花樣年華 HYYH The Notes 1

Whew! What an emotional roller coaster! I didn't know about the Bangtan Universe when I first got into BTS, but kept coming across bits and pieces of it without realizing what it was all about and being both really confused and really curious that there seemed to be a story there I couldn't quite grasp, but was highly intrigued by. When I finally came across the explanation for it, I knew I wanted to dive into it! It's a story that spans their music videos, lyrics of their songs, a webtoon and The Notes (which apparently first appeared in pieces in their albums booklets, but are now gathered together in two books). I went online to find some guidance on where to start with it all and watched some MV's, the short film and read the Webtoon before diving into the books. And it's been an amazing ride! It's dark, melancholy and sorrowful, but has these rays of hope piercing through that keep you going - much like a lot of BTS's music. I think it's really brilliant storytelling and could even be enjoyed by those who aren't Into BTS or their music. Keep in mind that the story is very much like a puzzle, and how the pieces all fit we're still not entirely sure, but that's also part of the appeal, trying to figure it out. In The Notes 1, we're given a peak into each characters background and their thoughts and feelings through a series of journal-like pieces. You'll instantly care about them and the hardships they go through and want to root for them. They are flawed and make mistakes and find it hard to deal with their situations and with each other, which makes it seem all the more real. Finding a way to pull through the pain and sorrow is a constant struggle for them and you feel each setback and triumph and just when we're beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel and an answer, it twists and ends! So now onto #2! Bighit made a brilliant piece of fiction that is well worth reading and if the rumours are true that it may be a drama one day, I'll be first in line to watch it!