BTS fans in the UAE react to K-pop group's latest anthology album 'Proof'


Evelyn Lau
  • English
  • Arabic

BTS fans around the world rejoiced when the K-pop group released their new compilation album Proof on Friday.

The triple-album consists of 48 songs and features a mix of old favourites, solo tracks and unreleased demos.

However, there are three new songs: Yet to Come (The Most Beautiful Moment), For Youth and Run BTS.

The anthology album has been praised by fans, but what do Army (the unmistakable moniker for BTS fans) in the UAE think of it?

Scroll through the gallery above to see BTS through the years

Majda Rafii, 38, who lives in Dubai, first became interested in BTS during the start of the pandemic.

“I listened to their song Life Goes On which sparked my interest in their music,” she says. “From then on, I became a fan and learned more about their music, track debuts and shows.”

She says she really enjoys the new album because it encompasses a lot of what BTS has worked for. “They captured their different eras, nine years of hard work in one chapter, that ends beautifully and a new one to begin altogether,” she says.

Another fan who discovered the band around the same time is Khadija Kadry. She says her favourite song from the album is For Youth, describing it as a "very special song dedicated to Army" and one she can't wait to see them perform live one day.

Like Rafii, she's also believes that album is a special tribute to fans.

"The album is very emotional and definitely made for Army, the lyrics the selected songs the messages behind each track the fans could only understand and relate to," she says.

Meanwhile, Alaa Hussein, 27, also a Dubai resident, has been listening to BTS since 2015. She agrees that Proof is a celebration of everything that's been accomplished thus far in their careers.

“Today when I listened to the new song Yet to Come, with its strong and meaningful lyrics, I can say that it's a celebration of their history and all their years together, it's how they are proud of their body of work of nearly 10 years, which is their greatest legacy because BTS are indeed bulletproof,” she says.

Reem Al Mujaini, who became a fan last year, remembers how she saw a video of member RM tearing up at a concert and telling fans to "please use BTS to love yourself". Since then, she has become hooked on the band.

Her favourite track from the new album is Yet to Come (The Most Beautiful Moment), which has a similiar theme to Life Goes On. Both tracks offer optimism for the future.

She says that the songs have also given her hope again on a personal level.

"I loved the idea of collecting their songs and history of their achievements during their 20s. A new chapter is about to start with them," she says. "I believe I'm not the only Army who was worried when the idea was released, we were afraid that it was a goodbye from them."

Scroll through the gallery to see BTS meeting US President Joe Biden at the White House.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Leaderboard

63 - Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA)

64 - Rory McIlroy (NIR)

66 - Jon Rahm (ESP)

67 - Tom Lewis (ENG), Tommy Fleetwood (ENG)

68 - Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP), Marcus Kinhult (SWE)

69 - Justin Rose (ENG), Thomas Detry (BEL), Francesco Molinari (ITA), Danny Willett (ENG), Li Haotong (CHN), Matthias Schwab (AUT)

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Nepotism is the name of the game

Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad. 

Company Profile:

Name: The Protein Bakeshop

Date of start: 2013

Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani

Based: Dubai

Size, number of employees: 12

Funding/investors:  $400,000 (2018) 

UAE v Gibraltar

What: International friendly

When: 7pm kick off

Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City

Admission: Free

Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page

UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)

SRI LANKA SQUAD

Upul Tharanga (captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickwella
Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana
Chamara Kapugedara, Thisara Perera, Seekuge Prasanna
Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera
Vishwa Fernando, Akila Dananjaya, Jeffrey Vandersay

THE DETAILS

Director: Milan Jhaveri
Producer: Emmay Entertainment and T-Series
Cast: John Abraham, Manoj Bajpayee
Rating: 2/5

Updated: June 11, 2022, 12:35 PM`