BTS (@BTS.bighitofficial) finally unveiled its long-awaited single ‘Dynamite’, and as the title may have suggested, it went boom! Less than 10 minutes since its premiere and the video got 1.1M likes and 8,180,722 views and within 4 hours the video has reached 4.1M likes and 34,753,722 views, surpassing Blackpink’s “How You Like That” record for the biggest premiere in YouTube. However, ARMY are still in the works of snatching the other record of most views within 24-hour debut for a music video by trying to outstand the current record of 86.3 million by trying to reach 100 million.
BTS Dynamite: Lifting Spirits in Trying Times
Numbers apart, the music video is what most of us, not only Army, needs right now: an infusion of positive and colorful vibes. In late July, BTS said that the release of the single was with the aim of reaching their fans promptly as well as sharing some positive energy with them due to the complex times that COVID-19 has presented around the world. According to Variety, Suga mentioned in an online press conference held by the group that the song “It’s dedicated to all the people who feel like they’ve fallen down while running a marathon,” he said. “Even if you’re going through tough times, let’s do what we can in our places, and find freedom and happiness through dance and music”. For the septet, the release of the single was also a challenge since it is the first single which all of the members sing in English.
One of the most characteristic attributes BTS has is the way it clicks with its ARMY, which as some of its fans have said before, has helped them to feel emotionally better and, in these complicated times, the release of Dynamite fulfills its purpose. One fan tweeted:
”Dynamite isn’t just a song, it’s a cultural reset, it’s the oxygen you breathe, it’s a lifestyle, a reason to breathe. It’s food for the soul, a moment in history, what sets the dancefloor ablaze on the weekend. The pandemic is quaking!!”
The MV: Disco-Pop Upbeats, Colorful Visuals and 70s-90s Reference
Getting into the music video, one cannot but notice the different references to the:
- 70s (Flared trousers, disco, browns and Oranges, denim, -rainbow typography posters, and music of course)
- 80s & 90s (Bedroom posters, 90s-tastic Got Milk?, diners, Basketball, Spacejam, Kangol hats )
The music video also presented the members in a more individual way by appearing alone in different locations (e.g. ), emphasizing what Suga mentioned about doing what we can in our places, and finding freedom and happiness through dance and music.
What’s Next for BTS?
BTS is planned to appear on MTV Fresh Out Live (Aug. 22) and NBC Today Show (Aug. 24), plus the release of a B-side ‘Dynamite’ MV on August 25 before its stage comeback at the MTV Music Video Awards on August 30 (8 p.m. EST, Aug. 31 9 a.m. KST) where they will be performing ‘Dynamite’ along being nominated for Best K-Pop group, Best Choreography, and Best Pop for ”On”.