BTS THE RISE OF BANGTAN | Chapter 1: We Are Bulletproof | REACTION 

Seo Taiji started the movement. He is considered tbe "President of culture". And on his 25th aniversary Time Traveller Concert he choses BTS as special guests. That's why people say he is passing the torch to BTS.

Please continue this series every friday til the end! (There's 20 episodes) We would appreciate it. You will really learn a lot about bangtan.

You're 100% right about how idols are made. At least, that is why BTS were quite different. Hitman Bang left his work with the Big 3 company with a disdain for how the Kpop industry was functioning. He left and created BigHit with the idea that he wanted to create a self producing group that focused on a strong message and substance behind their lyrics. You can read his speech about this if you Google it. It was for the large Seoul University. BTS were literally composed as a group for the variety and passion in all 7. They all brought in something unique. And remember, several members were mocked because they did NOT fit the idol image. So from the get go, BTS challenged the industry standard, and that scared the industry. Because if BTS could do it differently and succeed in a way the Big 3 traditionally didn't, then what use is the traditional way the Big 3 followed in making the industry a for profit production? Because of that, you can understand why the industry did just about everything they could to keep BTS from succeeding. Rise of Bangtan is an insane jewel of ARMY. We are so proud and grateful of those who put such work into making it. PLEASE DO THESE EVERY FRIDAY! 💜💜💜 Borahae!!

Aneesa has done an amazing job with this series. She is currently working on the last couple of chapters. There will be 23(?) chapters when she is done. She also has deleted scenes and bonus content for most of the chapters. She is a professional film editor and works in Los Angeles. She has received awards for her other work. As to your question about watching the other chapters, it really depends on you and how you want to proceed. You are still pretty knew to BTS, so on the one hand this is a good tutorial; on the other hand, this will tease you with songs and performances you have not seen. She does cover all the aspects of their journey, so it is always an emotional ride--we are either crying from sadness, pride, anger or joy. And just a sidebar here... When the members tell their age, you will need to subtract a year or two to get their International age. In KOrea, when you are born, you are 1 year old. On January 1st, you turn a year older. V was born December 30, 1995. Two days later, on January 1st, he was two. When JK says that the joined BigHit (and moved to Seoul) when he was 15, he was 13 in international age. Generally, I will subtract 2 years for JK (born Sept), RM b. Sept), Jimin (b. Oct), Jin (b. Dec.), and V, and subtract 1 year for Suga (b. March) and J-Hope (b. Feb).

the lady who used to cook for them said they weren't like the other kids, so even back then people noticed how nice/special the guys are

The lady that owns the restaurant (at 11:53) is still running the same restaurant and she is the sweetest ever. She does birthday events/ decorations for the boys and always wishing them the best. She’s probably the first army?? 😄 she’s absolutely just the sweetest

Seo Taiji and Boys were only active between 1992-1996, but had a major impact. The first two big boy groups that come to mind are H.O.T. who debuted in 1996 and the Sechs Kies who debuted in 1997. The fandom for H.O.T. and Sech Kies were the beginning of the massive fandoms we see today, although reportedly they did some nutty things. The Kdrama called Reply 1997 shows what it was like in the beginning.

Finally🥳,The Rise Of Bangtan let's gooo💃💃💃🕺. And by the way, for every chapter, there are deleted scenes + bonus content. You should check them out too as they are more lighthearted and less serious than the chapter and also showcase their personalities and goofiness.

That's how Jin was picked. A BigHit executive just plucked him out of the bus. However, Bang PD wanted a different group that are allowed to be who they are and giving the boys creative freedom under one stipulation: the songs they write have to be about themselves and their life experiences of their youth. Bang PD was ahead of his time and vision...the boys were fated to be for this journey and lives of those that follow them are changed forever. So very proud ARMY member 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜! Borahe!

It does break your heart, doesn't it? But it shows why they are different. They have been transparent since the beginning. ARMY has walked their journey with them and that's why we are unshakeable and unbreakable- Bulletproof 💜💜

Yeah, this series can be very emotionally heavy, and I’ve admittedly cried a lot during some episodes. BUT! There’s also the Bonus and Deleted scenes that include hilarious content. If you want to cheer up after watching the episodes, I recommend those! 💜

Forgot to mention: there are currently 22 episodes (not including bonus and deleted scenes eps). Aneeza plans on two more eps and then ending the series. She's taken a bit of a break due to burnout and Federal jury duty but I believe she is working on the edits. But you have a long way to go before you catch up. It's a ride!! 🙂

Can I tell you how much you bright my days with this reactions? :) Seriously keep it up you reacting to BTS contend puts as smile on my face as much as BTS puts a smile in yours ^^

I had mentioned that there is a dark side of Kpop, they skimmed the top with some things in this episode. There's so much pressure on these kids not only from the Entertainment company but also from toxic fans who give negative opinions. So much to the point that a few Idols chose to end their pain by leaving this earth way to young. As you mentioned, if you want to see their journey to fame, you have to see the bad and worse as well as the great and happy. You will learn alot about, not only BTS, but Kpop in general through this series.

GET YOUR SNACKS! Have an awesome weekend!!

Would love to see you follow along their journey through this series. If it’s not much to ask, maybe you’d like to consider doing a reaction to a chapter (along with the bonus and deleted scenes) each Friday. It’s an amazing way to truly understand why ARMY is as massive as it is. A lot of us were introduced to them through their music, but what made us ARMY is getting to know these guys and learning about their history and how much their highs and lows mirror our own. It features a lot of their discography as well, so more music reactions to look forward to. As always, this was a treat and watching your journey always makes my day.😊 Thank you!

Can't believe I was already by their side at this time... It's been a very long journey but when I look at all these videos it feels like it was just yesterday !! I love them more then love and I'm so so proud of them !! I really love all your videos and I'm so glad you're watching these videos to dive a little bit deeper 😇 Have a great week end 💜

The best this for me about this particular docuseries is that the amazing creator is allowing the members to tell their story in their own words and doesn't create a narrative for them. The series is going to hurt your heart in some of the episodes but it also showcases that they didn't rise to fame out of no where but struggled from day one to become the global superstar group that we know today. THIS is the kind of information I wish we would see in mainstream media rather than lowkey labeling BTS as a fad that won't have any long lasting effects on the music industry. It also speaks volumes about how much ARMY love and adore our boys to the point where we get these outstanding fan made videos to give proper context about the group, their music and the hardships along the way.

Don’t apologise. There are people out there who don’t realise how hard it was for them 💜💜

This ended up becoming a tradition, they always celebrate their birthday in lives with us hahaha I find their story inspiring, to see how hard they worked and are still working, makes all their success even more beautiful, not to mention that sometimes we forget that they came from different parts of korea, meaning they lived far from their families, jungkook for example was only 13 years old when he became a trainee, he must have missed his family a lot, that's why he always says that the members raised him! Please react to all episodes of the series in your own time, for me it would be a new episode every day so don't ask for my opinion! hahahahaha Also, there’s the Bonus and Deleted scenes that include hilarious content. If you want to cheer up after watching the episodes!

I’ve been crying through this also Luke. I’ve seen this 4 times and I cry every time. Don’t feel shy or embarrassed. We are only humans my friend. 🥰💜

One thing to remember is that the members almost always use Korean age when they talk about how old they are. When Jungkook said he was 16, he was actually only 15 in international age (and still 15 when they debuted in June 2013). The pressure on all of them was huge, but even more so for a literal child as the main singer and centre of a group with essentially one shot at success and a lot stacked against them. Others have mentioned the ‘dark side’ of K-pop and there are real and very serious issues. In a sense the members of BTS were lucky in the agency that they signed to. Big Hit isn’t perfect but I think Bang Si-Hyuk is a pretty genuine guy and maybe the lack of cash helped. They had to work hard to make it but they could do so more on their own terms than is usual in the industry… they could truly own their success.

I think Seo Taiji is the father of k-pop. It’s good to see their story from the beginning. It helps you to understand why ARMY is so protective of them. Please keep watching this series. It’s very good and you’ll learn so much. I haven’t watched it all and look forward to watching it with you. Please. 🙏🏻

Shamefully, I have never actually got around to watching Rise of Bangtan so I'm really looking forward to watching along with you each week. I'm fully with you that, although I knew BTS had had a rough time, it's completely different actually seeing and hearing it in their own words. Their dedication never fails to astound me. Becoming a fan was one of the best decisions I ever made 💜

I know this is heavy, but it just means that when you listen to songs from that era you'll feel it in your heart that much more. I'm so glad you're doing this series! 💜

I hope you continue this series. 🙏 BTS are people and getting to know their story is honestly essential to understand their music. It'll give you a better appreciation and understanding of the context when each song and album was released, what the guys were struggling through, why they wrote songs like they did. I see you asking how you can give back and honestly there's no need for you to do so but if anything, just take the time to see how these guys have lived so far in order to shine so bright that they could even drag us out of our darkness. The industry they grew up in has many limitations, and I'm proud of them for breaking apart and out of it. This series will help you understand that before BTS even broke barriers and stereotypes in the international scene, they had so many walls surrounding them just in SK. Their journey in itself is so inspiring and Aneesa (Rise of Bangtan) compiled it in such an easy to consume format. I dunno if you decide not to post it, it's fine but please continue on the series even for your own consumption. It's worth it. 🙏

3:15 I recommend you react to "Kpop History in 20mins | From SeoTaiji to BTS" (by DKDKTV). It's a great introduction to kpop, talking about how it all started from the 1st gen, you'll love it.

OMG YES FINALLY! Rise of Bangtan! Such a fantastic docu-series!

woohoo! I'm grabbing my popcorn! 🎉🎉❤ * 40 mins later * I love this series because it's real. It tells it like it is. And knowing the lows makes you appreciate the highs even more. This series rolled into my heart, and rewatching it with you is amazing! Looking forward to part 2! 💜💜💜

Happy Friday! Love Rise of Bangtan, only on episode 4, but my family is watching with me (secretly trying to convert them to Army!) 😂 Have a great weekend!

Omgeeeee you started this documentary that I love 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰 make sure to react to the deleted scenes and bonus contents too

Today is my Monday so I’m starting my week on the bright side.

Rise of Bangtan is such a great series, you are in for a hell of a ride. The sad thing about all the stress fear and hard work young trainees go through is the ones who don’t quite make it to debut, or who never get any traction and get disbanded quickly. BTS were one of the lucky groups that got to stay together, and in their case especially, become successful. But the road to debut is pretty tough for most idol groups.

I love how sincere and emotional you are during your rections, it always feels very genuine and I relate to it so much

I love that this series shows were BTS came from and how hard they worked and that they never gave up. It also shows how genuine they are because you can see how their sincerity hasn’t changes since before their debut. With all their success they have pride in their work but not massive celebrity egos we are all to familiar with. I think theses factors are a part of why they have such a loyal ARMY 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜 I hope you continue the series

I cry every time I watch this because it makes me realize, again, what they were up against and how far they came.

I think the episodes of The Rise of Bangtan are a good watch for you to get to know BTS’s journey from the very beginning 🥰

Heya! This was a great reaction and I think you should also react to the deleted scenes and bonus content (bonus content starts from episode 3). They both add a lot to the story as well. I definitely think you continue reacting to the Rise of Bangtan, however i also think you should start reacting to their older songs, especially the ones that show up in the earlier episodes. So their debut songs No more dream and We are bulletproof pt 2 and N.O from their second album. These songs will be in the first 3 episodes. It may be a good idea to react to their main songs from each album that will show up in the episodes as you watch it, so you don’t get spoiled and you know what the songs are about before hand. 💜💜💜

OMG I never expected you to post this early!! Thank you Luke, so much appreciated for granting our wish so immediately. You'll love this episode for sure, the more you watch this, the more you will love and appreciate the members more I'm telling you. You'll learn a lot from these guys too esp RM, he has a lot of words of wisdom in such a young age. And also to other members who have alr a mature side. So prepare some tissues to future episodes, you'll get teared up! Oh btw, this series have a lot of bts song spoilers. Also, the age they are saying here is not really their age internationally. They are actually 1 year younger. Korean age works in different way. (Example: Jungkook - 16 korean age. 15 international/global age) Fyi, this docu series was made by Aneesa. She's with bts since the beginning and decided to do this series to share around the world about bts, why she love them. She's a professional editor but she also have a different career (as far as I rmbr) so her schedule is quite hectic (she explained it in her community post months ago) that's why it kinda took her a long time to post videos. This series is still on-going but we are willing to wait as we love her work and we really appreciate her effort in doing this. Pls watch the bonus and deleted contents too (on or off cam, depends on you)💜

I'm glad you did this docu,I hope you can do all the series..it's worth the tears and happiness and pride💜

Yay! BTS Friday!

Yeah let's watch the whole rise of Bangtan together 💜

I really enjoy when a reactor reacts to this series. I have yet to finish the series myself, but from what I’ve seen so far it is an absolute masterpiece that showcases BTS’s raise to fame. I HIGHLY suggest you do these every Friday. It’s a great series for learning more about BTS and their journey. But fare warning bring some tissues bc it’s gonna get emotional. I remember one time watching one of the chapters at work during my lunch break and I had to hold back tears bc the chapter was so emotional. So prepare for that lol Any who much love to you and ARMY! I purple you all! 💜🫰🏾💕

Yes, absolutely keep watching this series. Include the “bonus content” and “deleted scenes” that go along with each episode (ch 1 & 2 only have deleted scenes). Those videos will make your reaction a little longer but they often contain some of the funniest, silliest nuggets that can brighten your heart after whatever heaviness was in the chapter itself. They aren’t all as hard as this one. The early ones are particularly tough but, like you said, it’s the truth. I’m sure other people have already mentioned it but when they talk about their ages, they are giving their Korean age which is calculated different than international age which the rest of the world uses and inflates their age by 1-2 years. (It’s complicated) If you thought they were young….they were even younger. Their ages when they joined Big Bit as trainees: RM 16, Jin 18, Suga 17, J-Hope 16, Jimin 16, V 15, Jungkook 13. (The length of their trainee periods varied) Their ages at debut (June 2013): RM 18, Jin 20, Suga 20, J-Hope 19, Jimin 17, V 17, Jungkook 15

So excited for you to start this series. Aneesa has done/is doing such an amazing job. Please note that there are deleted scenes and bonus content episodes as well that are wonderful too. Have a fantastic weekend, Luke! 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

Yes keep going with these!! You have to watch them with the deleted scenes and extra content videos though- they’re a lighthearted palate cleanser after the emotional oomph of the documentary full episodes.

YAY! The weekend starts NOW! A little after 1:30 pm....works for me!!!

💜💜💜💜 Aneesa has also said that she watches a lot of reactions to her videos, so maybe your message and appreciation of her will reach her. I adore this series, whether youre a new or long time army, there is something in these that someone hasnt seen yet. It's amazing the lengths she went through to not only find/arrange/edit all this footage, but do it in a way that Bangtan is telling their OWN story through it.

These are your words: " BTS puts out this positive love into the world. The love they have for each other. This love they have for their fans. This love they have for this planet and the people on it. BTS literally represent all the positivity in the world . They radiate this happy positive energy and for that I am so grateful they're in my life. With them in it there is hope for the future." 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💕💜💜💜💕💜💜💜

WOOOO!!!! i'm so excited i'm commenting before even starting the video hahaha 💜

I've been wanting to see The Rise of Bangtan but, I just can't. 8 years being part of the BTS' ARMY but I still got a lot more things I didn't know about them. Glad I watched it with you! Chapter 2 for the next please!

This series is amazing indeed ! It’s unbelievable that a fan made that. I love it because she found a lot of details and videos about BTS that I never saw before. Thanks to her ! Also love your reactions 💜💜

BTS offers a full emotional package, don't they? The appreciation for their current success is that much deeper when you get an understanding of their early years. Really appreciate your honesty in your reactions - no matter what emotions are evoked!!

These 7 young men are absolutely great humans. They express themselves through their music and it resonates with many people of all ages across all borders. This is their world since 2013 and we are lucky enough to be part of it. Since the passing of my wife their music has created a bond between my 15 year old daughter and myself because we have a common like in BTS. Nothing is harder that forming a solid bond with a teen but our bond is “BULLET PROOF” because of BTS and I thank them for that! 💜

Would love to see you continue the Rise of Bangtan weekly and maybe something of BTS’s on another day! The magic of BTS is they always make you feel something…💜💜💜

It's how they became so close, living 24/7 with each other and depending on each other..it made them what they are today.. On top of world BTS 💜💜💜

So glad, that you watch this series. Its amazing and believe me, its getting better and better with every episode. Love your reactions Borahae 💜💜💜

Their story is a really emotional one so be ready. I hope you continue watching the series because it's a good one that really tell their stories unlike other compilations that just gloss over everything that happened. It's also the closest in chronological order so that helps a lot in understanding where they came from and how they got to where they are currently.

oh hey, you finally started with The Rise of Bangtan series....it's a long journey but so worth it! Enjoy!

So happy you are watching this series. It's a really great addictive show, really well made. Thank you for sharing 💜

Watching these videos are hard and yet inspiring as well. It gives me the strength I need to keep going because of all they have done. Thank you BTS! 💜💜💜 Another great reaction as always. ☺️

Ohhh! You’re gonna Love this docu-serie!!!! You’ll go from anger, to excítement, and from joy to tears. Enjoy this journey of knowing their growth, and how they became mature! Aneessa ( i think its the name of the army who made this) did a Great Job! She is making because, she’s updating the serie. 💜💜💜

Please, please, please do the full series, I just finished watching the series myself and it is so worth it. It has given me a new appreciation for BTS and has made me want to be a fan of theirs even more than I already am 💜

I'm soooo happy you are doing so much BTS I love your reactions aaw

J-Hope showing his birthday cake makes me think of this: "Berry, Berry, Strawberry" - if you know, you know ;) (And if not here's the 10 seconds video with the cutest quote of Jhope ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-UDPKpGO64bE.html&ab_channel=felixpout )

YES!!! FINALLY!! 💜💜💜 I'M HERE FOR THIS!

Today is my birthday and I don’t even have a cake lol. Rise of Bangtan does an amazing job in their videos. BTS is THE BEST!!!

Being an army since 2014, I absolutely love this docu-series. It does an amazing job of telling the story of their very beginning and their journey through it all

Its already hard to get a contract to be a singer but being a real singer still doesn’t guarantee success either in all parts of the world not just korea. South korea is just a lot harder due to so much training involves and so much competitions out there. We only see the glamour when they become famous but behind the scenes it must be very hard for all singers / actress in any countries. I bet actor/ actresses goes through many acting auditions to land a role , even a small role not even the main character and takes them hundreds of auditions to land even 1 one role. Thats why they say 1 out of 1 million success rate of being a celebrity. The hollywood dream for america and the idol dream of korea. Hundreds of thousands - 1 millions trys it but so few becomes successful.

Your reaction is far from boring. It is exactly as it should be. These little vlogs are how I discovered BTS. That raw openness and vulnerability is what drew me to them and their stories are why I am fiercely protective of them as many ARMY are. When you realise just how hard it was for them, how worried and stressed they were, you can’t help but want to protect them. This whole series is an eye opener for new ARMY and I think helps many really understand their journey.

The seo taiji Boyz during the 90s. One of the member is YG. The owner / founder of yg entertainment in today era that manage blackpink” etcc. One of the biggest entertainment agency of south korea.

Dude, if you're already emotional, you need a whole ass Tissue Box Sponsor for the next Episodes.

I totally felt the same way when I first watched this documentary. It’s so well done and it really does show you the ups and downs that BTS went through. Makes you appreciate them so much more, and they really do deserve the world! Thanks for the honest reaction 😊

They were humble from the very beginning thinking about their fans before they even had many....that's where their hearts still are...planted deep. This documentary series will give you great insight to them from the very start....all the good and bad....that has made them BTS! If anyone watches this you can't not feel differently toward them and their success they still struggle to get from the mainstream....they don't need anyone's approval) but their own....they are comfortable and feel worthy and they should....not many other groups can say the same thing. BTS 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜OT7 Forever

This series is so amazing at showing not just BTS's journey but also helping viewers understand the k-pop world and putting all of BTS's experiences in context of Korean society and culture. Every trainee in k-pop sacrifices so much, it really is heartbreaking. And while BTS's journey is better in many ways thanks to Big Hit giving them more freedom, they also severely struggled financially because Big Hit was poor, which isn't the case for groups from Big 3 labels. Whenever I see them bundled up cold indoors or not having much to eat, it really hurts. 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

This is my first time watching rise of bangtan excited for the next episode because V is gonna be introduced in that🥰

6:11 Kind of, most people who audition and pass said auditions already have a baseline of sorts regarding talent or skills or visuals. Scouts often go by looks when they do street casting, which is how Jin got noticed (and V to some extent, he was not at the audition to actually apply but was convinced by the staff to do so due to his looks). But people apply to and go to auditions that are held on a yearly (or more) basis. People who are street cast need to pass the audition as well, btw. Companies don't really sign people who are just nice to look at because that makes their training all the more difficult, the ones who pass the audition (often one or two in tens of thousands) are most of the time multi-talented and very good looking. So yeah, they are "made" to some extent, they have a basis which is then built upon during their training period (which can be as short as a few months -like Jimin- to put to 10 years -Jennie from BP, I think, trained for seven years-). In most companies, training periods are brutal and many can't make it. For BTS, their training period was most likely less painful (not easier, just much healthier) than other companies' groups and there's a huge reason for that. BigHit's trainee system is (or at least was) quite different to other companies' systems. Usually, in big companies like SM (EXO), JYP (Stray Kids), and YG (BlackPink), the company will pay all the investment costs for the trainees but this is a loan of sorts and idols can only make money after paying off their debts, which is training costs that the company advanced for them during the training period (classes, accommodation, schooling, etc). This puts trainees in debt, essentially and means they don’t earn money until they pay off the company (it works basically like the US university system w). With Big Hit Entertainment it was revealed that the average cost they have to spend annually for a trainee is 120 million won and this fee is fully covered by the company, trainees don’t need to pay this back, and they can start making money as soon as they debut. Not only that, when a group’s debut lineup is confirmed in BigHit, the selected trainees have to live together in the dorm for a period of time before their official debut. During this time, the company will pay for the trainees’ accommodations in full and sometimes even their education as well. And, contrary to other companies where each trainee has a rigid schedule, in HYBE (Previously BigHit) they are asked to self-monitor and evaluate each other for 3 to 6 months. Like it's said in the documentary, they get to decide what they want to spend their time on and which classes to join, they are not forced to attend but on the other side, they are expected to actually put in the work. The content of the assessment includes deciding who will be the most suitable leader, and the members want to improve which aspect of themselves and also deciding their own role in the group. In addition, Bang Shi Hyuk also confirmed that Big Hit’s training program costs more time and money than any other company. That’s because Big Hit not only teaches the trainees the necessary skills to become a singer but also prepares the trainees for their social life, taking care of their mental and physical health. The company even organizes a 1: 1 mentorship program for them. Bang PD affirmed: “We are not an official educational institution, but we are trying our best as a member of society.” Big Hit’s trainee development team added, “We also do the project ‘Listening to the music as part of our training program because some trainees can’t determine what kind of music they really love (not just the genre they have to sing).“ Big Hit also does not require their trainees to take acting classes like other big companies. Besides, while the majority of current entertainment companies have changed policies regarding exclusive contracts and more respect for artists’ decisions, Big Hit is said to have applied it right from the start. Big Hit had a lot less experience in managing idol groups when BTS debuted than many other companies. When RM joined Big Hit, they didn’t have a proper training system and Bang PD didn't really know what to do with it. They had producers, they had vocal coaches, and they had choreographers but they didn’t have a system or a way to decide who was the best fit for BTS. Even though now Big Hit has a training system it’s still not like the other companies. Like on Boss in the Mirror where ITZY even train to walk properly like a model and have good posture. Or when some big companies even train their trainee in acting, variety shows and other sorts of training. I'm quite surprised that BihHit's training doesn't include those classes in their system. Heeseung from ENHYPEN talked about this in a Vlive, he said that they only train for rap, vocal and dance and extra lessons like MIDI lesson for producing, which Yeonjun mentioned in a radio show and songwriting lesson that Heeseung said pdogg (BH’s in house producer) guided the trainees himself. So trainees work with actual producers and in-house workers to polish their skills (and even after their debut) if they wish to work on those skills, but they're completely optional and not a forced requirement. I actually think Bighit focuses more on training the idols on the performance and music production compared to Big 3 where they focus on entertainment and performance (variety, mc-ing etc.). So their training system might be advanced now too but in a different way. I do not agree with everything the company does (more so recently) but I have to admit they are the company with the best practices I've read about and as long as they treat their artists well and with dignity, I can't say much to be honest. BTS love their company and that's that! 12:04 That kind lady still has her eatery and it's full of BTS merch! She's always been one of their biggest supporters and now people go to see her because it's part of the "BTS Tour" in South Korea and everybody is enamoured by her support of the boys and her kindness! 19:47 I really do not like how there is this huge "The Dark Side of K-pop" trend going on. While I do agree that some of the practices that are perpetuated within the K-pop industry (such as the debts), I think that western folk often choose to demonise is as something unique to the Korean pop industry all the while forgetting that the west has some industries that work in a near identical manner. Ballet, sports (American football, swimming, gymnastics, amongst a few others), classical music, all these industries find kids (sometimes at an even younger age than most entertainment companies) and work them, train them and produce them for a profit in a near identical manner; and yet you never see people go to the lengths you see them go in pro of criticising K-pop, which seems incredibly xenophobic to me. In the end, all of these industries have many issues regarding how they treat the people they produce but they are not inherently bad and it's certainly not something unique to Kpop. BTS was incredibly lucky in that they found a company that does not go to the lengths some of the other companies did and still do. They didn’t need to be on strict diets or reach a weight quota, they weren’t forced to practice x amount of hours or have compulsory lessons (bang pd has spoken that he didn’t believe in that system and instead encouraged the trainees to train at their own pace and on their own, gave them artistic freedom regarding their music, it was up to them), they had many more liberties than other trainees had. Amongst other things, they are a clear example of how the industry can be a positive outlet and conduct for young talent. 20: 45 Oh, it's definitely on the heavier side. You need to realise, Luke, that for all their kindness, goofyness and success... BTS suffered a lot, A LOT, to get where they are. They were wronged in every single way possible and this documentary reflects that. It skims over a lot of their hardships, but they're certainly there. BTS' journey has always been emotional. So, don't worry about the crying haha we are right there with you.

Jin was an exception. He was invited to audition purely on looks and he started training to sing and dance when he became a trainee. Big Hit got lucky that Gin turned out to have a silver voice.

I am so excited to see you starting this amazing docuseries, Luke!! You think you cried and cheered watching their videos and funny moments? Stock up on tissues, my friend! The brilliant creator, Aneeza, knows what she is doing (she's an editor by trade). Now I just have to get through the next few hours of work so I can go home and watch this!

When you learn about how challenging their journey has been--collectively and individually--it just makes you love them harder. 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

Thank you for finally reacting to this series. Don’t worry how long the reactions are or how sad it can be we will be here watching with you. These 7 young men have gone through a lot to get to where they are today. While the beginning was hard I can’t be any more proud of them and to be in their Army. Borahae 💜

Every time I watch this series or others reacting to it... I tear up at least. Even just the short history of kpop that was given made me tear up .. the clips about trainees, especially the girl that was stretching and being forced to stretch further than she was capable of and screaming out... That cuts at my heart strings.

They were all so consistently exhausted back then…you just wanna hug them and feed them 😭💜 there are SO many Logs to watch and they’re mostly really short so I hope you get the time to go back and watch them cause they’re so precious

Fun fact is that before they debuted there were actually 9 boys living in that small apartment. You get trainees who drops out during their training period. So trainees who just comes and goes were put in the same room. BTS mentioned in an interview that it was initially stressful with no personal space and a few had to sleep on the floor.

Please continue watching this! I almost can't wait!

i would LOVE for this to be a weekly thing!!

Gratitude. From day one, they offered it with sincerity. ARMY responded in kind, and continue to do so. Thank you, sir. I am grateful for you.

The first 4 chapters are sooo emo for us ARMY especially those of us who were there for this live but so glad you are watching this now n can understand why we are so fierce in our love for them.

This series really does show you everything about the journey of BTS, it's the full story. Yes it's sad, but don't be, even the guys admit that those hard times made them who they are. I'd love to see you watch the rest of this series, it's exceptionally good.

Your genuine emotions are all we want to share! Every single one of these episodes is soooo worth the time to watch! Ups and downs...but so worth it! BTS deserves all the love they get and more! 💜💜💜💜💜💜

I agree with all the comments - this series gives you the biggest reasons why we ADORE & LOVE our humble kings!!! Please continue to watch all the episodes! Borahae!

RM is so dramatic “ I had to dance to survive” 🤣 there is another log where he says “I’m not Dance Monster, I’m Rap Monster!” BTS and ARMY still tease him with Dance Monster 😂🤣🕺🏻. He really is pretty good at dancing now 💜

K-pop really started long before it became this international phenomenon we see now. There have been countless groups that can now be considered the pioneers of K-pop, and you can see how, throughout the years, K-pop has evolved and changed, each debut, each comback, and each group building upon the previous. Because of this, it is really hard to say who "started K-pop". Groups like TVXQ were those who made dancing something to consider in K-pop, groups like Wonder Girls brought amazing vocals. But then people like Psy, and BTS are the ones who brought it to the international stage, and from there, groups started becoming worldwide. And now, we can see what fans call the fifth generation of K-pop, where rookie groups are making enormous debuts, and winning award shows with them. K-pop has evolved so much since it started, before the 2000s, and I believe it will keep on evolving, changing, and growing

Yasss Rise of Bangtan! 💜 I love this please continue to react this. I'm here for this journey.

I love these watch along sessions, I really hope you'll keep watching this series every Friday or so🥺 it's just such a wholesome story. It has its ups and downs, as all legendary stories do. But learning the behind of their success and story really makes you appreciate it even more. Sending you hugs❤️

I love this series. I support Aneesa and her team in putting this together. Itade me realized that everything about BTS quality. Fans, content, you and BTS. 💜💜💜💜💜

I'm so glad you finally reacted to The Rise of Bangtan. Thank you and I'm really looking forward to the next chapter.

"I just wanna give him a cuddle." 🤗🥺🥺

Seo Taiji definitely started the movement. It was huge when he invited BTS to join him for his 25th anniversary concert! You could see how much respect the boys had for him too in their rehearsal videos.

So happy you are doing watching this series! The chapters get better and better as you watch! Aneesa has been working on this labor of love for over 4 years! She shared she started this as her way to show her family and friends why she loved BTS so much. She is an OG Kpop fan and was a fan of BTS pre-debut. She tries hard to edit the content in a way to show how BTS/Big Hit was different than many groups and Korean entertainment companies and why the guys are so special! She also tells BTS's story using their own words from their Vlogs & content (and they have SO MUCH content to go through). She had never expected this series to get as big has it has and has been extremely stressed out about it! She has been on a mental health break from editing this series but has kept the viewer updated on her RU-vid community page, when she will post the final chapters. Good for her, she needed the break! She has shared this series is almost completed. Note: She does not monetize this series. She lets the music play out as it so the artists/company get their $$. It is truly a passion project!