“Life Goes On”: Social and Musical Space in BTS's Midpandemic Album BE

Abstract

In “‘Life Goes On’: Social and Musical Space in BTS’s Midpandemic Album BE,” Stefania Piccialli analyzes the band’s 2020 album, released at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which the band’s activities—especially their MAP OF THE SOUL TOUR—were canceled or postponed. In this meditation on the spatiality of isolation and loneliness, she considers the aesthetic of the album’s promotion and packaging as well as its musical and lyrical messages as a deliberate embrace across what felt like insurmountable distance. From the promotional photos featuring individual rooms curated by each member, to the songs identifying music as a place of strength and safety in the face of a pandemic (i.e., “Life Goes On”), and the physical design of the album itself, BE distinguishes itself as a quarantine album and provides an elaboration on spatiality and connection during the unprecedented COVID-19 times.