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BTS, the global phenomenon that has conquered the music industry, is not only known for their catchy songs, charismatic performances, and positive messages, but also for their passionate and loyal fanbase, called ARMY. ARMY, which stands for Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth, is one of the most active and organized fandoms in the world, with more than 40 million members on YouTube, 30 million on Twitter, and 35 million on Instagram. But beyond supporting their favorite artists, ARMY also uses their power for good, by participating in various charitable and social causes, both in the name of BTS and on their own initiative.
One of the most prominent examples of ARMY’s philanthropy is their involvement in the Love Myself campaign, which BTS launched with UNICEF in 2017. The campaign aims to end violence against children and young people around the world, by promoting self-love, hope, solidarity, and diversity. ARMY has donated over $3 million to the campaign as of 2020, through purchasing BTS merchandise, streaming their music, and making direct contributions. ARMY has also joined BTS in delivering speeches at the United Nations General Assembly in 2018 and 2020, where they shared their messages of self-love, hope, solidarity, and diversity with millions of people.
Another example of ARMY’s philanthropy is their response to the #BlackLivesMatter movement in 2020. After BTS donated $1 million to support the movement, ARMY matched the donation in less than 24 hours, using the hashtag #MatchAMillion. The donations went to various organizations that fight racial injustice and police brutality, such as Black Lives Matter Global Network, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Black Visions Collective, and more. ARMY also used their online presence to amplify the voices of Black activists and artists, by sharing resources, information, and petitions.
ARMY has also shown their generosity and creativity by celebrating BTS’s birthdays and anniversaries with various projects that benefit different causes and communities. For example, for Jungkook’s birthday in 2017, a sub-unit of ARMY called “Jungkook League” started a project called “Change Me”, where they donated to the Korea Childhood Leukemia Foundation and raised more than double their goal of $200. For RM’s birthday in 2019, a sub-unit of ARMY called “RM Birthday Project” started a project called “Namjooning”, where they encouraged fans to adopt RM’s hobbies such as reading books, visiting museums, and planting trees. For BTS’s fourth anniversary in 2017, Russian ARMY donated $15,000 to Gift of Life, an organization that helps children and young adults who suffer from serious and life-threatening diseases such as cancer, blood disorders, and heart disease.
These are just some of the many examples of how ARMY uses their power for good. ARMY has also donated to various causes such as education, environment, health, poverty relief, animal welfare, disaster relief, and more. They have also supported local businesses and artists that are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. They have also created fan-made content and projects that are inspired by BTS’s music, videos, and books. They have also spread positivity and kindness among themselves and others.
ARMY is not just a fandom that follows their bias; it is a community that reaches out and helps others together. They are not only fans of BTS; they are also fans of humanity. They are not only inspired by BTS; they also inspire BTS. They are not only part of BTS’s success; they are also part of BTS’s mission. They are not only BTS’s army; they are also love’s army.
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