A new documentary focusing on the loyal and passionate fan base of K-pop superstars BTS is set to hit theatres next month.
Aligning with the group's expected return next year, Forever We Are Young was made for and by members of ARMY (Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth), the group's official fanclub and focus of the film.
According to the logline, “Forever We Are Young dives into the passionate fandom that catapulted 21st century pop icons BTS into a global household name. Defying stereotypes of pop fans as screaming teen girls, ARMY is an intergenerational, culturally savvy, and socially active movement that is as diverse as the world itself. The film captures the powerful spirit of activism and collectivity that make ARMY a symbol of hope and unity in our ever-fractured world.”
“There is no BTS without ARMY and no ARMY without BTS,” co-directors Grace Lee and Patty Ahn said in a statement. “We’re excited for audiences to go on an emotional journey and meet a fandom that made us laugh, cry, and think.”
The doc premiered at South By Southwest back in March, where Ahn explained to Deadline that getting the blessing of the group's label and management at HYBE was essential to getting the film made.
“We spent a couple years just kind of developing the idea, having a lot of fun together, thinking about what aspects of ARMY we could focus on. But of course, we couldn’t make this film without the cooperation and help of HYBE,” Ahn said. “We worked pretty much independently, creatively, but we did need the permission of HYBE on the archival assets and the music rights and all that.”
“You can’t make a film about BTS without using the music and without using archival footage of them," Ahn added. "So the support and blessing of the label was something that we needed to do to actually make the film.”
Forever We Are Young will open in theatres on July 30.