It was either a poem or a meme that said “People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.” I wholeheartedly believe that South Korea’s biggest K-pop group BTS came into my life so that I could meet some of the best people.
Being part of Army, the BTS fandom, opened the door to so many precious friendships, including two of Canadian media’s biggest Asian baddies: Lainey Lui and Hannah Sung. If you spent your formative years in Canada in the 2000s, you know exactly who these two women are. From “MuchMusic” to “The Social,” they carved out spaces for Asian women in this country’s media landscape. Frankly, they are probably why I even have a job in television, as the host of “The Great Canadian Baking Show.”
I was indebted to them long before Hannah created a group chat with the three of us so we could discuss who our biases (favourite BTS members) were and speculate which ones had had which cosmetic procedures done. Just kidding, none of them, they’re all perfect as they are.
In May 2023, the three of us went to Chicago to see Suga, one of BTS members’ solo endeavours, where Lainey introduced us to her Army friend, Liz, a corporate-lawyer-slash-jewelry-designer baddie in her own right. Over the past few years, we’ve gotten to know each other beyond BTS and have cultivated a friendship that I truly cherish. I think that’s one of the most beautiful things about being part of a fandom — the seemingly random connections you make.
Last May, Lainey, Hannah and I got together to produce a live event called You Never Walk Alone at Hot Docs Cinema in Toronto. We featured our favourite BTS songs, choreography clips and variety show moments, and hosted games that we played with the audience. It was our love letter to BTS and Army, a time and space dedicated to a group that brought us so much joy. I remember thinking, “Is anyone even gonna show up to this?” but I was a fool for ever doubting Army. They showed up, and I’ll remember the energy in the packed theatre for the rest of my life. How could we possibly top that?
Well, in 2025, the big trip made it out of the group chat. Lainey, Hannah, Liz and I embarked on a two-week trip to Seoul and Busan, to seek out the best and most BTS of what South Korea has to offer. The stars aligned and the four of us found a pocket in March when we could escape the responsibilities of adult life, and exist freely as both friends and fangirls. Because silly joy is an important part of a balanced life.
Here are my highlights from this once-in-a-lifetime trip:
A BTS pilgrimage to the Big Hit Building
If you’re Army, no trip to Seoul is complete without visiting the old Big Hit Building. This is the birthplace of BTS, their record label before it restructured into Hybe, a huge multinational entertainment company. Even though it’s still very much in use as a regular office building, it’s basically a living shrine for Army. BTS fans still gather to pay their respects to the building on the corner and make their mark, if they happen to have a permanent marker in their bag. We got our self-proclaimed “bad kid,” Lainey, to climb on the building so we could add our mark to the Big Hit legacy.
If street food vendors and shopping are more up your alley than an old, grey office building, you can still show your commitment to your favourite boy band at the Line Friends Store in Myeongdong. Line Friends is the place to go if you love plushies and spending a lot of money — it features characters that were designed by BTS members. Below, I am being reminded that the empty suitcase I brought with me is reserved for skin care exclusively, so no plushies for Pornel this time. In lieu of the big yellow Chimmy pillow, I was able to pack three bottles of Medicube’s PDRN Pink Peptide Serum, two bottles of Wellage’s Real Hyaluronic Blue 100 Ampoule, and no fewer than 25 miscellaneous sheet masks. Among… many other products. Many, many, many… products.
An evening in Euljiro
One of my favourite Seoul neighbourhoods to wander around in the evening is Euljiro. It’s five minutes from tourist-heavy Myeongdong, but feels like it’s tucked away. It’s where all the office workers in the area go after business hours to unwind with snacks and drinks and maybe a photo booth and some karaoke. It’s also where I stumbled upon an alley that hosted a BTS photo shoot, so we obviously had to do our own. Even when we’re not trying to pay homage to BTS, life finds a way.
Street food at Mangwon Market
I know. “Ann, can you stop talking about BTS for, like, a minute?” Of course. But it’s only because I can’t find a way to shoehorn my BTS agenda into talking about this place. Most people are familiar with Gwangjang Market because it was featured on Netflix’s “Street Food: Asia,” but Seoul is full of fantastic markets with food that slaps and Mangwon is one of them. You can eat all of the same foods you’d find at Gwangjang Market like kimbap 김밥 (cooked rice with various fillings, rolled in seaweed), fried chicken, tteokbokki 떡볶이 (rice cakes simmered in a spicy sauce) and, my favourite, twigim 튀김 (fried food covered in a light batter). Plus, you can claim more street cred because it’s the lesser known spot. Are people still saying “street cred”? Rizz? Does rizz count in this context? Anyway, just be careful to not get “rizz” all over your shirt because you’ll have to stand and eat at a lot of places.
A side trip to Busan
Busan is South Korea’s second largest city after Seoul, and happens to be the hometown of two BTS members, Jimin and Jungkook. Even though they are not my biases (Suga Army, rise up!), we still honoured them by posing in front of their iconic mural in Gamcheon Culture Village. Hilariously, another BTS mural stands right on the other side of the street.
In a bonus side quest to the Busan side quest, I went to a cafe owned by Jimin’s dad, called ZM-illennial. The cafe is filled with flowers and artwork from fans as well as some of BTS’s award trophies.
Friendship Locks at NSeoul Tower
No trip to Seoul is complete without securing a look at NSeoul Tower, which sits at the top of Namsan Mountain. Hannah and Lainey opted to hike up to the top, but Liz and I preferred the comfort of public transit. We all met at the top so we could attach our own purple-heart lock, securing our friendship memento among the thousands of locks. Of course, the choice of colour was strategic: every good Army knows that purple is the colour that best represents BTS.
South Korea is an incredible country to visit, regardless of your status as a K-pop stan. This was my second trip to Seoul within six months; that’s how much I love it. It’s a fascinating mix of old and new. It’s an incredibly fast-paced and modern city but maintains a deep connection to its history and traditions. You can eat luxurious Hanwoo beef in high-end restaurants as easily as you can get a quick and affordable bowl of humble ramen. You can keep yourself well-stimulated in the bright and busy hoods of Myeongdong or Gangnam, or you can surround yourself in quiet nature while hiking up a mountain within city limits.
There’s so much to see and do in Seoul and the rest of South Korea, but there’s a sweet innocence when you approach the trip through the lens of a fan. It reminds me of being a teen who loved the Backstreet Boys, except now I’m an adult woman with adult money and adult friends who are willing and able to fly to the other side of the world for an unforgettable adventure.
