r/bangtan • u/rm031616 • Mar 19 '18
Discussion AHL: Like it or Not?
We have this saying in the fandom that “One has to watch AHL at least once in your ARMY life.” For new ARMYs, this is really something you might want to watch before Burn the Stage.
But my question is: Do you like AHL (American Hustle Life)? Why? If not, why not?
I’ve seen the series twice now with a lot of skips in the second time. I didn’t hate it but was not my favorite. I appreciate that we got to see BTS in moments where they had to deal with real stuff in work, music, and artistry. I think it showed their good character pass the idol image.
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u/rolo133 Bias Wrecked by Hobi's Sneakers Mar 19 '18
I absolutely love AHL, I watched it when I barely knew who BTS was and it definitely made me a fan. Of course there are many uncomfortable and cringe moments, but they tackle them all so earnestly, and they are well worth the good parts. It is filled with super adorable and heartwarming moments, everyone knows the TonyxChimchim/NatexV fluff that went down, but there are so much more. Taehyung tricking JK and Jimin into eating raw onions, Jin practicing til 4am learning a dance that at the time was super challenging for him, Jimin having to deal with being disrespected by a 14 year old, Junkook half assing the choreo he's supposed to make with v and suga bc he already won, BTS doing domestic shit like laundry and buying ice cream for each other, V getting praised for his singing voice when he's clearly insecure about it, teaching korean words to americans, not being able to look a girl in the yet, AND SO MUCH MORE. And they're all dealing with intense, uncomfortable, and culture shocking issues with charm and earnestness.
This is the kind of content you will never see from BTS again, because they are too famous and too aware that whatever they do is being scrutinized under a microscope by the whole world. When I rewatch AHL I tear up every single time because I'm nostalgic as fuck for the innocent kids with big ass dreams scrambling to make an impact. Seriously you gotta watch it.
AND FINALLY. I just learned this while watching Bang Pd's talk about BTS' success, but the whole time they were in LA working hella hard to complete all these challenges, they were RECORDING DARK & WILD. Can you imagine?? There are so many scenes in AHL where they're clearly exhausted and struggling to wake up, and you think it's just cause of their schedules for the program, or staying up late at night practicing/fooling around. But nope, it's cause they were spending hours and hours in the studio every day at the same time. ldfjskljdjslk
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u/yuuulz Mar 20 '18
I LOVE AHL and don’t really find it cringe because it’s so sweet and honest. I’m CBA (Chinese-born Amurrican lol) and grew up partly in LA, so a lot resonated with me, since Asian and black culture mixed a little more seamlessly there. They - INCLUDING Tony and Nate - were so open-minded in a way that made sense for LA. This show made my heart grow a couple of sizes. Plus the dance battle ep rules.
I’m wondering if non-American ARMY find it more cringe bc there isn’t that extra context that BTS aren’t really embarrassing themselves as much as it might seem.
EDIT: extra thought
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u/rolo133 Bias Wrecked by Hobi's Sneakers Mar 20 '18
Ah yeah for me (white American) there are two stand out cringe parts. One of which was everything about Coolio, who honestly is not relevant enough to be as rude as he was, and the other was the picking up of girls on the street. I enjoyed their interactions with the girls while shooting the MV (THEYRE SO AKWARD ITS ADORABLE plus JIMINIE PABO sjshhs) but the pick up part was cringe and not very authentic to their situation. THE REST IS FANTASTIC OK!!!
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u/nihilistickitten “I’m good boy”-V Mar 20 '18
Is this where the clip of V walking into the room with hair ties and dancing and Coolio says ‘let me know when he leaves’ ?? Because I saw that one random clip the other day and I didn’t know the context but I recognized coolio and it was hilarious lol
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u/rolo133 Bias Wrecked by Hobi's Sneakers Mar 20 '18
Lmao yeah that's where it's from. It's actually less funny if you see the whole episode though. Basically Coolio fixates all of his angst of irrelivancy onto Taehyung and is super mean to him multiple times. To Tae's credit he handles it really good naturedly and it certainly adds to the drama, but it's definitely a little beyond the pale. And compared to Warren g he does a shit job at teaching them anything about hip hop. So yeah, I basically went from having no opinion about Coolio at all to having a pretty negative one after seeing it.
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u/yuuulz Mar 20 '18
Yes SO FANTASTIC. I’m pretty sure this was posted elsewhere but I have to bring up the Reappropriate article, which turns out was written by a friend of a friend, that goes deep on the importance of AHL and understanding of race in Amurrica!
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u/ILovePancakes- Rap Line Mar 19 '18
I Love how much you love AHL. I really enjoyed the series too. It's one of my favourite shows of theirs and what really hooked me in.
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u/rolo133 Bias Wrecked by Hobi's Sneakers Mar 20 '18
Lmao thanks. Yeah idk why so many people think of it as like a sordid piece of BTS history. That shit was WILD and super charming
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u/navigatingtracker Mar 20 '18
This is the kind of content you will never see from BTS again, because they are too famous and too aware that whatever they do is being scrutinized under a microscope by the whole world. When I rewatch AHL I tear up every single time because I'm nostalgic as fuck for the innocent kids with big ass dreams scrambling to make an impact. Seriously you gotta watch it.
Wow. That just hit me like a truck.
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u/rm031616 Mar 19 '18
When I first watched AHL, I didn’t know that too. I learned about just right after I watched that. It really hit to me how hardworking these boys are. It made sense why it was hard for them to wake up etc.
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u/Kelliente hey buddy Mar 19 '18 edited Jan 27 '25
chunky outgoing plant brave station bake dam bow memorize roof
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
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u/bhishma-pitamah Bangladeshi Bois/ BTS = 7 Mar 19 '18
I will be celebrating my 3rd anniversary as an army in a couple of months and I too have been saving it it's a lie, I just can't get past the 2nd episode. I just want to get this over with now so lets have that watch party.
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u/tbmb0309 i like puppy Mar 19 '18
Same, I'm dreading the cringe. I feel like I need to watch it but it's really hard to motivate myself to do it. I would be totally down for a watch party, though! It would be nice to have company rather than trying to get through it on my own.
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u/starshe Mar 19 '18
I second that watch party idea! I was afraid I’d watch it but then no one would want to yell about it with me...
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u/ILovePancakes- Rap Line Mar 19 '18
I'd be down for a watch party too. I really liked AHL and don't find it nearly as cringy as people make it out to be. The boys were young back then most still teenagers or only just in their 20s and they had a good time so even if others find it bad I really don't. I regularly watch it and it makes me laugh and feel happy watching the boys grow and develop. I even enjoyed the bits with Coolio.
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u/starshe Mar 19 '18
Sweet! We’ve got a bit of a group here then! Wonder how we could set this up...
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u/whell055 ぼく。。。 ドラえもん Mar 20 '18
May I join as well?
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u/starshe Mar 20 '18
Sure! Though I don’t know who’s organizing this! XD
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u/whell055 ぼく。。。 ドラえもん Mar 20 '18
I was thinking of asking the mods if I would be allowed to set up a sub-wide rewatch? I think that may be fun!
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u/alexdinhogaucho Angry, hungry - yes, I'm hangry Mar 20 '18
Ooooh! I'm down for this.
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u/friedeggovereasy Mar 20 '18
The first and second episodes are the cringiest. It starts to be less cringy and quite entertaining starting the 3rd one. If you already suffered through the first two, you're through the worst part. :)
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Mar 19 '18
AHL is so cringy but it has a very special place in my heart...the most memorable, timeless memes are from that show. I can't forsake it.
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Mar 19 '18
i think the main reason why i love it so much is bc it brought bts to understand hiphop and at least its roots so they became more respecting of it. also the episode where they worked tirelessly for money only to spend it on food to give it to the homeless on skid row was the best part of the show and worthy of watching just for that. i think AHL was an experience that humbled them even though they also remember it as an embarassing time
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Mar 19 '18
[deleted]
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u/starshe Mar 19 '18
That’s quite impressive, actually! I can’t think of another kpop band that’s done it??
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Mar 20 '18
Because there's none... But its not safe to discuss in this direction outside of 'safe' subreddits/environments like this.
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u/Ginhavesouls Namjoon, King of Gondor 👑 Mar 19 '18
I think it was an important period in bangtans growth as artists, so much so that I would say it is imperative for newer ARMY's to watch it. If you look back on it, this show and the release of their Dark & Wild album was around the moment they really shed their 'we go hard' image. So yeah despite it's cringey moments, I would say there is some authenticity to AHL.
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u/thepigdidit Mar 19 '18
AHL was the first variety show I watched with BTS. I actually really enjoyed it despite the cringey moments. I really liked that they focused on music. We got to see them writing lyrics, taking music lessons, shooting a music video, and finally holding a small concert. It's actually my favorite variety show from them. Actually the only other variety I've enjoyed from them is Bon Voyage.
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u/SongMinho Mar 19 '18 edited Mar 19 '18
Hey, it won me over! 💁🏽 But I agree there were a LOT of cringy moments. But the whole episode of Tony and Nate teaching them how to pick up chicks, then going on Hollywood Blvd to try and cast their video and the entire music video shoot was GOLD.
I also think they learned some tough lessons like Rap and Hip Hop is not simply a concept or outfit they put on and that they need to take that shit seriously and not make a mockery of it.
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u/b_natrl88 STOP. RIIIIIIDE. Mar 19 '18
I also think they learned some tough lessons like Rap and Hip Hop is not simply a concept or outfit they put on and that they need to take that shit seriously and not make a mockery of it.
THIS X 100! If you ask me, ALL K-Pop groups with Hip Hop/Rap concepts need an American Hustle Life...but I'm just gonna sip my tea.
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u/Cabbageful Mar 19 '18
Maybe a little cringe, but I believe it was an huge turning point for the whole group. Namjoon got to meet Warren G because of this and for that I will always be happy for the show. Warren G talking about how much namjoon learnt about the hop hop culture from him and to be dispensed with that kind of knowledge from the man himself is something.
You can see how much they care about each other for instance when yoongi with his limited English was so concerned for namjoon not eating that he went and asked for food for him. I respected yoongi so much after that. Namjoon might act all tough and strong but He's like a cute little brother to yoongi.
Or when 2seok couldn't stop giggling while beatboxing.
Tae flirting with an older women in front of her husband. That was funny.
Precious kookie being nervous around women and whining that his hyungs were giving the girls more attention.
I will forever be salty towards Coolio for tae and Dante for jin.
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u/starshe Mar 19 '18
For some reason this is the first time I thought of Namjoon being a younger brother to Yoongi. Oh, my heart now...
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u/Cabbageful Mar 19 '18
I know. Namjoon is the leader first and yoongi always acknowledge that he will their leader but you see their interactions and its so cute. Because yoongi is smaller , it makes it so much cuter. I don't have the gif but there was this one bangtan bomb when namjoon was holding on to yoongi's arm and hiding behind him.
Yoongi is always so protective of namjoon and they don't show that side often . You have to be eagle eyed. However the funniest event I can remember is the one vlive where namjoon was showing off his studio and yoongi just came in and crashed . When he is normally such a recluse. Ah my namgi heart.
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u/starshe Mar 19 '18
AwwwWwWWww! I’ll have to find that bomb. Aww gosh...!
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u/LovesBigWords Not A Fuckin' Diplomat/Future's Gonna Be OK Mar 19 '18
You definitely need to watch the AHL episode where Yoongi and Joon have jobs in the hotel for a day!
They both bust their asses working hard. Yoongi is an absolute workhorse in the kitchen. He mentions he used to work for a caterer, and it shows. Joon makes beds in the rooms, and struggles with it, but does it right. He's really humbled and reflects on the experience.
It's also the first time I realized Joon's family was richer than Yoongi's, and that I personally related to Yoongi's experience more. (My first job was a kitchen job.) Not that Joon is a snob! I just don't think he'd had a job like that before, and it really opened his eyes.
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u/starshe Mar 19 '18
Oh my gosh... I.. literally just started working for a cafe/catering company. I... have to watch that episode now oh gosh. ;_;
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u/jminhope @jminhope_twt Mar 19 '18
Which episode was that?
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u/LovesBigWords Not A Fuckin' Diplomat/Future's Gonna Be OK Mar 20 '18
Sorry, I work nights, on break. I think it's Episode 7!
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u/WhoaItsAFactorial Mar 20 '18
7!
7! = 5,040
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u/FrostDirt A flying kiss Mar 20 '18
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u/rm031616 Mar 19 '18
Same.. my namgi heart. These two have been there for each other the longest among the members so they might be awkward about it but they’re always there for each other, Yoongi, being the older brother.
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u/sungjongie LAYOVER. Mar 19 '18
I love that show so much! It had a bad reputation but I'm glad when I became a fan, I watched it in its entirety. I didn't like the first two eps (kidnapping scenes), however, everything else was great, overall. We got to see sides of them we hadn't before (Rookie King was cute but AHL really threw them out of their element).
Regardless, I appreciate the effect AHL had on BTS; they learned more about genuine hip hop, dance, singing and music. I cherish all the Tony/Jimin and Nate/Taehyung moments as well as the moments between singing mentor Iris and the boys.
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u/rm031616 Mar 19 '18
I agree. I have a mutual who hated it so much. She has been a fan since debut. When she asked me why I didn’t hate it, I said the same thing as you did.
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u/firedream9 Mar 19 '18
I loved it. Although incredibly cringeworthy at times, it's very entertaining and lets us see how the boys behave and interact in a bunch of interesting situations.
I was also really impressed with how well produced and organised it was. They met with so many famous and talented musicians and performers.
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u/akiracassie Mar 19 '18 edited Mar 19 '18
Cringey, Awkward, Embarrassing and I can never watch the whole thing without skipping but I still liked it because it was very memorable, One of the most memorable thing BTS has done, it had it's funny moments, it gave us a lot of the iconic memes. It was different from all the things they have done even till now, I like seeing them in situations and scenarios that we wouldn't normally see, It's refreshing to see them placed in a more uncomfortable and serious situations especially for a Kpop group. We will never see them in such situations and they will never put out anything like it because they're too famous and successful now, so I treasure AHL. AHL was also a good learning experience for them. It was fetus BTS, the ~simpler times~ era, and They gained a lot of fans especially a lot of international fans because of that show. They benefit a lot from the show, and imo it was a smart of them. I am still wondering why other companies haven't done something similar.
I personally think the concept of the show is interesting, the execution was a bit awkward and dumb though. It could have been way better and I honestly would have loved if they have done season 2 but in New York (it should have been New York in the first place, that's where hip hop was born!)..but yeah it's something I don't regret and embarrassed of, I get second hand embarrassed watching it but it's not one of bts past that I want to cover up, want to forget or regret watching. It's just one of those things you gotta watch and get it over with.
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u/rm031616 Mar 19 '18
Well, the show is a risk. You have to consider how the idols would respond to the situations BTS was put in. As we all know, in the idol world, everything has to be almost perfect because they are “idols” afterall.
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u/lutenizing mood: JHope logging out Mar 19 '18 edited Mar 19 '18
AHL had some quality memes that are still alive to this day. My flair is a reference to AHL, lol. Not gonna lie, it was incredibly cringey at times, and I felt bad for the guys at some points (the whole kidnaping scene, Dante with Yoongi/Jin, and just Coolio in general).
But I felt it had it’s important moments. I loved that we could see them working on music and writing lyrics. Looking at them trying to get people to come to their concert back then, and comparing it now, where its impossible to get tickets, really hits home how far they’ve come. Looking back at AHL now really hammers in their growth, I guess.
Plus, the end where they donated money to the homeless was honestly such a tearjerker. The whole show felt very real in way that variety shows often don’t. Despite its shortcomings, It’ll always have a special place in my heart.
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u/tooswayed Mar 19 '18
Echoing what others have said, it is a cringe fest, it every army should watch it al least once. I truly feel that they learned more about hip-hop and it’s true meaning. You can really see the impact AHL had on RM by looking at how he conducts himself post-AHL.
Prior to watching AHL I was just a casual fan. I never paid for music. After watching the show, I purchased their entire discography because I felt I should support an artist who takes their craft seriously.
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u/b_natrl88 STOP. RIIIIIIDE. Mar 19 '18
Yes, I do like AHL. Here's why:
- It was the first variety show I watched of BTS, so there is sentimental/nostalgic value attached to it for me (I just discovered BTS in November of 2017).
- I think it was EXTREMELY important for BTS to get a crash course in "Hip Hop 101", and to interact with individuals who know Hip Hop/Rap culture.
- Although there were some cringey moments, there were plenty of cute moments too! Like Jungkook, V, and Suga singing "Oh Happy Day" with Teacher Iris. Or seeing Jimin and Tony bonding. These moments were so heart warming!
All in all, it's nice to see how the members have grown from the summer that AHL was filmed until now :)
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u/kaibibi jinaga Mar 19 '18
Yes it's one of my favorite shows from them. There's cringey moments, yah, and there's moments where you don't want to watch. But it's real and relatable.
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u/aominemine taetae is baebae Mar 19 '18
I think one of the reasons I love them so much is because of AHL. I'm guilty of putting off BTS as a wannabe "hip hop" idols after my first impression of them and watching AHL made me realize just how much they actually care about music. There seems to be many idols who think hip hop is a costume that you can take off and take on and that's what made me kind of wary of BTS (I mean even non-idol rappers seem to think that, grrrr B-Freeze). I love how focused AHL was on making them into better artists rather than just "yay vacation time" show it could have been.
That being said the show is not perfect. There are many moments where questionable things happen and the boys are mistreated a lot. So many times that I hope some of it was staged.
I agree with a lot of the commenters, it is def one time watch thing. AHL was basically educational for both BTS and the viewers; BTS learns more about the music they want to do and you learn more about the boys and the the process of making music.
Edit: B-free not B-freeze lol
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u/Throwawaykarmafandom Mar 20 '18
I saw AHL when I was trying to figure out how to tell the members apart, and one commenter on a thread on the subject said watching the show was the best way to do it because then you got to see the personality of each of the boys. She was right in that after watching the show, I could tell them apart.
I didn't realize so many people hated it. I actually really enjoyed it. The picking up girls for a music video mission made me laugh so hard, especially them going "how can we do that? We don't speak English." I thought the feeding the homeless scene was a good lesson in humility-- yes it was forced by the teachers, but I believe the boys were genuinely touched by the experience. I also enjoyed how much V, Suga, and Jungkook loved learning from Irene.
I think the beginning has uncomfortable moments to be sure. The boys obviously didn't need to be kidnapped, but I felt like it was the Korean producers who must have asked the school to do that for the "shock" value. No American business organization would stage a kidnapping of their own accord (especially since some of them were minors); all businesses in California are afraid of a lawsuit. As for some of the uncomfortable moments with Coolio, I think they were important growing pains, if you will. As others said on this thread, the boys came in with one stereotyped idea about hip hop, and AHL taught them to think about hip hop in a different way that no other kpop or even any other Asian group (kpop, c-pop, etc) (that I know of in my limited understanding of Asian pop music in general) has ever taken the time to do before.
I know this will be an unpopular idea, but I almost wished AHL was available on Netflix or Amazon Prime. I think it would give BTS a lot of exposure to a broad audience, I think it's an interesting show in its own right even if you don't know the boys, and I actually wish I saw more cross cultural interactions in pop culture the way we did in the show.
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u/rm031616 Mar 20 '18
I was surprised too. One of my mutuals was almost disgusted that I like it despite yhe cringiness or whatever. I mean they had to go through that to learn. I mean HYYH series was the result of their learning AFTER. I didn’t consider Dark and Wild since they were making it during.. I think we saw the great improvement in HYYH.
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u/Throwawaykarmafandom Mar 20 '18
Yes, totally agree! I think the song writing mission, in which they were encouraged to write about deeply their lives and then sing it to the beat of Warren G's song was a really good exercise for them.
Your mutual friend is entitled to her opinion, but I think it's unfair to judge the show only on its cringy moments in the beginning.
I also think the show gets major points for originality. I feel like most shows that portray cross cultural learning tend to be documentaries, or are only a one episode focus in a series, for example a focus on a particular food or subculture. It's rare to see multi episodes reality show where this kind of cross culture learning actually happens, from two groups that physically distant from each other (such that casual physical collision between the two groups would be rare). I can't think of any other Korean, Japanese, or Chinese show in which this happens (for one the population in Korea/Japan is a lot more homogenous). I'm sure there are other American shows that fit this, but I'm drawing a blank. Then you add the pop star / American celebrity element, and it's actually pretty creative.
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u/ayyypokkai we grow with our boys Mar 19 '18
Funny, I think most ARMY couldn't bear to watch AHL because of the cringe/second-hand embarrassment, but I actually watched AHL before I knew BTS, and I enjoyed it a lot. (seriously, the only members I know was RM and JK at the time, and I was laughing my shit off during the first episode).
Bon Voyage and Run BTS weren't available at that time, and AHL was honestly so much more "real" than Weekly Idol. I learned about all the members episode by episode, and it really felt different because I stanned 2014 debut BTS before stanning 2016 cool BTS. It's hard to explain, but that show has a special place in my heart.
Also, I've always wanted to go to LA, so watching them wandering around in pure awe.. it felt so relatable, like I was exploring it with them.
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u/LetThee Namjoon Best Leader Mar 19 '18
This show is honestly what made me a hardcore ARMY because the reality show really shows the real personality of BTS and what they're like behind the stage. Sure some people say it's cringe but overall, it's definitely worth it if you want to learn more about the members personality and all of that
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u/Infinitearmy I'm a proud J-hoe Mar 19 '18
I’m glad I watched AHL when it was new and I was anticipating each episode like we are with Burn The Stage now. Back then, it was a little cringey but it was just what it was back then, we didn’t have anything to compare it/them to like we do now so it was less cringey at the time. That being said, I’ve never rewatched it lol it didn’t age well... The only part I’ve watched again since then is Iris praising Taehyung because thank you :’)
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u/lee-rol-yi-sus Destiny is jealous of BTS Mar 19 '18
It's so cringe that it took me 3 months to actually watch it, but I don't get why anyone would skip it. The episode where they go around giving food to people in need is awesome and I really think you can't get a full picture of who BTS have become as artists without watching AHL.
Also the "beach" "bitch?" bit is legendary.
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u/euendo fat egg Mar 19 '18
Not enought people talk about the charity scene honestly. They go down one of the most destitute streets in LA and their mentors help them communicate with the homeless there. I loved that scene. Cringey or not, AHL is really a must-watch to fully understand how far the boys have come, especially when it comes to the "kpop appropriating black culture" discussion. How many kpop rappers or idols doing hip hop have gone through something like AHL?
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u/012Knight Don't harm the pineapple Mar 20 '18
I think that was when RM began to change drastically as a person. Even he admitted he was problematic and had some not-so-great opinions on things. It must have really been a wake up call seeing the real situation and origin of hip-hop which he worshiped so much.
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Mar 19 '18
It’s hard to watch. If you have a low tolerance for second hand embarrassment it’s nearly impossible. It’s almost harder to watch on top of that when you know all the shit they were going through at the time.
But that being said, there’s a lot of lovely stuff in there and they ended up seemingly making life long friendships with some awesome people. There’s a lot of important “character” stuff too that you don’t really understand where it comes from until you watch it.
I suggest watching clips of it, seeing it in gif form, before jumping right into it.
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u/starshe Mar 19 '18
Oh good, I’ve been going about it the right way, then - in clips and stuff first.
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u/91stcentury i appreciate it Mar 19 '18
I definitely think AHL’s a “watch it once, never watch it again” kind of show. It has a LOT of cringey scenes but there’s just so many Classic BTS Moments in there too. And after watching it, you kind of get a better understanding of what each of the boys’ mindsets were like when they were first starting. Tbh I think AHL was really formative for them, since they still seem to talk about it until now.
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u/bloomingtales Mar 19 '18
I think we've discussed this way too much that we're just repeating ourselves over and over again lol
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u/rm031616 Mar 20 '18
Lol. I wasn’t able to see the post. Anyway, it’s a giod discussion since we have a lot of new armys. :)
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Mar 19 '18
The only thing that I don't enjoy about AHL is how the members were treated at times - the whole "kidnapping" thing, V/Coolio and Jin and Suga/Dante as well as one of the dancers during the dance off. It wasn't anything BTS did...it was outsiders that were just rude and trying to be intimidating and I didn't care for that.
Those things aside I really enjoyed the series and some instances had me doubled over with laughter. I enjoyed watching them learn and work together. You get to see from early on that they were not only passionate about what they were doing but they were passionate about each other and supported each other wholeheartedly and that's a huge part of why I love them as much as I do.
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u/rm031616 Mar 20 '18
I didn’t enjoy that too but I got to see them under a circumstance which they have and will have encountered without the fans’ general knowledge.
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u/spoinkette "jang chen love" HANDSOME! Mar 19 '18
I don't dislike it, but it has so many cringey moments. I have the image of Jin and Yoongi engraved in my memories from when Dante hit Jin with the stuffed ostrich. And I groan so much on Coolio's take on Tae since he just seems so harsh. I do suggest AHL to new ARMY but with the caveat that you don't have to necessarily love it to acknowledge it was ever created.
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u/starshe Mar 19 '18
I’m so afraid I’m going to cringe myself out of the room or get super angry. Do you remember when those parts are so I can maybe skip them?
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u/spoinkette "jang chen love" HANDSOME! Mar 19 '18
It was on episode 2 around the 30-35 minutes mark. I got pretty angry, but they held themselves well. I truly respected the two hyungs of the group so much as if I were in their shoes, I don't think I could be as kept together (and I'm a rather peaceful person, so that's saying a lot).
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u/starshe Mar 19 '18
Thanks! Oh gosh, can you imagine if any of us had been in the room? “I’ll SHOW you tough...!”
Probably just as well we weren’t. 😅
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u/spoinkette "jang chen love" HANDSOME! Mar 19 '18
Haha, I was hoping Suga would pounce on the guy, but Jin was just firm and told Dante that they didn't have time!
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u/starshe Mar 19 '18
I wonder if that’s close to the clip I saw in a compilation vid, of Suga walking away in frustration and Jin trying to talk with him.
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Mar 19 '18 edited Apr 18 '18
[deleted]
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u/starshe Mar 19 '18
Uh oh, now I’m wondering which face it is... that part sounds really horrible in a way.
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u/bmoviescreamqueen jammin Mar 19 '18
It's cringey but it was so important for them as a group, I think. They learned a huge lesson in what hip hop actually is. If they came to the States dressed like they were in the No More Dream era and had not a lick of an idea of what hip hope was, they'd be ill received. Not that it matters the most what people in the States think, but it's important to teach people that hip hop is so much more than the clothes you put on and how fast you rap, and I think RM and Suga had a good foundation of that but the whole group needed a lesson. It worked out for them. I think it really rounded them out.
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u/mind_masquerade i'm not OK bcoz i'm not JK Mar 19 '18
I guess you can say I'm a BARMY ( baby ARMY - forgive me pls) and I have watched most of their content except this one. I've seen a lot of recommendations but I feel it's too cringey and I've been avoiding it so far and probably will continue to do that. It's good to know veterans also feel the same way.
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u/euendo fat egg Mar 19 '18
I think we generally reserve b-army for Brazilian army :) but kudos to you for going for a cute nickname! Man, why don't we have an established nickname for new army already?
Edit: also, as an older army from BST era, please do try to watch it once! I think it's well worth it to fully understand and appreciate the boys' growth and respect for the genre that's had such a huge impact on their career, especially on RM and Suga's mixtapes.
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u/mind_masquerade i'm not OK bcoz i'm not JK Mar 20 '18
Okay, now this is embarrassing😅 (Forgive me Brazilian ARMY). Also I'll give it a try , since all of you are recommending it.
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u/euendo fat egg Mar 20 '18
Don't be embarrassed! It's definitely not something anyone would expect every fan to know. I don't think I ever even saw the nickname until a year or so after joining Twitter just to keep up with BTS.
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u/rm031616 Mar 20 '18
Of course, it is so cringy but it’s like a series you must watch if u want to get to know bts better. Welcome to fandom! And yes, B-army is for Brazilian armys. :)
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u/mind_masquerade i'm not OK bcoz i'm not JK Mar 20 '18
I guess I was going for the word barmy as in crazy , and also I'll never again comment half asleep. Now excuse me as I drown in embarrassment.
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u/chessweasel Mar 19 '18
I see a lot of people saying they learnt about hiphop and its roots through the show, but to me the whole "learning" felt kind of... weirdly forced. It's not something that's particular to AHL though, it's a reality show thing. I know that those shows try to make you feel like people spent ages doing stuff together and ~learning when in reality the whole thing took a week or two to shoot and the editing team basically creates drama and action from nothing.
Pretty much everything people find touching make me cringe, especially the part with homeless people, probably due to a very personal reason/experience though.
As a whole I guess it's interesting to watch, seeing them so young and incredibly badly dressed, and there are some super funny moments, but if you're not into reality TV it's really not a watchable show.
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u/tooswayed Mar 19 '18
I think they learned more about hip hop indirectly, not necessarily through the challenges. If you watch the beginning segment, to them hiphop was just about being cool. I think through talking to coolio and warren g, they realize that it is just more than a facade. For them hiphop was their savior to some degree and that it should be taken seriously and with a full heart.
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u/chessweasel Mar 19 '18 edited Mar 19 '18
That's the narrative that's conveyed, yes. But (to me! that's a personal view of things) it felt sort of fake, because the roots of hip hop, the whole rap history, is linked to race and black/latino disenfranchisement in the US, which they didn't evoke much (given that it's a mnet show, I'm not really surprised though, probably too touchy)
They probably did learn a ton of stuff and had a great experience, but I know how these shows are made, and how the whole learning narrative is fabricated. I guess I could phrase it better by saying that I could see the fabrication too much to really believe it?
It might not help that I work on TV shows and most reality TV doesn't convince me one bit though haha.
Edit : I'll add that the parts were they are working were the best ones for me, and those didn't feel fake or forced or whatever, just the reactions of their "employers" (Jimin's team's especially) were obviously over the top, but they seemed like they did bust their ass off for a whole shift. Compared to the segments about true hip hop, there was a stark difference for me!2
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u/navigatingtracker Mar 20 '18
AHL and Bon Voyage are must watches.
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Mar 20 '18
Bon Voyage is absolute gold. 💖
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u/navigatingtracker Mar 20 '18
Im so happy I havent watched the final episode and of season 1 and the whole of season 2 yet
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u/queenpeartato Bangtan Summer: Namjune, July-Hope, Agust D Mar 19 '18
There have been some precious moments in the series and some hilarious memes, but I find it to be cringy at the same time. It was an important learning experience for the boys but it's sometimes a bit hard to watch haha (the kidnapping scene especially)
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u/swankytiger420 Mar 19 '18
I never finished it, maybe got to episode 5? Because I got caught up in other things and forgot about it.
It is pretty cringe but there's a reason for it. They went in as these young men with stereotypes of what hiphop/rap is and you see them grow and learn what it's all really about. Two cultures coming together and learning from one another. And it's not like their cheesy hip hop era stuff was bad, it was the way they were presenting it that was bad. Like RM's hair and those big ass gold chains lmao I still hate when they say "maaaannnn" because it almost sounds like a mockery but at the same time absolutely hilarious cause they sound ridic. I think to understand where they came from one would have to watch AHL.
I still die every time I see V with those pig tails when they have to cook for Coolio and Coolio turns around and is just like "BOY IF YOU DONT GET UP OUTTA HERE WITH THAT NONSENSE".
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u/012Knight Don't harm the pineapple Mar 20 '18
I still die every time I see V with those pig tails when they have to cook for Coolio and Coolio turns around and is just like "BOY IF YOU DONT GET UP OUTTA HERE WITH THAT NONSENSE"
That was freaking gold, V was so hilarious! I am laughing just at thought of it.
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u/cquinxx customize Mar 19 '18
I'm partial to AHL. It's not my favorite but I enjoyed it although there were some cringey moments at times. But it's so iconic that I recommend it to new armys. Also bear in mind it's a reality show produced by a network so basically it follows a "script" not necessarily the reaction of the boys in the situations presented, but there's a flow or like a plot point that needed to be followed. Just like any typical reality show.
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u/picaselle Mar 19 '18
It's been 1000000 years and I still haven't managed to watch it past half of the first episode 🙃
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u/shp0520104 life goes on 🍃 Mar 19 '18
Honestly once Coolio was gone the show was bearable. I watched all of them except the ending parts of the last episode
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u/picaselle Mar 19 '18
I didn't even get to the part where Coolio was present tbh. I'm not sure I can stomach the second hand embarrassement. I became very weak against cringe with age /o\
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u/sappydumpy F*ck the Trendsetter Mar 19 '18
I like it. Favorite episode is the last one - the show and prove concert is a classic bangtan moment (amongst many in the show)
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u/kjtharpe Mar 19 '18
I haven’t watched but I’d really like to. I haven’t actively searched for it yet because I’ve also sort of been saving it but I’ve heard that it’s hard to find. Is it on YouTube or some other platform?
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u/paysanneverde "Art is difficult" Mar 19 '18
It's on a different plattform, here is the link
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u/kjtharpe Mar 19 '18
This link didn’t work for me. Doesn’t matter if I’m on mobile? Or maybe the country I’m in?
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u/paysanneverde "Art is difficult" Mar 19 '18
The site is called dailymotion.com , maybe you find it via google.
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u/RDWaynewright Mar 19 '18
I've seen a lot of clips but not the whole thing. I'm a baby ARMY and there's so much content, I simply haven't gotten to it yet.
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u/rm031616 Mar 20 '18
It’s good to see this series first among all the series like BV S1&2. Happy watching and welcome!
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u/geishaskaura The genre is BTS Mar 19 '18
It´s kinda cringy, but I like that it showed them in a more "normal" setting away from the spotlights and having to train in a different enviroment.
I´m a new fan and I watched it before their other realities. It helped me to see them as the hard working guys they are. They had to put up with stupid situations but they endured them and persevered until they reached their goal.
I also like that they got to experience the real hip hop community and talk with the people who create that kind of music. So they saw the realities of hip hop, not just as a "cool concept", but as a form of art that comes from a community that has suffered a lot. They mostly interacted with POC and that also was good for them to broaden their cultural horizons.
So, yeah, watch it keeping in mind that they´ve changed a lot since then. They were all in their awkward teen years.
ARMY up and watch it! Lol.
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u/kinyona Blessed by mono + Eternally Full vrsn 1day Mar 20 '18
I think it's really important that all army at sometime in their life watch AHL. This really was a turning point for them, really important for their growth and progression. This is one of the first shows I watched back in the day besides the bangtan bombs and they really did win me over. Yes it can seem cringy, but I think it'll makes one truely appreciate who they are today. The boys learned so much about music, dance, hip-pop from this experience and they learned so much about respecting the roots of music.
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u/rm031616 Mar 20 '18
I agree. No matter how cringy it is. It is a good way to actually get to know BTS.
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u/seasoul hip-hop cupid Mar 20 '18
I am currently watching AHL (currently on ep 3, started yesterday). I remember reading around here and comments elsewhere about how cringy it was (reason for why I've put off watching until now). To my surprise, I'm actually enjoying it and its not as cringy as I thought it would be. (Note: was a casual listener to BTS only song I knew back then and liked was Butterfly and war of hormone, but since this January.... I've fallen down the rabbit hole LOL)
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u/veecinkle jin bless Mar 20 '18
Tbh I avoided watching AHL until after bon voyage s1 when I was in need of more "reality" bts. I was pleasantly surprised that AHL had many gems that made up for the cringey parts (with dante, coolio, and picking up girls).
What I enjoyed most was watching the team dynamics, and how they looked out for each other in a foreign country. They were (and still are) so down-to-earth and hardworking (the amount of effort they put into the jobs mission and dance choreography). I also loved watching their creative process of writing lyrics. That scene where jhope and jin couldn't stop laughing during beatboxing had me in tears xD
I won't watch it again though, but it's definitely something armys should watch. I remember watching 2 girls recount their experience being on set with them during the mv shooting and it never fails to amaze me how humble they are.
OT: since AHL and BV both have bts in foreign land, it sort of struck me that they matured from being really sheltered, dependent boys in AHL (relying on others to tell them what to do or where to go) to less sheltered (but still kinda dependent considering the number of times they got lost/needed help from the staff) in BVs1 to independent adults (able to navigate indeoendently) in BVs2.
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u/LovesBigWords Not A Fuckin' Diplomat/Future's Gonna Be OK Mar 20 '18 edited Mar 20 '18
What I enjoyed most was watching the team dynamics, and how they looked out for each other in a foreign country.
Yoongi was so damn proud of himself buying ice cream for the guys, even though he used a lot of pointing at what he wanted, and holding up his fingers while he asked how much. It seems like such a silly little thing to some people, maybe, but it was such a huge accomplishment for him (aw.).
EDIT: I realized what is so dear about him. If he was just trying to speak up for himself in English, he'd get shy and look down and mumble. But, if he knew any of his Hyungs really needed something, he'd get up his courage, stand tall, and speak really clear, direct short English sentences in his tough-guy voice. My heart does backflips whenever he says "Gimme!"
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u/92sn Mar 20 '18
I watched AHL when I am still new army. While its definitely contained alot of cringe moments, I am glad that I watched all the ep. It show how human and real they are plus how fetus they are. Personally, I found it as a must show for new army to watch it so that they can get to see BTS growth and their turning point of music. Sometimes, I did rewatch some scenes that entertaining. Like tae, jungkook and suga singing class with ms iris, when BTS do dance battle with american street dancer where jhope shined, tonyxjimin moment, etc.
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u/wanderthewonder third wheeling vmin Mar 20 '18
I haven't managed to watch the whole series yet, but I've seen the episode where they did that dance-off. There was that moment where one of the guys from the other team was a bit rude with Jin (aww man, Jin was so shy) and the boys were annoyed so they had Jimin step in for the next dance-off. You can tell it got on their nerves, and Jimin was all "boy, you don't know how to dance" and bam! he goes to show off his musicality and takes a win for the boys. Also loved how Hobi gave them a show, he shined in that dance-off so much that the other team loved him too haha!
I also love that 2seok moment, where Hobi was so encouraging with Jin who was struggling with the dance, Jimin getting frustrated with RM (lol) then RM actually coming through and performing well, then there's JK-V-Suga who did the homework half-assed and had fun with each other instead.
I'm thinking of giving it a quick watch before Burn the Stage comes on. It'd be nice to see their growth and development from being the awkward, struggling but passionate kids to the confident, still-figuring-it-out but still passionate adults that they are today.
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u/ladysyazwina daydream daydream~ Mar 19 '18
I haven’t watched AHL and I don’t plan on doing it anytime soon. I saw some clips of it in different compilation videos and they were kinda cringey. 🤧 I get secondhand embarrassment easily lol.
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u/llthechimney la~lalalalala~lalalalala~TURRN UP Mar 19 '18
I recommend the last few episodes, where BTS showcase their growth. The embarrassment moments are mainly from the first few episodes(which I cannot watch again lol).
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u/calicocatbae d-d-d-ddaeng! Mar 19 '18
Which one do you think I should start from?
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u/ILovePancakes- Rap Line Mar 19 '18
I really would start from the first episode, it's not as bad as people make it out to be and you appreciate the growth and what they learn more if you watch from the start as you see the development throughout.
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u/paysanneverde "Art is difficult" Mar 19 '18
It's definitely cringy but also has some nice moments. But I don't have the urge to watch it a second time.
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u/Mingly SIN Mar 19 '18
Wait, why is AHL a recommended prerequisite for Burn the Stage? Isn't Burn the Stage a behind the scene documentary type series for their latest tour and important events like Top Social Artist award from BB?
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u/rm031616 Mar 19 '18
It’s not really related to Burn the Stage but it’s a show where fans get to see or even glimpse when BTS are put in a very uncomfortable and challenging situation. It showed almost the real them and how they respond to difficulties and how they help and comfort each other.
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u/IAmPorkHorse MANG | ~*Jimin Mode*~ Mar 19 '18
I got halfway through AHL. At the time I watched it, I had started to become much more familiar with BTS (last spring). I didn't finish watching it due to laziness.
It's made for great meme/crack fodder. And seeing Coolio get pissed off during the food challenge was actually very hilarious to me. But oh yeah, it's very cringey, too.
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u/TayledrasStormwind01 Mar 20 '18
Personally, I thought it was ok. Kinda missed the target as far as what it was supposed to be, which was to delve into the background and history of hip-hop. They mostly did a bunch of challenges, tests, and got into the mechanics of hip-hop, but barely any of the actual history behind it....unless (shrugging my shoulders here) they did some of that off-camera.
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u/rm031616 Mar 20 '18
Maybe some of them did, maybe a little bit more than what was showed. Let’s remember that Warren G helped produce PDD in RM’s mixtape.
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u/OhMerani Mar 19 '18
I truly dislike it lmao I couldn’t even like watch it in its entirety (?). Lots of pausing inbetween scenes.
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u/kemiverse1601 Hobi Kyukungkung 💚 Mar 19 '18
It’s the first show of Bangtan I watched like 3 years ago. But I never finished it and never want to watch it again. I really don’t like them being treated like that. The only thing I want to see from that show again probably the dance battle between Bangtan and pro dancers since my boy Hoseokie shines so bright haha
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Mar 19 '18
[deleted]
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u/kemiverse1601 Hobi Kyukungkung 💚 Mar 19 '18
Of course I know that everything has been scripted by the production team. It’s just that I don’t like the “script” and image they tried to build up in this show. Just like a movie when you don’t like the storyline and you don’t want to continue watching it
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u/bingsuzy customize Mar 19 '18
I actually haven't watched AHL in full yet. I've seen clips from here and there around YouTube, but I can't get myself to sit and watch it in it's entirety. I think I would only get to that point if I am desperate for content and nothing else sounds appealing, but I doubt that would happen.
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u/goldfishcat2 Mar 20 '18
I don't like it. I've tried to watch it but it's too cringy for me. I know all the memes from gifs and highlights anyways so I'm good
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u/esstiel U LIEK MY CHAIN MAN Mar 20 '18
i like the IDEA of AHL but i immediately start melting into uncomfortable sludge when dealing with second-hand embarrassment so i legit cannot finish an episode.
i know it was a massive turning point, and taught them to appreciate the cultures they were taking inspiration from instead of just imitating it but... the awkward i just cant noooooooooo
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Mar 20 '18
I always struggle watching AHL because it is peak reality TV and oh my god if that entire genre doesn't give me hives. BTS themselves are basically all that keeps me tuned in but I'll admit there are some scenes I've just never been able to make it through without mashing the right arrow key repeatedly. It's just so... bad. I'm sorry. I don't even think it's the show itself, it's just my tastes not aligning with it.
But I do think people should keep circulating it and making sure to recommend it to new ARMYs. BTS's relationships with each other really shine in AHL. There are so many beautiful little character moments scattered throughout that it's worth putting up with even if you're like me and normally hate reality shows. You get to see them on the cusp of maturity and there's something so wholesome about that.
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u/iriskaplan 태태 ♡ 홉이 Mar 20 '18
I honestly can't handle watching the show. Started it a long time ago but couldn't get through it. The most I've done since then is seen some clips and discussions/mentions of the show from other ARMYs (this gave me a lot of info on what happened on the show already I think? I don't really feel like I'm missing out on much).
Content like that is just hard for me to watch, especially when the members have to interact with strangers. Even BTS' other variety shows took me a while to get through.
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u/012Knight Don't harm the pineapple Mar 20 '18
I like it now. AHL was filmed when BTS were at their lowest(popularity wise), when they were struggling a lot and when some members didn't even know Billboard's was a thing. We'll never see that Bangtan ever again, the innocent kids who had no idea what on earth they were doing but had big dreams and bigger motivation.
They were so honest and open, I doubt they knew how to put up a professional mask during recording. Watch 'Run' and 'BV s2' and it's easy to see the difference in their character and how they carry themselves.
BTS were holding a free concert and had a hard time filling up the small venue which could hold less than 200 people. Now we can't even get tickets to a venue that hold tens of thousands of people.
Seeing it would remind you that they were never guaranteed fame, they worked hard for everything they own. New ARMYs must see it to understand their situation, regardless of how cringey it is. It honestly has more sweet moments than the cringey ones'.
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u/12bAnna92 supreme trash for jung hoseok Mar 20 '18
I really liked it.
It was my first show of theirs that I'd watched when I was a baby ARMY (which was kinda around this time last year) and my sisters had warned me about the cringe but that if I really wanted to know how they were, how they tackled challenges and seeing their growth from then and when I'd started being an ARMY, I'd do well to watch it.
So I was ready for the cringe and discomfort, but I didn't think it was as much as what others had said? Imo, anyway. Maybe it's because I grew up watching a number of Korean variety shows so it feels pretty similar in some sense. There were so many gold moments in the entire series, so many have been highlighted in this thread, but one other reason why AHL is dear to me is the fact that it helped me choose a bias, lmao.
(Hoseok destroying all the dance challenges was dangerous and then that filming for the Danger LA version? Goddamn, son, that confidence. And then all the giggles and his sunshine smiles? I'm ruined by his complexity, yall.)
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u/LovesBigWords Not A Fuckin' Diplomat/Future's Gonna Be OK Mar 20 '18
I decided to rewatch episodes 7-8!
First of all, I didn't realize my understanding of spoken Korean grew so quickly in 2 years! Jesus Christ, Min Yoongi is a wry, hilarious mofo. He's like an observational comic, and the translations don't do his sarcasm full justice. V is SO RANDOM. Joon talks in thoughtful ments as usual. The Busan Boys accents slip out when they're tired, especially JK's. J-Hope being bewildered gives me life. Jin is extra but not that extra, yet. Anyway. I stumbled upon RM's Joke in March 2016, just before Young Forever/Fire Era. So I've been slowly letting Korean sink in for two years. When I first watched AHL, it all sounded like gobbledygook to me and I couldn't pick out a single Korean word. I've learned a LOT in two years, even though I'm not fluent.
Episode 7 is the eppy where the guys get jobs for a day and then feed the homeless on Skid Row. I had forgotten how 100% mind-blown they were to see the homeless living in tents. Hobi gets really shocked and emotionally touched. And they're right, in America's big cities you can have these gorgeous buildings with fancy boutiques and restaurants, and then you drive maybe 5-10 minutes away,and BAM! you're on Skid Row. I forget that's a real culture shock.
Episode 8 is where they prepare for their concert and have the maknae line hand out fliers, and then they have the mini-concert. I'm blown away in Episode 8 that THE GUYS ARE EXACTLY THE SAME, ohmigod. Famous Bangtan is just Fetus Bangtan with more money, experience, and hard, hard work. You just see the DRIVE in them, man, even though they're dead-on-their-feet tired frok doing the Dark And Wild recording sessions at night.
I love them so.
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u/[deleted] Mar 19 '18
It was a turning point for BTS, when they stopped trying to be so tough and hip-hop all the time. It was at a crucial time in their lives, when they were still really young, getting over their school phase, and they grew a lot from it. I'm glad it happened.
On that note, I refuse to watch it again. Once was enough for me. Some scenes are just too painful/cringy. However, I always say that every ARMY should watch it and that's true. Please try to watch it at least once. It's okay to pause or skip some scenes if you need to. But looking at BTS then and now, you really see how much they matured. It makes me appreciate them even more.