Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction, at least that's what Tonya, Alison, Megan and Lia have learned in the world of ARMY fandom. Back before BTS got their hooks in us, we were avid K-drama watchers and one drama that delighted us was Her Private Life which depicts the secret life of a professional art curator who happens to be a little (lot) obsessed with a Kpop idol. We thought it was cute but also maybe over the top at first watch. Nowadays...we aren't so sure. Suddenly having a giant cut out of Jungkook in our living room seems pretty reasonable. So we decide to return to the drama with new eyes and see how we related to the exploration of adult women in fandom.If you have any questions email us at afternoonaarmy@gmail.com.Want to try an audiobook for the bookclub? Don't forget to click here for your free Audible trial: http://www.audibletrial.com/afternoona*Audible is a sponsor of our sister pod over at Afternoona Delight Podcast*Want to catch other great BTS content? Visit www.afternoonaarmy.com. Love K-dramas too? Check out our sister podcast www.afternoonadelight.com.SHOW NOTESOur sister podcast Afternoona Delight did a full deep dive on Her Private Life:Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/her-private-life-deep-dive/id1551567801?i=1000517096724Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/3IlxRtQ7S2Jec41fC11EOu?si=uv6Dawk8TJymLVnsrloh-w YouTubehttps://youtu.be/BH_ZASZyMYE So I Married the Anti-Fan https://mydramalist.com/30519-so-i-married-an-anti-fan Reply 1994 https://mydramalist.com/6753-reply-1994 Reply 1997 https://mydramalist.com/4689-reply-1997 BooksThe Comeback by Lily Chu https://lilychuauthor.com/the-comeback XOXO by Axie Oh http://axieoh.com/xoxo/ BTS and Army Culture by Jeeheng Lee https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48652799-bts-and-army-culture OtherHow to report threatening/defaming fan behavior to Hybe: https://www.usbtsarmy.com/tutorials/report-malicious-posts Primate study - primates paying with food to look at pictures of high-ranked primates https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15797023/

Afternoona Army is back with another installment of the Kim Namjoon Book Club. This month the feature is Haikyu!! a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Haruichi Furudate all about high school volleyball. While all BTS has enjoyed the series...Jungkook and Taehyung are apparently the biggest Haikyuu fans (both manga and anime). Serve, set, spike...get into this sweet sports story with us. If you have any questions email us at afternoonaarmy@gmail.com.Want to try an audiobook for the bookclub? Don't forget to click here for your free Audible trial: http://www.audibletrial.com/afternoona*Audible is a sponsor of our sister pod over at Afternoona Delight Podcast*Want to catch other great BTS content? Visit www.afternoonaarmy.com. Love K-dramas too? Check out our sister podcast www.afternoonadelight.com.SHOW NOTES How to read manga: https://www.wikihow.com/Read-Manga Recommendations and current reads from Alison: Cherry Magic (BL) https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/697143/cherry-magic-thirty-years-of-virginity-can-make-you-a-wizard-05-by-yuu-toyota/ Way of the House Husband https://www.viz.com/the-way-of-the-househusband (also now a 2-season anime on Netflix)Blankets by Craig Thompson  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25179.Blankets Boys Love Manga and Beyond: History, Culture, and Community in Japan, edited by Mark McLelland, Kazumi Nagaike, et al. https://www.upress.state.ms.us/Books/B/Boys-Love-Manga-and-Beyond Recommendations and current reads from Tonya: Western Graphic Journalism: Guy Delisle https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/46027.Guy_Delisle Marzi: A Memoir by Marzena Sowa https://www.dc.com/graphic-novels/marzi Primeval and Other Times by Olga Tokarczuk https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6617921-primeval-and-other-times

February has a reputation for being a month dedicated to the celebration of love. But these twenty-eight (or nine) days aren't just about valentines and romantic partners; it can also be a month for cultivating self-love...all the ways we appreciate and respect our unique needs/wants, our playful sides, and the types of energy we want to tap into. Frankly, self-love is hot all year long, and it's liberating force becomes more and more evident as we reflect on how we choose to interact with BTS music, content, member personalities, and the fandom as a whole. For us, ARMY life has become a powerful catalyst for cultivating inner love. Join Alison, Lia, Tonya and Megan for an open, vulnerable talk about how loving Bangtan can light us up and illuminate paths and truths we want to explore. If you have any questions email us at afternoonaarmy@gmail.com.Want to try an audiobook for the bookclub? Don't forget to click here for your free Audible trial: http://www.audibletrial.com/afternoona*Audible is a sponsor of our sister pod over at Afternoona Delight Podcast*Want to catch other great BTS content? Visit www.afternoonaarmy.com. Love K-dramas too? Check out our sister podcast www.afternoonadelight.com.

The first in our Kim Namjoon Book Club. We noticed RM reading Almond (Won-Pyong Sohn) in the 2020 In the Soop series.It's the perfect book to jump into for these bonus monthly episodes. Almond tells the story of Yunjae, who at an early age, is diagnosed with Alexithymia, a condition where people are unable to identify or express their feelings (the almond of the title refers to the underdeveloped almond-shaped amygdalae in his brain. As a result, he has a hard time in social situations. Things take a dark turn when he loses his mother and grandma in a violent attack right before high school. It then becomes a tale of how one "monster" meets "another monster." This is a short read at only 250. Jump into the book club with Alison and Megan to hear their thoughts. Show Notes:Almond: A NovelIf you have any questions email us at afternoonaarmy@gmail.com.Want to try an audiobook for the bookclub? Don't forget to click here for your free Audible trial: http://www.audibletrial.com/afternoona*Audible is a sponsor of our sister pod over at Afternoona Delight Podcast*Want to catch other great BTS content? Visit www.afternoonaarmy.com. Love K-dramas too? Check out our sister podcast www.afternoonadelight.com.

J-Hope in the Box, the documentary about Hobi making Jack In The Box, is out now on Disney Plus and a WILD RIDE of feels. We follow our favorite Dance Captain as he enters the stretch zone planning everything from the music to the look/feel to the listening party to headlining Lollapolooza in Chicago. We also get to see his KAWS collection at home and Mickey #cutestdogever. Join Tonya, Alison, Megan and Lia as we discuss how J-Hope JUMPED into the second chapter and left no money on the table. Show Notes:J-Hope in the Box trailerIf you have any questions email us at afternoonaarmy@gmail.com.Want to try an audiobook for the bookclub? Don't forget to click here for your free Audible trial: http://www.audibletrial.com/afternoona*Audible is a sponsor of our sister pod over at Afternoona Delight Podcast*Want to catch other great BTS content? Visit www.afternoonaarmy.com. Love K-dramas too? Check out our sister podcast www.afternoonadelight.com.

Two friends. Two drinks. Three surprise questions each about BTS. Did Lia ask Lexi to play marry, mate and murder with BT21? She really, really did. See how your own answers line up with ours!Show Notes:Lexi Time Travel Choice (Wembley)Lia Time Travel Choice (Tony Montana, Muster 3)BT21 Line FriendsIce Cubes in Wine (LOL)B-Free Dissing Namjoon/Suga as selloutsBTS Kidnapping PrankThe Ghost LegIf you have any questions email us at afternoonaarmy@gmail.com.Want to try an audiobook for the bookclub? Don't forget to click here for your free Audible trial: http://www.audibletrial.com/afternoona*Audible is a sponsor of our sister pod over at Afternoona Delight Podcast*Want to catch other great BTS content? Visit www.afternoonaarmy.com. Love K-dramas too? Check out our sister podcast www.afternoonadelight.com.

In February 2020, BTS featured on James Corden's Carpool Karaoke - after the Late Late Show host had over a million Twitter requests for the members to be featured in his popular segment. What happened next is history...BTS drove into the hearts of millions of Western viewers and inspired a new generation of memes. Join Tonya, Megan, Alison and Lia in the clown car as we unpack the impact of some of the happiest sixteen minutes of television history.SHOW NOTESColbert - Hand gestures: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEFDiQOVL9k Colbert - There are many others: search “Colbert BTS” in YouTubeCorden - Carpool Karaoke: https://youtu.be/T4x7sDevVTYCorden - Crosswalk Concert: https://youtu.be/A8KQhwmdZIwCorden - Hide & Seek: https://youtu.be/JPS3QC86JioCorden - Flinch: https://youtu.be/jLM2ibaRbrkCorden - Papa Mochi & Baby Mochi Reunited: https://youtu.be/pRl2tawentYNews story about BTS appearance on Carpool Karaoke: https://www.etonline.com/bts-to-appear-on-carpool-karaoke-with-james-corden-141659 Fallon - Butter: https://youtu.be/dnpC9YaosIYFallon - revealing he is Jimin biased: https://youtu.be/W4mmfzFazoI Fallon - There are many: search “Jimmy Fallon BTS” in YouTubeO’Brien - “Curtain” name running joke with j-hope: https://youtu.be/h7eNFpz4EZE Other English-language talk show appearances to search on YouTube:Ellen BTS, Graham Norton (BBC)Jimmy Carr incident: https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/20/australia/nine-bts-apology-intl-hnk/index.htmlMore of BTS singing in cars! These are fan-made videos:https://youtu.be/gx8E09d4TxAhttps://youtu.be/p061RkBZym0https://youtu.be/-g6_ZoRuXRABTS shaking the stage during Idol: https://youtu.be/VKr12E4840Qhttps://youtu.be/q9heWaYtu1gOn Kinetic Manifesto MV: https://youtu.be/gwMa6gpoE9IIf you have any questions email us at afternoonaarmy@gmail.com.Want to try an audiobook for the bookclub? Don't forget to click here for your free Audible trial: http://www.audibletrial.com/afternoona*Audible is a sponsor of our sister pod over at Afternoona Delight Podcast*Want to catch other great BTS content? Visit www.afternoonaarmy.com. Love K-dramas too? Check out our sister podcast www.afternoonadelight.com.

As part of BTS’s takeover of 2023 fashion, Suga (Min Yoongi)--and his signature blue hunting hat--flew into Paris for Valentino’s latest collection. Min Yoongi was recently announced as Valentino’s latest brand ambassador and Valentino DiVa, attended Valentino’s Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2023 show by designer Pierpaolo Piccioli. Join Tonya, Megan, Lia, and Alison as we dive into the brown blouse, the brouhaha, and yeah...the boobs.SHOW NOTESValentino Le Club Couture Spring 2023 show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAhXyoOcIyI Valentino Le Club Couture Spring 2023 USA official website, with the full collection in images: https://www.valentino.com/en-us/collections/valentino-le-club-couture-haute-couture-spring-summer-2023 Maison Valentino Essentials official USA website: https://www.valentino.com/en-us/experience/maison-valentino-essentials Suga Goes Monochrome at the Valentino Haute Couture Spring 2023 Show: Life as a Valentino brand ambassador suits him. https://fashionista.com/2023/01/suga-valentino-haute-couture-spring-2023-paris-fashion-weekBTS’ Suga Fronts ‘Maison Valentino Essentials’ Campaign As New Brand Ambassador https://www.harpersbazaar.com.sg/fashion/bts-suga-fronts-maison-valentino-essentials-campaign-as-new-brand-ambassador/ Film recommendation from Tonya: The Great Beauty – official English-language trailer on YouTube: https://youtu.be/avHJvdRPmus An IG fan account with comprehensive coverage in their wall posts and reels (there are others): @minsuga.adFashion magazines that had good online coverage of Korean stars at both men’s Paris Fashion Week and Couture Week: WKorea and WKorea Men, GQ and GQ Korea, KDazed Korea, Elle Singapore, Marie Claire Korea, L’Officiel Paris and L’Officiel Thailand, Harper’s Bazaar Hong Kong and Singapore, Vogue, British Vogue, Mint.

BTS is kicking off 2023 in style at the Paris Fashion Week Menswear shows. Newly-minted Dior Ambassador Park Jimin and World-Class Fashionista Jung Hoseok took the City of Lights by storm and we loved to see it. Join Megan and Tonya for a quick dive into the glitter, the glam, and the really really really ridiculously good-looking.Show Notes:Dior Men's Winter 2023-24 show on YouTube: https://youtu.be/6_gmukGV2fc LV Men's Fall-Winter 2023-24 show on YouTube: https://youtu.be/4xA2rV1cXpM After we recorded, Hobi appeared as a guest at the Hermes show--this is the YouTube broadcast: https://youtu.be/7Rth_LgBA60 LV j-hope video (to be aired on LV's YouTube about the same time this episode airs, possibly shortly after: https://youtu.be/BKHYQn7_IF8 Gala France: @gala.fr Hobi fan IG account with fashion week archive in highlights: @jeongmauiWant to try an audiobook for the bookclub? Don't forget to click here for your free Audible trial: http://www.audibletrial.com/afternoona*Audible is a sponsor of our sister pod over at Afternoona Delight Podcast*Want to catch other great BTS content? Visit www.afternoonaarmy.com. Love K-dramas too? Check out our sister podcast www.afternoonadelight.com.

Exploring Namjoon’s world through the books he has read.Because we love nerdy deep dives around here (and want to keep ourselves booked and busy during enlistments) we thought that for 2023 that we'd read books that Namjoon has enjoyed. Each month we will read a deep dive into a book and then get into discussions about it on our Instagram page (including a group discussion via Instagram live). Our IG handle is: @afternoonaarmyHere's the book list so you can get planning.January: Almond by Son Won-pyongFebruary: Haikyuu Vol. 1 (Manga) March: Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted ChiangApril: Kim JiYoung, Born 1982 by Nam-ju ChoMay: Human Acts by Kang HanJune: When Breath Becomes Air by Paul KalanithiJuly: Kafka on the Shore by Haruki MurakamiAugust: Justice by Michael J. SandelSeptember: Please Look After Mom by Kyong-Suk Sin October: Kitchen by Banana YoshimotoNovember: Demian by Herman Hesse December: The Noonday Demon (An Atlas Of Depression) by Andrew SolomonIf you have any questions email us at afternoonaarmy@gmail.com.Want to try an audiobook for the bookclub? Don't forget to click here for your free Audible trial: http://www.audibletrial.com/afternoona*Audible is a sponsor of our sister pod over at Afternoona Delight Podcast*Want to catch other great BTS content? Visit www.afternoonaarmy.com. Love K-dramas too? Check out our sister podcast www.afternoonadelight.com.

BTS Year in Review...it's been a wild ride. From seeing the guys in person, to "that" Festa, to the amazing solos, to the incredible Yoongi glow up, to the start of enlistment. Get into 2022 which has been the highest highs and some painful moments, thirst and deserts, but we're in this Army life through thick and thin.Want to catch other great BTS content? Visit www.afternoonaarmy.com or find us on Instagram at @afternoonaarmy. Love K-dramas too? Check out our sister podcast www.afternoonadelight.com.

In the second part of their deep dive of K-indie group, The Rose, Tonya and Lea talk about what it was like to wait for a LONG time to get up by the barricade for a live show, and deep dive into their new album HEAL and how being in the Black Rose fandom is different to ARMY.Want to catch the first part of THE ROSE deep dive or other great BTS content? Visit www.afternoonaarmy.com or find us on Instagram at @afternoonaarmy. Love K-dramas too? Check out our sister podcast www.afternoonadelight.com.Show Notes:The Rose Heal Review on DaebakThe Rose on YOUTUBEThe Rose on INSTAGRAMHEAL on SPOTIFY

Hosts Tonya and Lea unpack their experiences at seeing The Rose in Dallas and San Francisco. The Rose is a K-indie band that broke out in 2017 with the song "Sorry." After experiencing conflict with their company and three members enlisting into the military, they are back, recording and touring--and THEY. ARE. FANTASTIC. Looking to get excited about another group during BTS enlistment? Check out our experiences. This is a two part series - Part 1 focuses on camping out for a show, the VIP experience in Dallas, and the larger experience of getting into a new non-Army fandom.Show notes:The Rose Official YoutubeThe Rose VliveThe Rose Fan Discord

With his first official solo album, RM's Indigo is an audio portrait of his inner life...a rich reflection of his later twenties. Over ten songs, he grapples with living and creatively working while also being one of the most famous people on the planet. We've seen a lot of emotion from Kim Namjoon in this second chapter and the album (which he requests we listen to in order) delivers on raw vulnerability and introspection. Get into all the healing and feeling with your hosts as we give our individual reactions.Want to keep being thinky and thirsty about BTS? Visit Afternoona Army on Instagram at @afternoonaarmy or on our website at www.afternoonaarmy.com. Also love K-dramas? Check out our sister pod Afternoona Delight!Show notes:Wilderflower MVRM of BTS Tiny Desk2022 Festa DinnerNamjoon Basel Vlog

Ever wonder how your bias smells. Admit it. It's okay. Join hosts Alison and Tonya as they journey into the scratch and sniff world of BTS fandom. Over time, members have all shared different fragrances and colognes they favor...and our intrepid hosts have gathered scent samples to do the the hard work on behalf of ARMY.

HYBE announced Jung Kook will perform at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which begins at Al Bayt Stadium in Doha, Qatar on Nov. 20. This is an event steeped in controversy over numerous human rights abuses, and has been stirring up debate within the fandom on whether or not this was a good decision. Join Lea and Lexi as we explore how and when should fans hold their faves accountable?Show notes:@bts_bighit’s “proud” tweetHyundai on BTSBBC News, World Cup 2022: How has Qatar treated foreign workers?FIFA, 2022 FIFA World Cup Bid Evaluation Report: QatartalkSPORT, What will the weather be like in Qatar for the World Cup and what is the time difference to the UK?Amnesty International, Qatar World Cup of ShameThe Guardian, Stadiums of shame: the numbers World Cup hosts Qatar don’t want to be seenHuman Rights Watch, “Everything I Have to Do is Tied to a Man”: Women and Qatar’s Male Guardianship RulesHuman Rights Watch, Qatar World Cup Ambassador’s Homophobic Comments Fuel DiscriminationThe New York Times, BTS Fans Say They’ve Raised $1 Million for Black Lives Matter GroupsKoreaboo, Here Are 30+ Times When BTS Proved Themselves To Be LGBTQIA+ AlliesBillboard, BTS Speaks Out In Seoul: The K-Pop Megastars Get Candid About Representing a New GenerationFIFA Uncovered (Netflix)

Jin's voice is more stable than our future, and as the BTS hyung gears up for enlistment, Afternoona Army unpacks why Jin is so special. From his windshield wiper laugh to his mischievious humor to his commitment to Army-Jin is arguably the member who most understands the fan experience. SHOWNOTEShttps://bts.fandom.com/wiki/Jinhttps://www.koreaboo.com/news/bts-jin-revealed-biggest-musical-influence-ended-starting-trend-everyone-answers/https://www.buzzfeed.com/jennaguillaume/intro-to-jin-btshttps://www.allure.com/story/sagittarius-zodiac-sign-personality-traitsYoonhee Lee, BTS Jin Gains “Silvery Vibrato” Reigning Title for His Silver Voice at PTD On Stage, Here’s Why He Deserves It, https://www.kpoppost.com/bts-jin-gains-silvery-vibrato-reigning-title-for-his-silver-voice-at-ptd-on-stage-heres-why-he-deserves-it/ (October 31, 2021).Jin pulling the hyung card https://youtu.be/ojx9_XzR6ao

The Astronaut, Kim Seokjin's solo single/Coldplay, released on October 28th, 2022 and established itself as a love letter to Army. While it's not a goodbye, it's a see you soon, before our Jin leaves for enlistment. Your hosts/correspondents give their initial impressions on the song We will miss you World Wide Handsome, and your Super Tuna too!Show notes:The Astronaut Official MVJin performance at Coldplay's Music of the Spheres concert in Buenos AiresBTS Jin Moon Explained by Bookish Theory YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/E4f9eBzR-NUJin - The Astronaut - Story and Concept Explained by Bookish Theory YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/ulKs3hkzjuYThe Little Prince PDF: https://www.btsgtheories.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/The-Little-Prince-Antoine-de-Saint-Exupery-OpenRightsLibrary.com_.pdf

BTS and Army are famous for breaking audio and video streaming records on platforms such as Spotify and YouTube. Why does Army work so hard to hit those big numbers, does it matter in the bigger picture, and is it something you need to be concerned about? Because so many of us are newer, pandemic army, we wanted to do a short episode on the whys and hows of Billboard streaming. However, we also think that loving BTS should be about joy and healing, so it’s ok to start small — or not at all. We’re still learning ourselves, so come on the journey with us! Love the pod and want to keep the conversation going? Visit us on Instagram at @afternoonaarmy or send us an email at afternoonaarmy@gmail.com. Visit us on the web at www.afternoonaarmy.com.Show notes:Aja Romano, Why won’t American radio play more K-pop? BTS was supposed to usher in the K-pop invasion. Where is it? https://www.vox.com/culture/22337317/k-pop-us-radio-play-statistics-bts-dynamite-butter-loona-star Janani Mangai Srinivasan, The BTS Fan Base’s Love-Hate Relationship With Streaming Services  https://studybreaks.com/culture/music/bts-army-streaming-services/ US BTS ARMY Guide to Streaming and Purchasing: https://www.usbtsarmy.com/stream-purchase-guide WeStreamBTS on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WeStreamBTSWeStreamBTS on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/profile/westreamBillboard charts: https://www.billboard.com/charts/ iTunes sales worldwide chart: https://kworb.net/ww/ Apple music worldwide streaming chart: https://kworb.net/apple_songs/Spotify charts: https://charts.spotify.com/home

Afternoona Army host Alison sat down with her spouse for a quick conversation about what it looks like to watch your loved one fall down the Bangtan Rabbit Hole. We cover bias/bias wreckers, the universal joy of seeing a live show, and the very real concerns about where our money is going post BTS ARMY life.Want more great Afternoona Army content? Pop over to Instagram and find us at @afternoonaarmy or visit us at www.afternoonaarmy.com.Love Korean dramas too? Check out our sister pod over at Afternoona Delight: three American romance novelists exploring K-dramas through a writer's lens.