Demian, Temptation, and Self-Reflection: Wings by BTS as a Concept Album
Written by Marieska Luzada
Wings group concept photo
Introduction
Cute, girl crush, military, retro, summer–these are just a handful of concepts that are in K-pop, something that has taken the world by storm in recent years and something that has given Korea power as a global exporter of entertainment, lifestyle, and culture (Geddo 2). To put it simply, “concepts” in K-pop refer to the theme or aesthetic of an artist’s music. The word “concept” is usually discussed when referring to the visual aspect of the genre, notably an artist’s music video for a popular track, their costumes, makeup, and/or choreography.
This being said concepts in K-pop are usually only put side by side with a singular song, like the summer concept with TWICE’s “Dance The Night Away” or the retro concept with T-ARA’s “Roly Poly.” Concepts usually do not apply to groups of songs. While some songs by the same artist might share a similar concept, they do not follow a similar theme or storyline–they are all individualistic in that way. Enter: Wings by BTS.
Wings by BTS is probably the closest that K-pop will get to a concept album, as its songs and the concept have not been seen before in the industry on a large scale. There is honestly no singular word that can pinpoint what the name of the concept is, but the major themes of the concept album are as follows: temptation, growth, pain, and self-reflection.
Background/Source of Inspiration
Released in 2016, Wings was heavily influenced by Demian, a Bildungsroman written by Hermann Hesse. The novel centers around Emil Sinclair, whose existence can be summarized as a conflict between two worlds: the show world of illusion, and the real world of spiritual truths. Childhood friend Max Demian accompanies Emil as he detaches and rebels against the superficial ideals of the world of appearances, and later experiences self-realization and growth.
Promotional material / Visual component
While the source of inspiration for Wings is not immediately revealed to us through simple listening, part of what makes the K-pop industry a global market is the visual component of it all–engaging with K-pop completely involves going beyond just listening to the music. As part of the album’s promotion, Big Hit Entertainment (BTS’ record label) released seven short films–one for each member and their solo tracks on the album (which we will discuss in detail later). Each short film starts with a quote from Demian and mirrors a chapter from the novel, such as “Jungkook painting a portrait of a face not unlike Emil Sinclair's picture of Max Demian, before finding the image of the winged god Abraxas (the Gnostic deity that features heavily in the book)” (Walker 10).
Not only does Wings pay homage to Demian and its story of temptation and its consequences, but the title serves as a representation of growth, loss of innocence, and bidding farewell to familiarity and comfort. BTS pays homage to the creativity of Hermann Hesse by utilizing the story and its visual representations to shape their own stories. Beginning with The Most Beautiful Moment in Life (an album series from the group that discusses the beauty and anxieties of youth and growing up), BTS has created a universe containing an alternate storyline and background for each member (a universe which fans continue to dissect because of its complexity). This universe (told through the group’s videos) has an underlying narrative that grapples with heavy social issues, such as class issues, domestic abuse, and the hardships of growing up. It was around this time that BTS was getting recognized for their artistry beyond their catchy music and their ability to tackle taboo issues in music.
Lead single
Wings’ lead single is titled “Blood Sweat & Tears,” co-written by the rap line of BTS (RM, SUGA, and j-hope), in addition to “Hitman” Bang, Pdogg, and Kim Do-hoon. In terms of sound, the song encompasses a multitude of genres such as moombahton, trap, and tropical house, and includes influences of dancehall and reggaeton. “Blood Sweat & Tears” marks a pivotal moment in the group’s sound (as their signature sound was hip hop until that point), and they received critical acclaim for their emotional vocal delivery, rhythmic instrumentals, and the cohesiveness of all seven members’ unique and individual artistry.
Lyrically, the song talks about the pain of addictive love and the repercussions of temptation. In the first verse, RM raps “Peaches and cream, sweeter than sweet/Chocolate cheeks and chocolate wings.” Though some may infer that the phrase “peaches and cream” is a euphemism for sex, these lyrics could also be interpreted in the context of losing one’s innocence and giving into temptation. “Peaches and cream” represent childhood innocence that was once “sweeter than sweet,” and RM continues by presenting the idea that innocence can turn murky and dark like chocolate, yet still sweet with the enticement of temptation. The lyrics that follow are “But your wings are the devil's/There is a bitter next to your sweet,” referring to the idea that the external party (whether it is an actual person or a more abstract idea like success, fame, etc.) also has a dark side, and a price to pay with the good fortune that may appear at first glance.
Another section that is worth mentioning in terms of lyricism is the song’s chorus: “My blood, sweat, tears, and my last dance/Take it all away/My blood, sweat, tears, and my cold breath/Take it all away.” BTS has been hailed as coming from humble beginnings in a company that was not one of the “big three” in the industry (which are SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment, and YG Entertainment). The members in the past have shared stories about being in practice rooms from dusk until dawn, arguably pushing their physical limits day to day. This lyric, in particular, can be interpreted as a parallel to what the BTS members once went through and perhaps continued to go through at this time when they were rising to the top of not only the K-pop industry, but the music world as a whole. While hard work leading to success is often viewed as a positive feat, it comes with its hardships like declining physical and mental well-being, and the struggle for creativity. Thus, these emotions can sometimes lead to the desire to “take it all away.” At a press conference promoting Wings, lead rapper SUGA said “The song relays an optimistic determination to use our wings to go far, even if we are met with temptations in life” (SBS PopAsia HQ).
Introduction of solo tracks
Wings also marks the first BTS album to feature a solo track from each member. This album thus allows the members to act as a unified group on some tracks, while also giving each of the seven members an opportunity to shine individually and showcase a little bit of their own stories and vulnerabilities.
“Begin” is a solo track by Jungkook, the main vocalist and youngest member of the group. This song talks about his beginnings in the group, debuting at age 15 and coming to Seoul, being far away from his home and family in Busan. While young and anxious about making his start in the industry, he found comfort and solace in the six other members of the group, who have since become his chosen family. He expresses this love numerous times throughout the song with just four words: “You make me begin.” This line is accompanied by rhythmic beats and layered percussion to bring this passion for brotherhood on a pedestal, not to mention the complex footwork in the song’s choreography.
“Awake” marks a significant shift in the album’s sound, as it comes right after the uplifting vocals and catchy beats of “MAMA,” a track performed by rapper j-hope that serves as a tribute to his mother for being supportive of his dreams to be a dancer and performer (complete with elements of American gospel and forte instrumentals to parallel his love and gratitude). “Awake” is performed by Jin, the eldest member of the group and part of the vocal team. Jin is well known for his sense of humor among the boys, and often acts as the mood maker for the group in public settings (or on variety show appearances), yet his solo tracks are known for being some of the most emotional songs in BTS’ discography, and this further exemplifies his versatility and passion for his craft. Out of all members of BTS, only Jin was cast for the group on the street because of his looks, leading him to believe that he was not technically as good or talented as the rest of the group. “Awake” showcases his vulnerability and fear of not being good enough, but he also expresses how, despite his insecurities, he is determined to keep working hard and improving because of his dream to succeed and get better (“Maybe I, I can't touch the sky/Still, I want to stretch my hand out/I want to run, just a bit more).
These are just a couple of examples of the members showing their individual artistry and how they fit into the 7-piece puzzle. To sum up, solo tracks not mentioned in depth, “Lie,” is a song by lead vocalist Jimin that exemplifies his wish to break free from a “lie” he has been living in front of the public. The starting line of the chorus suddenly switches from a minor to a major key, creating an unsettling mood as a parallel to the fact that he is forced to put on a mask of happiness for folks other than himself, and masking the fact that he is trapped within this lie as a consequence of temptation.
“First Love” by SUGA presents music as his love at first sight, and how he will always find his way back to music, even if there was a way to block it out or if he tried to push music away from his life. The song starts and ends with the sole accompaniment of the piano, and the song slowly rises to its climax lyrically and musically as SUGA recounts his memories and stories with the power of one instrument.
“Reflection” is a track by RM, the leader and main rapper of BTS. This song captures his desire to reflect within himself, and how he reflects himself through music. RM wrote this song while in Ttukseom (a place in Eastern Seoul) while looking out at the Han River. RM also recorded the sounds of people and the subway, bringing in an aspect of everyday, mundane life into this track as a way to showcase that while BTS may be one of the world’s biggest artists of our time, they are just like regular people and have real human struggles as we do.
“Stigma” by vocal team member V is possibly the only track accompanying his character in the BTS Universe and not his own life (at least to public knowledge, but this is up for multiple interpretations). Through powerful and emotional vocal delivery (direct attention to his head to mix voice transition at the ending high note of the bridge) and suspenseful strings, V sings about how his character sees himself as a sinner for not being strong enough to protect his sister from the pain she endured from their abusive father (according to his storyline in the BTS Universe), and asks for forgiveness.
Other standout tracks
In addition to the title track and solo tracks, Wings also includes a few other tracks that deserve attention. “2! 3!” serves as the penultimate track of the album, and it is a song from BTS to ARMY (fanbase) in which they express that while life does not seem perfect and one may encounter obstacles from time to time, things will eventually get better. With a theme of Wings being growth and loss of innocence, BTS gives thanks to their fans for staying alongside them throughout their struggles and hardships (“Hoping for more good days/If you believe what I say then one, two, three”).
Known as one of the group’s famous “diss anthems,” “BTS Cypher 4” is performed by the group’s rap line, and serves as a fourth installment to the rap line’s “Cypher” series, beginning as early as “BTS Cypher, Pt. 1” on their 2013 EP O!RUL8,2?. In hip-hop, a cypher occurs when rappers freestyle, battle, or bounce off another rapper’s verse, like a jam session. Filled with rhythmic verses and a repetitive piano riff in the choruses, the song points out the multitude of harsh critiques and hatred that BTS has received since their debut, with RM starting off the song with fully mimicking hecklers with their comments: “‘Name, name!’ Sorry bae/‘Pronunciation, pronunciation!’ Sorry bae/‘Diction, diction, diction!’ Sorry bae/‘Oh, face not an idol..’Sorry bae.” The chorus goes on to repeat “I love myself,” a direct contrast to the ending of RM’s “Reflection” where he repeats “I wish I could love myself.” While the three-word phrase clarifies what message BTS wants to send to ARMYs (that they should love themselves no matter what hardships or hatred they may encounter), one could interpret this as expressing that rapper persona RM is different from RM as a human. This is another example of how to an extent, artists are only sharing a part of themselves to the public, and struggle to find a place of acceptance and balance between how they see themselves and how others see them.
Conclusion
The fact that Wings is the closest K-pop has ever gotten to a concept album in the industry is a feat in itself, especially during a moment in time when the boys were still struggling to be taken seriously. Wings marked a significant moment in the group’s career where they were not only transforming as artists and musicians, but also as role models for their fans because of their messages of self-love, introspection, and individualism. Wings sends the message to fans that while change can be scary, even in the face of temptation, these are moments in life to find yourself and learn who you are.
Now I know I'm breaking up with regretting with age (Break up)
I made a decision, I will have unconditional trust
It's time to be brave, I'm not afraid
Because I believe I'm different from what I was
I won't cry on my path, I won't hang my head low
That is the sky and I'll be flying there, fly
- j-hope, “Outro: Wings”
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Works Cited
Geddo, Benedetta. “An Explanation of ‘Concepts’ in K-Pop—Plus, an (Almost) Comprehensive List of the Many Faces of Concepts.” The Mary Sue, 29 March 2022, https://www.themarysue.com/explaining-kpop-concepts/. Accessed 4 February 2023.
“Genius English Translations – BTS - 피 땀 눈물 (Blood Sweat & Tears) (English Translation).” Genius, https://genius.com/Genius-english-translations-bts-blood-sweat-and-tears-english-translation-lyrics. Accessed 4 February 2023.
SBS PopAsiaHQ. “BTS talk about 'WINGS', the lead-up to its release, & their hopes in new interview.” SBS, 11 October 2016, https://www.sbs.com.au/popasia/blog/2016/10/11/bts-talk-about-wings-lead-its-release-their-hopes-new-interview. Accessed 4 February 2023.
Walker, Jennifer. “Hermann Hesse, Carl Jung, and BTS: How 20th Century Swiss Literature Influenced K-Pop's Biggest Band.” Panel Magazine, https://panel-magazine.com/hermann-hesse-carl-jung-and-bts-how-20th-century-swiss-literature-influenced-k-pops-biggest-band/. Accessed 4 February 2023.
