While BTS is currently on hiatus to pursue solo projects and get a well-deserved break, the ARMYs are still very much cheerful and active. BTS ARMY celebrated their anniversary on July 9, marking the fandom’s ninth birthday (specifically, they celebrated the anniversary of the day their fandom name ARMY was officially announced). In celebration of ARMY’s anniversary, Google launched a virtual street view tour showcasing some of the BTS members’ favorite art pieces. The virtual exhibition, titled BTS x Street Galleries, was launched via StreetView’s Arts & Culture platform.
For the exhibition, each member of BTS curated a virtual gallery featuring their favorite artworks. As viewers progress through the street view, each member takes viewers on a virtual tour of their respective galleries, introducing the viewers to their favorite works in various special public places that fans of the band would easily recognize. For example, j-hope decorated the United Nations General Assembly, where BTS gave an address and shot a music video for their song “Permission to Dance” last year; meanwhile, RM walked fans and viewers through Seoul’s Namdaemun neighborhood, where BTS performed at the Global Citizen Live festival in 2021.
Aside from the BTS street view tour, Google also modified the “BTS” search engine. When users and supporters look up the K-pop band on Google, they are greeted with a rain of purple hearts on their browsers. When you click on the purple heart at the top of the “BTS” search page, it floods your screen with purple heart-shaped balloons. Some of the balloons have microphones inside them, and if you click on one, the balloon pops and you can hear BTS members utter their signature line, “I purple you.”
V initially used the phrase “I Purple You” in 2016. He explained the term meant “I will trust and love you for a long time.” /TV
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