"If you are an ARMY, you should be proud of it!"

Isa lamang ang gurong si Roselyn Desalon, 32 anyos mula sa San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan, sa mga tagahanga ng sikat na all-male Korean group na "BTS" na talaga namang hinahangaan hindi lamang sa kanilang bansa, sa Pilipinas, kundi maging sa ibang panig ng mundo.

Aminado si Roselyn na simula nang makilala niya ang BTS, halos sumabog ang kaniyang puso sa labis na kasiyahan at pagnanais na mairamdam at maihayag sa kanila ang kaniyang paghanga at pagmamahal, kagaya ng libo-libo ring tagahanga nila.

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Kaya ang naisip na paraan ni Roselyn---gumawa ng artworks at isa-isang iguhit ang mukha ng bawat BTS members, lalo na ang kaniyang mga "bias".

Mapalad na nakapanayam ng Balita Online si Roselyn at ibinahagi niya ang kuwento sa likod ng kaniyang BTS artworks.

Paano nga ba nagsimula ang pagiging tagahanga o fan niya ng BTS?

"Nakilala ko sila last 2017 noong nabalita na may concert sila dito sa Philippines pero di pa ako fan noon. Na-catch nila yung attention ko noong napakinggan ko yung song nila na 'Boy with Luv' sa Spotify last 2019 kasi may ka-collab silang international artist pero casual listener pa lang ako ng songs nila that time," pagbabahagi ni Roselyn.

At talagang mas lalong naging interesado si Roselyn sa grupo dahil sa impluwensiya ng kaniyang pamangkin, na isa ring certified army!

"Nagstart talaga akong maging interested sa kanila nitong pandemic dahil sa mga pamangkin kong ARMY. Dahil nga pandemic nasa bahay lang kaming lahat at madalas ko silang makitang pinapanood yung mga videos ng BTS hanggang sa nakikinood na rin ako. One time, may pinanood kaming video na cover nila ng 'Fix You' and na-amaze ako kasi English yung song and ang galing ng pagkakakanta nila nang live."

"Doon na ako nag-start na kilalanin yung mga members, alamin yung mga pangalan nila, manood ng music videos nila, live performances at clips ng Run BTS. Then madalas sa mga napanood kong interviews ng fans nila ay madalas na reason kung bakit nila gustong-gusto ang BTS ay 'Their songs helped my mental health condition,' 'They taught me how to love myself,' 'Their songs are like my safe space,' 'They uplift my mood every time I listen to their songs,' and some of them are very emotional pa…"

"Mas lalo tuloy akong na-curious, sabi ko 'Ano bang meron sa BTS at sa mga kanta nila?' Then, I started searching their songs with English translations and I found out na sobrang gaganda pala talaga ng messages and meaning ng songs nila. Sa umpisa, nag-eenjoy lang talaga akong panoorin sila pero noong nalaman ko na yung stories nila about how they started, yung mga struggles nila individually and as a group, yung personalities nila like yung pagiging candid nila, yung bond nila sa isa’t isa and even yung pagmamahal nila sa fans nila ay grabe pala."

"Ayun na, sobrang na-hook na ako sa kanila and now, I already considered myself as an ARMY," kuwento ng guro ng asignaturang Science.

Pero sino nga ba ang mga 'bias" o pinakapaborito niya sa pitong miyembro ng patok na Korean all-male group?

"Ang first member talaga na una kong napansin ay si V dahil napakaguwapo naman talaga, then si Jung Kook dahil sa napakagandang boses. Mahal ko naman silang pito pero noong unti-unti ko nang nakikilala yung mga members, mas naging interested na ako kay Jin," pag-amin ni Roselyn.

"I don’t know pero parang there is this kind of vibe na sometimes I see myself in him. Aside from his looks, magandang boses, and being the eldest in the group, his personality talaga that made me like him even more. Masasabi kong parang si Jin talaga yung spirit animal ko hehehe."

Nagkataon namang hilig talaga ni Roselyn ang sketching at drawing, at ito talaga ang kaniyang stress reliever. Malaking bagay rin umano ang pakikinig sa awitin ng BTS, na lalong nagbigay ng inspirasyon sa kaniya upang simulan ang artworks nila.

"It's a way na rin of my appreciation for the boys since recently, sila yung nagiging pahinga ko every time I feel stressed and sad," ani Roselyn.

Ano-ano ang mga materyales na ginamit niya sa kaniyang likhang-sining at gaano katagal niya itong ginawa?

"Noong nag-start akong i-sketch sila isa-isa, ang gamit ko ay yung sketchbook, charcoal pencils and drawing kits ko. Noong matapos ko silang pito, sabi ko try ko naman kaya silang i-paint kasi sa tagal ko ng nagdo-drawing never pa akong nakagamit ng canvas and acrylic paints. So last April, I decided to buy na nga via online ng painting kits for beginners na may kasama ng acrylic paints, brushes at canvas para sa kanilang pito."

"Sa mga sketches ko sa kanila, natatapos ko kaagad ng isang upuan around 1-2 hours lang per member. Pero sa recent paintings ko sa kanila, umabot ako ng 2-4 days per member dahil malalaki pala yung canvas na nabili ko and tuwing gabi lang ako nagkakaroon ng mahabang free time to paint them."

"Dagdag pa yung may mga maling colors pa ng paint na nadeliver so I have to troubleshoot and did some mixing of paints para lang kahit papaano makopya ko yung reference photo nila kaya umabot ng almost 3 weeks bago ko matapos silang i-paint na pito."

Hindi naman daw inaasahan ni Roselyn na makakarating sa BTS ang kaniyang artworks, lalo't hindi naman talaga siya isang professional artist.

"Honestly, my only intention why I did my artworks for them is just to show my love in arts and one way of expressing my appreciation for BTS. Since I am just one of their fans, na million-million sa buong mundo, and my skills in arts is not that exceptional because it is just my hobby, hindi na din ako nag-eexpect na ma-notice nila."

"Yung happiness and contentment na nararamdaman ko every time na natatapos ko yung isang drawing per member is already enough for me. But as an ARMY, it would be a great honor and a very memorable experience if that day will come."

Kaya naman, bilang isang avid fan ay may mensahe si Roselyn sa mga kagaya niyang "army".

"Naniniwala talaga ako na BTS will find you and will touch your life at the right time."

"I also realized that and it happened to me because I allowed them to enter my life, welcomed them, chose them, and decided that they will stay and be part of my life. Finally, without hesitations and reservations, I know many chances na majudge ako ng society."

"Yung bond between ARMY and BTS kasi is like a two-way relationship. Hindi man nila tayo kilala individually pero sobrang mahal nila tayo and they are expressing it through their songs, music, performances and actions."

"Hindi lang kasi sila maintindihan because most of their songs are in Korean language. Pero when I searched the translations of their songs… Grabe sobrang gaganda ng meaning ng mga kanta nila and very personal."

"And knowing the struggles, hardships and challenges na pinagdaanan nila and yung personalities of these 7 men.. Mas lalo mo pa talaga silang mamahalin."

"My appreciation to them is beyond their good looks, beyond their talents, and personalities but it is because of the totality of these 7 men."

"You know guys medyo sad lang kasi medyo late ko na silang nakilala, pero I am still very thankful and proud kasi nakilala ko sila. And I will never ever regret stanning them!"

"To all ARMYs, continue loving and keep on supporting them even in your own simple little ways. Especially now that they are focusing more on their individual careers and personal growth, mas lalo nila tayong kailangan."

"Our love and support will help them and will have a big impact on their individual success. No matter what happens, remember what BTS said, 'APOBANGPO!' Army forever, Bangtan forever! Borahae!"