The Fandom That Rewrote the Rules of Pop Culture

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MOVIE REVIEW
BTS Army: Forever We Are Young
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Genre: Documentary
Year Released: 2025
Runtime: 1h 31m
Director(s): Grace Lee, Patty Ahn
Where to Watch: in cinemas worldwide July 30, 2025

RAVING REVIEW: To be entirely clear and transparent, I’m not part of the worldwide phenomenon known as the BTS Army (Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth). I’ve honestly never listened to their music, and until screening this, I had no clue about the impact their fanbase has had. It would’ve been easy—too easy—for a documentary about BTS to fall into either shallow glorification or an overly analytical dissection of celebrity. What BTS ARMY: FOREVER WE ARE YOUNG manages instead is something that feels grounded and unique in the way it prioritizes the fans over fame. This is neither a concert film nor a tell-all industry exposé. Instead, it functions as a people-first mosaic that explores the lives, emotions, and growth of those who have wrapped their identities in purple light and found purpose in the community.

Directed by Grace Lee and Patty Ahn—both Korean American filmmakers and a part of ARMY themselves—this 91-minute documentary spans continents, backgrounds, and experiences, revealing a movement that’s far more complex than the screaming-teen stereotype might suggest. And it does so without ever feeling forced. There’s an organic authenticity to the film’s flow, likely because the people in it are speaking directly to other fans. They’re not explaining themselves to outsiders—they’re sharing memories with peers. With that said, they are also happy to welcome others and help share their fandom.

From a suburban Koreatown in Fort Worth, Texas, to dance cover groups in Mexico City, the film opens its eyes to showcase the diverse and expansive world of BTS fandom. Along the way, it quietly dismantles every media cliché you might expect. Instead of a parade of obsessed superfans, we meet choreographers who found their calling because of BTS, creators who built YouTube empires reacting to their music, and community organizers who translated ARMY into real-world activism. These aren’t just fans—they’re participants in something that blurs the line between art, identity, and social movement.

Where the film truly shines is in its refusal to reduce BTS’ appeal to any one thing. Yes, the music is there. Yes, the choreography. But more often, what we see is the deeper emotional thread—how BTS' themes of self-love, resilience, and unity resonate with people navigating their ups and downs in their own lives. Farida, an Indonesian immigrant living in the U.S., draws a direct line between the group’s journey and her own experiences of displacement and rebuilding. Nico and his family-run reaction channel give insight into how joy becomes contagious when shared. Each story deepens the understanding of why the ARMY is more than just a fan club.

If there’s a critique to be had, it’s that the film’s structure occasionally feels too reverential. Because it’s made by the ARMY for the ARMY, there’s not much tension or counter-perspective. There are mentions of social activism—such as the viral #MatchAMillion campaign following BTS’s donation to Black Lives Matter—but these are brief and could’ve been explored with more depth. Likewise, the darker sides of online fandom—the burnout, the intensity, the pressure to conform—are only lightly touched upon. While the film never pretends to be objective journalism, the result is a story that’s deeply heartfelt but somewhat one-sided.

Still, that doesn’t make it any less valid. The focused perspective may be its most powerful feature. The directors didn’t set out to deconstruct a phenomenon—they set out to celebrate it. And in that mission, they succeed. There’s joy in every frame, from the shared laughter of ARMY friends bingeing music videos together to the awe-inspiring dance sequences recreated all around the world. And that joy is contagious.

The directors’ connection to the subject matter also adds a layer of credibility. Grace Lee has spent years making films about identity, community, and social movements. Patty Ahn, a professor and media scholar, has dedicated her academic career to examining the global influence of K-pop. Together, their combined understanding of both pop culture and its sociopolitical resonance lends the film a grounded, thoughtful tone that avoids sensationalism.

Ultimately, BTS ARMY: FOREVER WE ARE YOUNG isn’t trying to explain the BTS phenomenon to outsiders—it’s offering a snapshot of what it feels like to be inside it. For those already immersed in the ARMY world, it’s a love letter. For others, it might be an invitation. For both groups, it serves as a reminder that fandom, when grounded in the values of compassion and solidarity, can be a profoundly joyful act.

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[photo courtesy of TRAFALGAR RELEASING]

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