#5YearsWithYoungForever: 5 verse from BTS’ Young Forever that tug at all the right heartstrings

Epilogue: Young Forever by BTS was first released to the world on April 19, 2016. At the time of its release, the members, the agency, and the fandom were all unaware of how precious this song would end up being for them. Now, five years later, Young Forever holds a special place in the hearts of countless ARMYs across the globe - just as it does for BTS. 

A part of their album ‘The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever’, even to first-time listeners, the song will end up giving goosebumps. The song talks about members' raw emotions towards their performances and the constant fear of the future, trying to stay positive (“young”) as long as they can. This was also RM’s first BTS-produced song!

ARMYs all over the world grew nostalgic by sharing their understanding of the song, constantly assuring and reassuring the band that they will stay together, forever, under #5YearsWithYoungForever on Twitter. So today, even though it’s difficult as the entire song is incredible, we’re listing down our five most favourite lines from the song that hit all the right spots. 

“The curtain falls and I’m out of breath
I get mixed feelings as I breathe out
Did I make any mistakes today?”

Blessed with the behind-the-scenes of the many world tours BTS has been on, this verse hits close to home. Seeing the members struggle for breath after performances, staff members running here and there with an oxygen pump, all we see is pain and maybe some confusion on the members’ faces. ‘Did I make any mistake today’ hits hard because we know how hard-working and absolute perfectionists BTS are? Remember Jungkook crying because he thought he didn’t do his best while he did great? Taehyung crying because he couldn’t sing due to his sore throat? As much as members get mixed feelings after the stage, ARMYs around the world too. And that’s why we see gratitude-filled tweets after any performance of theirs. 

“I stand in the middle of the hot, empty stage
And suddenly I feel so afraid of the void”

This verse talks about the emptiness the members feel on the stage after a performance. It can also be before the performance when they practice too. They share how they’re afraid of this empty feeling - what if the loudest cheers suddenly die down? What if the venue goes empty? Should they live the moment that is burning with passion and determination right now without a care in the world or fear that this might not be there forever? It also portrays how they pretend to not think about it, but at the back of their minds, it’s always there - the fear of the void. 

“Trying to comfort myself
I tell myself the world can’t be perfect”

But they can’t hold onto this feeling forever. They have to comfort themselves. When it comes to times like these when one worries about their future, they have to look at the broader picture and try to comfort themselves. ‘The world can’t be perfect’ - nothing and no one in this is perfect. Nothing and no one in this world last forever too. So no matter the mistakes, no matter the fear of being alone, no matter what the future holds, they find comfort in knowing that it’s not their fault that their world is imperfect. After all, the world can’t be perfect. 

“I start to let myself go
The thundering applause, I can’t own it forever
I tell myself, so shameless
Even if the attention isn’t forever, I’ll keep singing”

After pondering on the fear, the members finally let go of the inhibitions with this verse. The ecstatic feeling on stage, the burning energy they receive from the thousands of fans, the “thundering applause”, their body, they can’t own it forever. They realize that they have to let their fears go and fully embrace the moments they wholeheartedly love. J-Hope even sings in the next line to be “shameless” and raise their voices even higher. And to continue singing, whether they have their eyes on them forever, or not.

“Even when I fall and hurt myself
I endlessly run toward my dream”

A part of the chorus sung, again and again, I personally love the choice of words here. “Endlessly run” and “dream”. BTS’ have talked a lot about dreams in their songs, either achieving them through struggles or not be hard on yourself even if you don’t have one. As the entire song is based on their uncertainty towards their future, the chorus holds a lot of value, talking about an endless run towards their dream - the dream of singing, dancing, performing in front of others, and giving countless many comforts through their music. 

There’s another reason why this song holds a special place in ARMYs hearts. BTS made history by selling out the iconic Wembley Stadium in 2019 for their Speak Yourself Tour. They were the first South Korean group to headline a concert and sell out 60,000 seats in a record-breaking 90 minutes for two consecutive days, totaling 120,000 people. 

To mark that legendary feat, then-Big Hit Entertainment planned a surprise for the members with ARMY TIME presented on the screens, and fans were asked to sing Young Forever. All the members were surprised, got teary-eyed and Jimin & Jungkook even cried. 

If BTS feared whether they would be remembered forever for their music or not, with this surprise and the incredible feats they’ve achieved, they’ll always be remembered forever. And the cheers won’t die down either. Us ARMYs won’t let it die down. Watch the music video again below, to relive the memories!

Also Read: BLACKPINK: Here’s why we love Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa, Rosé & Selena Gomez’s style in Ice Cream

What are your thoughts about the song? What does it make you feel like? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!