Premiere of *Forever We Are Young* at SXSW 2025: A Deep Dive into BTS’s Global Fanbase
The highly anticipated documentary *Forever We Are Young* will debut at the SXSW Festival on March 11, 2025. Directed by Grace Lee and Patty Ahn, the film, inspired by BTS’s 2016 hit, will showcase at the Paramount Theater with an additional screening at the ZACH Theatre on March 12.
Exploring the ARMY: BTS’s Diverse and Passionate Fandom
At the heart of this documentary is the dedicated BTS fan community, widely recognized as ARMY, signifying “Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth.”This fandom encompasses a remarkable variety of nationalities, races, cultures, languages, and age groups, reflecting a truly global phenomenon. In a recent interview with Deadline, Ahn expressed her admiration for the unique intergenerational makeup of the ARMY:
“A lot of K-Pop fandoms do have some intergenerational reach to them… but I think that is particularly unique to ARMY, the number of people who are over 40 and are in the fandom and as active and energetic as those who are in their teens. There is something quite unique to the fandom on this.”
Grace Lee further emphasizes the fan base’s remarkable inclusivity, asserting:
“The most diverse fan base I’ve ever seen in my life. There are groups that are like ’40-plus ARMY,’ and there are folks that identify as ‘Elder ARMY’, ‘Silver ARMY’ — who are 70-plus.”
Charting the Emotional Journey of ARMY
In the interview, Lee noted that many fans featured in the film discovered BTS during their formative teenage years. One participant poignantly characterized the bond between BTS and ARMY as a relationship of “life companions.”Lee elaborated:
“One of the Korean participants [in the film], she talks about, ‘We’re more like life companions.’ They sort of went through life together — growing up, going through all the sort of growing pains, the emotions. BTS is growing as a band and as a phenomenon, and so is ARMY at the same time. They’re inextricable. That was one of the things that fascinated us the most about this relationship.”
The Culture of Fandom: Bias and Community Connection
The documentary also delves into the intriguing cultural aspects surrounding BTS fandom, particularly the concept of a “bias,”which refers to a fan’s preferred member of the group. Conversations within the ARMY often highlight how the choice of bias reflects personal traits and emotional connections. According to various sources, SUGA fans appreciate his ability to transform personal hardships into relatable music, whereas Jimin fans often celebrate his captivating stage presence and emotional depth.
Directors with Passion: Grace Lee and Patty Ahn
Both directors are avid BTS fans themselves, with Lee recalling her experiences in the K-pop scene since the 1990s, stating:
“I was interested in the first generation of K-Pop, which was back in the ‘90s, but something about BTS really kind of captured my imagination… I just started listening and following and getting into the music.”
Ahn, who holds a Ph.D. from USC, has approached the phenomena of BTS with an academic lens, reflecting on the surprising moments when fans would confess their membership in the ARMY. She shared that her bias leans towards Jimin:
“I love them all so dearly. But my bias is Jimin. He’s the dancer and the ballerina and the gender-fluid one that people talk about in the movie, and I feel very closely identified with him.”
In contrast, Lee identifies as “OT7,”indicating her support for all seven members equally:
“I like them all equally. I cannot choose.”
Capturing the BTS Experience with Archival Footage
*Forever We Are Young* features stunning BTS performances alongside archival footage, made possible through collaborative efforts with HYBE, BTS’s management company. Ahn stressed the importance of acquiring music rights and archival content for the film, despite its independent development.
Celebrating SUGA’s Birthday at SXSW
Coinciding with the SXSW premiere will be the birthday of BTS member SUGA. Dedicated ARMY members attending the festival plan to organize a “random dance play”outside the theater, a vibrant celebration of both the fandom and the artist:
“It is the weekend of SUGA’s birthday, […] Anytime it’s a member’s birthday, fans get together. A lot of fans are coming to see the movie itself on Monday, that first screening. And so we’ll have a little […] ‘random dance play’ outside the theater, where people can do dance moves together. And it’s a really important part of the fandom and staying connected and showing love and paying homage to the group itself.”
About the Directors: Grace Lee and Patty Ahn
Grace Lee has carved a niche as an independent filmmaker, renowned for documentaries that tackle social and cultural issues. Her accolades include productions like the Peabody Award-winning series *Asian Americans* and the NAACP Image Award-nominated documentary *And She Could Be Next*. Her other significant works include *American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs* and *K-TOWN’92*, an interactive project on the 1992 Los Angeles civil unrest.
Patty Ahn, a filmmaker and professor in the Communication Department at UC San Diego, focuses on the global influence of K-pop in America and has contributed as a co-editor for the first English academic volume dedicated to BTS, exploring their cultural impact.