05/17/2026
A road trip story with your friendly massage therapist. In 1896, 7 Korean men sailed to America to study and were accepted by the prestigious Howard University. Jim Crow era universities maintained heavy discrimination. This Historically Black College and University (HBCU) welcomed them. The Korean students were known on campus for their musical talents and would perform for fellow students. An American ethnologist invited three of them to record a song for preservation. That song was Arirang, a Korean folk song of love and resilience. BTS chose this as the title for their new album, in connection with their korean roots, and they also traveled to America to record it.
My daughters and I traveled to El Paso to see it live. 👀It was the best day of our lives.
It was on a road trip with my daughters years ago where I first heard bts. I was having a hard time in my life, and their music really helped me through. One of my favorite lines is, "I grew a flower that will never bloom in a dream that will never come true." With their songs of first loves, songs of triumphs, of failure, of hope, of loving yourself. I could see why my daughters and so many more loved them, and I do too. They write about universal truths and lived experiences in a way that fans can connect and feel something meaningful. There are so many people that echo this story. Those fans are known as the BTS Army.
It was the best concert. So many fans were in tears singing their favorite songs from the new album and familiar surprise songs. So I want to thank my daughters for opening my ears to a different culture, a different kind of music, and thank you to BTS for creating in the way you do. It gives a place and a meaning for life's journeys.
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