[2022] PTD on Stage LA

[Update: 2024/9/28] Found footage of the moment Namjoon looked directly at Jin-kun with the Young-hee doll, so I've added it.

BTS: PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE – LA

Concert Overview

After a long, long separation of over 730 days, Bangtan was finally able to reunite with ARMY. You can feel the excitement overflowing from the announcement video!

Since I'm catching up on the footage later, there's no time difference, but perhaps because I'm watching the documentary now, a mysterious feeling of 'They've finally come home!' is welling up inside me. I'm the type who gets easily influenced.

Setlist (Day 1)

Looking at the main setlist, I couldn't help but groan, 'This is amazing.'
There are no solo or unit songs; the structure keeps everyone on stage the whole time. You can really feel their enthusiasm for meeting ARMY after such a long time!

Moreover, it's a lineup that's as solid as it gets, featuring top-tier MV hits + songs from 'BE' + songs ARMY loves. It's like a celebratory feast where every dish is a winner.
By the way, the 'songs ARMY loves' category includes 'Airplane Pt.2', 'Silver Spoon (Baepsae)', and 'So What', which were setlist regulars in past tours.

The encore changes daily. Please note that the footage I'm watching is fromDay 2.

Impressions

The monotone VCR that reminds you of the 'Butter' MV, combined with cuts of the members heading to the stage, makes for an intro that builds anticipation whether you like it or not.
Jungkook's outfit is incredible, and it catches you off guard right away. What is up with that cutting that seems to violate regulations...!? ( ﾟДﾟ) Shameless!

Bangtan standing inside a cage. Is the opening concept 'escape and liberation'?
The hammer swings, and as the signal for Bangtan to be freed, the dancers gather, and 'ON' begins. Fire and smoke rise with Hobi's 'Make Some Noise!' It's already heart-pounding...!

Oh, there are Japanese subtitles for the lyrics. That's extremely rare. I've seen them on music shows, but this might be the first time I've seen them at a live concert!

Since the release of "ON" coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, this is the first time they are performing this song directly for ARMY.
Perhaps because it's their first stage in two years, the members' faces are filled with determination. Yoongi with his orange hair slicked back, his physique has gotten broader too—he looks way too cool!

I still can't look directly at Jungkook. "Let me breathe"—that's my line, maknae-san...!
Just as I was feeling flustered, Jimin, whose eyes were intense from his own determination, ran his hands down his body while doing a body wave and licked his lips. Yes, I'm dead!!

In the final scene where everyone puts their arms around each other's shoulders and looks up at the sky, even the way Yoongi checks and grips Jin's wrist gets me excited. Will I be able to survive until the end...!

The lights turn deep red, it's "Fire"!
The cages are burning, the dancers are shining flashlights—I have a feeling the venue is going to go wild. And then, while singing "Live however you want, it's your life," Jin walks down the runway followed by the 95-line! (*ﾉωﾉ)

During the intro of "Dope," one of the stage cameras is targeted, and the members take turns grabbing and peering into the lens. I fear for the cameraman's lifespan.
It's so close that I find myself analyzing things like, "Did Seokjin just frown or did he wink?" It's too hard on my heart!

I fall in love with how decisive V is as he's the first to run toward the main stage.
Even though everyone has embodied literal "Dope" coolness up to this point, the moment the outro ends, Jimin does some super cute (my brain cells are dying) aegyo... What are you doing, wiping out all of ARMY by the second song...?

The venue is filled with loud cheers. The light of the ARMY bombs filling the stadium ripples, conveying the joy and excitement of the reunion.
Starting with Namjoon's greeting and ending with Hobi's "I'm your Hope!," the usual 94-line sandwich self-introduction gives me a sense of relief, like returning HOME.

Ah, the colorful fairy boy Jungkook and V in "DNA" were cute, but the sexy "DNA" where adult Jungkook and V high-five is also super good!
I still look away every time Jungkook's daring cut-out shirt appears on screen. The song might end before I build up any tolerance. Sorry, I can't ( ﾟДﾟ)

Bangtan moves through the underground passage. Namjoon, who took off his jacket, has a white sheer tank top sticking to him from sweat—I think this is a dangerous, oh-YES, Dimple-level situation, but are the Namjoon stans okay...!?

V is also running over while rolling up his shirt, so in his momentum, things that would have been protected in another era are visible, Hobi is dangerous as he approaches at a jog while unzipping his jumpsuit and taking off his bracelet, and I can get a good look at Yoongi's bare shoulders, which have gotten a size bigger (his left shoulder is taped up)—anyway, let's watch this 10 more times. Once that's done, let's move on, okay?

Wearing a light blue coat over a black setup, Bangtan heads to the stage to turn the swirling, enthusiastic venue into the world of "Blue & Grey".
From the glimpse of the accessory at his collar, a dangerous scent is already drifting. Is that a body chain under the coat... ( ﾟДﾟ)!!

The production for "Blue & Grey" is interesting. They have their backs to the audience, singing as if talking to themselves reflected in the mirror-like monitors in front of each of them.
The members dressed in blue, and the images drawn in gray on the monitors. The camera filming that from the outside.
Multiple images merge within the full-screen vision, beautifully depicting the sense of confinement that wraps around the song through a multi-faceted structure. Beautiful!

Finally, the gentleness of V's voice as he calls out "Good night" is impressive.
It's so obvious I often forget to say it, but naturally, his face is also good. I love the visuals for this song!
The way he presses the head of his headset mic with his index finger, how well the asymmetrical black ruffles hanging from his collar to his chest suit him, and the immorality of having a body chain underneath what looks like a stoic outfit with a light blue coat—everything is perfect. There are no blind spots for my bias.

The production of "Black Swan" is too beautiful. If you haven't seen it, you absolutely must!

The dancers are in black costumes. The sleeves have fluffy, long white feathers attached, which catch the air and flutter when they move their arms. When they lower their arms, the feathers become less noticeable, creating a dynamic contrast in their movements that is very impressive.

BTS quickly shed their light blue coats.
Jimin, leading the charge, turns and steps forward, then leans back dramatically from a kneeling position. He lifts one leg high and stands up in one fluid motion. It was a display of—not licking the soles of their shoes, oh wait—a display of their footwear that reminded me of Hobi's dance break in 'Butter'! The suppleness of his arms and the grace of his fingertips are beautiful down to the last detail; it's perfect.

By the way, at this moment, wings are spread on both sides of him in a 'Heng-e' (horizontal yoke) formation. Please refer to the following for the formations. Wait, what?

This wing dance break has a highlight for each member, but as soon as one finishes, they are swallowed up by the wave of dancers and disappear, and the next one appears. The scene changes rapidly, making it very exciting to watch!

Next, V stands in the center of the 'Crane Wing' formation. He was standing with his back to us, but then he turns around, and just as he leaves a vivid impression by being lifted with one hand held high, Jungkook is already approaching, parting the waves.

Jungkook, standing at the apex of the 'Sharp Arrow' formation, ripples his shoulders and raises his arms, and the dancers gathered behind him follow his movement in unison. It feels dominant and very powerful.
This coordination of the maknae line was so fast that my eyes couldn't keep up at first!

When the camera pans to the side, there is Hobi in 'scandalous' mode. His movements, which use his whole body to grasp the space, are magnificent. It's a ballet-like choreography, but it has a different kind of brilliance compared to Jimin's suppleness!

As the camera pans again, RM stands out from the crowd. With just a movement of his shoulder, he makes the bowing dancer flutter, and then he swaps places with SUGA. The grandeur of the dancers lined up in a 'Long Snake' formation behind SUGA, who is spreading his arms and looking up at the sky, with their wings rippling like a dragon!

The ripples turn into a wave that swallows SUGA and gives birth to the last person. Like Moses parting the sea, wings spread across the stage in time with Jin appearing from between the 'Heng-e' formation.
The sight of him being carried in the center has the air of a king reigning over the heavens. Even the sight of the dancers running away like scattering feathers is beautiful; it's the best stage!

Oops, I was so surprised by the beauty of the production that I talked way too much before the song even started...!

'Black Swan', the part where the members exit from the center, and Hobi stops Yoongi who is about to leave last, followed by the SOPE part, is the best.

Jimin, who is only keeping his bare jacket closed with one button, and Jungkook, whose jacket is so short that he's exposed even when he breathes. These two, who have zero intention of covering up, make me realize the concept of 'wearing clothes to show skin'. I'm completely defeated...!

With this visual, BTS hits us with 'Blood Sweat & Tears' and 'Fake Love' in succession. They're using too many big moves. It's like using Excalibur to slash a slime; it's overkill to the extreme.
It's only now that I realize the vocal line is in charge of body chains ( ﾟДﾟ) Calm down

With the wide shot of 'Fake Love', I finally learned that the hem of V's pants is a wide flare with lots of lace. It has a gothic Latin vibe and is lovely!
The moment Jungkook pulled up the hem of his jacket, a huge scream erupted. I wonder if the value is different between things you see peeking out on their own and things the master himself grants you. I'm learning so much. About what, I don't know.

'Fake Love' usually seems to come before the VCR in the setlist, and I had the image of the stage going dark after the song ended, but in this stage, they leave one by one, and Jin, who is left behind at the end, looks back at the audience before exiting.
The composition when Jungkook and Jin are left alone holding hands is emotional. And the fact that you can see half of RM's shoulder blades as he takes off his jacket while leaving in the background is irresistible! Isn't our leader a bit too skin-heavy today!?

BTS changed their outfits, appeared on a bed, and performed 'Life Goes On'!
Confetti was flying, and their pastel-toned outfits gave it a fantastical feel 💜
Jungkook and V were whispering with their earpieces out, Jimin was pressing a peace sign against his tightly closed eyes, and Namjoon had his dimples. There are so many cute faces.
Snapshots taken during the song were being posted onto the back screen one after another, and the members were having fun pointing at them and laughing.

They switched from the bed to a giant sofa for 'Boy With Luv'. When moving from the sofa to the stage, Suga was the last one and he rolled off, which was super cute (*´艸｀)
Jin is joining the band and playing the drums. Wow, that's rare!

The venue returned a huge cheer in response to BTS's call.
During concerts, BTS usually speaks a mix of English and Korean (plus Japanese in Japan), but it's mysterious how ARMY seems to understand them everywhere. Maybe they are communicating with their souls.

Everyone's favorite, 'Dynamite'! With a brass band holding brass instruments and a female chorus trio, the American mood was explosive!
The dance break as they transitioned into 'Butter' was cool. Perhaps due to the effects, pink and light blue stood out, and Jin was completely a pink prince.

Oh, it's Megan!! Oh, so it's the feat. Megan Thee Stallion version!
Megan, at 178 cm plus high-heeled boots, is taller than Namjoon. Combined with the overwhelming impact of her voluptuous body, she has a thick presence and is incredibly striking. BTS looks like slender teenagers lol

BTS returned to the dressing room again. This is the second time I've seen a cut of V getting his makeup touched up, but every time I think, 'Is there anything to fix?' Even sweat isn't visible...

Jungkook is lamenting while getting his eye makeup fixed, saying, 'I messed up the "Side Step"! Ah, I can't forgive myself.' He says his head and body aren't moving like they used to.
Jimin also says with a bitter smile, 'My body is falling apart. We're only halfway through...' They both feel the weight of the two-year gap, but they are working hard because they want to show their best to the ARMY they haven't seen in a while. Fighting!

Namjoon and Jin are doing their final checks right before going on stage, saying things like, 'Are you going around alone? Should I go?' or 'Let's do it like always.'
J-Hope, who goes on stage last, looks up at the stage where his younger brothers have already gone and listens intently. His serious expression is irresistible.

'Airplane Pt.2' with cute Mexican-style outfits!
Jin trying to grab Namjoon's head, and Namjoon brushing dust off Jin's shoes—it's so cute (*ﾉωﾉ)

I thought this at Wembley too, but the camera angles in this performance are quite varied and interesting. There are many wide shots, and lots of interesting angles, like focusing on Jungkook's close-up while including the members behind him in the frame. It feels like they spent money on the video production.

With J-Hope's 'Let's Go!', the intro to 'Silver Spoon (Baepsae)' starts playing, and the cheers grow even louder.
For some reason, my heart gets hot watching BTS run and cross over to the special stage one after another. I just realized I have this mysterious soft spot for 'getting excited over my bias running down the catwalk'.

Next is 'Dis-ease'... this is a combo to fall for J-Hope. I love this song, but this is my first time seeing the stage performance. It's moving...!!
For a while, this was my go-to song during my commute. Jimin's 'I will never fade away' gives me energy. From now on, I'll be able to remember the video, so I'll probably feel 100 times more energized.

BTS splits into two groups and boards the gondolas. When Jimin, who ran over last, jumps on, the way his gown hem puffs up is cute. Jimin has the magic to freely manipulate his hair and the hem of his clothes.
Jin fixed Jungkook's bangs, and it made my heart flutter!

Listening to 'Telepathy' now while they are in the military hits home... though I've only experienced them during their military service. From now on, it's all uphill! lol
Seeing black-haired Jungkook and Jin with their foreheads exposed singing side-by-side at the start of 'Stay' feels like brothers and is super good. There is so much romance in the phrase 'the eldest brother and the maknae with a five-year age gap'.

They return to the stage, and when they aim the jet smoke nozzles that look like machine guns, it's 'So What'!
Seokjin laughing out loud while spraying white smoke, and V firing in time with the beat—they both look so happy, I want to take them all home!!

Just when I thought V and Jin were doing a skit of poking each other, stage fireworks go off in time with their synchronized 'So What?!'.
This song really gets everyone hyped. You could say it exists for the sake of the performance. Someday, I want to jump around to this with BTS!

Comment time. Jimin, who interacts with Jungkook and J-Hope while passing by, and BTS pulling off skits in English are all cute (*´艸｀)
By the way, Jimin took off his gown and is wearing a white shirt, and it's completely see-through (straight face).

Oh, it's 'Save Me' where everyone was imitating Jimin-hyung's choreography lol
I wonder if they conspired to do this. V, who was walking behind, saw Jungkook do it first, and they high-fived while laughing and continued singing, and then he showed Jin, which got a laugh. And the eldest brother happily did it twice lol

It's amazing to watch the word 'Save Me' rotate and turn into 'I'm Fine' no matter how many times I see it!

During the song, Yoongi, who was just spitting out high-speed rap so coolly, is slacking off, saying 'This song is tough' and 'I'm at my limit.' I love how he inserts that where it doesn't interfere with the singing lol
The vocal line continues singing while laughing, and Jimin's high notes ring out effortlessly!

The venue erupts at the intro of 'IDOL'!
While Namjoon says, 'Save your energy for this song,' my bias is lying flat on his back. One leg up, becoming one with the floor. So cute (a thought with zero IQ)

Jungkook tried to sing but grabbed his water bottle instead of his microphone; I was struck right in the heart by how he panicked and corrected himself... lol

The 95-line is play-fighting, and Jin is playing rhythmic gymnastics with a string he found somewhere—Bangtan is still full of energy.
Hobi dancing wildly in that mysterious one-sleeve-off styling, as expected lol

Still, their stamina is incredible. Since stadium-sized stages are so far from end to end, I bet they run a huge distance. I want them to wear pedometers once to see.
Jungkook winking and dropping his mic at the end was the best!

Backstage, Bangtan immediately starts styling. They're choosing hats and sunglasses. It's surprising that they decide on these things on the spot.
Wait, hold on.A little girl with two red ribbonsis actually a man in his late 20s (shaking voice)

The younger members seem shocked too, and Namjoon is speechless for a moment when asked, 'How is it?'

The world-class rapper who has been involved in writing and composing about 230 songs! That Namjoon, a professional with words, is speechless!! ( ﾟДﾟ)

After being teased with something like, 'Hey, why are you frozen?', the leader finally looks away, laughs, and mutters, 'Kiyowo (cute).' That 5-second interaction felt like 5 hours!
Jin is amazing for making an IQ 148 brain lose its vocabulary. So that's how he steals hearts. You're piling up too many sins, our eldest brother...

During the commemorative photo, Jungkook, with his arm wrapped around the eldest brother's shoulder, is staring intently at his hairstyle. His eyes are moving left and right so clearly you can almost hear the sound of windshield wipers lol

Jin is asking, 'Do I look like the Young-hee doll?', but wait, could you please not compare that to this? ( ﾟДﾟ)

From the moment Jimin was in front of the makeup mirror until the very second he went on stage, he kept adjusting the scarf wrapped around his microphone.
(I enter a mode of empathy, thinking, 'His hands are small, so he must be getting tired of gripping it, does he need a non-slip grip or something?')

Bangtan lined up in a row, rising on the lift, singing 'Young Forever' calmly yet poignantly. I can't help but be distracted by the Young-hee doll appearing next to Yoongi, who is looking super serious, what should I do ( ﾟДﾟ)
The moment Jin's part zoomed in, the venue erupted. Of course it did ( ;∀;)

Having watched the Busan concert first, my body has become conditioned to reflexively tear up whenever I hear Hobi say, 'I want to remain a boy forever just as I am now.'
I'm scared of myself for being so obsessed with ARMY Bombs that I find myself thinking things like, 'The one that just zoomed in is a Ver. 3...'

The cheers grew even louder at the intro of 'Spring Day.' Confetti dancing while shining in the bright lights. Seeing Bangtan singing 'I miss you' under the intense lights feels like they are calling out from a different world, and I can't help but be moved by the beauty of the scene.

After the confetti, which seemed like it would fall forever, faded away, a sea of ARMY Bombs spread out, making Bangtan and the stage look like a single ship floating.
The way the waves of light raced through the stands at Bangtan's signal was breathtaking!!

When Hobi said the final greetings would be in Korean, the simultaneous interpreter's voice came in immediately. Ah, they really spent a lot of money on this stage. No, it's not that they didn't before, but the level of dedication is different.
They must have been thinking about all the things they wanted to do during the two years they couldn't perform. I wonder if this will become the new standard after 2025!

Hobi wished, 'I hope today becomes a special story in your lives, history, and memories, ARMYs.'

Just after Jimin said, 'It was really hard while waiting, so I want to say thank you,' the blanket an ARMY was holding was shown on the giant screen.
Jimin ended up facing his own printed face and laughed, saying, 'What was that?' lol

Namjoon and Jungkook showed us, 'This is my new hat,' 'Mine too!' 💜
Namjoon said he was so nervous on the first day that he exhausted his energy, and his throat was in bad shape today too. But he said he got strength when he met ARMY, and choked up at the end saying, 'To me, you are magic and a miracle. Both must be the best words in the world.'
Jungkook, a hardcore Namjoon fan who keeps peeking at his hyung, is so lovely lol

Jungkook worked hard on his comments in English until the end! I think ARMYs all over the world were watching with bated breath, thinking, 'Our Jungkook...!'
Knowing that Namjoon next to him must be overwhelmed with emotion makes it even more touching...!

Then, the voice of '무궁화 꽃이 피었습니다 (Mugunghwa kkochi pieotseumnida)*' crept in. The one who turned around was the cutie with the red ribbon...!
*The Korean version of 'Red Light, Green Light,' meaning 'The Mugunghwa flower has bloomed'

It's so funny how SUGA runs his hand through his hair when the maknae line calls out, 'Yoongi-yah!' to him lol. The 'Yoongi-yah!' gag was already perfected back then!

Yoongi said, 'There's a reason I didn't include solo songs. Since we're meeting for the first time in two years, I wanted you to see the seven of us,' and when the venue cheered, he asked, 'Did you like it?' intentionally seeking the answer he already knew.
Thank you for showing us the full Bangtan so much, even though you said it was tough! Your aegyo is cute too, our cat is the best...!

V promised, 'Let's have another concert in our dreams tonight.'
I'm watching this about 1000 days late, but I hope I can meet you in my dreams!! (*´艸｀)

The finale is "Permission to Dance"!
The harmonies are more gorgeous and wonderful than usual. This is a treat for the ears!!

The repeated phrases, the bouncing balloons, and the confetti falling like a blessing itself.
The dancers and BTS are singing and dancing so happily, creating a space filled with such joy that it feels like this moment could last forever.

At the end, the credits roll against the backdrop of ARMYs who are reluctant to leave and are taking photos to cherish the moment, and the stadium gradually emptying out.
I've always been curious about the credits, but Hobi is written as "j-hope". Is the lowercase version the correct official name? Or does it not matter? Someone tell me, you Hobi pros!!

Bonus

The legendary maknae line stream. I love this so much lol

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