Four-and-a-half months after its world premiere at South By Southwest in Austin, the documentary Forever We Are Young is getting a worldwide release. The film follows fans of the South Korean boy band BTS, a group with stratospheric success nationwide and an "ARMY" of 90 million devotees. The feature-length film will be cinemas worldwide for limited screenings beginning Wednesday, July 30.
Although the "ARMY" concept is not an uncommon way to refer to a large fan base, in this case it stands for Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth. And BTS fans are famously mobilized, not just enjoying the band but constantly organizing their ranks and making efforts to increase the band's impressive influence.
"Defying stereotypes of pop fans as screaming teens, ARMY is an intergenerational, culturally savvy, and socially active movement that is as diverse as the world itself," says a press release announcing the wide release. "The film captures the powerful spirit of activism and collectivity that make ARMY a symbol of hope and unity in our ever-fractured world."
The film was made by award-winning directors Grace Lee and Patty Ahn, respectively a documentarian and a scholar of contemporary Korean and Korean American cultural history, although both have overlapping experience. The filmmakers met fans at a convention in the Dallas suburb of Lewisville, Texas; a dance teacher in Seoul; and ARMY members whose love goes all the way back to the band's debut in 2013.
“There is no BTS without ARMY and no ARMY without BTS," said the filmmakers in a joint statement. "We’re excited for audiences to go on an emotional journey and meet a fandom that made us laugh, cry, and think. We were constantly moved by the fans’ power, resilience, creativity and humor and hope audiences will be too."
Unsurprisingly for people who know the BTS ARMY and South by Southwest, this movie sold out at its premiere and earned standing ovations. It later had premieres in Copenhagen, Mexico, Hawaii, and Los Angeles.
Fans may jump on tickets fast when they go on sale beginning Wednesday, July 2, at btsarmymovie.com. Some theaters will offer branded concessions and the website will offer official movie posters. There is currently no public information available about which cities and theaters will participate in screenings.
“Trafalgar Releasing has been honored to bring BTS concerts and films to ARMY over the last eight years creating special moments in communities worldwide,” said Kymberli Frueh, SVP of content acquisitions and programming at Trafalgar Releasing, the company handling the release. “The global impact of BTS is undeniable, not just as artists, but as a cultural movement. We are proud to bring this film to big screens across the globe to celebrate the impact of the fans themselves who have supported BTS every step of the way.”
The timing of the release coincides with a major milestone for the band: As of Wednesday, June 25, all members of the band will have completed their mandatory military service for South Korea. That means the group is expected to reunite sometime this year.