PETALING JAYA, June 10 — Amber Wang used to see herself as an outcast amongst her peers.
Her small stature made her easy prey for bullies who took advantage of her quiet personality and picked on her in kindergarten and primary school.
Everything changed when Wang discovered BTS, a seven-member boyband hailing from South Korea.
Their “Love Yourself” message, conveyed through a series of albums focused on self-love, resonated deeply with the Malaysian teen who became a hardcore fan of the group in 2016.
“When I first I heard their music, I thought it was so nice. I wanted to know what the meaning behind the songs were, so I went to translation sites to read what their lyrics said in English,” she said.
“Once I got to know them better, I can’t describe how happy they make me feel.
“In the past, I suffered a lot in school and it was hard for me to grow as an individual. When I heard BTS’ message, I wanted to know how I could love myself more.”
The 15-year-old said she owes her newfound confidence to the K-pop boyband and their lyrics, which often touch on themes of mental health and self-appreciation.
In their hit single “Idol”, BTS proudly sings, ”You can’t stop me loving myself”, a rebuttal against online hate the members themselves often face after they skyrocketed to international fame.
Wang is now a completely different person compared to the shy girl she used to be five years ago, all thanks to the “Boy With Luv” singers’ positive influence on her life.
“I think I’m more of an extrovert now. I know how to speak what I think is right and I learned how to stand up for my friends who suffered similar things that I went through in the past.”
Adding that the band helped pull her out of a very dark place, Wang said that BTS had “saved” her with their music.
“I got bullied a lot when I was young. In that period of time, I developed anxiety and depression and it was really hard for me to cope.
“I started doing horrible things to myself and I tried many ways to stop my emotional and mental pain by doing self-harm.”
The song “2! 3!” in particular holds a special place in Wang’s heart, reminding her that better days lie ahead even during the toughest of times.
A BTS concert in Malaysia would mean the world to the student, adding that she has connected with other fans of the group known as ARMYs through the MY_btsarmy fanclub on Twitter.
While she is aware of local celebrities and religious figures branding the K-pop band as a bad influence, Wang said that the ways in which the septet has helped young Malaysians is still largely unknown.
“They can’t go into every ARMY’s mind and ask them, ‘how did BTS help you?’. People tend to focus on negative things so it’s the same thing that’s going on with BTS.
“ARMYs and BTS are like one family, and if someone insults your family member, your natural response would be to stand up for them.
“People think we overreact but the truth is that it’s a natural thing that goes on in life.”
If she ever got the chance to meet her idols face-to-face, Wang said she would thank them for teaching her how to cherish herself better.
“I want to tell them, ‘thank you for saving me’ because I don’t think I would be here today if they hadn’t come into my life.
“They helped me to stop thinking of other people’s opinions and that although life is hard, we still need to look at the brighter side of life instead of holding onto the things that bring us down.”
If you’re struggling with your mental health, call the Befrienders at the following numbers: 03-7956 8145 (Kuala Lumpur), 04-281 5161/1108 (Penang) and 05-547 7933/7955 (Ipoh) or email [email protected].
