From ARMY of Bangtan's (AoB) BTS Reading List 2025: A Review of Jack-in-the-Box, A Short Story by Ray Bradburry

Ray Bradbury’s “Jack-in-the-Box” reads, for me, as a story of emancipation: about Edwin, a child who escapes a world built for him, but never with his consent or consideration of his being. His confinement is not merely physical. It is structural, ideological, and emotional. His world is carefully designed, orderly, and suffocating, shaped by fear disguised as protection and authority disguised as love.

When Edwin finally breaks free from this boxed world, his declaration is "I’m dead! I’m glad!” reframes death not as an ending, but as liberation. What dies is the imposed self, the obedient version trapped within manufactured boundaries. What emerges is the possibility of living again, this time as a self that chooses, feels, and experiences the world beyond fear (sounds like Ego, right?). In this story, death becomes transformation, and freedom is earned through breaking away and sundering.

I chose this short story as part of the AoB Reading List because I wanted Jhope to be represented. Last year, I revisited "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea", a book Hobi read in high school and which later inspired Hope World. For 2025, with the HOPE ON THE STAGE tour marking a defining moment in his career, Jack-in-the-Box felt like a timely and necessary read.

Bradbury’s story resonates with Jack In The Box, the album, in concept, song lyrics and sonic qualities. Both confront boxed expectations, manufactured identities, and the cost of stepping outside what is prescribed. Both insist that emancipation is not always gentle, but it is essential.

This pairing honors Jhope not only as a performer, but as an artist continually choosing authorship over confinement, and selfhood over safety.

#ARMYofBangtanPH #ARMYofBangtanBookClub #BTS_JHOPE

Perspective Taking on the HOTS Concert Experience: A reflection from the line where we stood.

I’ve been thinking about grace a lot lately, in the context of fangirling in general and in light of Hobi’s Hope on the Stage concert tour; how people describe it, claim it, and carry it.

After J-Hope’s HOTS concert, I saw fans say they were “blessed by the universe,” “sumakses”, Lady Luck smiled at them, and that it was “grace” that led them to be there. And truly, witnessing a moment like that, to breathe the same air as someone you’ve loved and followed through years of growth, pain, the uncertainty of military service and silence, is a blessing. I won’t deny that.

But it got me thinking about grace that isn’t just about being chosen. It’s also about how we show up and who we show up for.

Many of us stood in long, glitching lines. We clicked and waited. We wept after losing tickets we fought for honestly. We faced scams and scalpers, unfair systems, and the silence of those in power and with leadership positions in fanbases who could’ve helped, but didn’t. Still, we stayed. We cheered from the sidelines. We held the light for Team Loob and Team Labas.

So when joy is posted like a trophy, when it flexes without honoring the ones still grieving missed chances, it doesn’t feel like grace. It feels like erasure and exclusion.

And maybe that’s what hurts most: that while ARMYs were expectant, hoping their peers, leaders and friends in the fanbases would carry the banner of loyalty through BTS’ enlistment, some chose to stay quiet. Then came back only when the music and lights returned, claiming fate and favor. As if the hard part never happened.

This isn’t to shame joy. Joy is sacred. But real joy remembers. It honors the community that held the silence, the ones who kept the faith, and the ones who never stopped loving even when there was nothing to gain.

So no, I’m not bitter. I’m just present. I see the gaps. I remember the waiting.

And I’m writing this not to take anyone’s happiness away, but to ask: can we hold joy and accountability in the same hand?

Because I believe grace isn’t just about being there. It’s about how you get there. And what you do with the light once it’s yours.

With love and fire,

Tita Zee

Books, Beats and BTS: He's Always Been This Hoseok

When Hoseok danced inside the elevator in the Butter MV, I was wrecked. He filled that small rectangular space with light and joy. His energy grabbed me in and my heart that was isolated by the pandemic opened to full bloom. Hoseok has that power. Hoseok has that charisma. This led me to listen to his first album, Hope World. It was illuminating in its playful riddling of life lessons and offering comfort along the way.

That’s why, I always believed in Jung Hoseok—not just as an idol, but as an artist, a visionary, and a storyteller. Long before the world applauded or stood in awe at his solo concert, I saw the spark. I saw the depth behind the smile, the intelligence behind the dance, the brilliance behind every verse.

Referencing Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (Jules Verne, 1869) in his debut album wasn’t just source of inspiration. It was proof of the world he was building, the worlds he would take us to. As one of the pioneers of science fiction, Verne explored the themes of autonomy, curiosity and freedom in Captain Nemo— the same way Hoseok explored identity and agency in a highly structured industry while seeking for harmony. That kind of imagination, passion, discipline, and heart? That’s not ordinary. That’s Hoseok.

So today, as he takes the stage alone—bold, brilliant, and unapologetically himself—I want to say: To me, he’s always been this Hoseok.

And I’ll keep believing in every version of him yet to come.

#BTS_Jhope

Kuwentong Bangtan: The Anima and the Gemini in J-Hope's Sweet Dreams

J-Hope’s Sweet Dreams (ft. Miguel) and the campaign leading up to its release have been nothing short of phenomenal. He performed it in the concert in Seoul prior to its official date of release making the experience a treat for fans and ARMY -- that was beyond special. What with the sweet and wholesome concept photos, we’re all left wondering where the sexy and sensual lyrics fit in the music video. At last. It is here!

After 12 hours – and more of live broadcast on Weverse that includes a fan meet (this is another story worthy of remembering in BTS History) today, fans and ARMYs from all over had it in full. The memes are out and comeback theories abound. This is me, jumping in the bandwagon.

Because I’m a big fan of Map of the Soul 7 and the Jungian framework from which it is based on, it is from this lens that I will base my theory.

The MV of Sweet Dreams is a striking fusion of sensuality and introspection, both in its sound and its visuals. The music video presents a world in chaos—his house flying, structures crumbling—yet in the end of, he meets a woman on the road and smiles at her. Through a Jungian lens, this imagery suggests the house as a symbol of the Self, while the woman represents the Anima, the unconscious feminine energy that serves as a creative and emotional guide. The timing of the release, following his military service and in the midst of Hope on the Stage Concert Tour, makes this moment even more significant. It is a meeting not just with another person but with a deeper part of himself—a grounding in his artistic roots even as the world around him shifts and changes.

At first glance, the sensual lyrics of Sweet Dreams seem to contrast with this interpretation, but they actually reinforce it. The Anima is not only an abstract muse; she is a source of intuition and passion. By including desire and pleasure in the song’s lyrics, Hobi is embracing the physical and emotional impulses that fuel his artistry. Creativity is not just about thought—it is deeply felt, instinctual, and alive in the body. The meeting with the Anima in the MV, then, is more than just recognition—it is a surrender to his true artistic self, a recovery of the emotions and desires that drive his creative expression.

It is interesting to note the word “Gemini” in the lyrics which can also be the embodiment of the Anima representing Hobi’s internal dialogue between two sides: one who dreams (cue in Future) and one who doubts (cue in What if). What ties this metaphor of the Gemini in the zodiac to the Anima of Jung is its balance and mediator role between opposing views be it conscious or not. The Gemini girl could be the voice that leads him into the realm of dreams where emotional honesty opens to the road of transformation.

This moment ties into HOTS Vol. 1, representing a return to Hobi’s roots in movement and expression. The chaos symbolizes destruction, but his smile as he meets the Anima/Gemini girl shows acceptance and trust in what comes next.

BTS is consistent in their messaging of change, growth and evolution. These themes span 5 eras of their discography. As the Military Era comes to a close in three months, we are seeing a BTS in constant motion and movement. The beautiful thing about their on-going narrative is that, they remain tethered to their roots as they clear paths and pave new ways of creative expression.

Only Bangtan! Apobangpo! Purple and true!

Kuwentong Bangtan: The Breadth and Depth of BTS' Discography & Hope On the Stage Seoul

J-Hope’s 3 day concert #HopeontheStage in Seoul finally ends. The tour will commence in a few weeks, making its first stop in the US. For us, ARMY, it wasn’t just a concert—it was a story told through music, dance, history ans Bangtan lore that die hard and veteran ARMY know by heart.

From the very first song, “What If”, he set the stage for an introspective journey, questioning realities and possibilities; entertaining doubts versus potentials of growth. As the setlist progressed with “Pandora’s Box” and “Arson” we saw him confront the weight of ambition, the struggles of being in the industry, and the fire that has both fueled and challenged him. This wasn’t just a performance; it was a narrative of self-exploration and resilience, revealing the depth of his artistry beyond the bright and energetic image many associate with him.

The turning point of the concert, at least for me, came with “1 Verse”, a decade-old track that still holds its power. This moment wasn’t just about nostalgia—it was a reaffirmation of his identity as a rapper, an artist, and someone who refuses to be boxed in. From there, songs like “Mic Drop”, “Dis-ease”,and “Outro: Ego” became acts of reclamation—Hobi taking ownership of his journey, his craft, and his future. And yet, even in his solo stage, BTS was never far from the story. As he performed “Neuron”, a tribute to his dance crew, scenes of BTS’ dance practices played on the screen, weaving his personal journey with the group’s history. The intertextuality of the performance was breathtaking—it showed how Hobi’s evolution is inseparable from BTS’ legacy.

This is why BTS remains irreplaceable for ARMY. Hope on the Stage wasn’t just about J-Hope proving himself as a solo artist; it was about him carrying BTS’ history forward while paving new paths. He isn’t leaving BTS behind—he’s taking us, ARMY, with him into the future. Watching this concert, even online, reinforced why we are here for life. This is more than music. This is a story of dreams, struggle, and triumph, told in a way only BTS—and J-Hope—can.

To casual fans and listeners, to concert-goers who secured a ticket by whatever means, I do hope you at least take these points into consideration. You will enjoy the concert, too, and perhaps understand why ARMY can be overtly proud and so generous in sharing the joy of BTS while at the same time being protective of them.

This is what we mean when we, ARMY, say #BTSis7. Apobangpo! Purple and true!

Kuwentong Bangtan: What If

Because “What If” is the track I am most intrigued about in JHope’s “Jack In the Box” it is also my most awaited track in HOTS Volume 1 and in the upcoming documentary. The song is peppered with doubts and possibilities.

The first two lines begin this way:

“Tens of times, I ask myself

Am I really like that?”

and it ends with a question:

“Can I do that shit?”

JHope is introspective here. Brave enough to imagine life without the many triumphs and accomplishments he and BTS have reaped through the years. It is a flex and at the same time, a way to caution himself of the trappings of fame.

I am really excited to see how “What If” is rendered into a dance choreography with a story to go along with it.

What song or track in HOTS are you anticipating to listen to and see in dance?

Source of lyrics: https://doolsetbangtan.wordpress.com/?s=what+if

Another BTS Inspired Bulletin Board: Equal Sign

 Because our theme this academic year is breaking barriers.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Zarah Gagatiga (@the.readingarmy)

Book Review: There Are No Bad People in the World

The rains are back. 

Summer has ended. 

But with climate change, where do you draw the line between the seasons? I retreat to books and reading to find a constant. I'm sharing a review of one of the books I read this summer.

“There Are No Bad People in the World” by Jae Woon-Hon, translated by Ma. Kristina Carla Rico and Kyung Min Bae (Apop, 2021).

It’s a tender and thought provoking take on the little moments of everyday. The ordinary is elevated unto the divine. The simple joys make life worth living.

There are big life changing questions being asked in each story rendered unassumingly and with care. The stories will comfort you and inspire you to be brave.

Therein lies the charm of the book.

Apparently, BTS member, Jhope read this book too and it is referenced in STOP, the 4th track in his new album, Jack in the Box. Like the book, Stop questions and reflects on the chaos and conflict wrapped around the world today. Like the book, it keeps hope afloat through lyrics that show the inherent goodness of people.

Pandemic Poetry: What Fuels Faith

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Zarah Gagatiga (@the.readingarmy)

DJ Ahjumma Reviews: Arson: When Hope is Hot

When the MV dropped last week, I was speechless. My initial impression was its connection to More. Both songs have the same downbeats and bass line. After several viewing and listening to the entire JITB track a hundred times, as well as discussing the album at the streaming party over on TOB 0709 Radio with Tita DJs and suki streamers, I was able to make sense of it all.

Arson is connected to More not only in the beats and base roll but also in messaging. It continues what More began pushing Jhope forward to the next step of his solo project. After burning everything on their path as BTS, the haters, the prejudice, the structures and systems that limit the growth of artists and musicians, the awards and the personal challenges, what else is there to do?

The last lyrics of Arson is an open ended question. Jhope challenges himself to seek new terrain and reach higher grounds.

“Now I ask myself, choose what / Do I put out the fire, or burn even brighter…”

Jhope’s aesthetic in Arson is a departure to the bright colors we are used to seeing. Indeed, his confidence to show this side of “sunshine Hobi” is grounded on trust. He trusts his label. He knows he has the support of the six members. He is hopeful that ARMYs will appreciate and love his new album.

And I do appreciate this new side of Jung Hoseok. Sunshine is a source of light. Sunshine is also fire. It is restorative and destructive too. Aha. Isn’t this Bangtan duality at work?

In the MV, the opening scene shows Jhope walking in the midsts of destruction. The feels! Dystopia. Zombie apocalypse. End of the world. Taking one of the concepts of the album as Hope flying out of Pandora’s box, what appears to be a dark and scary depiction of the world turns out to be, ah, hopeful.

Hobi in a white jumpsuit walking amidst burning men, cars, houses, ashes and soot everywhere is Hope personified. Hope, the last “evil thing” in the box has been unleashed. We know how powerful and delicate hope can be.

When all else fails, we hang on to hope.

More and Arson are darker in aesthetic, grittier and edgier in sound. But there exist hope. It is a gift we give ourselves to survive.

Lyrics: https://genius.com/J-hope-arson-lyrics

clipped from video @Bangtan TV and @BIGHIT_MUSIC

sourced from @BaronDestructo

DJ Ahjumma Reviews: Hope Wants More

BTS member Jhope has a new single, More. It dropped last July 1, 2022 causing a stir among casual fans and listeners, intriguing and exciting ARMYs along the way. Fans and Kpop followers are waiting in bated breath for the release of the digital album, Jack in the Box, where More is one of the tracks in the album. This is the first official solo project that a member of BTS launched since the group announced the beginning of Chapter 2 of Bangtan during the Festa Dinner in June.

The noise behind More can be attributed to Jhope's known image and personality being the sunshine and vitamins of Bangtan Sonyeondan. The theme of the single is a departure from his established persona. The colors and the tone of the music and its vidoe is dark and starkly grittier compared to the swag of his melody rap and hard hitting hiphop songs he writes, performs and produces. The beat and the chord patterns are reminiscent of 80s and 90s alternative rock and hiphop that one would have an immediate recall of Linkin Park, Limpbizkit and U2. Nonetheless, this new single emerging from Chapter 2 of Bangtan Sonyeondan is a change welcomed by many, ARMYs and casual fans of Kpop.

Jhope's first mixtape, Hope World (Big Hit 2018), is a burst of colors. The album cover shows a landscape and seascape with striking mix of bright colors: lavander, teal, turquoise, bright yellow green in a red orange back drop. Clouds hover above and an airplane flies over in suspended animation. This is a reflection of Jhope's world at the time. BTS was touring actively and winning awards left and right. It was also the year when BTS as a band started asking questions about the future that is yet to come.

Hope World has eight tracks with the title track bearing the name of the mixtape too. HopeWorld, the song begins with the sounds of bubbles that mimic a swimmer or a diver going underwater. Inspired by the book which Jhope read as a young boy, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (Jules Verne), the song is an invitation to his mindscape; his dreams and ambitions; his worries and what keeps him up at night. With an upbeat sound that runs accross all songs in the mixtape, as well as a bit of melacnholy in some songs, Hope World is a wellspring of joyful music that reveals the diverse influences of Jhope as an artist and musician. It was a well recieved work of music from critics, reviewers and ARMYs.

More, on the other hand speaks of hunger and going beyond achievements. It is a song that denotes reaching a certain peak or level of accomplishment that the persona/singer is asking for more. Jhope is involved in a soliloquy by singing out loud on what he can do, what lies ahead, pursuing what ever else is there to conquer and why.

Jhope sings:

Self-learning for 11 years/ My highlighting’s my art of learning 

Endless studying I crash and fall to make my art 

Still make it move from where I stand / Make it mine, make it right 

 Somebody’s favorite song again 

That’s half my life, reason for living, joy of life / Motivated to carry on … 

Bring it all / I’m doing it all

In More, Jhope is determined. The days of the dreamy young man of Hope World who wonders is over. In More, Jhope is Jung Hoseok who has a clearer vision of his identity as artist. He knows what he wants. He knows how to get it.

But the question remains. With More, who is the Jhope who will spring out of the box?

Rating: 4/5 Shots of Soju

Source for lyrics of More: https://www.glamsham.com/music/lyrics/bts-jhope-more-song-lyrics-english-translation

Source for Hope World Mixtape cover: https://pin.it/67LA0YI

Writing Workshop Notes: Criteria : Focus and Detail and Organization

In my writing workshop this summer, I focused on teaching my students two criteria in writing the essay namely, Focus and Detail and Organization. My approach for this module is a Reading into Writing Approach where in my students and I are reading essays and articles with an awareness of the different text structures. We are learning five structures: process/step by step; cause and effect; problem-solution; chronological order; and compare and contrast. 

A knowledge of these text structures enable stduents to uderstand the text and the author's purpose a litte better. It is also a learning experience in analysis and critical thinking especially when questions and inquiry are integrated when reading the texts. Constant exposure and regular practice in identifying the text structures is a strategy in reading comprehension which flows into writing.

Our output this week is an outline + text structures in the form of graphic organizers. Combining my students' prior knowledge on the traditional framework of an essay, Introduction; Body; Closure/Generalization, with their new knowledge of text structures, they were able to focus on a specific topic, provide details for the topic and develop, expand or extend the body of the essay using  graphic organizers. Also, my students have access and experiences on the topics of their choice. Content is not a challenge but documention and referencing are needed skills as well.

As always, I first model the process and guide my students in wiritng their own. Here is what I modeled and demonstrated for my students during one of the sessions.

Topic: Jhope’s New Single MORE

I. Beginning/Introduction – 2 paragraphs – 300 words

• Jhope’s new single, More, dropped last July 1, 2022 causing a stir among casual fans and listeners, intriguing and exciting ARMYs along the way.

• Supporting sentences for this claim and observation

• Jhope is known to ARMYs as the ray of light in BTS. He is the sunshine of the group whom Suga endearingly calls vitamins at one interview.

• Jhope’s first mixtape, Hope World is a burst of colors that reflect his cheerful and positive personality.

• More is the complete opposite, as many fans and reactors on YT have expressed.

II. Middle / Body – 3 paragraphs – 500 - 800 words

• Compare and Contrast: Hope World and More

• Discuss Jhope’s message in More based on the lyrics of the song (step  by step)

• -> Slected lyrics from 1st stanza / chorus or break /2nd stanza

III. Ending/Closure/Generalization – 1 paragraph – 150 words

• The new single More is darker in tone and theme but its message is similar and familiar to Jhope’s art, style and aesthetic.