BTS is my favorite K-pop group because they constantly inspire me to accept myself and care for myself, and they've made a conscious effort to share this message with all of their fans and the rest of the world. BTS's music provides me with company in my darkest mental slumps. Rather than just pulling me up from my misery, they sit with me in my sadness and dissatisfaction, and it allows me to come to peace with the parts of myself that aren't fully formed yet. When I listen to them sing and read their lyrics, I allow myself to forgive myself for still being a person that is growing and I slowly gain hope for the person I will become in the future. In "Answer: Love Myself," they admit that "Loving myself might be harder than loving someone else" because "the standards you made are more strict for yourself," which is a reluctant statement I rarely find in media concerning self-love, but is so full of empathy for those struggling that it feels like a large breath of relief. My other favorite lines in the song include "Maybe there's no answer...It's just that loving myself doesn't require anyone's permission" and "The me of yesterday/The me of today/The me of tomorrow/With no exceptions, it's all me." Their music allows me to view myself not as a finished product that I have to accept in its current state, but as a person in a constant state of flux, equally full of worth in every stage. The way that BTS chases their dreams with all of their seven hearts, even when they started from nothing, inspires me not to give up on my dreams and work hard enough to be able to bet on myself, even when the odds seem impossible. What sets them apart from every other idol-figure though, is their emphasis on chasing the things that are important to ME and allowing myself to rest in other parts of my life. In their song "Paradise", they sing "There's no need to run without knowing the reason/It's okay to not have a dream," and as someone who often feels weighed down by the pressure to be perfect in every aspect of life, it is extremely comforting to have someone I look up to say that I am allowed to indulge in fleeting moments of happiness that aren't attached to loftier, career-oriented goals. BTS teaches me that it's okay to run towards big impossible dreams AND enjoy slow, small moments in life. My story is hardly a unique story among BTS fans and casual listeners: their message pierces through to the heart of every person who has struggled with these same feelings and the weight of trying to live up to every expectation. BTS has taken this message to UNICEF, to the White House, and to every level of the global stage. I am so proud to be a fan of artists who are so conscious of taking their passion and their music and turning it into a beacon of hope for inner peace within everyone. I hope all have the chance to experience what I have with BTS, and I am here to support them for decades as they continue on their musical and inspirational journey.