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augustpch · 4 years

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The Significance of BTS’ Dionysus

Note: Although it's a bit late and there are probably many theories about this song already, I still want to give my take. I was actually supposed to post this two months ago but didn't finish it due to my schedule. Also, I’m afraid I have to warn you that this analysis is really long.

All song on Map of The soul: Persona are unique and meaningful in their own way, but Dionysus is possibly the track that we need to pay attention to the most, for so many ideas could be interpreted from it. Not only is the song a certain kind of a statement from BTS to the public, but it is also important in term of narrative to Map of The Soul series. To understand the underlying messages of this track, we may look at what the myth of Dionysus tells us.

(translation of the lyrics from twt @doolsetbangtan)

PART 1 – The Allegory of BTS Phenomenon

I’ll begin with the origin of Dionysus and its relation to BTS’ career history.

Among the Greek gods, Dionysus is special as the only one who is half-human, half-divine. Granted that the tradition of consuming wine has been an intimate activity of human since nearly the beginning, the god of wine is one of the two “best friends of mankind” alongside Demeter, the goddess of fertility and agriculture. Rather than being regarded as the one who belongs in the upper world, he is consider to be a great god of earth.

In much the same way, BTS stands out from other idols or celebrities, who were commonly deified by the public and their fans. While the artist holds the reputation of being the divine, they openly acknowledge and encourage the mortal side. That is to say, they don’t establish a kind of relationship consisting of the worshiped (celebs) and the worshipers (fans), but communicate with us like a person to a person, reducing the distance separating the gods from the followers.

BTS are not preoccupied with maintaining a certain image constructed to impress the audience. They aren’t afraid to show weaknesses, flaws, and worries, coming across as not different from us normal people. The band speaks with sincerity and eliminates the boundaries between the state of being divine and human. This closeness is what tightens the bond they have with ARMY. For this reason, BTS is also “the best friend of mankind” just like Dionysus.

What is more, the story of Dionysus’ life from birth to death can precisely represent BTS’ journey into the world of music. The myth covers the concept of embarking on a journey as a sign of entering adulthood, battling against the non-believers, and transcending suffering and death—or like this part of Yoongi’s verse:

“Born as an idol, then reborn as an artist.”

BTS’ success in breaking into America is how they proved themselves to those who looked down on them in the past. Nonetheless, they still can’t avoid the same old unwelcoming attitude, now coming from another industry. The fight against racism, xenophobia, and the attempts to damage their position at the top still goes on, and they will have to continue to find a way to survive it.

The same scenario happens to Dionysus. When the god reaches his hometown, the king of Thebes, Pentheus, who is actually his cousin but doesn’t recognize him, thinks that Dionysus and the maenads are “queer,” “objectionable,” and “should be stopped” (familiar, isn’t it?) No matter how Dionysus tries to persuade Pentheus, he strongly refuses to acknowledge him as his god. The king’s final destination is far from favorable, as he rejects and insults the divine.

This raises some questions: Is the king “blindness” towards Dionysus’s divinity “ignorance” or “prejudice”? Which one, then, defines people reaction when hearing BTS’ name? Regardless of the answers, those who dare to threaten the god will eventually meet their doom like Pentheus. It doesn’t matter what opinion you have against them, BTS is here to stay, they’re here to celebrate. And that’s exactly what the Greeks do to worship Dionysus. The god’s glorified resurrection was celebrated by doing plays in theater.

Similarly, performing Dionysus is how BTS proclaims their victory over the sufferings they have experienced, which made them stronger and shine brighter ever than before. The stage is the theater for their play, and we are the audience invited to witness their glory.

I’m at the door of the world now

The loud cheers I hear as I step onto the stage

Can’t you see my stacked broken thyrsus

It’s only now that I am born again

The myth of the god of wine therefore is the perfect allegory for BTS’ story. It’s suitable that the track was placed at the end of the album because it shows that this is where they ended up being after the long journey over the past 6 years. It’s also the fact that BTS chooses not to be resentful towards their past; they’d rather celebrate it, meaning they are not willing to let any obstacles restrain them. This song is a way to present themselves as the greatest boy band in the world. Whether you agree or not, one thing still stands: it’s certain that you won’t be able to escape from them.

Breaking a new record is a race with myself, a race, yeah

Raise the glass of celebration, one shot

But I’m still thirsty

What

PART 2 –Enjoyment & Pain

Since Dionysus is a symbol of wine, it’s impossible not to discuss about alcohol as a coin with two sides: it can give rise to both enjoyment and pain. Dionysus can be, as he was sometimes regarded, “the god of holy inspiration,” motivating people to act bravely or creatively, but at the same time he can be cruel, driving men on to madness and frightful deeds. His character clearly depicts that of alcohol.

The dynamic between enjoyment and pain in alcohol illustrates that it’s not possible to enjoy something without experiencing any resistance or limit. This leads to the conversation about two relationships: one between BTS and their audience, the other one between art and artists.

Comparing BTS to wine is pretty accurate. There is no need to say more about how much fun, joy or inspiration they can offer to their fans. And who are the ones that are the most drunk in BTS? While Dionysus has the maenads, BTS has us, ARMY. Our force and dedication for the artist is unstoppable to the point of madness.

All drink, drink, drink, drink my glass, ay

All fall, fall, fall for a mad artist

Still, one thing that needs to be noted is the opposite side of the situation, for as much as BTS offers immeasurable satisfaction and amusement, there can be a few drawbacks as well. This is an appropriate occasion to bring back “Pied Piper,” a critical and playful track about the negative effects of falling into the BTS loophole. It’s the same as getting drunk at a party knowing that you’re risking to be late or miss work the next day. In addition, too much dose of BTS can lead to excessive obsession and the loss of decency, the kind of behavior we see in sasaengs/stalkers.

Though I’m a bit dangerous, I’m too sweet

I came to rescue you, I came to ruin you

In this way, BTS has beneficial and destructive side. In them there exists the ability to generate enjoyment and pain like alcohol. And while the band is the best gift to those who appreciates them, they are also the industry’s worst nightmare.

BTS climbed their way up and succeed without any external help and cheating, which makes some people really mad so they are trying every way imaginable to undermine them. Some even enjoy doing it without realizing that in such a way they are somewhat addicted to the artist instead. Even this kind of obsession is still an indicator that those antis are being under the influence of the wine called BTS. After all, it has been said before that a hater in a way is a fan too. This highlights the fact that BTS needs not to fear or worry about antis because making people mad is Dionysus’ specialty. Without this characteristic, BTS cannot be like wine/the god of wine. Considering this, we may say that haters are not actually ruining BTS but making them who they are (by giving them the quality that constitutes their identity.) That’s one way to look at it.

I’m going to move on briefly to the relationship between art and its creators. Art to artists is the same thing as what BTS is to ARMY. It was already stated in the lyrics. The song clearly addressed the pain of creative process, for it’s not something that can be avoided.

Drink it up (the pain of creating)

One sip (the scolding of society)

Drink it up (the communication with myself)

One sip (Okay now I’m ready to sho)

For both artists and consumers, art indeed produces pleasure as well as comfort, but the agony that artists have to endure before they can create a work is tremendous. And isn’t that often pain itself is what gives birth to a work of art? Here I quote Herman Hesse’s Steppenwolf:

“Thus, like a precious, fleeting foam over the sea of suffering arise all those works of art, in which a single individual lifts himself for an hour so high above his personal destiny that his happiness shines like a star and appears to all who see it as something eternal and as a happiness of their own.”

The song itself is a proof to this statement. BTS have been through so much to reached where they are today, and thus “Dionysus” pays homage to their hardships. In a way, those difficulties are what enables them to fully cherish the value of their achievements and provides them with inspiration for their works.

All in all, the two cases associated with the theme of enjoyment and pain point towards the idea that joy and suffering can co-exist in one thing and cannot be separated. We’d better embrace this truth so that maybe we can profit from the two of them. This can be applied to several aspects in life as well.

PART 3 (END) - What the Song May be Telling Us

So, where do we go from here? Where do all of the topics I’ve mentioned above come together? As Map of The Soul: Persona refers to, according to Carl Jung’s theory, “the aspect of someone's character that is presented to or perceived by others,” Dionysus is a song that speaks about what can obviously be seen about BTS: the story about their success, their fans, the obstacles they face as an artist. These seem to belong to BTS’ persona.

Meanwhile, the song also lets us get a glimpse of more serious topics that might appear in the next comeback. There are clues to possible discussion about the bad side of their fame or the path they walk on, together with how they have or have not come to term with it. This might be the overall message of the upcoming album. BTS might also talk about how they identify themselves as an individual and as a superstar —the struggle to find a balance between being a god and being a human —or about the hidden negative part of themselves, as it was included in the definition of shadow.

It’s also interesting that Dionysus wasn’t called an outro, which may mean that the song is a kind of a transition into the next album. Because Map of The Soul is a journey into oneself, all parts in this series are connected to the same path. This track is like a checkpoint leading us to the next destination. And the whole series itself seems to be the representation of the self (That’s probably why we only have hints about persona, shadow and ego). Compared to the LOVE YOURSELF series, divided into parts with different themes and tones as it narrates a sequence of an event, each album from Map of the Soul is likely to be integrated into one big part, which I would say makes sense to me #.

#bts #dionysus #bangtan #bangta boys #bangtan universe #bts theory #bu theory #map of the soul: shadow #map of the soul : persona #map of the soul #mots shadow #mots persona

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