Permission to Dance ON STAGE

BTS not only put on another spectacular virtual concert, but also showcased a glimpse of what’s to come for their first in-person concert since 2019

By: Lum Chi

The familiar sound of synths and beats of drums filled the stadium. Despite it being online, I, along with ARMY (our fanbase name, which is short for Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth), could feel the energetic pulse of the music rush out of our screens. It was only a few seconds in and the vigor was high. The camera shifted and revealed seven global idols dressed in white, their expressions focused and their stage presence powerful. After a phenomenal act by the drummers, one of the lead vocalists sings out his lyrical part, initiating the first song in their setlist: “ON.”

This lead vocalist (and main dancer) was Park Jimin or Jimin, and the other six with him were Kim Namjoon (leader/main rapper) or RM (stage name), Kim Seokjin (vocalist/visual) or Jin, Min Yoongi (lead rapper) or Suga (stage name), Jung Hoseok (main dancer/lead rapper) or J-Hope (stage name), Kim Taehyung (vocalist/lead dancer/visual) or V (stage name), and last but not least, Jeon Jungkook (main vocalist/lead dancer/center) or Jungkook. Together, the seven of them are known as BTS, short for Bangtan Sonyeondan in Korean or Bulletproof Boy Scouts in English.

BTS is and continues to be the biggest and most influential group of our time, receiving countless awards and recognition for their music and the impactful messages behind it. 

Since the pandemic started, BTS has held multiple online concerts. Those concerts included BangBangCons (live replays of their past concerts), Muster Sowoozoo (to celebrate their 8-year anniversary), New Years the Live, and, of course, their well-known Map of the Soul: ONE, which was meant to be a live tour for their album “Map of the Soul” but was unfortunately halted due to the pandemic. 

On Sunday, October 24, BTS added Permission to Dance ON STAGE to their list of outstanding virtual shows. The concert took place in Seoul’s Olympic Stadium and was live-streamed through VenewLive. The concert was named after their recent hit English single “Permission to Dance.” The concert had a diverse setlist composed of their older and newer albums and was made up of a collection of highly engaging VCRS (short films acted out by the boys to serve as an intermission or lead up to a song).

          As I stated earlier, “ON” was the first track of the twenty-four. Their wardrobe consisted of bold white clothing, piercings, thorn tattoos, and striking hairstyles. As for their vocals, their mics were on—their voices, growls, and raps cutting and fervid. Unfortunately, Kim Taehyung was not able to participate in the choreography due to a recent injury. But despite having to sit on his throne, he did a beautiful job of exerting his stage presence through his fierce stares, the moving of his upper body with the music’s flow, and through his rich baritone vocals that intensified the emotions of every lyric.

For me and many ARMY, it was a huge deal watching BTS perform “ON” (from their 2020 album “Map of the Souls: 7”). That was because the boys wanted to perform the song live for ARMY but couldn’t due to COVID. Fortunately, they’ll soon have their first in-person concert since 2019 in Sofi Stadium in LA in late November and early December. Because the in-person concert is also a “Permission to Dance” show, the boys performing “ON” for the online performance hinted at the possibility of their dream coming to fruition.

After the performance, BTS introduced themselves and showcased their signature greetings. For instance, Yoongi/Suga closed his eyes and cupped his ear, as if listening to the screams of ARMY, Jin blew his famous worldwide handsome kiss, and J-Hope announced his iconic “I’m your hope, you’re my hope, I’m J-HOOPPPEEEE!” (Obviously I shouted it with him). It made the concert feel more real. They talked as if we were actually there, asking about our well-being, confessing how excited they were to see us soon, and hoping that we would have a fun time. 

The concert then transitioned into their softer, more somber tracks such as “Blue & Grey” (from their most recent 2020 album “BE”) and “Black Swan” (from their 2020 album “Map of the Soul: 7”). For “Blue & Grey,” the boys changed into outfits that were more subtle and, yes, literally blue and gray. Their raps were calming, their high notes sent ARMY soaring, and their warm tones added onto the tender emotions wrapped up into every note. As breathtaking as the performance was, ARMY wasn’t given the time to marinate in it; the clear melodic strings of violins took over for the track “Black Swan.” The stage changed with the song, ruffling into feathers. The members ditched their blue and gray coats, exposing elegant black attire. They executed mesmerizing contemporary dances and group choreo. My breath was taken away. No matter how many times I’ve seen BTS perform “Black Swan,” it is always a touch more fresh than the last.

After those songs came a performance of BTS’ older title tracks: “Fake Love” (from their 2018 album “Love Yourself: Tear”) and “Blood Sweat and Tears” (from their 2016 album “Wings”). I’m not gonna lie, I was stunned. I’m only a 2020 ARMY; I’m new—literally a baby. So watching them perform these old tracks live—I full on ascended. The set took on elements from the music videos such as the waterfalls (from “Fake Love”) and the giant sculpted hands (from “Blood Sweat and Tears”).

BTS’ discography is diverse in all genres, and their concert reflected that: the intense feelings of “ON” to the melancholy of “Blue & Grey” to the grace of “Black Swan.” So, it only felt natural watching the stage production and the mood shift gears again, but this time into something more cozy and wholesome. After a VCR intermission, BTS returned to the stage, seated on a giant bed wearing colorful, pastel clothing. They were giggling and smiling—and at times teasing each other—all while singing “Life Goes On,” from their album “BE.” Mid-song, they got up and settled onto a large yellow couch. Following the song, they performed “Boy with Luv” (from their 2019 album “Map of the Soul: Persona”) which got an amazing pop remix that we have yet to see drop. 

Afterwards came their performance of “Dynamite” (2020 English single) which included a vigorous dance break that slid smoothly into their next fiery performance—“Butter” (2021 English single). Let’s just say that the dance break had me screaming and shaking my ARMY Bomb lightstick so hard I thought my hand would fall off. 

With a few more VCR intermissions and meaningful speeches, BTS continued with their remaining songs until, last but not least, they ended with their uplifting track “Permission to Dance.”

The concert lasted for 2-3 hours. Words can't describe how fast those hours flew by. Because of the time difference, the concert started at 4:30 AM CT which correlated with 7:30 PM KST. I admit, before the show, my eyelids were drooping and holding my head up started to feel impossible. But as soon as the boys appeared on stage, my eyes grew light again and my fatigue was squashed out by newfound energy. By the time I looked at the clock again, it was 6-7 AM. Did I sleep in super late the next day? Yes, I did. But the dancing, scream-singing at the top of my lungs, and harsh waving of my lightstick made it worth it. Many ARMY would say the same. Over 197 countries tuned into the concert and during the performance, ARMY was tweeting nonstop. Some keyboard smashed as they excitedly ranted about BTS’ out-of-this-world stage production, a few posted thirst tweets of their rather sexy wardrobe ranging from black crop tops to ripped white shirts and leather jackets, and others posted—in all caps—lyrics of the songs BTS was performing as a way to show themselves singing along.

I still remember how low my mouth dropped when BTS said they were about to perform their last song. And how much my eyes watered when the members delivered their closing speeches. Every member reflected on the concert and their desire to reunite with ARMY again. But on the bright side, their “Permission to Dance” concert, the falling confetti, the colorful fireworks—all of it set the tone for what their in-person concert will be like when BTS and ARMY finally reunite.

Overall, “Permission to Dance” was one of BTS’ best virtual concerts and I couldn’t be more excited to see the boys live when they start touring again.