If you’ve ever driven along EDSA, you’ve probably seen BTS everywhere — on giant billboards, smiling down at us through their collaboration with Oreo, one of the world’s biggest cookie brands.

From EDSA Guadalupe and EDSA Orense to Robinsons Galleria, and all the way to Escario and Robinsons Galleria Cebu, down to JP Laurel and Buhangin in Davao, it feels like Bangtan is everywhere. No matter where you are, there’s a chance you’ll look up and see the seven faces that have brought comfort, inspiration and joy to millions of fans around the world..

But the truth is, the real road to Bangtan isn’t measured in kilometers. It’s measured in years.

They say you meet BTS when you need them the most. For some people, it’s instant. For others, it’s a journey that takes time. For me, it took years.

I first met BTS in 2013, their debut year. At the time, I was already stanning another group, but I liked their music. They were talented, hardworking and different. Then in 2015, I found them again through “Butterfly.” I fell in love with the song immediately. It touched something in me that I couldn’t explain. Yet even then, I wasn’t a hardcore fan.

Life moved on.

Then 2020 happened.

The pandemic came, and with it, one of the darkest periods of my life. My mental health crashed. I felt lost. It was as if I no longer recognized the person I had become. I was existing, but I wasn’t really living.

And somehow, during that exact season of my life, BTS found me again.

This time, it was through Stay Gold.

What started as listening to a song turned into finding comfort, hope and healing. Slowly, I became an ARMY. I bought merch. I streamed their music. I watched their content. Before I knew it, Bangtan had become a part of my everyday life.

Among all their songs, “Magic Shop” holds a special place in my heart. It’s my safe place. When I’m sad, I listen to it. When I’m happy, I listen to it. Sometimes I listen to it for no reason at all. It feels like a warm hug from someone who understands. The same goes for “Heartbeat.” Every time I hear it, I’m reminded of one simple line: “I got YOUniverse.”

And maybe that’s what BTS has always been for me — a universe I can return to whenever the world feels too heavy.

I love all seven of them. From RM’s wisdom, to Jin’s warmth, SUGA’s honesty, J-hope’s light, Jimin’s kindness, Taehyung’s uniqueness and Jungkook’s passion. Each of them has given me something to admire and learn from.

But if you’re asking who my bias is, the answer has always been Kim Seokjin.

People often say your bias reflects a part of who you are or who you aspire to be. Maybe that’s true. Sometimes we are drawn to idols because they possess qualities we wish to nurture in ourselves. Sometimes it’s because they make us feel understood.

For me, Jin has always been that person. His humor, strength, humility and the way he continues to shine despite everything make me feel comforted. He’s the member my eyes automatically search for during performances. The one who always makes me smile.

Since becoming an ARMY, I’ve always told myself one thing: “One day, I’ll see the seven men who helped save me.”

Not because they know me personally, but because their music, words and presence were there when I needed them most.

What I never expected was that BTS would also bring me closer to my sister. Through countless songs, videos, conversations and shared memories, our bond grew stronger. Bangtan didn’t just change me — they changed a part of my family, too.

And now, after all these years, after every comeback, every streamed song, every sleepless night watching content, and every dream of seeing them in person, I finally won the BTS ticket war.

Looking back, my road to Bangtan wasn’t a straight path. It took 13 years.

Thirteen years of finding them, losing them, finding them again, and finally understanding why they kept appearing in my life.

Soon, I’ll be standing in the same venue as the seven people who unknowingly helped me heal.

And for the first time, that road no longer feels distant.

I’ve finally arrived.