Map of the soul persona review

, the crowd went wild as the first South Korean group ever to musical guest on the show took the stage for their first performance, “Boy with Luv”. Strangely, this wasn’t even the most talked-about “Boy with Luv” video of the last week; the song’s music video recently made history, according to Guinness World Records, which confirmed early yesterday that the group had locked down not one but three world records concerning views in a 24-hour period. It’s no secret that K-pop is swiftly gathering hold across the globe, and that of all its groups, BTS has perhaps the strongest foothold. With Map of the Soul : Persona, they deliver a ready-for-action EP, hopping easily between genres like hip-hop, rock, R&B, and trap in a multifaceted exploration inside the lives and hearts of one of the biggest boy bands on Earth.

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The Good: We’ve all heard the expression “hit the ground running.” On Map of the Soul : Persona, BTS don’t even hit the ground. They barely catch their breath in “Intro : Persona”, cartwheeling through fast-paced raps and launching themselves into an album with an impressive lineup of features, allowing each of their seven members a chance to shine. The EP moves easily through different spheres of young love, young fame and young ambition, all of it audible through coruscating backgrounds and intense vocal deliveries that channel the high-running tensions of technicolor teenage drama. There’s the downbeat groove of “Mikrokosmos”, the rap-laced party rock of “Dionysus”. The group skates quickly between Korean and English — and even, at one point, a tiny glimpse of Spanish on “HOME” — with the most seamless example probably being the high-profile Halsey feature on “Boy with Luv”. The variety packed into the half-hour-long EP all shares a common level of attentive engagement from the group.

The Bad: There’s no mistake to be made: BTS is building on the pop genre in every possible direction they can. But there are still moments, every once in a while, when the level of their intention feels a little less immediately accessible. The group’s songwriting collaboration with Ed Sheeran, “Make It Right”, is sonically one of the highlights of the album. However, for a track that sounds like it’s meant to come off as a dose of sensitivity to anchor down the high energy, it feels emotionally less like a self-conscious reflection on making a relationship right and more like what it is — a really genuinely catchy song. You’d dance to it no matter what it means, which creates a little bit of a disconnect. Maybe this carries its own merit — and if not, they quickly course-correct in “Jamais Vu”, which with its pleas in the chorus for “a remedy” and more scaled-back beat sounds like the album’s more heartfelt dive into a softer realm of sensibility.

(Read: 10 Other K-pop Groups You Should Know About)

The Verdict: The “Persona” tag is telling; in some ways, the EP can be read as a microcosm (pun kind of intended) of the elements that have made BTS so famous over the last decade and especially the last few years, and everything that’s come out of that fame for them. There’s the spitting rap of the opening and closing tracks, the fan dedication and A.R.M.Y. appreciation in “HOME” and “Mikrokosmos”, and the familiarly romantic, teen-idol dream pop of “Boy with Luv”. Six EPs in and with even more albums under their belt, you get the sense that the men of BTS know exactly how popular they are, but not in an arrogant way — more in the sense that they’re ready to explore generously, but not quite ready to give up on some of the pop-production recipes that have granted them success thus far.

The k-pop group’s ARMY guaranteed big numbers the minute it was announced – but it’s the songs themselves that should guarantee the album’s global success.

Throughout the mini-album are references to BTS’ past and reflections on their growth as artists and individuals. “Intro: Persona” begins with a parallel to 2014’s “Intro: Skool Love Affair” – a much beloved but critiqued era in BTS’ history for their own thoughtful ARMYs. There are similarities in the old school hip-hop style, but thematically they couldn’t be more different. Leader Kim Namjoon asks the big question “Who am I?” and acknowledges that it’s a question he probably won’t find the whole answer to in his lifetime. It’s a weighty subject handled with maturity and grace – even when reflecting on bitter moments and the unfair commentary that has followed him throughout the band’s career.

Lead single “Boy With Luv” also harks back to the Skool Luv Affair era, but the parallels to “Boy In Luv” begin and end with the title. A collaboration with Halsey, the single is a summer-ready pop song which focuses on the strength found in love and finding joy in the small moments – a far cry from the dated and somewhat problematic teenage love song of years before. It is a present to BTS’ ARMY, who the boys frequently talk to on Twitter and other platforms, asking about their days. As they sing “nothing stronger / than a boy with luv” there is no question who it is giving them love and strength – it’s their fans, it always has been.

This theme, too, runs throughout Map of the Soul: Persona – songs like “Mikrokosmos” and “HOME” focus on the mutual love and support between BTS and their ARMY. The former links back to Love Yourself’s “Magic Shop”, the lines “you got me / I got you” mirroring the heart-warming “so show me / I’ll show you” that the band are so fond of singing with their fans. “HOME” speaks to the safety and comfort the band find in their ARMYs wherever they go, lead vocalist Park Jimin singing in the first verse that “the entire world is my home”. The song expresses the loneliness that is often experienced as a global superstar – rapper Min Yoongi suggesting that the “big house, big cars, big rings” he hoped for in the band’s debut song “No More Dream” leave him feeling empty. But BTS bring it back to the people who “acknowledged me even though I had nothing to show” and insist that what makes them feel rich is the love they receive from their ARMYs.

One only need listen to their voices on these songs or scroll through the band’s Twitter for a moment to recognise the sincerity of such statements. Prior to the album’s release, BTS told the ARMY “you’ve given us so much love, and now we want to get to know you more” – they’re not hiding behind any persona, what they’re sharing here is genuine.

Is Map of the Soul: 7 and Persona the same?

Map of the Soul: 7 is a continuation of their previous EP Map of the Soul: Persona, which itself was based on Murray Stein's Jung's Map of the Soul.

What is Map of the Soul: Persona based on?

Map of the Soul: Persona has influences from various places. The album itself is based on the book Jung's Map of the Soul, about the theories Carl Jung created for psychology. The lead single, the Halsey collaboration "Boy with Luv," has been described as a funk pop song about happiness and love.

What is the theme of the Map of the Soul: Persona?

Opening the MAP OF THE SOUL series with PERSONA, BTS talks about the joy in finding love, and reaches out to the world with the messages they want to share with their fans. The band is especially curious about the stories of each and everyone who have helped them become who they are today.

Does Map of the Soul: Persona come with a poster?

This item contains: 1 CD in an oversized package with a photo book, Mini book, Photo card, Photo film, Postcard and Poster.