Idol Limerence


Book Description

When an idol and fan stand face to face and the idol's mask comes off, is it simply the fan staring into a mirror, admiring their own reflection? Idol Limerence explores the mass phenomena of the Korean idol, in particular, BTS and how it intersects with the psychological experience of limerence, as originated by Dorothy Tennov. Further phenomena will be introduced with an exploration of persona as a link to a fantasy realm accessed by both idol and fan. Culminating in the exploration of the revolutionary capacity of BTS and their fan base, ARMY, who were created in their image. Echo's narrative spans from her first love as a child to falling in love with BTS as an adult, an experience she feels is largely out of her control. Idol Limerence is a love story wrapped in social theory that spans this universe and the next. Insperence is the space where the revolution can begin to take hold; insperence is where we can all become revolutionaries. In many ways, we already are.Idol Limerence: The Art of Loving BTS as Phenomena by Wallea Eaglehawk is a scholarly and literary work on the phenomenon that is BTS, the most popular and influential music group of our generation. Idol Limerence is a cognitive and emotional state of loving adoration and attachment to an Idol or celebrity. Echo, a young millennial woman, finds herself falling deeply in love with a group of blouse-wearing Korean men who sing, dance and dish out uncommon potent eye contact like it's a period drama. This book joins Echo on her journey from first love as a child to falling in love with K-pop group BTS as an adult. Echo learns just how and why she can't control her feelings towards BTS, not that she really wants to; and this is not an isolated experience, she is not alone but part of BTS' fan base, ARMY. The theory of Idol Limerence is developed from the psychological idea of limerence and linked to sociological concepts of identity, persona, parasocial relationships, love and celebrity. The theory development is interwoven with the love narrative of Echo which shows how Idol Limerence can be a 'safe-love' alternative for millennials overwhelmed by loving and dating in a world on the brink of collapse. If the question is 'Why can't I stop thinking about what my life with BTS would look like?' Idol Limerence is the answer and becoming a revolutionary to save the world is the result.




BTS by ARMY


Book Description

BTS by ARMY: 2020 shares the journey of Grammy-nominated BTS during the year 2020. From their chart-topping Map of the Soul: 7 to surviving the pandemic together and creating BE featuring Billboard Hot 100 #1s Dynamite and Life Goes On, every moment is compiled to provide an authentic and dynamic profile of the group, and each member throughout the year. A culmination of interviews, lyrical analysis, live performances, and more, these profiles show the journey of RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V and, Jung Kook from the unique perspective of some of those who walked with them every step of the way: ARMY. Dear BTS, Happy 8th birthday. This book was written by ten ARMY from around the world and published by an all-ARMY publishing company. Though we cannot speak with you directly, nor write a book that shares new stories or truths, what we can do is reflect who you showed yourselves to be in 2020 back to you. While this book is firstly a gift to you, it is a gift to our fellow ARMY who wish to celebrate you on this day, and every other day for that matter. Further, we hope that anyone interested in learning more about who you are and connecting with you on a human level will find this book and find joy, solace, and understanding amongst these pages. We know and trust that the right people will find this book at the right time. Thank you for all that you do, and all that you are. We know 2020 was a difficult year for you, but we appreciate you for including us in your journey as you always have done. Just as you have seen and heard us, we see you, we hear you, we love you, too. Love, ARMY




Love Yourself: Essays on Self-love, Care and Healing Inspired by BTS


Book Description

Inspired by BTS' message of "love yourself, speak yourself" Love Yourself features 10 essays on self-love, care and healing from contributors around the world. According to BTS, to be human is to love; humans are love in physical form. Both BTS and their fans, ARMY, were created, and remain continuously united in love. The love that BTS speak of is complex and nuanced at times, but also can transcend cultural, language, and physical barriers. Love is BTS' call to action, they ask of us to learn to love ourselves and to warmly embrace others in whatever way we can. Amongst the pages of this book you will find a range of experiences and stories that share universal themes and truths. Some may be familiar to you, some may be new. These essays are not about BTS even as all the contributors are ARMY and have been deeply influenced by the group and fandom alike. These essays are personal accounts of the writers' lives that are linked to socio-cultural-political analyses and understandings for further context and, perhaps, to provide the reader with tools for understanding their own journey, too. Each essay provides a heartfelt examination of self-love as a journey, a work in progress. This is your call to action. It has two words, three syllables, and twelve letters. Love yourself. Say it out loud right now as you read it and you might be confused, because what exactly does it mean to love yourself? But say it while looking at yourself in the mirror with unwavering eye contact, and perhaps you'll start to understand what adventure is afoot. Perhaps you're already in the thick of it. Either way, it can't hurt to say it. Once more, for the sake of art: Love yourself.




I Am ARMY


Book Description

The identity of ARMY, the dynamic global fanbase of Korean music group BTS, is complex and nuanced. I Am ARMY locates, documents, and celebrates just some of the unique identities within the diverse fandom. A collection of autoethnographic essays, each chapter in this book contains an ARMY experience which transcends the personal entirely. As such they sit as part of a broader socio-political examination and critique of the world we live in today. I Am ARMY gives the reader a chance to immerse themselves in the world of an ARMY living an entirely different life, and the opportunity to understand just how socially constructed and influenced our lived-experiences truly are. Co-editor Eaglehawk frames the socio-political stories in I Am ARMY as accounts of 'practicing revolutionaries' and introduces BTS as 'participatory revolutionaries'. Drawing upon universal truths detailed throughout the book, Eaglehawk develops a set of components for what she calls the 'Love Yourself, Speak Yourself Revolution' which is currently underway. Within this book, you will find the answers to questions such as: "why are fandoms devalued?", "how can I learn to love myself?" and "how can I be a feminist and an ARMY?" Above all else, you will find a little piece of yourself written on the page; for each of us are ARMY, each of us are human. I Am ARMY serves as a reminder that despite how disconnected we may feel from the world, how disheartened or downtrodden, we are not alone; ARMY or not.




Love and Limerence


Book Description




Map of the Soul 7


Book Description

Beyond summarizing the three volumes on Persona, Shadow and Ego in the Map of the Soul series, this latest book explores the entire BTS album, start to finish, revealing profound insights into the collective psyche of BTS. The title of BTS’s latest album, Map of the Soul: 7, captivates the mind with its suggestive and alluring imagery. It came as a surprise to many fans. Expected was an album that would follow upon Map of the Soul: Persona with songs about Shadow or Ego. While the new album does indeed include songs with these themes, it is much more complex and broader in vision than expected. The number 7 suggests mystery. It catches the mind’s attention with its symbolic significance. What does this number mean in relation to the idea of a “map of the soul?” This book dives into this mystery and explores the unconscious reaches of our mind. Fans of BTS from around the world will marvel at the depth of meaning in the songs contained in Map of the Soul: 7. They take the listener into deep reflection upon the meaning of striving and ambition, the dangers of worldly success, and the amazing resiliency of the human spirit to recover and go on despite the pitfalls on life’s journey. The songs themselves function as a map for souls who are setting out in life and engaging in challenging relationships. The songs are reflective, mirroring what we find within ourselves in our struggles to become and to thrive. When you stand on the threshold of a new land, it is useful to have a map as your guide. The great psychologist of the 20th Century, Carl Jung, created a Map of the Soul that many people in his time found more than a little helpful, even lifesaving. It is even more so now, for people in the 21st Century, caught in the profound complexities of modern life. Armed with this map, people are better able to find their way successfully through life’s journey. Today, BTS is putting this map into the hands of their fans. For this great service we are profoundly very grateful.




Jesse's Girl


Book Description

Practice makes perfect. Everyone at Hundred Oaks High knows that career mentoring day is a joke. So when Maya said she wanted to be a rock star, she never imagined she'd get to shadow the Jesse Scott, Nashville's teen idol. But spending the day with Jesse is far from a dream come true. He's as gorgeous as his music, but seeing all that he's accomplished is just a reminder of everything Maya's lost: her trust, her boyfriend, their band, and any chance to play the music she craves. Not to mention that Jesse's pushy and opinionated. He made it on his own, and he thinks Maya's playing back up to other people's dreams. Does she have what it takes to follow her heart—and go solo? Praise for Miranda Kenneally's Breathe, Annie, Breathe: "[An] expertly paced and realistic romance."—Booklist, starred review "Heartfelt, uplifting, and quite possibly enough motivation to make readers reach for their running shoes." —Publisher's Weekly "Breathe, Annie, Breathe is an emotional, heartfelt, and beautiful story about finding yourself after loss and learning to love. Her best book yet." —Jennifer L. Armentrout, New York Times bestselling author of Wait for You




Matrix of Power


Book Description

Who really runs the world? Who controls the money, the politics, and almost every facet of life without you knowing a thing about it? Is such a thing possible? Maxwell grew up in a family that had high-ranking insiders in international politics and religion, so had access to information that few people could imagine. He continued with a lifetime of investigation and is now considered the worlds foremost authority on ancient religions and modern conspiracies. He has appeared on three CBS television specials and countless radio shows. His work on the true meaning of symbols in politics, religion, and major corporations is also covered in this highly illustrated book. Explore this fascinating subject with a man who has devoted a lifetime of study to uncovering our hidden masters.




Through the Darkness, I Will Love Myself


Book Description

Through the darkness, I will love myself is an anthology written in response to, and inspired by, BTS' Love Yourself era. BTS are a seven member K-pop group from Seoul, South Korea who formed in 2013. Since then, they have become one of the most influential artists of the decade. This book exists to show the lasting impact of BTS' trilogy of albums Love Yourself: Her (2017), Love Yourself: Tear (2018) and Love Yourself: Answer (2018); subsequent tours of Love Yourself (2018-2019) and Speak Yourself (2019); BTS' Love Myself campaign to end violence towards children with UNICEF and; BTS' speech at the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly in 2018 where leader RM said: "I have many faults and I have many fears, but I am going to embrace myself as hard as I can, and I'm starting to love myself, little by little." The message of self-love woven throughout BTS' work has deeply and profoundly impacted the lives and experiences of their fan base, ARMY. Through the darkness, I will love myself, is a testament to how BTS' message lives on to this day and is interpreted in a multitude of unique ways by each contributor from around the world. BTS say "Love yourself," but what exactly does that mean? What self-love is can be hard to define, and often even harder to practice. Through the darkness, I will love myself is a collection of creative works from 18 writers and poets, all ARMY, that seeks to examine what self-love, and self-hate, looks and feels like. Channelling lived-experience through characters, prose and redacted lines, this book doesn't aim to define self-love, it shows self-love and self-hate as a never-ending journey towards self-actualisation. From moments of joy, to the depths of despair, each contributor shares a unique perspective that speaks to a universal truth: the only way to survive whatever darkness we may be facing is to go right through the middle, one step at a time. Self-love isn't a destination, it exists and permeates through the darkness alongside us in every moment of the journey. It exists on the other side of self-hate, and often there is a give and take, one which is encapsulated within these pages. Through the darkness, I will love myself is a letter to the world: loving yourself isn't easy, but let's try anyway. One step at a time, into the darkness once more, together.




Idol


Book Description

Libby I found Killian drunk and sprawled out on my lawn like some lost prince. With the face of a god and the arrogance to match, the pest won’t leave. Sexy, charming, and just a little bit dirty, he’s slowly wearing me down, making me crave more. He could be mine if I dare to claim him. Problem is, the world thinks he’s theirs. How do you keep an idol when everyone is intent on taking him away? Killian As lead singer for the biggest rock band in the world, I lived a life of dreams. It all fell apart with one fateful decision. Now everything is in shambles. Until Liberty. She’s grouchy, a recluse —and kind of cute. Scratch that. When I get my hands on her, she is scorching hot and more addictive than all the fans who’ve screamed my name. The world is clamoring for me to get back on stage, but I’m not willing to leave her. I’ve got to find a way to coax the hermit from her shell and keep her with me. Because, with Libby, everything has changed. Everything.