I tried to observe everything and like, obviously there are here for work and are in full work mode.

Obviously A LOT was cut (there were times where it was obvious jikook were talking to each other in the background and this vid were quick snapshots of each day)

But I was quietly observing Jungkook and thought to myself that I missed the Jungkook from AYS. This side of him really only comes out when he is with Jimin.

And then I look at how enamoured he watched Jimin, and how he got suddenly worried about him and treated him with care, and the fact that jikook moments came out on stage unexpectedly.

Like. I don't know how to say this but I have the feeling they don't really flung their relationship into people's faces all that much these days. Especially not when they are in work mode (which is normal). It reminded me of AYS and their quiet yet potent certainty and love for each other that wasn't flashy. It was normal. Like it would be for a long term relationship.

Annnnddd I don't know how to say this, but like what Jungkook shares with Jimin it's not really for other people. Like it's one of the things he cherishes and it's entirely his. It's precious to him.

And I thought of Namjoon's comment "we need to be a little bit more serious here" and whatnot

It makes me think that everything we've been seeing from this tour from jikook, especially how loud they were about certain details, how adamant they wanted to make it known that they mean a lot of each other, it's ESPECIALLY because it is so precious and personal to them. Like. Because it's true and it goes a little bit beyond in term of authencity than what they usually do on stage.

I think they crave authenticity and to share more parts of themselves.

I mean, of course, it makes sense. We could arrive at this conclusion before.

What would you put in gift bags for their tours?

Here are my choices:

Jimin Sweet Mochi Kit: a strawberry mochi, photocard/sticker, rosy lip balm, faux CC necklace for nostalgia purposes

Kookie's Fuck 7 Days a Week Kit: condom, Chimmy-branded lube, blindfold, lace ribbon in lieu of handcuffs, Taezen kombucha for recovery

Block me then.

I can’t with these fucking anons picking and choosing when it comes to what I write about.

Me casting doubt is wrong? If my opinion is casting doubt on you, then I would question how easily influenced you are.

You say that we don’t know about their private lives and yet, are 100% convinced he’s been in a long-term romantic relationship with jm.

‘There is no room for anyone else’, ‘ain’t no way they were dating others’. Sure, and you know this cause you’re such a bystander who isn’t privy to their private lives?

Back at the beginning of 2020 I remember people were still talking about JM traveling all the way to Korea, just for JK's bday and JM's bday. And saying that there had been some sort of really long drought before that (?) and that a lot of people were 'convinced it was all over'. But I remember the Rose Bowl moment happened in may 2019, so I ask, what long drought???? Just because of a few months??

Then I remember reading that another drought happened in 2018 and again a lot of people abandoned the ship (like literal ship not figuratively 😂). But I've seen about a ton and a half moments that happened on 2018. So again I ask, what drought?????

And now, just a few weeks ago, people where all saying it's over again and that there had been a long drought (Y'all I've been here and paying attention, and I ask, WHAT 'LONG' DROUGHT???????). And then December happens and I'm like dying of an overdose.

Y'all seriously, why does this keep on happening? I don't get it. How is it that after all this years people have still not learned the d*mn lesson???

Well, in case it hasn't been pointed out already, I'll do it:

Stop panicking and jumping off the ship en masse, because:

1) You'll just embarrass yourself and wind up looking like a clown.

2) You'll end up eating your own words sooner or later.

3) You'll have to surreptitiously (so as to not humiliate yourself further) board the ship again.

As a side note:

To everyone panicking because you haven't 'seen' anything or they haven't 'showed' you anything, do remember that their job is not showing their relationship, their job is making music.

Please kindly keep in mind that they're human with their own wills and desires (not your dolls that should follow your every wish and command) and allow them to focus on making music and doing their actual jobs for a tiny bit of time. And support them throughout that time too (or are you here just for the ship and not for their actual talent?).

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Now, if you're wondering who am I to say all this, and since when I've been an army, since when did I start to support Jikook, and all that info because you find what I'm saying interesting, to try and discredit me, or throw some hate at me, here's my Intro.

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This post was inspired by a reply @bulletfrootboyzz left on a post.

Or jk.....

Obviously you are more than free to have your view and that's valid, but I will also say that the "isolated" or selective moments we freak out about are cultural. I'm not sure if you speak korean or follow any korean jikookers, but the stuff they freak out about is actually more of the mundane and not something western fans would be screaming about in a compilation edit, and is actually more consistently across bts content over time. For example, their general dynamic or the ways they speak to each other. Of course they go crazy over the big stuff too like hickey gate (because wtf was that in any culture?), but their entire dynamic over time seems to be more centered for korean jikookers, and that's not just a one off.

Also this is just purely me spit-balling, but while I've always struggled to come to any conclusion about their nebulous relationship, I feel like being friends with loose boundaries doesn't make sense for them as individuals. Maybe this is unpopular, but I think jimin actually has some of the most traditional and strict views on hierarchy and respect in the group based on things he's said or the way he lectured tae (and roped in jungkook too LOL) about being respectful to the hyungs, yet with jungkook it absolutely flys out the window. And seemingly ONLY with just jungkook, who more often than not comes off as the hyung in their dynamic. Similarly, I think jungkook, despite having a rather laissez faire demeanor, is also one of the strictest about setting boundaries in the group. He has no problem pulling away from physical touch if he doesn't like it or calling out fans even if he does so respectfully or, god, the whole perilla leaf thing. Both of them clearly have clear boundaries, boundaries regarding specific things that seem to only loosen in regards to each other.

Just imagining here, but say you knew these two people in real life, say it was a guy and a girl, where they had these incredibly loose and unique boundaries from the rest of their friends, and then ON TOP OF THAT they gave each other hickeys when they were drunk, or sucked each other's ear, or whatever else. Would you assume its entirely platonic? Better yet, would you feel comfortable dating one of them and believe there was nothing between them? I know damn well I'd be paranoid calling every night they were on tour like "hi honey, you hanging out with him again after the concert?" "oh he's just laying on your bed?....again?" "oh the best part of tokyo was you guys staying up all night... just on your phones.....in the hotel..." "oh you guys are dinking again tonight? Make sure there's no bridal carries this time! LOL LMAO hehehaha"

Sometimes I feel like the alternative also seems stranger. Like you mention them not meeting while jimin was so busy, but (tinfoil hat time) the separation felt purposeful to me. You're right, he had no issue meeting yoongi and jhope, sure they were also working more often so he might have run into them at the company, but also he mentions making an effort to keep up with tae. You could argue he just didn't care about keeping up with jungkook, but then they enlisted together and we see them in AYS, jesus, jimin literally started the whole thing to spend time with jungkook, that's not a friend he just stopped caring about. You could also argue that he just wasn't keeping up with friends who would take him away from work (you know like that one friend who you only ever go drinking with), but jimin said himself how him and jungkook talk about music/work for hours and practically forget everyone else while doing so. To me, the lack of contact just felt targeted? specifc? in a way that it wouldn't for just a "friend". I don't know, its just like even in their distance, the line for platonic/romance seems blurred sometimes. Even their mental distance, like in AYS over the whole sausage vs. ham debate. Jungkook didn't give a single fuck that tae thought it was sausage, his only concern was jimin agreeing with him, and that isn't the first time he's been like that only with jimin. I wouldn't care if my bestie disagreed with me, especially if we were amongst our friend group anyway.

Its like that year when jimin flew back for jungkook's bday. I'll say I've always been on the fence about this because while its a nice gesture, part of me is also like well either way he had to fly to hawaii and flying back to korea only lengthened that fly-time a little more than if he'd flown across the US anyway. But then jimin went out of his way to post that fake-out video and iirc he was the one that ordered the cake. Then there's just something about the photo of jungkook. Idk what it is, but something about it made it feel....idk.

Despite me writing this absolute essay, I'm actually constantly on the fence with them too about the nature of their relationship. But there's just always this thing, this like presence in the background, this tension or something that feels off for just friendship.

I love reading people’s opinions on jkk because they’re such a fascinating pair! Essays are more than welcome!

I 100% agree that yes, there is such a poignant difference in the way they interact with one another. They seem to be each other’s exception to…everything really. The cultural and social barriers that govern how they interact with other people blur when they’re together.

I have noticed that in group settings, jk tends to revert to being the maknae™️; his hyungs' youngest little brother. He'll extend this attitude to jm as well. I feel like it's only in a group setting that those two will enforce that age hierarchy and jm will really play into that 'older brother' role. It kind of gives me a bit of whiplash when you see jk alone with jm compared to how he is with his older members.

As you mentioned, jm is one of the most diligent when it comes to adhering to and enforcing age hierarchies. You’ll never catch him slipping when he’s with his older members (but he’ll be slipping and sliding everywhere when with jk). Him being so lax with jk is one of those things that really have me questioning the nature of their relationship. Recently, I was pretty taken aback in ep 6 of ays when jk brings up meeting as 'same-age friends' in another life. Jm's never really addressed jk speaking to him informally. I was pleasantly surprised when he was so open to entertaining jk's idea. I found it really sweet how the conversation was: 'well, how would our relationship have turned out if that age barrier wasn't there to begin with?'. If jk proposed that scenario to say Seokjin, he would've gotten his ass cleared before he could even finish his sentence.

One moment that went triple platinum in the jkk space in 2017 was this behind-the-scenes episode from Bon Voyage S3. Jm takes a photo of jk and when he lingers to look at his phone screen, jk calls out to him and says:

‘애기야 가자’ (let’s go, baby).

Yea no, it does feel like a bit of a fool's errand when trying to justify why they could just be platonic cause, the majority of the signs point to them being....not.

Also yes, I would be one insecure s/o if I was with either jk or jm. Cause what?? absolutely no way would I be fine with my bf doing the things he does with a 'friend'????

Nevertheless, there is a part of me that won't allow me to fully commit to the idea of a romantic relationship. I hate to bring this up because it was such a gross invasion of his privacy but, that video of jk with that woman in his apartment could be one of those contradictions.

It’s either Jikook were never really in an established relationship or they were on a break during both times. 🤷‍♀️

When it comes to Jikook, there’s just so much to consider that doesn’t align with conventional relationships that we, normal people(meaning people who are not in a boy band and hella famous), experience. We only see a fraction of their lives and only know what they choose to show us.

However, whether Jikook were never really together, had relationships with others or are currently in a relationship with others, it doesn’t change the fact that they chose to enlist together and that they love each other ( romantic love or otherwise).

Those are facts that jikookers shouldn’t forget. No matter what truths about their relationship(s) they’ll reveal in the future, we should always support them and be happy for them and their happiness.

you’ve put that so wonderfully.

“whether jkk were never really together, had relationships with others or are currently in a relationship with others, it doesn’t change the fact that they chose to enlist together and that they love eachother (romantic love or otherwise)”

anon, you are a beautiful breath of fresh air that my inbox so desperately needed.

I agree with your opinion. Jkk’s relationship is so special, no matter the nature of it. The fact that these two specific people met, became band mates and were able to grow alongside eachother is so beautiful. They’ve shared so many experiences together as bts.

Through ays, gcf and all of the time they spend outside of the group, we’ve seen how happy they make eachother.

GCF is my Roman Empire. I’m never gonna shut up about it.

If anything, I’m so envious of them and what they’ve found in eachother. If they’re romantically together, I’ll sign up as the flower girl. If they’re not, that’s completely fine. The love they share (again, no matter the nature of it) is so uniquely theirs and anon, I’m actually tearing up now bajahhahsj…….i’m just so so happy they have eachother and are together in that shit hole right now.

Thanks for sharing <3