#ays 2

I'm pretty sure Jimin has said on a few occasions that that one of his favorite parts about going to countries where they can hide in plain sight is being able to just be themselves in public; which includes being able to just sit down and talk, or drink, or eat a meal.

So, the scene that stuck with me was at the beginning of episode 4 after Jikook had finished their shopping and Jimin stopped Jungkook to eat kimbap out in the steadily drizzling rain, barely talking, just devouring their food. The entirety of this moment (that we saw) was spent enjoying the food, JK messing with the camera, and then the two finishing up with some time on their phones. They then stood up almost as quickly as they sat down and continued on their way.

While they've had many moments like this with AYS, it felt impactful to me because this took place after the night at the bar where Jikook had drinks outside and not only talked about all sorts of things together, but it's also when Jimin mentioned how they aren't able to do things like this in Korea.

It was as if Jimin was bit by a pedestrian-bug and needed to enjoy that feeling of normalcy again, which is exactly why he wanted him and JK to plop down and eat their kimbap right then and there, to hell with the rain 🤣 they're getting rained on, the staff's getting rained on, they're in the middle of filming and have to make sure the shots are okay, but even so, it's worth it because they do not get to indulge in this kind of thing often. I wouldn't be surprised if that situation was nothing like poor Jimin imagined in his head, and yet, I still LOVED that for him.

Imagine growing up with the ability to do everything everyone else can do, and suddenly losing it because you got a bit too famous. Now, you have the money and connections, but it's too unsafe to casually go out and enjoy yourself for the risk of being spotted by fans, or antis, or scandal-hungry paparazzi. It's sad, so I love AYS and Bon Voyage and all the other neat projects that BTS as a whole can partake in to give them a feeling of normalcy, even if it's under very specific qualifications.

I'm back.

Past that first hurdle of setting my baseline of AYS2.

It's about (the baseline):

The when it was filmed - starting a couple of days after discharge;

The when it was released;

The how it was released (jamming 2 episodes a week and cramming it into 4 weeks total);

And the flooding us with an overwhelming amount of Jikookery.

I guess now I can move on to discuss some of the moments a bit more.

But before that just another clarification. I'm not going to be talking about every single moment. That is just impossible. There is so much going on, too much to address. I will talk in general about some stuff and go into detail with things that caught my eye and I want to elaborate about. Good? Good!!

So, episode 1, they left JM's place. Skip the car ride, this car ride, and we are now in the accommodation booked for that one night.

There were a shit ton of moments. Basically they couldn't keep their hands off each other and the editors didn't really have much of a choice but to show us this, seeing that a big chunk of the touchy feely went on during those (sometime exhausting) games they added to this season.

Let's talk for a sec about those games. It's a good time to do that (the games start pretty much upon arrival in that neutral rental).

Yes, they wanted this trip for themselves, but we know that's a hard ask, with their level of fame, travelling the world privately, visiting different destinations, being a tourist, enjoying sightseeing and activities, just the two of them, being able to be themselves is a bit of an impossibility. So doing this as part of company content is a win win for them. They get to travel together. They have the time paved out for it in their very busy schedules. They have the protection and umbrella of the company. Staff around them (whom they know and trust) to shield and protect them. They get to do all these fun activities, see the world together (yes, I will get to that very interesting monologue from JM) all while shielded by the "it's for content" guise, and all while they are also given ample alone time for the extra curricular activities they are wanting to get up to in private.

So, we established that doing the show is a way for them to be together, see the world together (JM's wish), do fun activities together (both of their wishes) and just spend as much time possible with the person they love most in the world (JK' wishes).

But for this season we got more staff involvement, more staff "interference". Not only did we get the games (a huge amount of them), but we also got more interactions with the staff on film. Probably because they were more involved in this season (having the games had them being in proximity with the two - mostly staying in the same accommodations with them, at times eating at the same time as them and even with them). It gave us an opportunity to see a bit of the dynamics between them and the staff as well. These are people they know, respect and trust. People they obviously feel free around. People that know exactly what they are to each other and accept them as such. And that is also why the two genuinely enjoyed playing these games not only with each other but also with the staff.

This also came to mind while thinking about those games:

On point! They just didn't trust those two, lol (and/or the two didn't trust themselves fully as well). Seeing just how handsy they were in season 1, and knowing that they will most likely be even more so, freer, once out of the military, they knew this could be a good compromise. I do think that the two actually wanted this as well (and wouldn't be surprised if this was suggested by them to start with). Maybe the intensity was a little too much, but I do believe that they mostly enjoyed that balance of games and private time (which they did get). It kind of made them create that line between "private time" for them to be and do what they want completely and the "work mode" time which was not exactly work mode, but it forced them to be a little more professional on camera. Defining for them the "when we can or cannot fully be ourselves". It's not that being themselves didn't leak into the "show time". And it's not that they were acting or being scripted or not being themselves during that "show time". They were being genuine all the time, but it gave them the ability to define when they are filming for content and when they are not necessarily or not at all. Because creating so much content with those games and activities basically meant they would have enough footage to sift through and create the season (while I think they did struggle with that in season 1). And the boys were cool with it as well. Well, we know they love to play games. We saw that in season 1 as well. And they genuinely enjoyed playing the games with the staff in this season too.

But I do think, as a viewer, and even more so as an international viewer that just does not and cannot understand some of the games they played, that it bordered on too much. I do understand it's their culture, games they know and love, games they grew up on, but at times it went overboard. I mean, adding one of the games (and one that as a non Korean we had no understanding of or ability to follow) to the behind scenes (this is paid content with many non Koreans purchasing and expecting to get this extra content that was cut out or not added to the show), yeah that was too much. And at the same time, does that mean that other content was just not editable enough to be added (me saying that when they did choose to add the bed scene in Vietnam or JK's hand down JM's pants during the game in Vietnam).

We know there is more footage. We know they did more activities. The bike riding in Switzerland was added in the behind (they talked about it but it wasn't in the actual season), so we got to see some of that. In Vietnam watching the sunrise - if we would have relied on the episodes alone and they wouldn't have added it to the behinds, we would never have known that they woke up to watch the sunrise (or never went to sleep to start with, who knows) and then went back to sleep. But we also know they did karaoke in Switzerland, we never got to see that. We know they rode a motorbike in Vietnam (it's clear from the promotional video that there was bike riding - even though the way JM talked it was also apparent he was talking not only about their trip). We also know that they got some time alone. That last night in Switzerland was mostly cameras off JK/JM private time. From the amount of footage in Vietnam I think it's also quite clear they got to spend some time alone there as well.

So I do understand where they were coming from with adding the games plus the staff 'supervision', lol. In season 1 they were left alone to their own devices A LOT, end result them being quite surprised there was enough footage to be able to edit for the public's consumption, lol. But as an international viewer I can't help but feel that it was too much. Again, especially when some of these games are really hard for us to understand.

One thing I can tell you though. Those games had the two nice and relaxed (shows you how much they trust their staff btw), so much so that we got Jikook full mode touchy feely during these games (JK finding it hard to keep his hands off JM).

Personal space - unknown concept.

Body parts not touching - Is that even a thing?

And we also got more from it - once again evidence of the level of intimacy between the two - non existent boundaries (in a later episode - JK literally tasting something JM just spit out - not surprising seeing the two exchange bodily fluids), and as a whole some questionable moments leaving not only us with question marks but the editors too (something they love to do when the two are being truly and utterly gay).

Oh, and I know I'm all over the place here - again - but it's their fault, not mine.

One more thing about the touchy feely we got throughout the whole season. It's not only that they are constantly touching. JK hand on JM's nape, JM's hand on JK's thigh, JM laying on JK's thighs, the hand shakes (we know it's all about the hand holding), this:

Yeah, wtf was this anyway?

So, it's not only about the touching it's about the where and how, the clear intimacy. And add that to the rest, the showers story for example... 😱(one of those moments I question the editorial decisions made, lol).

Side note (yes, I know, another one of those - for the life of me I cannot walk a straight line - no alcohol needed):

How can I not address this though?

JK shows us time and time again how JM is not his bro nor his mate. That JM is so much more than that. And that no matter how much people will scream into the void "that's a bro thing", "their mates, best friends even", he will come and somehow show us that nope, the way he talks and interacts and touches JM is different. And of course he showed us that in his latest live. We literally got to see him interacting with his actual older brother whom he is truly close with. We saw him interact with a childhood friend, one he trusts to share his home with for a while now. And the differences are not hard to notice. That's actually laughable. Not hard to notice? They are fucking screaming in our faces. And we, my friends, are not the only ones to see this.

Moving on, because I just have to (this post is taking me ages to friggin' write).

I'm not going to go into the games (they were really fun to watch and even more so witnessing those two, the way they interact, their dynamics while playing). The packing and the minimalism and JM's "manymalism" as well, even though it was real cute and loved the touchy feely and they were just as cute as buttons the whole time.

I do want to talk about them eating and the dishwashing that followed (yes, I know this was before, but I was talking about the games, duh).

They do this thing while eating. This couples thing. The whole "I know you love this so go ahead and eat before I do" thing. They have done it for years and they did it here too.

JM passing JK the noodles before he even took some for himself because JK wanted some. JK passing them back to him telling JM he'll take a portion, but "you eat now" basically (note to self - I seriously think the whole JK feeding JM, including cutting up his food warrants a whole separate post). We also have JK rolling the rice ball for JM and handing it to him. Yes, JM asked him too, but he was already doing it, and let's be honest here, JM didn't need to ask. JK's purpose in life is to feed JM.

It's just how they roll.

They say that a way to a man's heart is through his stomach, well these two most definitely take a page out of that book. Both of them!!

And then we have JM doing the dishes.

Something he is used to doing.

Something that is part of their couple's dynamic. - The cooking team roles set.

JK cooks -

JM does the dishes.

They literally tell us this time after time, including in the show.

Ok, so I think it's time to talk about this:

The training story.

OMG, seriously? The story in itself is, ok, out there? And then you have the animation they added.

😂😂

"I felt a sting, like a jolt or something" - Electrifying? Really JM?

"I looked over and everyone else was invisible... the background faded just the two of us remained" - tell us how it always is when JK's around JM, why don't you?

And JK: "I was watching for a while you know..." (he did add "and others too", but yeah-nah, who you kidding JK? We know about focus and peripheral vision. JM told us about the eye contact...)

Quelle surprise JK (NOT), eating and having eyes only for JM... (that animation though...).

And as if we didn't get it the first time, they double down on the whole "just the two of us remained".

You think they are trying to tell us something maybe?

I've seen people coming up with theories about JK looking at JM because he's worried about him because of the intensive training, and look, that could be part of the story. But let's be honest here. Put JM within JK's field of vision or his line of sight and JK's eyes will be on him. When he has to he'll try to not look, but even then he can't help himself. And we've seen those stares. At times they are also momentary hyper fixations (yes, our boy is neuro divergent), but JM is basically his everlasting hyper fixation (nothing momentary about it).

And even if we didn't see it, he literally told us this.

No secrets or surprise here.

And yet, adding this story with the cute animation (did they think that if they create the cute animation it will fade out the gay?) was one more of those questionable choices we get every once in a while. Yes, as a whole it's very innocent, right? And I actually think that if it didn't have that animation literally emphasizing the curious/ more sus parts of the story it might not have been that big of a deal. Not that us Jikookers wouldn't notice the sus, but with the animation and editing they basically took that sus and put it spot center of a big old shining neon sign:

"Hey y'all, these two have chemistry on another level - literal electricity... eyes for each other only... no one else in the world exists other than the two of them... oh, and there was a cute JM washing up story there too..."

So yeah, throwing in that animation so cute, right? And sorry, but so damn loud too! And if that was loud, omg the shower story we got in Switzerland... how the bloody hell did they leave that one in. And yes, I most definitely will get to that one in due course.

Once again this has taken me too much and too long. But I do think that I will end this post here. This here, me talking about this seasin, it's going to take a bit (how the hell am I going to do this???)...

Anyway, 18 days to Arirang.😯😯

I see that you prefer context being provided so here it is just in case! The two play a game where they have to figure out what the meaning of some phrases are when they're put into shorthand and reduced to just their first syllables, the funny thing Jikook had been doing nonstop. For 안남미, the director gives the hint "둘의 얘기예요. 둘의, 팬분들이 봤을 때 두 분의 얘기" which was translated to us as, "It's about the two of you. The fans' idea of you two." Jungkook then answers "안그래도 남사스러운데 미치겠네."

Thank you so much, and I'm so sorry this ask got so long!!!

Hi there,

Thanks for your kind message and thanks for being patient as I am working on multiple answers at the same time🙏

This moment in particular is very quick but offers an interesting peak into Jungkook's perception of how he thinks the fans percieve him with Jimin. It is also a very tounge-in-cheek comment that is meaningful for a lot of K-army.

Disclaimer: In my translations I tend to stay closer to Korean phrasing to bring the reader closer to how Korean sentences are structured, therefore my translations may vary from others and may not feel as natural in English. Assumed pronouns not included in the original Korean sentence are in brackets.

During the word game, 안남미 (an-nam-mi) comes up and as you wrote, the hint from the PD is: "(It's about) you two. The two of you, as seen by the fans/from the fans' perspective. " (my ver. of translation)

Jungkook answers from their fans' perspective:

안 그래도 | Already as (it is) / Even as (it is)

남사스러운데 | (Although it's) embarrassing/cringe-inducing

미치겠네 | (I'm) going crazy/ (It's) driving (me) crazy

When put together, the expression could be translated as:

Though (it's) embarrassing/cringe-inducing already as (it is) , (I'm) going crazy.

Or more loose translation with more English nuance and added interpretation:

I'm going crazy already cringing over these two.

(alt.: I'm going crazy from the second-hand embarrassment already because of these two.)

Now to explain the use of 남사스럽다 and why Korean fans relate to this comment. Even though the translation variations of this word include embarrassing, shameful, cringe-inducing, etc., it should be understood here in this particular context as second-hand embarrassment and in a lighthearted manner.

It is to be noted that K-fans often feel "embarrassed" when their faves get too affectionate, act too close or overly comfortable on camera. (i. e. they are projecting second-hand embarrassment onto them.) Therefore, Jungkook here is very cleverly showing that he is aware of how affectionate he acts with Jimin and he is also aware of how fans are cringing/getting embarrassed over their cute moments. He is basically conveying: "I know we are embarrassing, deal with it 🤪"

(This is all obviously to be understood in a light, joking tone. It could be imagined as someone watching AYS and covering their eyes and squeeling from the cuteness and closeness shown between Jimin and Jungkook. It is not meant to invoke any internal negative feelings connected to personal shame.)

The tone is further supported by the use of 미치겠네 as an expression of exasperation that K-fans also often use.

The reactions I saw from Koreans were: "He knows us well" or "He knows, so funnyyy" "Wow amazing, he knows us"

TLDR: Jungkook very cheekily expressed how he imagines fans react to their closeness on camera and demonstrated that he is very well self-aware (and also kinda unapologetic about it).

Seeing Jimin this elated, euphoric and scared made me revert back to a child being thrown up and down in my father's arms. Or getting on a rollercoaster with both fear and excitement coursing through your veins. The absolute bravery it takes to look a substantial fear straight in the eyes and sit with it. Let it be present on order for you to also feel joy.

My heart that beats for Jimin grew ten sizes in that scene. Oh Matthew...he was also in his feels because of this incredibly endearing human man. This man who suddenly lost his mask. He was completely bare for us to see him and enjoy this moment with the real Park Jimin. No filter.

I think we have Jungkook to thank for this emboldened version of Jimin too, where Jimin is usually cautious to a fault, choosing to drive a car instead of getting on a bike - maybe we will see him do it in another episode- or choosing to forego a bungee swing again.. this time he said "I will be bold even if I am scared" and that is what I find so admirable about Jimin. He chooses which boundary to cross. He's not one to be pushed, but he will do it to be kind for his own inner child.

Oh.. elated happiness, my heart stopped because of Jikook episode 5939241 and counting.

Because my heart was already 💔 💓 and then Jungkook used his sole 'touch Jimin's head privilege' and comforted Jimin after 'the best moment of his life'.