Thanks For Checking In

Thanks for checking in 🫰

This is a quick note to say thanks to those who messaged me to check in. I have been quiet lately because life/work is a little hectic right now, but hopefully things will slow down soon.

AYS has been my solace the past few weeks.

Besides the hilarity and general mayhem...

It's given us insight into the way JM and JK are together.

Yes, it's an artificial environment and they are surrounded by cameras and crew but we have had plenty of moments of candidness and so many litttle reveals in amongst the ... well... eating. When you think about it, that's what we've seen.., I love that most of what they have shared was:

1. Outside their accommodation. They had plenty of private time.

2. Food related. They do love eating!

I have many thoughts! Some are still trailing from SGMB, some are general observations, some are OMG what did i just see!!

This was one of the OMG moments...

Seriously, I yelped.

I may have to seek out the services of a holy man to clense my soul 🫠

That cctv footage... I need to burn JTBC and kpop stans to the ground. I need Yoongi reparations I'm so fucking serious

I wholeheartedly agree... like watching the same bit of footage over and over because it makes you smile.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to do silly, frivolous things that serve no other purpose than making you happy.

AYS Behind the scenes: behind the paywall

Now that the Disney+ episodes are complete (sob), my attention is firmly fixed on my mailbox as I wait impatiently for the AYS photobook and QR code.

I was always going to buy the Jikook photobook, even though I doubt there will be much we haven't already seen in the episodes. But the inclusion of the QR code was the clincher.

I must admit, Hybe locking up the behind the scenes for AYS was not on my bingo sheet.

Making behind/additional clips available on Bangtan TV would have been more in line with their regular MO. We don't generally have to pay for what really amounts to outtakes.

Okay, yes, we have to pay for behind cuts of Run BTS, but the actual episodes are free. With everything else the behind clips are included when you buy the series (I'm thinking of BV, ITS, and concert boxed sets).

In fact I can't think of any other time a behind/ bonus clip hasn't been available to fans who pay for the main content.

Maybe it is because Hybe was only contracted to deliver 8 episodes to Disney+ and the price was fixed. Maybe they saw an easy way to make the series more profitable.

We know they will take any opportunity to lighten our wallets.

But I think there's more to it

Let's talk business:

If Hybe wanted to make money from this, having the sale point directly on Weverse would make more sense. That way anyone could buy it any time without having to buy the photobook as well. Even if they charged just a few $$ for these extra clips, the return could be substantial over time. Long tail products can be very lucrative and Hybe clearly knows this - they have heaps of old footage for sale on Weverse. Since they're hosting the content already, it makes sense to keep that 'buy now' button active and let the dollars trickle in.

So why reduce the potential pool of buyers? Why limit this to those who buy the photobook??

Well, let's consider who is going to buy the photobook?

Who is going to fork out US$28 plus postage for a keepsake of these two on their third honeymoon?

I doubt OT7 ARMYs would buy it. Even ARMYs who bias JM or JK - if they aren't part of the SGMB they probably don't want it either.

Solos sure as hell don't want it - they are probably wishing the whole thing never happened... sucks to be them haha

Who really wants to see these two living their best lives together?

We do!

And by we, I mean Jikook supporters.

People who want to see more of this:

and this

And this

We are the people who will buy this photobook (and probably never look at it more than once, let's be honest)

But let's get back to the topic at hand....

The photobook/behind combo seems like a chicken/egg situation to me.

Which came first - as a concept - the photobook or the behind clips?

Did they decide to offer a photobook, and then think of adding the extra footage to make it more appealing?

Or vice versa?

Did they decide to make the behind clips, and think of the photobook afterwards?

Hard to say, since behind clips have always been a thing and recently Hybe is putting out photobooks for everything.

But I think I have a fair idea

Consider the price point for this photobook - it's the same price as most of the others produced recently: +-US$28.

AYS photobook & behind is the same price as the Photo-Folios, Tae's Type 1 (magazine version) photobook, and the Beyond The Stage photobook

🗣 So they aren't charging any extra for the behind footage?

No, they aren't. They're basically giving it to the buyers of the photobook as a gift.

🗣 Could they be making money off it?

Yes, the could.

Long tail, remember?

Looking at the profit-making potential, it makes WAY more sense for Hybe to offer the behind footage on Weverse for a few meagre dollars and... wait for their ship to come in...

See what I did there? hahahhaha (laughing by myself)

They really aren't making any money off this!

how unlike Hybe...

So why go to the effort of setting up QR codes and putting it behind a paywall? It costs money to host content this way. They are in fact SPENDING money to bring us this footage.

Not only through the hosting costs there are also production costs to consider.

Wouldn't it make more sense to just freely share it with ARMY via Bangtan TV? Or not release it at all?

Yes, it would...

So there's only one logical answer...

Hybe has chosen to make the content available - but also make it just that little bit more difficult to access.

This whole exercise seems to be about releasing additional footage without releasing it to the general public. It's being shared specifically with those of us who support them.

Does that mean we'll see slightly more personal content?

Maybe it's a little more revealing of their undeniable bond and their hot chemistry...?

Whatever they contain, these behind clips are definitely for a limited audience - and purposefully so.

The only reason for it, that I can think of, is to safeguard Jimin and Jungkook from too much scrutiny and criticism - from within the fandom (unfortunately) and outside of it.

We will find out in a few days I guess.

In the meantime, I'm camped out by my mailbox

It would seem like nothing to anyone else but THIS MATTERS.

Changing your brand of undies is actually a big deal as far as I'm concerned. Some styles and cuts just fit your booty better than others and, while I am so NOT interested in the status of brands, there's a certain feeling that comes with knowing you've treated yourself - and your butt - to a luxurious experience.

So trading down to a cheaper brand (no judgement, just facts) is an interesting choice. Its not like he can't afford to wear whatever the hell he chooses...

WHY TF WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT JMXCK ???????

Emporium Armani have been sticking to his booty his since 2018. He has never wore any other brand for 6+ years except his off stage convenience store colorful undies.

The ONLY time he wore CK was for 2018 CK denim shoot bts did. Now in 2023, when his bf became ambassador he SWITCHED cuz now he gets free branded undies ????

Also... he wore those lil briefs ☻️ like he mostly does ☻️ when he got into pool his shorts were flowing around but we didn't saw any boxers underneath ☻️ but he was wearing an undie cuz we saw the band ☻️ just saying ☻️ his bf specially orders lil briefs etc for him in size small ☻️ as CK only sents him boxers in his size only ☻️

1+1=2 I dont make the rules

🤭

Now all Jimin has to do is post this on JK's birthday this year and we'll be good

Not but seriously her art keeps coming to life wtf?!

But anon, we can't talk about half naked Jimin wearing CK and not talk about this

Tweet

JK blatantly checking out Jimin lives in my brain rent free 😭😭😭 he did it not once, not twice, but three times! 😂 even after all this time

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

Sidebar: that one time we wondered about those smaller boxers JK folded during his live 🧐

I FOLLOW MY OWN COMPASS

It's not a coincidence

In both trailers JK ends with "I follow my own compass" and the tattoos on his knuckles

Main trailer:

Teaser: