Why Tyler Chin's GQ piece about BTS ARMY Boyfriends is such a good story idea

Dear Gossips,

GQ published a great piece yesterday, written by Tyler Chin, about BTS ARMY Boyfriends. Excellent pitch, such a good story idea, and from his own POV because Tyler is, himself, an ARMY boyfriend. That is – a companion to a fan of BTS who supports their partner’s devotion to the band. And they are not anomalies. ARMY boyfriends and sons and brothers are everywhere.

When I was at one of the Paris concerts a few weeks ago in July, I saw several men wearing t-shirts that read “I Love My Wife and My Wife Loves (her bias name here)”. This is a photo from my camera roll.

Tyler was the one who secured tickets for his girlfriend in January because she was in a work meeting at the time, resulting in this hilarious line from his article:

“My coworkers recall my anxiety-fueled morning to procure the goods, driven by the fear of disappointing the love of my life—who wanted to see the loves of her life.”

I laugh because this is how it works at my house. My husband knows his ranking but I’m not sure I can call him a BTS Boyfriend, at least not yet. Not until he helps me with my poster, LOOLLLLL. We just talked about it the other day. A lot of people have been bringing signs to the concert. There’s a part during the show when the cameras pan around the stadium highlighting some of the best signs. “F-ck the Grammys”, for example. Fans spend weeks, if not longer, thinking of what to write on a sign that will get on camera and, most important, get the members’ attention. I have a couple ideas for a sign but the problem is, I’m not crafty. My sign would look janky. Jacek, however, is exceptionally skilled at making things. So I’ve asked him to make my sign, it will earn him the title of BTS Boyfriend, truly a lifetime achievement.

There are people, I know, who think this is loser behaviour. Me, a grown ass adult, making BTS her entire personality. There is comfort in community, because I’m certainly not the only one. At the same time, you can show up to a BTS concert as the only one – no boyfriend, no group chat – and still feel like you’re an essential part of something that’s much bigger than fear. There were so many people in Paris who were at the show by themselves and at no point was their experience lacking. It’s the most inviting and wholesome environment and that, in and of itself, should shut down the judgment.

BTS will perform the first of two shows in Toronto in ten days, they’ve never performed in the city before. And it’s their only stop in Canada. I woke up this morning full of delulu because the first thing that popped up on my phone was V’s most recent Instagram post/thirst trap (the workout scenes are becoming a PROBLEM) set to a classic Canadian track, “Run To You” by Bryan Adams.

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I wonder if Bryan’s management woke up this morning all like… WTF, a million new streams? Don’t doubt it, that’s the power of BTS. At the same time, who put this song on Tae’s playlist? Is it an accident that he chose to use it now, just a week or so ahead of their arrival in Canada? I refuse to believe that it is. They are coming. Maple ARMY, this is our time! Canadian ARMY boyfriends, stand up!