Retro BTS is still the future

BTS’s new English language single, “Dynamite”, is coming on August 21. While more and more artists are doing surprise drops, BTS’s style has always been advance notice. They’ll not only tell you that they’re on the way, along the way they’ll leave all kinds of crumbs. A full schedule of crumbs was released recently and the BTS ARMY has every date marked on the calendar, ready for whatever it is that’s been promised. Earlier this week, individual shots of all seven members styled for the “Dynamite” era were posted on the group’s social media channels and today it was the group shot: 

More teasers will follow this weekend. 

As you can see, the vibe is retro. Like 90s retro. Which happens to be the decade when they were all born, from 1992 (Jin) to 1997 (Jungkook). BTS has previously said that the song is upbeat, bright, designed to energise and elevate the mood. Given the styling, it’s assumed that the actual sound will have a 90s groove too. There’s no doubt that “Dynamite” will dominate in most territories and for sure at home for BTS in South Korea. All signs are pointing to a massive hit in the west too, however, as Columbia Records (their US label partner) is actually putting in the effort to get the song to radio programmers across North America and, of course the band is already seeing strong results in presales and saves, in addition to sales of “Dynamite” on vinyl and cassette (further leaning into the retro vibe) that sold out on first run and a second run is also seeing the same success (which will be shipping immediately upon release of the single) – and these represent pure physical sales towards Billboard’s new measuring system, which are weighted more. The point is, BTS is going for a very high number on the chart. The ambition is clear: they aim to conquer.

And there are a lot of industry analysts watching their strategy very closely. For BTS, it’s not just a one-day release event. As previously confirmed, they’ll be performing during the MTV VMAs broadcast, and that’s another step in their multi-stage push behind “Dynamite”. By then it might be a victory lap. 

But let’s go back to the looks, because with every new BTS era comes a whole new aesthetic. And the hair is always a preoccupation. I am relieved that V has kept his hair long – and I LOVE the caramel flavour he has it in right now. It’s exactly the right shade: 

Most exciting, to me at least, is j-hope’s side part. I love a side part where the hair falls across the forehead and teases the eye. Need to start preparing myself for when we get to see this in motion when the videos come out. If they’re rolling out 90s beats for “Dynamite”, j-hope, the dance captain of the group, should be front and centre. 

It’s RM though who’s been generating the most hair talk. What do you call this? I call it Little Mermaid Blue because that’s the first movie that comes to mind when I see this colour. 

RM, along with some of the other members, had been hiding his new hair colour in previous non-“Dynamite”-related appearances under a hat. And…? 

Do you know the amount of effort that went into concealing the hair so that the reveal would be a true surprise in service of promoting the song? 

https://twitter.com/BTS_twt/status/1287420594405818369

There may or may not have been a wig involved. Nobody knows for sure. But just the fact that we’re speculating whether or not there was wig work happening – my friend Liz calls it “hairspionage” – is amazing. Not just the band and its individual members’ commitment to keeping these secrets but even just reinforcing that these are secrets worth keeping. That hair colour and style and fashion and looks and beauty and appreciation of all of the above is something they actively spend time on, and therefore give value to. Because, yes, their fans are so into it but also because they’re normalising men getting into makeup and different hair colours and clothes as a form of personal expression. All of this is what BTS will be hitting them with in the coming weeks on the biggest western platform available to them to date. So if you don’t know now (although you should since I’ve been nagging you about them for years now), you will soon.