them (BTS) throughout everything. Similar to “Run BTS,” the group references past moments and their years in Nonhyun. It makes the song that much more touching to hear.
PROOF CD 3: An Emotional Rollercoaster of Behind-the-Scenes Moments
Out of all of the CDs on BTS’ PROOF album, I would argue that CD 3 is the most raw. Mostly because a demo track is by far one of the roughest forms of a song—they’re like the first draft of a story, full of grammar mistakes and choppy sentences (and even horrible plot holes). Because BTS showed these rough versions of themselves in PROOF CD 3, they allowed ARMY to get closer to them. It made the whole album that much more emotional and touching.
If you want to check out any more blogs we’ve written about BTS, feel free to look through our K-Pop Category. We released content all week leading up to their ninth anniversary, so there is more than enough to read through. Also, be sure to check out the blogs we released for BTS Week last year!
Happy 9th Anniversary, BTS. It’s been a long ride, but we’re not done yet. ARMY will stick by your side for, as you say in “For Youth,” the rest of our lives.
PROOF CD 2 is quite the contrast from PROOF CD 1. Not only do these songs vary in sound, but they vary in era, too. These songs aren’t chosen just because of their title track status. Instead, the songs on PROOF CD 2 were specifically chosen by the members of BTS.
Each member chose a total of two songs to include on this CD, picking them for their own personal reasons—whether it’s a song that brings them comfort or it’s one that holds a special memory for them. Take a look through this specially curated list of songs on PROOF CD 2.
PROOF CD 2: Track Breakdown
In the weeks leading up to BTS’ comeback, the group released the usual teaser photos and videos. For PROOF, the members also released individual videos called Proof of Inspiration. In each video, the members discussed which songs they chose for the album and why they chose them. It let ARMY get a closer look into the reasoning behind the album and PROOF CD 2 tracklist’s construction.
1. “달려라 방탄 (Run BTS)” – Original Release: June 10, 2022
Despite PROOF CD 2 having a tracklist of songs chosen by the members, the first song is actually one of the three new ones in the entire album!
“Run BTS” is a track full of hype and power. This song has a unique backing track to it and the members growl their way through most of the song with a specific lilt to their voices (I would say that it’s almost a teasing tone, but I don’t think that’s necessarily right).
Throughout the song, the group mentions Nonhyun. In their pre-debut years and the very beginning of their career, the group stayed in a very small dorm in Nonhyun. By referencing it in the song, they’re referencing the group’s roots and showing just how much they’ve grown.
In RM’s verse, there is a lyric that translates to “above the running guy is the flying guy” (translation source). In a sense, this means that there will always be someone better no matter where you are in life. BTS use this lyric as a pushing point for themselves—it shows that BTS continue to work hard even if it seems like they’re already at the top. Check out this fan’s translation where they break down the complex lyrics and the various meanings behind them.
2. “Intro: Persona” – Original Release: March 28, 2019
The first member-chosen song on PROOF CD 2 is from RM. “Intro: Persona” is RM’s comeback song for their sixth mini-album Map of the Soul: Persona (shortened as MOTS:P).
In his Proof of Inspiration video, RM talks about why he chose “Intro: Persona” in particular. He says, “’Intro: Persona’ starts with ‘Who am I!’ so I’ve been thinking about that a lot while we ran full speed ahead since our debut, and even now.”
On many occasions—whether on their fan communication app (Weverse), on V-Live, or during their filmed content—RM has mentioned his battle with learning who RM is versus Kim Namjoon. He’s debated about which one is the “real him” in terms of being an idol, a rapper, someone in the spotlight, or someone who enjoys hiking mountains, reading books, and riding his bike.
He concludes, in the Proof of Inspiration video, that they are all still him. He says, “But in the end, I found that all these personas that I’ve been shifting between are all me.”
3. “Stay” – Original Release: November 20, 2020
The next song on PROOF CD 2 is also RM’s pick. “Stay” is from the group’s seventh mini-album BE. This song is a unit song with members RM, Jin, and Jungkook.
As Jungkook mentioned in his 2020 interview with Weverse Magazine, “Stay” was originally supposed to be on the youngest’s personal mixtape. However, the other members of BTS liked the song so much that they added it to the album.
Of course, the lyrics were changed to include a different meaning. Jungkook, in the interview, mentions that the song originally meant something along the lines of being together always, no matter how far apart. This theme carried to the rewrite.
In his Proof of Inspiration, RM says he chose this song to represent the fact that ARMY and BTS “stay” with him no matter his persona. In other words, RM chose this song because the members and their fans are always with him no matter the person he is—whether that’s as RM or as Kim Namjoon.
4. “Moon” – Original Release: February 21, 2020
The third track on PROOF CD 2 is member Jin’s choice and his solo track from their Map of the Soul: 7 (shortened as MOTS:7), “Moon.”
“Moon” is a song Jin wrote specifically for ARMY. He wanted to show his love for ARMY through “Moon,” taking the concept of him being the earth and ARMY being the moon. In their 2020 interview with Spotify, Jin talked about this. He mentions that he wanted to represent the fact that he is always looking at/toward ARMY—as the moon is always looking at the earth.
In Jin’s Proof of Inspiration, he talks about this concept further. He says, “Now, I think we’re at a point where I am ARMY and ARMY are me—we’ve assimilated into one. The path I’ve taken so far wouldn’t have been possible without ARMY.”
In their online concert Map of the Soul ON:E, Jin performs “Moon.” At the end of the performance, an Earth (attached by a string) comes down from the ceiling and he either hugs it or kisses it depending on the day of the concert you watch. This symbolizes his love for ARMY.
“Moon” is the perfect addition to PROOF CD 2 as it reminds fans how much the members, and Jin specifically, cares for them. It’s a song that can bring comfort in both the lyrics and the reason behind its creation.
5. “Jamais Vu” – Original Release: March 28, 2019
Jin’s second song for PROOF CD 2 is “Jamais Vu” from MOTS:P. Like “Stay,” “Jamais Vu” is a unit song—members Jin, j-hope, and Jungkook.
“Jamais Vu” is a soft pop song with impactful lyrics, a heavy meaning, and a whole lot of stunning vocals. The lyrics of the song translate to a heartbreaking story of jamais vu—a French word that means something like the feeling of seeing something for the first time even if you’ve seen it before (and not in the romantic sense, almost in a memory loss sense). Though the most common definition of it is the feeling of seeing something for the first time.
If you read through the translated lyrics of “Jamais Vu,” you’ll notice that they’re a bit sad (not just a bit, they are definitely heavy). BTS took to the first definition of jamais vu. The lyrics also speak of reaching out to someone for comfort—of finding comfort in another person in the face of jamais vu.
In Jin’s Proof of Inspiration video, he mentions that he wanted to include “Jamais Vu” in the album specifically for the lyrical meaning. He says, “Just like in the lyrics in ‘Jamais Vu,’ whenever things get tough and I get exhausted, I will think of our members and ARMY who have been my refuge and comfort and make more good music.”
In their BANG BANG CON: The Live concert, this trio performed “Jamais Vu” in a way that expresses the definition of jamais vu. Going in circles, the trio slowly walks up and down a set of stairs as they sing the soft song.
6. “Trivia 轉: Seesaw” – Original Release: August 24, 2018
The next two songs on PROOF CD 2 were chosen by SUGA. This first one, “Trivia: Seesaw,” is SUGA’s solo song on BTS’ album Love Yourself: Answer.
The lyrics depict a relationship that has turned into a seesaw—back and forth with emotions, there’s nothing left in the relationship except arguments and tiredness.
In his Proof of Inspiration, SUGA says he chose two songs in completely contrasting styles. He wanted his chosen songs to show his expansive musical spectrum and represent who he and BTS are as people—both being more than just one way.
ARMY particularly enjoys this song from SUGA. Typically, SUGA isn’t known for dancing—he has powerful raps, a unique vocal tone, and more than enough stage presence. He’s not bad at dancing by any means, but many fans weren’t expecting him to have a dance routine for any of his solo work. For “Trivia: Seesaw,” SUGA comes in with a smooth dance routine that left ARMY speechless.
SUGA says in his Proof of Inspiration that the contrasting sounds of his music are what make him who he is as an artist. If you’ve ever seen the songs SUGA has produced—even the ones he produced for other people—then you’ll know how widespread his skills are. His range of music is very well represented by the two songs he chose for PROOF CD 2.
7. “BTS Cypher pt. 3: Killer” – Original Release: August 20, 2014
From BTS’ first full-length album, Dark & Wild, the rap-line song “BTS Cypher Pt. 3: Killer” is a fan favorite. As a rap unit song, the three rappers—RM, SUGA, and j-hope—give a powerful performance.
In BTS’ discography, there are a total of four Cyphers from the rap-line. These songs are powerful, full of heavy rapping, and close to what you expect a diss track to be. Typically, the Cypher songs contain clap backs, slight insults, and talk up their own skills (deservedly, of course).
For their Cypher songs, the rap line typically gets special stages at their concerts and tailored outfits. Each of their cypher performances hit hard and shows how much power BTS’ rap-line really has.
Since both RM and SUGA were part of the underground rap scene before joining BigHit Entertainment in 2010 (now known as HYBE and BigHit Music), the Cyphers most likely give them a chance to step back into the roots more. And j-hope, too, since he joined the company when BTS was still supposed to be a hip-hop crew.
8. “Outro: Ego” – Original Release: February 2, 2020
The next song on the PROOF CD 2 tracklist is j-hope’s solo song from BTS’ album MOTS:7. This song was released as the second comeback trailer for the album.
“Outro: Ego” is the exact song you think j-hope would have. It’s got a strong beat, boppy backing tracks, and a rap that no one but j-hope can pull off.
In his Proof of Inspiration, j-hope mentions that he chose “Outro: Ego” for a similar reason as RM. He says, “…there are times when I have to wear a mask to hide the sides of myself that I don’t particularly want to show other people. And I sometimes hid because I didn’t want to show that side of myself either. But they are all me.”
The beginning part of “Outro: Ego” is actually a sample from one of BTS’ earlier tracks. In 2013, the group released “Intro: 2 Cool 4 Skool” with the same intro. Much like “Boy With Luv” was a newer rendition of the group’s older song “Boy In Luv,” “Outro: Ego” goes in a new direction with the sample and creates a whole different song.
The lyrics of “Outro: Ego” tell a tale of j-hope finding himself—both as BTS member j-hope and regular Jung Hoseok—and accepting himself for all parts that he is. The songs on PROOF CD 2 really do show how the members of BTS have taken to discovering and accepting themselves as both their stage persona and their non-famous side.
9. “Outro: Her” – Original Release: September 18, 2017
j-hope’s second song for PROOF CD 2 is the rap line’s song “Outro: Her.”
This song was originally released on the group’s fifth mini-album Love Yourself: Her. Though it’s a rap line song, it’s noticeably softer than the others.
The main theme of “Outro: Her” is a love song. However, as j-hope mentions in his Proof of Inspiration, many ARMY have interpreted it in many different ways. Many have said that it’s a complex battle of someone wanting to reshape themselves to fit the mold for someone else—like changing yourself into the ideal person the other would love.
Taking both interpretations of the song into consideration, it actually fits quite well with “Outro: Ego.” Where “Ego” is a song about accepting yourself despite the things around you, “Her” is a song about wanting to change yourself. Being opposites, they fit pretty well together in comparison.
In his Proof of Inspiration, j-hope sums the two songs up like this, “I came to accept all of my sides as parts of my identity, my ego, because the member and ARMY accept all of me. Who I am, just as I am, my ego is my proof.”
10. “Filter” – Original Release: February 21, 2020
Kicking off Jimin’s choices on PROOF CD 2 is his solo song “Filter.” Similar to the past songs, “Filter” is a song that talks about the different sides of Jimin and how he deals with accepting and showing them.
“Filter” is a song that discusses the idea of being many different filters for someone else. While the initial impression of the lyrics seems too similar to wanting to change yourself or be something specific for someone else, Jimin explains it differently in his Proof of Inspiration.
In his Proof of Inspiration, he explains it as, “I wanted to live up to ARMY’s expectations and show them many different sides of myself. And I still have many different colors left to share.” So, with this explanation, “Filter” seems to be a song that Jimin uses to explain how much he wants to show ARMY.
In BTS’ Map of the Soul ON:E concert, Jimin performs “Filter” with a unique stage. Throughout, he’s changing elements of his outfit. Around the middle, he even changes the complete outfit (of course, this is most likely a play on video editing, but it still looks really cool!). His stage with this song only drives home that idea of having more than one filter or color.
11. “친구 (Friends)” – Original Release: February 21, 2020
Jimin’s second choice for PROOF CD 2 is “Friends,” a song that he did with V.
Like “Filter,” this song was also on their full-length album MOTS: 7. It was a special song that incorporates a lot of moments between Jimin and V.
As a fun and upbeat song, “Friends” tells ARMY just how close V and Jimin are. The lyrics reference inside jokes between them and fun memories—including Jimin’s small pinky or their memories together in high school wearing their uniforms, going to the movies, and the dumpling incident.
In his Proof of Inspiration, Jimin explains that “Friends” is, for him, a reminder of those who help remind him of who he is. He says, “I might have come across as being colorless instead of colorful if I’d have accommodated myself to other people’s ideas without having a distinct hue of my own. But my ‘Friends’ – the members and ARMY – were always there to help me remind myself of what my essence is and keep myself centered.”
With the inclusion of “Friends” on PROOF CD 2, it shows the playful side of BTS and the friendship of V and Jimin. On multiple occasions, as in the lyrics of “Friends,” Jimin and V have talked about their pre-debut argument over dumplings. It’s honestly quite funny and shows just how close Jimin and V are. If you want to learn more about the dumpling incident, check out this video that Jimin and V did talking about the song here.
12. “Singularity” – Original Release: May 6, 2018
V’s first song selection on PROOF CD 2 is his solo song “Singularity.” This song was the comeback trailer for their Love Yourself: Tear album in the middle of 2018.
With a sultry tone, V takes on a new challenge with this song. Though V has amazing dance skills alongside the rest of BTS, many ARMY dub it as the song that proves he’s undoubtedly part of the dance-line.
The theme of BTS debating about who they really are between their stage presence outside of the group continues with V and his choice of “Singularity.” In his Proof of Inspiration, he says, “I tended to think of Kim Taehyung and artist V as being separate, and thought that I had to choose one or the other, as visually portrayed in the ‘Singularity’ music video.”
In the music video, V begins the dance almost battling with himself. At points in the video and the dance, V is using a mask to cover his face. This could be the moment that he’s referring to as keeping V and Kim Taehyung separate.
The mask he wears while performing could represent his presence as V and the moment he removes it could be representing him as Kim Taehyung—of course, it could be the opposite, too. It’s interesting to see that this single theme stayed consistent with each of the members throughout PROOF CD 2.
13. “00:00 (Zero O’Clock)” – Original Release: February 21, 2020
V’s second pick for PROOF CD 2 was “00:00 (Zero O’Clock)” from their MOTS:7 album. This song is a vocal-line song—which is Jungkook, Jimin, Jin, and V.
This song is quite meaningful for BTS and fans alike, the message being of new beginnings and hope.
The lyrics of “00:00” talk about letting burdens go when the clock restarts at midnight (as 24-hour time says 00:00 when midnight strikes). The song aims to bring comfort to ARMY with a reminder that they will be happy—maybe not this second but soon, they just need to take a deep breath when the clock strikes midnight and reset.
In his Proof of Inspiration, V says that he was able to accept both sides of himself—as the V on stage who enjoys his time with ARMY and Kim Taehyung who prefers time with his friends and family—and reset like the lyrics in “00:00.”
For New Year’s Eve, many K-pop fans have the tradition of playing a certain song as the countdown to midnight begins. Many fans time the songs exactly to have a certain phrase ring out right as the clock strikes midnight. After this song was released, many ARMY took to playing it as midnight drew closer, timing it so “and you gonna be happy” played when the New Year started. Because of this and the deep meaning of the lyrics, ARMY have a deep connection with the song. Its inclusion in PROOF CD 2 will only remind ARMY of the comfort it brings.
14. “Euphoria” – Original Release: April 5, 2018
These last two songs of PROOF CD 2 were chosen specifically by the maknae of BTS, Jungkook. “Euphoria” is Jungkook’s solo song.
Uniquely, “Euphoria” has a bit of a funny backstory. This song was first released in April 2018 as a short film titled “Euphoria Theme of Love Yourself Wonder.”
From what I remember of its release, there wasn’t any lead-up to it or any warning, it was simply released one day. There seemed to be nothing attached to it at that moment. A few months later, after ARMY practically begging BigHit for a studio version of the song, it was announced that BTS would release their Love Yourself: Answer album. Thankfully, “Euphoria” was included on that tracklist. Though, there might still be some mystery as to why the video was released the way it was.
In his Proof of Inspiration, Jungkook doesn’t necessarily talk about why he chose these two songs in particular for PROOF CD 2. In fact, he just talks about how much he enjoys performing in front of ARMY and writing music for us. (Which… aww, that’s super sweet of you, Jungkook.)
He probably chose “Euphoria” for PROOF CD 2 because of the happiness stored in the lyrics. In the song, he’s constantly singing about finding his “euphoria” in someone and the happiness they bring—it’s pretty well-known that he’s singing about BTS and ARMY with this song. Perhaps he chose it to remind ARMY that they will always be his euphoria.
15. “보조개 (Dimple)” – Original Release: September 18, 2017
The second song Jungkook chose and the last song on PROOF CD 2 is “Dimple.” This vocal-line song flirts between the concept of adorable/cute and sexy.
The song was released on the group’s mini-album Love Yourself: Her.
While the lyrics and tune of the song are inherently cute, the dance for it sure is closer to the sexy side. With low-cut shirts and silky fabrics, the members in the vocal-line dance with lots of fluid movements and body rolls. (You can watch this performance they did at the 2020 Golden Disc Awards [GDA]).
This song wasn’t performed too much, unfortunately, but it was definitely a song ARMY enjoyed a lot.
Since fans enjoyed the performance of “Dimple,” there’s no doubt as to why Jungkook would make this his second song for the PROOF CD 2 tracklist. It shows a teasing and flirty side to BTS that none of the other songs had.
Did BTS choose any of your favorite songs for PROOF CD 2?
Out of the fifteen songs on PROOF CD 2, there’s not one that is considered the least favorite for fans. Each song brings a unique flavor to the CD and show just how versatile BTS’ music can get. From their sound in 2013 to their sound now, in 2022, the group has written songs that will always mean something to fans and themselves.
If you’d like to check out the other articles we’ve written about PROOF, feel free to check out our K-Pop Category! We’ve dived deep into the other CDs for PROOF and wrote a few other blogs about BTS that you might enjoy. Also, be sure to check out the blogs we wrote for BTS Week last year.
