It all started with BTS. My K-pop obsession, that is. I’ve come to appreciate how thoughtful the members are, and how other forms of art have shaped their music.
By taking a deep dive into books recommended by RM, Suga, J-Hope, and the rest of the Bangtan Boys, fans like me get a deeper understanding of the group’s creative process and the ideas that shape their songs.
From Hermann Hesse’s Demian to Ursula K. Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas,” these are the books recommended by BTS.
1. Beyond the Story by BTS and Myeongseok Kang
BTS, a band synonymous with K-pop itself, opens up about artistry and fame in honor of the 10th anniversary of their debut album, 2 Cool 4 Skool.
Co-written with journalist Kang, Beyond the Story digs into the band members’ personal and musical journeys and their collective rise to chart-topping pop sensations. This inside look at fame, passion, and the music industry is fascinating for fans and converts.
2. Demian by Hermann Hesse
All BTS members read Hesse’s Demian, and it apparently had such an effect that several songs on their Wings release reference it. No surprise — it’s a coming-of-age story that wrestles with issues of humanity and spirituality.
3. “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Ursula K. Le Guin
Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” won a Hugo award for best short story in 1974, and BTS took inspiration from it for their song “Spring Day,” as well as the song’s video.
“Omelas” asks whether it is acceptable to sacrifice one life for the greater good. BTS presents that theme alongside a reference to a 2014 tragedy where a ferry sank and 304 people died — 250 of whom were high school students — because of the authority and government’s poor and slow response (“Spring Day” was released on the day the ferry was pulled up from the depths of the ocean).
4. Almond by Won-pyung Sohn
At least three BTS members — RM, Suga, and J-Hope — have read Sohn’s Almond, a thought-provoking book tackling what it means to be human. The protagonist has alexithymia, which makes it difficult for him to experience strong emotions (similar to the lead in the K-drama Stranger). He forms a deep friendship with someone who feels things too much.
5. Walden by Henry David Thoreau
It’s not hard to see why Thoreau’s Walden would appeal to BTS members: Going to live in a cabin in the woods by yourself would be a welcome respite from being in a band with global popularity.
Thoreau’s musings on self-knowledge also seem in keeping with the kind of books exploring humanity most of the group (especially RM) appreciate.
6. The Noonday Demon by Andrew Solomon
Solomon’s Noonday Demon explores the historical and cultural aspects of depression, as well as discusses the author’s own experience with the disease. RM read it, but it isn’t a stretch to think Suga might have as well — his song “Amygdala” is named after the part of the brain that processes fear and anxiety.
For more reading recommendations on mental health, check out 7 illuminating memoirs that help demystify mental illness.
7. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Suga recommended Coelho’s The Alchemist to ARMY, and its theme — the story of a boy in search of the meaning of life — is in keeping with the thoughtful issues the members of BTS seem to wrestle with in the art they absorb and the art they make.
8. Essays After Eighty by Donald Hall
In another book about what it means to be human, former U.S. poet laureate Hall’s essays discuss aging and the things one learns through living a long life.
Jimin recommended this one during a group meeting, reportedly saying “I bought a book in the bookstore and read it, it was written by [an 89-year-old guy,] and the message is like ‘let's not make a standard with age, young or old’ ... can we try to make a song with this kind of subject?”
9. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Saint-Exupery’s classic story is another musing on humanity, this time in the form of the titular character, who a stranded pilot encounters after crashing his plane. While the story is simple and lovely, it has a bittersweet poignancy that resonates long after it’s finished. Jungkook — BTS’s maknae (the youngest) — recommended this book to ARMY.
10. Jung’s Map of the Soul by Murray Stein
BTS’s Map of the Soul: 7 is the group’s seventh overall album, and one of their most personal (look no further than “Black Swan” for proof).
In talking about what inspired the album, RM said, “Many things were not intended as far as our career. We didn’t know we would ever reach this kind of position. ... One day, we woke up and we were like, ‘Where are we?’ When you don’t know where to go, I think the best way is to walk down the road you have been walking on.”
This philosophical approach to life is reminiscent of Jung’s approach to analytical psychology.
For more enlightening books, check out our list of 18 books that teach important life lessons to live by.
About the Author: Megan Frampton
Megan Frampton is the Content Acquisitions Manager for Everand. She also writes historical romance under her own name and romantic women’s fiction as Megan Caldwell. She likes the color black, gin, dark-haired British men, and huge earrings, not in that order. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband and kid.
