What Makes BTS Black Swan AWESOME? Dr. Marc Reaction & Analysis 

As always, I love your reaction and analysis! There are many theories I have about "Black Swan", but there is one theory in particular which I think is what BTS is trying to show us through this song and its accompanying videos and performances. BTS's first "Black Swan" music video was the performance film by MN Dance Company, and at the beginning of that video, a quote from Martha Graham was written: "A dancer dies twice - once when they stop dancing, and this death is the more painful." From the beginning of their career, the BTS members have been known to show their vulnerability through their music. In "Black Swan", BTS talks about their fear of losing passion for what they've dedicated their lives to, and they relate this to the fear that every artist has about the day when they stop pursuing their own artistic potential. In BTS's new album of 20 songs, there is a journey they take us through and this journey seems to follow Carl Jung's formula for the route to individuation. The album *Map of the Soul: 7*, which appears to be a continuation of last year's *Map of the Soul: Persona* shows us the different archetypes which are thought to exist within each person. The lyrics show us that the BTS members are helping us understand (archetype 1) the Persona (or the mask we put on/ the alter-ego we make use of in society), (archetype 2) the Shadow (or our "dark" inner-selves which we try to suppress and which can ultimately consume us if we try to fight them for too long), (archetype 3) the Ego (which I believe is ultimately related to finding balance while avoiding letting the view we have of ourselves become too inflated), and ultimately, the Self (the "true" individual which exists within us, the part of ourselves which we can only reach when we learn to be at ease with who we truly are). I believe "Black Swan" is a song that serves as a turning point in the album because even though it has dark lyrics, these lyrics could be representative of the questions we need to ask ourselves before we can truly try to understand ourselves. Additionally, I think it's very telling that the "shadow" withdraws at the end of this music video. Lastly, since their new album is about the journey of individuation, I also think it's very telling that the album consists of songs that the members do as a group and solo songs from each member.

It was filmed in a theater because as the song references, an artist dies twice, first being when they lose their passion for their craft. You see the inner struggle expressed with artist and the shadow not in sync. They are expressing their inner dialogue about their inevitable death or maybe not of their passion for the craft. They don’t want to lose it but nothing last forever and they know it. It’s such an honest expression of an artist realizing their passion that carries them may have an expiration date and they are learning to cope with it

BTS always amazed me. Be it the music, the choreography, the lyrics, the messages, the story behind every artsy music videos. Basically everything 💜 They embodies art.

The live of this song on The Late Late Show was the best.

Hi, Marc! As I have already stated elsewhere after watching Blood, Sweat, and Tears, it's about Jungian psychology, Carl Jung's purported idea that the so-called "dark" side of human nature, the Shadow, is required to be recognised by a human as a normal part of human character, and integrated into their own personality in order for them to become adult, able to take responsibility for their own actions, to accurately deal with reality, to be creative. BTS has a long-standing theme of this idea in their music videos. Primarily because of Namjoon's[RM's] readings far and wide. One sees ideas drawn form Mishima's Confessions of a Mask, and Leguin's The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas, and Hesse's Demian appear as visual elements in these videos. For instance, Spring Day; Blood, Sweat, and Tears; Black Swan; and On. I hope that interpretation is useful and interesting, even though it's just my thoughts on the subject, since I've not yet read Jung's work myself (maybe someday). I have rUn away from Omelas after being trapped in that prison cell in the basement of its City Hall. That place was vile. edited to add: We shouldn't stay innocent forever, which would be a selfish abdication of responsibility.

This music video is sort of shooted in a typical Kpop fashion style... What was interesting to me, or the main idea I took from this video, is that it's showing you everything from the perspective of the performer rather than the audience. They are dancing in an old theater, the scene is in darkness except from the bight lights focusing on them... When you're for example an actor on stage, often you can't see the crowd clearly, because the lights are right avobe your head and directed at you.... A lot of shoots reminded me of that, how the theater looks when you are on stage. There's also shoots from the perspective of the performer practicing before the show, all the work behind a performance and even the exhaustion or release that comes afterwards. (Scenes like the dancer standing on an empty stage, collapsing after dancing, crowling on the floor, looking at his own reflection on the mirror, looking at his own shadow on the wall, etc.)

A bit of my interpretations? The fear of the swan? White swan symbolizing purest perfection and black swan being the unquenchable thirst for it. The artist fears no longer resonating with art anymore, fears their body no longer vibrates with it. Yet at the depth of their anxiety is the paradox: what lies at the end of their fear of losing music is music itself. Art is what the artist is, not just what the artist does. 'happiness' is made too sacred a word.... It's not pretty, per se... Or rather, we find the black swan collapsing from exhaustion on stage still exquisite. And yet, and yet, no matter how much they may fear the swan, they are the swan. In this video in particular, Jimin is highlighted as the embodiment of the Black Swan, face always in shadows, but with no shadow himself. Contrasted with Suga, RM and Jungkook who have clear shadows. Meaning they have hugely contrasting personas compared to their inner conflicts. Contrast with Jin whose persona looks his reflections in the eye; the inner self may be separate, but not all that different, and he seemed lost at this developement? V and JHope don't have shadows either, jhope tugging at suga like the new harbringer of chaos... A role that used to be V's for so many of their stories. I'm still deciding the roles each member takes in the rise and fall of the swan.

Dr. Marc, I've been a fan since your 1st reaction to BTS with another vocal coach but this is my 1st time commenting. I just wanted to tell you how much I always really enjoy your insight and commentary. Thank you so very much!

Thank you for your great analysis Dr. Reynolds! After each of your reaction, I watch again the video and find something which did not notice before your explanations! Greetings from GR👏👏👏👌👌👌

You have such an interesting and insightful point of view, I really enjoyed your observations 💜 thank you. If you have time could you please watch the videos for their song ON, the kinetic manifesto(mostly choreography) or the official music video which is so cinematic like a movie.

their MV's has subtitle so you can turn on the CC and thank you so much for your analysis, so professional and non bias. Thank you Dr. Marc for this amazing video :) Please watch how they sing live they are amazing

Love your reactions. So informative. Educational about psychology and how it work. Big hit/BTS are masters in marketing, psychology and relationship building. I went down the rabbit hole, a while ago but at the same time recognising the techniques being used that brought me there. Your videos emphasising that more. A good mv to react to is blood, sweat and tears by BTS.

I have been waiting for your reaction in particular, so thank you so much. Would love you to talk about "On" it is also part of this theory of what these men have had to go thru to get to this stage in their career and what they need to go on to do in the future. It is a true metaphor for their life's work and how hard they have worked to get to the pinnacle of the music and really to the stage of world influencers though they continue to work to be recognized in the world of music's highest honors (Grammies and others) because they continue to sing in their own language if not in its entirety but for the most part. They have learned English, Spanish, Japanese and other languages but do not feel comfortable doing an all English language album and for that they are being punished by the Grammy Foundation even though they have used them for their monstrous fan base to get people interested in the show again. Yet they move on they continue to fight for their music and I appreciate this young men for their growth in the face of many challenges and love the way you let everyone know that they work so hard to, thru their movements, their music, and even their expressions, what they can not thru their language because they simply won't sing in English and others don't want to turn on the ccs.

I love your reactions!!! 💜💜💜

Glad I clicked on your video, you have some great insights. Part of my theory on the video, the first half goes back-and-forth between the white and black and US seeing their shadows. Second half, when J-hope starts about going deeper, their outfits are only black after that. They are also turning and acknowledging their shadows. The video ends with them being backlit and us seeing their silhouette and shadow. We need to accept the duality of our nature seems to me to be the main point. Love how their imagery emphasizes this.

Thanks for the detailed breakdown of the performance aspects of TS success. You are doing forensics of the arts and psyche. BTS music videos were produced by a very creative team of filming staff and choreographers. They have been consistently putting out high quality works connected to all of their previous MVs, story lines. It's an universe they have successfully created since debut. This kind of scale and coordination is unique to BTS and their company Bighit. This is BTS genre.

I love that background music in the intro.

I really love the comment about the shadow..one of the key points they want to show👏

I love ur opinions n now I'm really looking forward to Dr. Marc's reaction n opinions to the song ON BTS which is Kinetic Manifesto or MV. looking forward to your opinion about the accompaniment of marching band as music in this song and their performance. About their song include high note, choreo and their MV are like a short film. I'm sorry for my bad Engglish

The first time I saw Black Swan was on on the Jimmy Fallon show so I was already aware of how the choreography blessed the music. It took awhile, but I finally watched the MV. In general I'm not a fan of MVs cuz I'm not a teenager. However! I was enthralled with this one. I could sit back and just enjoy the movement and artistry and the visual impacts and the Dance. I'm one of those who doesn't analyze, I just enjoy what is in front of me. That being said, I enjoyed your analysis because it explains why I can watch this over and over and over again, never get bored. It's interesting to "hear the rest of the story". It explains why I enjoy their MVs as opposed to the standard let me get you confused with all the extra shtuff that have nothing to do with the music or the lyrics MV. RU-vid being the historian it is let me watch their 2013 debut video, even that was fun! They have been blessed with visionaries and professionals from the beginning. Thank you Bang Si-hyuk. The producers are artists and BTS give themselves whole heartedly to the process. They trust the vision of the directors so endure take after take. There are back story videos for this that are well worth watching. BTS members find ways to amuse themselves between takes. Jimin performed his solos to near exhaustion. V displayed his potential for Opera. The shadows by Jimin and J-Hope took time and analysis until just the right look revealed itself. All of them were impressed with this very old, ornate Los Angeles, CA theater. Watching the steady unfolding of the vision is fascinating. Like science, it's a step by step process to reveal what works or doesn't.

I love your analysis thank youuuuu!!

I'm so happy their work can catch your heart and soul. My imagination have already been limited by the theories so I can only give you some information. This song "Black Swan" has reference of the movie "Black Swan". However, the hints about "Black Swan" had existed in their previous MV Blood Sweat and Tears. Especially the saying on the wall at 5:45 in Blood Sweat and Tears MV. It is a famous saying by Friedrich Nietzsche.Then, the first Black Swan MV has another famous saying beginning by Martha Graham, it also describe the passion of dancing for a dancer (or a artist). I think it is the reason that they place many shots of Jimin do the solo dance throughout this MV bc Jimin is good at Ballet and modern dance. The shadow is another topic of this series but also fits the situation of the main character in the Black Swan movie. "Shadow" is the Interlude in this album ALSO the comeback trailer.

Dr. Marc, I so enjoy your analyses! I wish I could watch an entire BTS concert with your commentary track! I would learn a lot. Would you consider doing that, even if the concert video isn't shown on your screen? Just had to ask.

I always love your videos. The theatre is a common theme since Boy With Luv. There the MV was mostly outside of a movie theatre, then in Lights they were in the movie theatre watching themselves. Here they’re in an actual theatre. It’s their persona of living on a stage. The black and white are the Journey from the white swan to the black swan. It’s the beginning of Shadow. They’re being overwhelmed by shadow. The boys mentioned they were turning into black swans when they watched the MV. The song does have a level of duality too. The first part is very negative, about losing passion for your art. However, after Yoongi’s second verse, it turns into them being filled with the passion of creating. So, even though the chorus repeats the same words, they take a different meaning.

Lmao when you began to speak about the vocals I was so confused, cause I had forgotten you were a vocal coach and not a videographer. Since you're doing a great job at both lols 💜

Wow glad I clicked this video :)

I love your performance take. it's so interesting.

Love your genuine reaction ❤️😀

The mv was made in an old Broadway theatre in LA. The theatre was built in 1932 if I'm correct. The shadows was the other members.

For me Black Swan is the song BTS honestly confessing their fear as an artist. They are afraid that one day they will lose the passion of what they are loving to do. This can connect to many people including me. As an artist, their place is on the stage. I think that is why the scenes are stage and studio.

As always your reactions are so interesting and thought provoking. You understand BTS better than a lot of people reacting to them. The work, dedication, time and effort they and BigHit put into their craft. Thank you again for another wonderful reaction!

They performed this song at “M countdown” it’s really beautiful, I’d like to see your take on it as well!

If you notice, at one point, Jimin's white suit had a line of black feathers on it. Later, he spreads his black wings. To me, you see him as slowly turning into the Black Swan through out the performance. It's subtle, but it's there.

Awww! I would love to hear your own stories and theories!

You: “What are we seeing so far?” Me: “Literally the definition of talent” 😂 Love the reaction and insights! The ‘making of’ video and Jimin’s solo cam are interesting too

I love your videos Desde argentina saludos!

Gracias por reaccionar a Bts💜

Nice insight I didn’t think of.

Black Swan is so unbelievably beautiful.

Exceptional Art = The closer we look, the more meaning we find

Please react to Shinee's Sherlock (concert ver.)!!

I would love to just hang out and have a good conversation. What did you think of the wide-angle lens it made them elongated and really stretched them out. I am a poor singer wish I was not but I am however I took a lot of theater in school so not the same lane but next to each other.

LOVE BTS

Dr. Marc, I love your reactions!! React to Dimash's new song"Your Love"please! Greetings from FR

울 타니들은 항상 멋져요~.ㅏ

"No song affects me anymore" Well once my depression was so bad, every song sounded blunt and like of u taste meal with no flavor. I would skip everysong in my playlist 5 seconds after hearing it. I become numb to the emotions those songs gave me. It was frustrating, since music is so close to me, whether it's for composing or listening

You ask us, to come up with new artists for you to react to.....if you would like to be blown away, by something very different, and to get an exciting job to cope with, then you should react to AURORA from Norway...

I think why they choose 'looks like theatre' because bts as black swan in western music. They are different and it's obvious the theatre is so western style right? Idk it's juts my opinion beside many opinion of this mv about the painfullnes of dancer who cant any longer dance (i love all the theories btw)

BTS are the best

Reaction to ON BTS

My theories about them being in a theatre, is that they pretend to be someone they aren't, they are not true to themselves, something isn't right...

All the world's a stage...

Dr. Marc，react to Dimash's new song"Your Love"please!It's a masterpiece.

They on stage cuz they want to show their shadows boom simple

What makes black swan event awesome? Corona. Okay. Bad joke, but I couldn't resist.

I'm disappointed you too decided to take the BTS train.