Sorry its been a while, but I'm back with yet another BTS theory post. I know a lot of people have already posted theories, but I wanted to wait for everything to be out. Now that BigHit has left us alone for a little while (until September), I think its now safe for me finally release the first part of my theory posts.
So the first thing I wanted to address is BTS haven't based this one on a book. I looked up the little passages Jin recites at the beginning of the Highlight Reels, but all I could find was other people's theories. I did look up the translation for the posters, but nothing came up that really stood out. There wasn't anything that specifically linked up with the story line, like Demian did with Wings and The Ones Who Walked Away from Omelas with You Never Walk Alone. It seems this new era focuses primarily on BTS' storyline, as well as referencing books we already know about.
Getting onto the actual videos. Lets start with the first video that was released. There are a series within the first Highlight Reel, titled 'The Beginning'. However, they aren't in the correct order.
The order the video shows is;
1) Jin - 11th July
2) Jungkook - 14th June
3) Suga - 25th May
4) Rap Monster - 5th June
5) V - 18th June
6) JHope & Jimin - 31st May
Here are the clips in order;
1) Suga - 25th May
2) JHope & Jimin - 31st May
3) Rap Monster - 5th June
4) Jungkook - 14th June
5) V - 18th June
6) Jin - 11th July
To throw something else into the mix, BigHit tweeted a picture. It was called TheNotes. The date on this was 13th June, so it was 'written' the day before Jungkook's clip.
So now that we've got a rough timeline to work with, lets start making some connections to previous MVs.
Going in the order of the timeline, lets start with Suga. The first video tells us that he was a smoker, but his girlfriend was getting him to stop by taking his lighter.
She then takes it and writes "Y.K." on it. Assuming those are his initials (YoonKi).
She then straps it to the top of her guitar and gives him lollipops as a way to give up smoking.
The same lighter can be seen in the Prologue and I Need U. There are several other instances where the lighter is seen, however it is being held by other members and the colour is different, where as when its being held by Suga we can't see the exact colour of it.
I feel that in a way, Suga is trying to not go back to smoking and keeping the promise he kept to her and trying to stop. However, he kept the lighter, she took from him, as a reminder. I also feel that this habit could have been passed onto Rap Monster, since we see him in I Need U, in the gas station, with a lollipop and then dropping it and it turning into a cigarette.
Next is JHope and Jimin. It seems there clip fits more with the actual posters than previous events, other than the fact they've gone back to their old pair.
The Korean on Jimin's poster translates to, "I lied, because there's no reason to love someone like me.". In contrast, JHope's says. "I'm alright as long as you're shining brightly.". The posters themselves contrast a lot, with JHope's being quite bright and Jimin's being quite sad. This can be seen clearly in their pair poster.
This one seems quite obvious, but it looks like Jimin likes the girl, who is dating JHope. He "lied to her" because he didn't think he was good enough. Therefore, she fell in love with JHope. Jimin is left in the dark because the girl he loves is with someone else. JHope is happy and in love, while Jimin is left in the dark and is lost in his own self-doubt. This can also explain why these two are together, while the others aren't. Maybe, Jimin is only hanging around JHope, so he can see her.
In the first Highlight Reel, Jimin is filming JHope. But then she walks in and suddenly Jimin isn't as happy, as he was when it was just the two of them. He then begins to film her and gets scared when she looks at him.
Let's focus on JHope for a little, now. After the girl gives him the cake. He goes to blow out the candles, but instead he closes his eyes and we are taken back to when he was a child.
Here, he is with his mother, before she tells him to close his eyes. She leaves him a chocolate bar and leaves him alone. He then waits with his eyes closed.
Linking this back to Wings and You Never Walk Alone. In the short films, JHope's was titled MAMA. Referring back to Demian, Sinclair's mother figure was Frau Eva and she would give him chocolate bars.
I was thinking, that maybe JHope's girlfriend is acting as a sort of 'mother figure', since his mother abandoned him at a young age. This could also be why Jimin thinks he's not good enough for her. And instead of bringing him chocolate bars, she brings him cake.
JHope was also diagnosed with Munchausen's Syndrome, in MAMA.
Munchausen's Syndrome is when someone 'pretends to be ill or produces symptoms within themselves'. Some people can develop this psychological disorder in there adulthood, if they experienced trauma in their childhood. It can be caused by 'parent neglect and abandonment, or other childhood trauma'. Some people may do this in order to receive attention from others and put the responsibility of their well being onto others.
In JHope's case, his disorder comes from being abandoned at a young age and therefore fakes being ill as way to receive the attention he never got from his mother. This is where he seeks for a mother figure, like Frau Eva (or his girlfriend). So as long as he has his girlfriend to look after him, he's 'alright'.
The last thing I noticed, was that the carousel in the background of JHope's flashback looks similar to the one seen in Spring Day.
Although, this ride isn't exactly the same as the one in the first Highlight Reel, it still seem like a children's ride. It's also shown to have aged with time. I'm not sure of it's significance, but it seems like this is another subtle hint towards JHope's childhood, as we saw in the Highlight Reel.
So that's part 1! Part 2 is coming really soon. Since this post is already quite long I'm going to split it into several parts. Hope you guys enjoyed the connections so far!
Have any ideas, comment them down below!
SOURCES:
Translations: @peachBOY_0613 (via Twitter)
Munchausen's Syndrome source: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Munchausens-syndrome/Pages/Introduction.aspx
