Renowned Art Critic Shares High Praise For The Execution Of BTS’s “MAP OF THE SOUL ON:E” Online Concert

On October 10 at 4:30 PM KST, BTS began the first part of their two-day online MAP OF THE SOUL ON:E concert! This concert was previously revealed by Big Hit that it would be eight times bigger than Bang Bang Con: The Live from this past summer.

Renowned art critic Moon Jung Hyun gave his thoughts about the concert after watching day one and posted it on Instagram. He posted several photos of Jimin from the concert and wrote, “Jimin loves video art. Nam June Paik (not Kim) would absolutely love it if he was still alive.”

He also gave his honest thoughts about the first night’s performance of the show.

I was going to write a review about the concert after watching it, but my heart is still so full that I just posted some screenshots of Jimin’s amazing video art scene. I bought some beer to drink while watching the concert but I was so drawn in to the show that I am just now opening my can of beer after it’s all over. I was 200% pleased with this concert and if anyone has ever been curious about BTS’s concert, I highly recommend that you watch it once by downloading the Weverse app and paying for tomorrow’s concert at 4 PM KST. Even if you are not a registered ARMY you can still pay and watch the show.

— Moon Jung Hyun

He was constantly blown away by each performance, which just proved once again that “DNA” will always be an important song to the Korean music history.

Back to what I was saying, I was particularly blown away starting with DNA and the three songs that came right after that. I was shocked at how they could turn an online concert in the COVID-19 pandemic into such a charismatic and different performance. I personally think that DNA is a song that not only makes you fall for BTS, but is also one of the most important songs for the contemporary Korean song history.

— Moon Jung Hyun

(A long time ago at some art meeting, I said that Seo Tae Ji’s “Hayeoga” for the 90s and BTS’s “DNA” for the 00’s and onward were the hit songs of the era and someone had asked if I truly believed that. I thought about it some more on my way home and I still stand by my words today.) Anyway, I hope that everyone can watch this “DNA” performance. Just like how there are rumors that there are aliens in the basement of Apple’s headquarters, I sometimes think that Big Hit also has aliens that are planning what’s next in the world of K-Pop too.

— Moon Jung Hyun

He even had to stop himself from spoiling the concert too much as there was still people that were waiting to watch it on Sunday!

The next performance was “Butterfly” and it reminded me of my trip to Paris last year when the song played on random from my earphones as I was taking a walk and brought tears to my eyes. Watching the performance, I started to break down a little and after watching Jimin start to cry I couldn’t help but cry as well. I think that all the ARMYs that saw the performance today will understand what I mean about sitting in awe after the concert and opening a can of beer.

— Moon Jung Hyun

And honestly, when they the melody started playing for “Dynamite” for the encore songs, I stopped for a second. Although it was a song that I listened to every day, I think it felt different because it was the first time watching this performance on stage. I feel like I can’t say much more because I feel like I am spoiling it too much for the people who will be tuning in tomorrow, but all I can say is that the set list from today was amazing and I really think that even those who don’t have an interest in BTS should watch tomorrow’s concert.

— Moon Jung Hyun

View this post on Instagram

Jimin loves Video Art. Nam June Paik(not Kim😅) would absolutely love it if he was still alive.📺 맵 오브 더 소울 공연 보고 후기를 남기려고 했는데 아직도 가슴 한편이 먹먹해서 그냥 지민이의 멋졌던 비디오 아트 신 캡쳐한 장면들만 올려봄. 맥주 사온 것도 잊은 채 몰입해서 보다가 이제야 뒤늦게 정신 차리고 캔맥을 딴다. 200% 대만족하는 공연이었고 주변에 방탄소년단 공연 궁금해서 한 번 봐보고 싶다 하시는 분들은 위버스 앱 다운받은 뒤에 내일 오후 4시 공연도 구매해서 간편하게 보실 수가 있으니 추천 드립니다. 아미 가입까지 안하더라도 공연들은 바로 구매해서 볼 수가 있는 것으로 안다. 돌아와서 오늘 특히 DNA부터 시작해서 연이어 이어지는 3곡의 무대는 정말 넋을 놓고 봤다. 코로나 시대의 온라인으로 이루어지는 미래적 공연을 이렇게 색다르게 연출할 수가 있구나 하고 감탄했고, 개인적으로도 DNA는 방탄소년단에게 완전히 빠져버리게 된 곡일뿐만 아니라 한국 현대 가요사에서 가장 중요한 곡 중 하나라고 생각하기 때문에 더 충격적으로 보게 되었다. (예전에 모 미술 자리에서 90년대에는 서태지와 아이들의 <하여가>가, 00년대 이후에는 이 <DNA>가 별들의 별 중에서도 가장 높은 최상의 별자리에 위치한 계보의 곡이라고 강조한 적이 있는데, 정말 그런 것이냐고 반문하는 분이 계셔서 귀가하는 길에 곰곰이 다시 생각해본 적이 있는데 다시 숙고해봐도 이 생각은 변함이 없다.) 아무튼 이 DNA 무대는 정말 모든 분들이 보셨으면 좋겠고 애플 본사 지하에 외계인들이 있다는 루머처럼 빅히트 본사 지하에도 미래의 케이팝을 미리 예지하고 설계하는 외계인들이 있는 것이 아닌가 하는 생각까지 들게 만든 뛰어난 연출력이었다. 그 뒤에 나온 곡 <버터플라이>는 작년에 파리 여행을 하면서 저녁에 에펠탑 주변을 산책하다가 에어팟에서 랜덤으로 나왔을 때 나도 모르게 눈물을 좀 훔쳤던 곡이라 이때부터 약간 멘탈이 흔들리기 시작했고, 연이어서 울먹거리는 지민이를 보면서 아 좀 이따가 울 것 같은데 하고 조마조마했는데 결국 터져버린 지민이의 울음을 보면서 나도 모르게 눈시울이 좀 붉어졌던 것 같다. 오늘 공연 보신 모든 아미 분들은 공연을 다 보고 나서 뒤늦게 멍하니 맥주를 땄다는 말이 무슨 말인지 다들 너무나도 잘 알고 공감하실 듯. 그리고 고백하자면 앵콜 곡들 뒤에 다이너마이트 반주가 나오며 무대가 시작할 때, 엥 이곡이 뭐지 하고 잠깐 멈칫했었다. 매일같이 들었던 노래였음에도 불구하고 공연 무대에서 보는 것은 처음이라서 그랬던 것 같기도 하고 그만큼 히트한 명곡들이 이제는 많아서 잠시 혼동이 되었던 것 같기도 하다. 내일 공연부터 보시게 될 분들에게 자꾸 스포가 될 듯해서 말은 더 못하겠지만 아무튼 오늘 세트리스트도 너무 훌륭하며 알차고 멋진 무대였으니 BTS에 관심이 없으신 분들도 내일 일정이 없으시다면 집에서 한번 시청해보셔도 좋을 듯.

A post shared by 문정현 (@ivan_anakia) on Oct 10, 2020 at 7:30am PDT

This isn’t the first time Moon has talked about BTS as he has praised Jimin’s dancing to be that of an angel and congratulated the group on their 7th anniversary as well. This just proves once again that he is a true ARMY and is always looking for a chance to spread the power and influence of BTS to the world!