History Music / BU

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%% There's a lot of stuff that needs to be added, but also admittedly a lot that might have to be deleted due to not being confirmed information. Please be careful to check that the series provides actual, confirmed examples for the tropes you add.

[[caption-width-right:350:"[[BreakingTheFellowship After returning from the sea, we were all alone]]."]]

* TimeTravel: It's implied in the Highlight Reels that [[spoiler:Jin is capable of this]]. Some characters even mention having a feeling of DejaVu in the ''HYYH Notes''.

** Translations for all the ''Notes'' can be found in BTS' Genius page. There's also a single fan-made PDF document (made by Twitter user @MNYGIGLOSS, with translations by user @doyou_bangtan) containing [[FanTranslation English translations]] for all the ''Notes'' from ''LOVE YOURSELF: Tear'', with links to official videos pertinent to each entry. You can see it [[https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1SOISDkmaNqj9Ad3RzWhmJT6lTw3aY4ih here]].

** Translations for all the ''Notes'' can be found in a single fan-made PDF document (made by Twitter user @MNYGIGLOSS, with translations by user @doyou_bangtan) containing [[FanTranslation English translations]] for all the ''Notes'' with links to official videos pertinent to each entry. You can see it [[https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1SOISDkmaNqj9Ad3RzWhmJT6lTw3aY4ih here]].

* ''HYYH: The Notes'': Booklets with diary-style narration from each one of the characters at different points in the story, found in the physical albums of ''LOVE YOURSELF: Her'' and ''LOVE YOURSELF: Tear'', [[AllThereInTheManual revealing key plot points and backstory]]. Each version of the albums (L, O, V and E, for ''Her'', and Y, O, U and R for ''Tear'') contains different Notes, and you need to read all to get a complete sense of the story.

** Translations for all the ''Notes'' can be found in a single fan-made PDF document (made by Twitter user @MNYGIGLOSS, with translations by user @doyou_bangtan) containing [[FanTranslation English translations]] for all the ''Notes'' with links to official videos pertinent to each entry. You can see them [[https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1SOISDkmaNqj9Ad3RzWhmJT6lTw3aY4ih here]].
*** It should be mentioned that, even though the albums have been officially released in the US through Amazon, Target and Wallmart, there's no official translation of the ''Notes'' nor has [=BigHit=] stated plans to release one for a language that isn't Korean; both the company and BTS have expressed being comfortable with fan translations of their content, anyway.

!!The videos that are ''explicitly'' part of the series - and therefore are a must-watch in order to understand the story - are (in order):

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Notable additional content]]

* ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7C2z4GqqS5E FAKE LOVE]]'', plus its [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_6QmL6rExk extended version]]. Music video. The extended version has other additional scenes.

* The comeback trailers (mainly "The Most Beautiful Moment in Life", "Boy Meets Evil", "Serendipity" and "Singularity"), which contain the intro songs for each of their corresponding albums, introduce the concept and themes of the album and symbolically tie into the storyline.

* LotusEaterMachine: It's unclear if "Epilogue: Young Forever" - where the group happily reunites after getting out from individual mazes - is real, merely symbolic, an ImagineSpot, or this trope. Same goes for "Euphoria": [[spoiler: while Jin seems to have been able to prevent tragedy, both the song lyrics and the video hint at the happiness being temporary or merely an illusion]].

** The ''HYYH Notes'' in ''Tear'' reveal that [[spoiler:Yoongi's mother died in a fire, that Jimin has a trauma due to an incident in a Flower Arboretum, that Jin got Yoongi expelled by accident (and that Namjoon knows and, unbeknownst to the other two, so does Taehyung), and that Jungkook lived with Namjoon for a while]]. But most importantly, that [[spoiler:right after Jungkook's car accident, he made a [[DealWithTheDevil deal with a mysterious figure]] in order to stay alive]].

The '''''BU''''' (vaguely named so by Big Hit Entertainment, likely meaning "BTS Universe" or "Bangtan Universe"; also [[FanNickname known by fans]] as the "HYYH Series") is an on-going original story comprised mainly of a series of [[ConceptVideo Concept Music Videos]] (plus video teasers[=/=]short films and additional content) found in the videography of Korean group Music/{{BTS}}, starting from 2015. The series includes:

--> Note: not ''all'' of the music videos they release are part of the BU - the ones that unquestionably ''are'' have a "BU belongs to..." disclaimer in the Youtube video description. But even then, it's not impossible that they're still connected somehow.

Here, each one of the members plays a fictional character both [[TheDanza named after]] and partly inspired by their real-life counterpart (with the members themselves having input in the story); the characters all were in the same school at one point, they all live in an environment where AdultsAreUseless, and each is dealing with issues and traumas of their own. While all characters get their focus, the closest thing to a protagonist is [[TheAtoner Jin]], who seems to be trying to SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong and fix the series of events that led to the group's separation and to ensuing tragedy, with [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds Taehyung]] being the closest thing to an antagonist or {{Deuteragonist}}.

Also (if that "seems to be" didn't tip you off), the series is a '''complete''' MindScrew. With a serious case of {{Teasing Creator}}s, a story told in AnachronicOrder, and lots and ''lots'' of symbolism, half the fun of watching the series is [[WildMassGuessing making or following up on theories]] regarding what it's actually going on in the story; so far, [[DealWithTheDevil deals with the Devil]], TimeTravel and [[DimensionalTraveler dimension hopping]] seem to be involved. [[EpilepticTrees Maybe]].

The storyline is closely linked to the general narrative and themes present in BTS' music, which in itself contains a ComingOfAgeStory: just as the albums deal with the beauty and struggles of youth, growing up, and facing the future (''HYYH''), facing temptation and destroying the world of illusions (''WINGS'') and the idea of trying and failing to love and be loved [[BeneathTheMask while hiding the darker, truer side of oneself]] (''LOVE YOURSELF''), the characters deal with school and societal pressures, family and mental health issues, lack of self-esteem, fear of the future, [[GrowingUpSucks maturity]], and so on. Some of BTS' songs also directly reference events and concepts from the story.

There's also lots of other content with additional information and clues. This includes ''HYYH: The Notes'', [[AllThereInTheManual a collectible series of text narrations]] (from the point of view of each one of the characters at key moments of the story) found in the ''LOVE YOURSELF'' physical albums. Other clues for both concepts and key events have been found in other music videos and trailers, concept pictures, tour [=VCRs=], live shows and even ''commercials''. Most notably, a 2017 selfie uploaded on BTS's Twitter (of Jin holding some flowers, with "Smeraldo" as the only caption) led to the discovery of an [[https://m.blog.naver.com/PostList.nhn?blogId=testesso entire blog]] (now closed) of [[InUniverseMarketing a flower shop dedicated to selling and explaining the backstory of the Smeraldo]], a fictional flower that appears in the series and has an important role.

** "Prologue" starts off with Taehyung [[spoiler:right after killing his father]] in "I NEED U".

* AnachronicOrder: There's not a completely clear order for the videos and the ''HYYH Notes'' (though the latter and the Highlight Reels contain some key dates), adding to the MindScrew nature of the series.

* ''HYYH: The Notes'': Booklets with narration from each one of the characters at different points in the story, found in the physical albums of ''LOVE YOURSELF: Her'' and ''LOVE YOURSELF: Tear'', [[AllThereInTheManual revealing key plot points and backstory]]. Each version of the albums (L, O, V and E, for ''Her'', and Y, O, U and R for ''Tear'') contains different Notes, and you need to read all to get a complete sense of the story.

* ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BP71K87Hp5Y 'FAKE LOVE' Official Teaser 1]]''. Contains a key scene not present in the following music video, which is...

** Jungkook's parents seem to ignore him, which leads him to emotionally depend on his friends, who are all older than him.
** Taehyung's father has physically abused both of his children [[AlcoholicParent while drunk]], even to the point of strangling his son.
** [=Downplayed/implied=] for Yoongi and Jin. Yoongi's father is incredibly strict, to the point that there must absolutely no sound in the house after a certain hour. Jin is implied to be ''very'' afraid of his father.

** In the ''WINGS'' teasers, there are many references to previous events, including Jungkook waking up after the car crash in "I NEED U", Taehyung's past with his abusive father, Hoseok being taken in for MunchausenSyndrome, Jin's scene in "I NEED U" being given more context ([[WorldOfSymbolism sort of]]), among others. "Stigma", oddly enough, also has a Continuity Nod to the "Danger" music video.

** The first one of the ''HYYH'' Notes from ''Tear'', released on Twitter in 2018, reveals that [[spoiler:Jungkook made a deal with a mysterious figure to stay alive after the car crash, even if this meant life would be more painful than death from there on]].

** According to the ''HYYH Notes'', Jungkook gets to a point that he thinks no one needs or wants him, so he almost throws himself off a building; it's also revealed he got purposefully beaten up in "I NEED U". Right before getting hit by a car in the same video, Jungkook is seen simply staring at the incoming vehicle, unmoving.

** There was an incident where a teacher walked into the room where Jungkook and Yoongi were in, leading to Yoongi getting beaten up while defending Jungkook. [[spoiler:Both Jin (who pointed the teacher to the room thinking there wasn't anyone there) and Jungkook blame themselves for Yoongi getting expelled from the school as a result]].

** After the credits of "Prologue" (in the version that got deleted before Big Hit posted the final one), Jin looks at the photo he took with Yoongi at the gas station... [[spoiler: and sees Yoongi has disappeared (or rather, been burned off) from the picture]].

* WhatDoTheyFearEpisode: "Fake Love", where everyone (except Jungkook) is locked in a room facing their fears. Even Jungkook, who has to run around watching his friends struggling in said rooms, is facing his own fear: watching his hyungs suffer.

* ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OX7dIRReSA Blood, Sweat and Tears (Japanese ver.)]]''. Japanese version of the song and music video, with original scenes and imagery.

* DealWithTheDevil: [[spoiler: Jungkook's ''HYYH'' Note, released on Twitter in 2018, states that he made a deal with someone to stay alive after the car crash, even if this meant life will be more painful]].

** In "I NEED U", [[spoiler:Yoongi sets himself on fire; Hoseok overdoses on pills and Jimin seemingly attempts to drown himself in the bathtub, but whether they were actual suicide attempts is unclear]].

Note: not ''all'' of the music videos they release are part of the BU - the ones that unquestionably ''are'' have a "BU belongs to..." disclaimer in the Youtube video description. But even then, it's not impossible that they're still connected somehow.

Here, each one of the members plays a fictional character both [[TheDanza named after]] and partly inspired by their real-life counterpart (with the members themselves having input in the story), yet being completely distinct; the characters all were in the same school at one point, they all live in an environment where AdultsAreUseless (and often highly abusive), and each is dealing with issues and traumas of their own. While all characters get their focus, the closest thing to a protagonist is [[TheAtoner Jin]], who is trying to SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong and fix the series of events that led to the group's separation and to ensuing tragedy, with [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds Taehyung]] being the closest thing to an antagonist or {{Deuteragonist}}.

Also, the series is a ''complete'' MindScrew. With a bad case of {{Teasing Creator}}s, a story told in AnachronicOrder, and lots and ''lots'' of symbolism, half the fun of watching the series is [[WildMassGuessing making or following up on theories]] regarding what it's actually going on in the story; so far, [[DealWithTheDevil deals with the Devil]], TimeTravel and [[DimensionalTraveler dimension hopping]] seem to be involved. [[EpilepticTrees Maybe]].

The storyline is closely linked to the general narrative and themes present in BTS' music (which in itself contains a ComingOfAgeStory): just as the albums deal with the beauty struggles of youth, growing up, and facing the future (''HYYH''), facing temptation (''WINGS'') and the idea of trying and failing to love and be loved [[BeneathTheMask while covering the darker, truer side of oneself]] (''LOVE YOURSELF''), the characters deal with school and societal pressures, family and mental health issues, lack of self-esteem, [[GrowingUpSucks maturity]], and so on. Some of BTS' songs also directly reference events and concepts from the story.

'''WARNING''': This series deals with some heavy themes and violent/possibly triggering content, including murder, mental illness, suicide and physical/emotional abuse by parents and figures of authority. The first video of the series has a censored version for a reason, y'know.

!!The videos that are ''explicitly'' part of the series - therefore a must-watch in order to understand the story - are (in order):

* ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gWIjRqvtnI I NEED U (Original version)]]''. Music video. The very first one. Make sure to watch the original, uncensored version, as the normal version cuts a lot of key information due to violent/possibly triggering scenes.

* ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHdK5U2hf4o LOVE YOURSELF Highlight Reels]]''. A series of short films originally released in 4 parts (''起'', ''承'', ''轉'', and ''起承轉結''), with the 4th - in the link - also compiling the previous parts into one 13-minute video.
* ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX0vO4vlJuU Euphoria : Theme of LOVE YOURSELF 起 Wonder]]''. Short film ''and'' music video for ''Euphoria'', song that has yet to be released in an album.

-> [[spoiler: ''Is that all, hyung? Aren't you hiding anything else from us?'']]

There's also lots of other content with additional information and clues. This includes the ''HYYH Notes'', [[AllThereInTheManual a collectible series of text narrations]] (from the point of view of each one of the characters at key moments of the story) found in the ''LOVE YOURSELF'' physical albums. Other clues for both concepts and key events have been found in other music videos and trailers, concept pictures, tour [=VCRs=], live shows and even ''commercials''. Most notably, a 2017 selfie uploaded on BTS's Twitter (of Jin holding some flowers, with "Smeraldo" as the only caption) led to the discovery of an [[https://m.blog.naver.com/PostList.nhn?blogId=testesso entire blog]] (now closed) of [[InUniverseMarketing a flower shop dedicated to selling and explaining the backstory of the Smeraldo]], a fictional flower that appears in the series and has an important role.

* ''HYYH Notes'': Booklets with narration from each one of the characters at different points in the story, found in the physical albums of ''LOVE YOURSELF: Her'' and ''LOVE YOURSELF: Tear'', [[AllThereInTheManual revealing key plot points and backstory]]. Each version of the albums (L, O, V and E, for ''Her'', and Y, O, U and R for ''Tear'') contains different Notes, and you need to read all to get a complete sense of the story.

* ColorWash: In the second chorus of "Blood, Sweat and Tears", and especially after the climax, the some shots suddenly gain very high contrast and shift palette into a very bright pink.
** The Japanese version of "Blood, Sweat and Tears" goes ''hard'' on this, with the palette shifting through post-production between very bright colors such as green, pink, blue, red, among others.

The '''''BU''''' (vaguely named so by Big Hit Entertainment, likely meaning "BTS Universe" or "Bangtan Universe"), also [[FanNickname known by fans]] as the "HYYH Series", is an on-going original storyline comprised mainly of a series of [[ConceptVideo Concept Music Videos]] (plus video teasers[=/=]short films and additional content) found in the videography of Korean boy group Music/{{BTS}}, starting from 2015. The series includes:

(not ''all'' of the music videos they release are part of the BU - the ones that unquestionably ''are'' have a "BU belongs to..." disclaimer in the Youtube video description. But even then, it's not impossible that they're still connected somehow)