FIRST TIME REACTION - BTS (방탄소년단) "BLACK SWAN official mv"! WOW.

[@MomaCat59]

It’s about the death of creativity, which is the first death we experience before the final death.

[@Indigo_gwen]

“a dancer dies twice - once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful.” - Martha Graham This quote is what the song is based on and the song is about the fear of losing passion for the thing you love. For BTS, that is music. Also, a black swan is an unpredictable or unforeseen event, typically one with extreme consequences. So, you can see where the name of the song comes from. For BTS, losing that passion would be their black swan.

[@ruthfischer7615]

It's based on the thriller by the same name and therefore also the ballett "Swan Lake". The movie is hard to watch but Namjoon forced himself to do so again. The ballett Swan Lake is a fantasy story: a prince on the hunt at dusk finds a lake with swans that turn into women. He falls in love with the cursed princess (the white swan) and promises her himself. The sorcerer that cursed her is less than impressed and sends his own daughter (black swan) disguised as the princess. The prince not noticing the difference dances with her and breaks his vow which leads to the real princess death. Traditionally the role of the white swan and the black swan is danced by the same dancer - which makes it so difficult - as the expression of both is so different: the innocent "white swan" and the far less innocent/dark "black swan". Here the thriller sets in and the protagonist is challenged to explore her darker side to be also better embody the "black swan". It drives her insane. For example Jin looking away from the mirror while his mirror image does not is a hommage to the movie. To be more concrete the fear is to loose the passion for their *art* . But it is deeper than that since we are on "The Map of the Soul": which is applied Jungian psychology. Black Swan is the discovery/description of their "shadow"/their unconsciousness. We are more than our happy/good side. There is a part we don't like even about ourself/we refuse to aknowledge: fears, hate, jealousy, insecurity - the stuff that can break us/keeps us up at night etc. Unfortunately for us it is part of us. To "love yourself" you have to "know yourself": You have to accept as much as possible of your "shadow" into your consciousness to come close to your "true self". To be yourself you need the "shadow". Here they explore their shadow and describe it rather well.

[@Mrs.L.44]

@@ruthfischer7615Great ARMY work right here. Thank you!

[@mimibelly2227]

Welcome to the 10 years BTS Journey.. We Purple You..

[@manhwas_addict]

Hey there, this song is actually about their struggles and fear of losing the passion to make music and them being in a slump which they expressed as "the first death" that is when an artist loses all passion and fellings for the art he's making and is said to be more painful for them than the real death, and then comes the name of the song "black swan" the second meaning of a black swan is : an unpredictable or unforseen event, typically one with extreme consequences. So yea you should check out the lyrics alone sometime and re-watch the video cause you'll definitely feel different knowing what they're talking about. Also could you please react to "fake love" next, but if possible you should definitely watch the guide to bts first before so that you can get to know the members. And just so you know the bts rabbit hole is deep very deep but if you're ready to follow their journey we armys will definitely support you through it, but be ready cause once you Jimin you can't Jim-out

[@hortbeck]

A lot of reactors will watch the video twice, once with lyrics and once without. Or watch a just lyrics video as well. I would also recommend their dance practices for their videos. And they always have a behind the scenes making of video.

[@pambarab5506]

The best place to check out BTS lyrics is *doolset lyrics*. They have the lyrics and also footnotes on some idioms and explanations for non-Korean speakers. The two main BTS YT channels is HYBE for all the music videos. BangtanTV channel is the dance practices, Bangtan Bombs (behind the scenes), and their variety show Run BTS (around 155 episodes). I would recommend ON Kinetic Manifesto next. Thanks for reacting.

[@soniap1217]

Hello 47years old Greek Army here🤗BTS are amazing you can't ever imagine what they can do live the best live performers ever🔥🔥🔥👍and there songs 🔥🔥

[@beccal.5369]

Hi👋 There are no wrong interpretations with BTS music...... how it speaks to you is most important...... don't worry about getting it wrong. With "Black Swan," BTS divulge their most harrowing shadow yet, one that any person who lives for making art faces: losing the passion for creating. "A dancer dies twice - once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful." Martha Graham. This quote is at the root of the sentiments inlaid in "Black Swan." Much like a dancer feels purposeless when they can no longer express themselves through dance, BTS contends that the day that music no longer fills them with the same passionate fire as before, or even if there came a day when they stopped creating music - what they feel is their life's purpose - it would feel like death. RM sings, "If this can no longer resonate / No longer make my heart vibrate / Then this may be how I die my first death." Once again, BTS affirm that despite their countless record-breaking accolades, the wealth they've amassed, and their ever-increasing fame, they are artists. What means most to them is the art - music, visuals, dances - that they create. Have a great day💜

[@JeonJungkook-wr4yr]

They are actually in a theater yes I forgot where it was in but if I'm correct it's in LA

[@isiseungella4688]

Feel free to stop and restart, most people the first time have to. I know I still watch it and find little subtle things I did not notice the first 10 times. There is so much to take in, so many layers... This is one of my (many) favourites. Love this MV. BTS is deeper than it looks. The tunes might be catchy but often the message has several interpretations and the MV adds new layers. They did write that song at a time they were exhausted and afraid to loose their passion.

[@alialex8825]

Enjoyed your reaction. BTS is amazing at switching between members seamlessly without taking away from anyone's abilities or stage presence. They work so cohesively allowing everyone to shine. FYI, fans didn't name themselves army. BTS gave the fandom the name. its an acronym and stands for Adorable Representative Mc for Youth.

[@alicesworld1]

71 year old BTS Army here. The famous late choreographer Martha Graham once stated, "A dancer dies twice. First, when they lose their passion for dance and this first death will be the most painful." This song is based on Martha Graham's quote about the price of losing one's passion. RM and Suga both refer to their "first death" in this MV. Thanks for your great reaction! 💜

[@BetterGreta13]

I often see your posts on these reaction vids. I am 64. Have been ARMY since 2020. I would love to hear how you found BTS! (If you don't mind!)

[@alicesworld1]

@@BetterGreta13 Hello Greta, I saw them in a Samsung commercial about 3 years ago after my husband died. He was a rock bass player. I was very curious about who they were so googled them. Black Swan was my first MV and then I was hooked immediately. I feel like they actually found me. This is what I was doing when I met my husband: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZoKpYoGQoNuEgbcsi=NURpfiDn_NFsG7nt What about you?

[@bangtangrlrm7292]

​@@BetterGreta13They found me in 2020 also! With the live performance of this song at the James Corden show, on KZbin . I'm 34🫰😊💜🌌♾️

[@bangtangrlrm7292]

Yes, and Namjoon(RM), also commented on a vlive that the movie 'Black Swan', inspired him to write this song as well. He was so shocked with it, he watched it twice. 🥰🫰💜🌌♾️

[@boop3217]

Currently going on your BTS reactions binge but you are totally correct about the hip hop influence. Their early albums are almost entirely hip hop and its how they started out :)

[@BTSnamjoon499]

BTS forever ❤️

[@MM-et2jr]

For any artist to become as huge as they are for as long as they have, in my experiences there is bound to be some substance to catch not only people's attention but also their hearts. However, to have an Asian act from Asia be this impactful and dominating a lot of the music industry around the world, was UNHEARD of prior to BTS. I just can't think of a single Asian artist who was such a huge name around the world - and not just for one or two songs, but for their entirety. They've really paved the way and opened up the door for more Asian artist whom are now being able to show their presence somewhat around the world.

[@angelicadelgado3320]

Thanks for your reaction ... I'am a 43 years old Army. You can check the lyrics first before watching the video or You can watch it twice .. first to enjoy the cinematography and then the lyrics This is one of my favorites BTS songs. The “Black Swan” performance represents BTS acknowledging their deepest fears and choosing instead to use those fears to grow creatively The song was inspired by Martha Graham's phrase: "a dancer dies twice - when he stops dancing, and this death is the most painful" The song refers to the internal struggle of an artist falling out of love with their art. The song lends voice to the band’s darkest fears-the music they do will one day cease to touch or move them. Yet, every time they come face to face with this “Black swan” within themselves, they hear voices calling out from deep within their hearts and are stricken with the realization that music is all they have. This track is a confession of an artist who has truly learned what music means to himself. At the same time, it represents the hope and internal strength that we must have to hold on to what has made us feel alive at some time, not to give up, only we will be able to face our shadows and stop being our worst enemy BTS had its beginnings being a more hip hop group... over time it diversified handling genres such as: R&B, Pop, EDM, Rock, Jazz. There are a rap sub unit within the group and a vocal sub unit where the rappers have few songs by themselves and the same with vocal line... But must of their songs as a complete group combines rap and vocals Please react to Live performances as well, they are amazing on stage • Black Swan - at The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon kzbin.info/www/bejne/hJiueHqqeLplosU Regards from México

[@sharonlahaye5803]

When an interviewer asked BTS what to watch for in this MV, J-Hope responded, “Jimin, Jimin, Jimin.” Jimin is a trained contemporary dancer and he’s ethereal in this video.

[@TreeTree6501]

Thanks for the reaction; glad you enjoyed it! It's very common for ARMY and reactors to watch a video at least twice...once for the visuals and another watch to focus more on lyrics. There is just too much going on to take it all in at once. Most ARMY will be happy to watch longer videos, so feel free to watch a few times (pausing and rewinding are okay, too!) for future reactions. We will stay :) My recommendations would be for 2021 Festa Room Live to give a great look at different styles they do and a live performance of them. Fake Love, Mic Drop (Steve Aoki remix), or On: Kinetic Manifesto Film are great songs/music videos!

[@JeonJungkook-wr4yr]

I'm a 32 year old Army that has been with bts for 10 years since their pre debut days in 2013.

[@enbelabeltran982]

How lucky you were to find them so soon and to be able to support them from the beginning,..., I would have liked to be there in the hardest moments of their career to offer them all my love and support, But I found them in 2019 and I am grateful that life has put them on my path, they have been a gift to me, I wasn't there at the beginning but I will be there for the rest of my life..💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

[@stacybrenton5482]

BTS are in a class by themselves. I adore them.

[@siriuslylucky130]

It’s about LOSING one’s PASSION! MY FIRST DEATH…not dead physically but inside.

[@eileencritchley4630]

Yes the filmed the MV in a real Theatre.

[@palmdalians2]

Thanks for the reaction. If I may make a suggestion for first time viewing of BTS MV's, watch it twice. First with the captions off just to get the vibe of the shoot and 2nd turn the captions on and you won't be as distracted by the visuals. So many of their MV's have such meaning, back story and "Easter Eggs" that it can be easy to miss something. Looking forward to more BTS reactions from you.

[@cindylepo6784]

This song is about the fear of losing passion for whatever it is you do.... for them losing a passion for music and they relate it to a death.

[@_username5491]

Looking at the other comments, I just want to mention that your interpretation of ‘unleashing a hidden part of yourself’ isn’t too far off the song in the context of the album (Map of the Soul 7) The main meaning of the song is losing passion for something you love, like other ARMYs have mentioned, but if you look closely at the music video you can see shadows in the background doing different moves to the people casting them, and at the very end you see a shadow slowly vanishing before Jungkook walks away. Without getting too ‘philosophical’, the album is based on the theories by the psychiatrist Carl Jung, who believed the psyche comprised of 3 elements: the persona (the ‘you’ you show to other people), the ego (the ‘you’ you show yourself/your free will), and the shadow (the part of yourself you wish to hide, the part that goes against societal beliefs). He believed that you should embrace that ‘shadow’ aspect of yourself to grow as an individual and help you feel compassion for every part of yourself. Now… putting Black Swan back into the picture, this song falls into the part of the album that deals with the shadow. The shadows in the background of the MV move different to the people casting them because the members are still suppressing the part of themselves they want to hide, and limit their movements to one’s that aren’t carried out by their shadows. However at the end, you see the shadow actually becoming a part of Jungkook, showing that BTS are willing to embrace their shadows (the suppressed parts of themselves) by the end of it. Put simply, yes this song can be interpreted as ‘unleashing a hidden (/suppressed) part of yourself’ 😄💜

[@goretewolf58]

💜🇧🇷💜 thanks for the reaction. Love this

[@addison5938]

This was not a live performance just a music video. It was filmed at a very famous theater in downtown Los Angeles California called the Los Angeles theater. It's been the sight of a number of music videos and films as well over many years. Your interpretation is partially right. It's really about losing your passion for what You do or what drives you. Then finally accepting the dark side of you (i.e. the shadow) and rediscovering your passion for what makes you feel alive.

[@lizruork7877]

Coming to this late but subscribed today… your comment was very very insightful… the song is about the fear of losing creative passion … but the concept is interpreted through jungian theory of personality and the process of discovering, acknowledging and incorporating the “shadow” portion of the personality… welcome to our rabbit hole 💜💜💜

[@anitaherbert1037]

When I deep dove into BTS I found I liked the format of just watching and listening to the music video, then watching the explaination video was best for me. They are just so beautifully done. The lyric videos didn't explain cultural references. Then watching a live performance or if not available dance practice. This really is the best way for me. Army will wait through a double reaction. The quote from he famous dancer Martha Graham ...'a dancer dies twice and the first death is the hardest'. The loss of ability to perform, create, to dance, to lose your ability to hear and have that viceral response to the music, the fear of burn out.

[@purpleskiesforever]

I've learned how to read much faster since I started to watch BTS videos 😂. But, yes, watch it twice if needed. 💜 So did someone recommend Blood Sweat and Tears to you? Cause that's definitely throwing a new BTS listener/reactor into the deep end of the pool. 😅 I enjoyed your comments and there's rarely a 'wrong' answer to interpretation of their songs. I say 'rarely' cause there's always a few people out there that will make you go "wtf??" when they talk about a song meaning. 😂 Btw: i love your timepiece. It's beautiful.

[@sandys1890]

Please react to “ A guide to BTS members…The Bangtan 7”

[@eileencritchley4630]

I was about to explain but I see other's have already explained. Well done ARMY Borahae

[@virginia_the_elder]

Like you I need to watch their videos more then once to catch all the beautiful elements. Your comment about seeking their unexplored creativity is interesting and fits with the general theme of much of their music. It resonates with what they’ve been doing this past year as individual artists as well. They’ve been exploring their own unique styles and it has been enriching for ARMY as well as themselves. imho 💜

[@sandys1890]

Theatre is in LA

[@analuciaarakandacunhadepau1647]

💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

[@AmandaSerry-qf2ix]

Hi, love your genuine reaction and I’m so glad they have a new fan ! They are talented, hardworking, beautiful men with hearts of gold. Their discography is ridiculously diverse. From hip hop, pop, rap, jazz, EDM, ballad…they are in a genre of their own. The have 3 rappers and 4 singers. My recommendations: ON: Kinetic Manifesto Run BTS dance practice Mic drop Magic shop The more you hear and learn, the more entrenched you become . My three kids listen and watch with me because this group is worthy of the term idol. I want my kids being influenced by them!

[@MyBrown50]

I enjoyed watching your reactions of BTS. This song is part of the album 7 which is based on The Map of the soul by psychologist Karl Jung

[@Strangering-i6x]

Yes, it's about battling your own shadow. You aren't entirely wrong. Because this song is supposed to be under MAP OF THE SOUL: SHADOW album.

[@elbarosacoronel3411]

Jimin es un bailarín ectraordinatio que ecpresa todos sus sentimientos con la danza.👍💛💛💛💛

[@toni5431]

It's quite astute of you to interpret it the way you did. The song itself is based on losing your fire and passion for something you love. However, it is the lead single from the album Map of the Soul. Map of the Soul was an album themed around german psychologist Carl Jungs theorys of the map of the human psyche. That being of the Persona, The Shadow and the Ego. Bts often wrote songs centred around a theme so it does have links to your thoughts too. Well done.

[@kaz_72]

Fake Love is another one to try and get your head around 🤣 Also very cinematic and bear in mind all stunts were real. No green screen is used. They only ever use green screen if there is no other option. For the majority of their MVs they are all real

[@sandys1890]

The song is about an Artists” first death” …When they lose the passion or ability to perform💜

[@borahekore]

Well, in fact, several BTS videos have explanation videos made by ARMY because being honest, most of us could never get the meaning of all that happens in them. There is so much depth in their music videos and lyrics that sometimes are really dificult to decipher. Blood, sweat and tears has a lot of references to Niestze and the book Demian, and it has a very good explanation video by the channel "Don't worry I'm not afraid" here on youtube. You should take a look to really get how deep the work of this band is :)

[@cindylepo6784]

Fyi. ARMY was the name given by BTS for their fandom. The company actually paid to trade mark it and the symbol for it. Kpop groups take fandom names serious.

[@desserieocampo6890]

44 year older bts army

[@karinapinho2729]

Thank u for your reaction...i'm really loving It... please react to tiny desk concert and the BTS Room live... those Will give u a little taste of their songs..,💜

[@MaikaDomgezSoto]

52 army here.

[@rafaelsmith5737]

Please react to BTS Shadow next, it's much easier to understand

[@eileencritchley4630]

The Shadow is a representation of that fear 'Shadow' is a Psychological term from Jungian Psychology, for the part of us that deals with fears, dark thoughts, negative thoughts and things we might not want others to know. The Shadow here is their fear of losing their passion for their art however the Shadow is conquered and we see it fall down and shrink away to nothing.

[@rafaelsmith5737]

7:43 actually BTS songs are free for interpretation, so there's no such thing as wrong conclusion If that's what you think it is, then that's what it is But for me Black Swan is the fear of losing your passion "A dancer dies twice, and the first death is more painful"

[@susanhill2110]

Black Swan is about losing their passion for their art hence the lyrics my first death. 💜