Refreshing, transparent peek behind the scenes with BTS.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Products & Purchases
some
Band members often go shopping and wear tons of designer clothing and trendy items. They sleep and eat at the finest establishments, and public persona and appearance are of great importance. Band members are flown around the world in private jets. Mention of fans wearing and purchasing their merchandise.
Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
a little
Bandmates often drink alcohol at the end of each concert while at dinner. Several members of the group drink socially and smoke cigarettes.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.
The bandmates really allow their fans to see beyond the notion of celebrity. They interact with each other and their fans with empathy, compassion; fans are constantly encouraged to love themselves. A major theme is transparency. One group member says, "When you see me next year, I promise that you will see a better human being." Themes include teamwork, communication, persistence, having a strong work ethic. Band's willingness to embrace another culture's style of music and share it with the world showcases power of cultural diversity, benefit of sharing musical talents with the world.
Positive Role Models
a lot
BTS is a positive group of young men who use their platform to promote their fans' self-esteem and encourage others to embrace their individuality. They show respect for differences among the members of their group, as well as among others in general. Their admiration and respect for hip-hop culture is evident. When members of the group get tired while on tour, their positive mantras and mindsets help them endure fear, physical pain, even self-doubt. Bandmates exert positive influence through activities like a "Speak Yourself" speech at the United Nations.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Bring the Soul: The Movie is a tour documentary about massively popular Korean K-pop band BTS. The film showcases how influential the bandmates are in their fans' lives and the positive effects of celebrities using their platform to encourage others. It also depicts the hard work and often daunting effects that overworking the body can have on performers (a few medical scenes show the aftermath of an injury). Positive messages include the value of loving yourself and working as a team, but the documentary also seems geared toward encouraging fans to keep buying tickets, attending events, and supporting the brand. The bandmates dress in unisex apparel; there's some gender fluidity among them. They're sometimes extremely hard on themselves, and some of them drink and smoke. But, ultimately, the documentary highlights music's power to bring humanity together and illustrates the influence that celebrities have on youth worldwide. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Very safe for children to see. The group does not smoke, I don't know why it says that, so if you are worried for that don't be. They drink with food though. Really this movie isn't about flashy dancing and cool adventures. It's a deep look into the lives of 7 hardworking performers and artists. It shows the good and the bad. Them thrilled and anxious before a performance, passionate about their careers. But also them painfully exhausted and sore after concerts, sobbing and in distress when an injury or sickness makes them unable to give their best performance. It has dancing and music, yes, but it also has them silently hunched over a program/keyboard/notebook just working.
What's the Story?
BRING THE SOUL: THE MOVIE is the third film featuring K-pop superstars BTS; it follows on 2018's record-breaking Burn the Stage: The Movieand 2019's Love Yourself in Seoul, which brought fans together to celebrate the most sought-after concert of 2018. This documentary highlights the experiences of bandmates RM, Jin, SUGA, J-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook as they travel internationally. It's designed to give fans around the world an intimate, behind-the-scenes glimpse of the lives of this very successful boy band, which has inspired millions of fans across the globe.
This documentary embraces the idea that music has the power to inspire, unite, and mobilize people around the globe. While BTS's legions of fans are inspired by the band's inspirational messages and unique fashion sense, the film also subtly raises issues of sexual identity, gender fluidity, and validation through celebrity. The bandmates' transparency is refreshing and admirable -- it's coupled with their inspiring compassion toward their fans.
That said, if you're not a BTS superfan, the film may get redundant after a while. It weaves together footage of them in each city they visit on tour -- and, toward the end, it gets somewhat monotonous to watch obsessed fans and famous musicians talk about themselves. But it's quite interesting to see how preteens, teens, and even young adults are influenced by BTS. While Bring the Soul: The Movie depicts the positive way in which the group uses their influence, it also shows how vulnerable young fans are when it comes to the notion of celebrity.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about BTS's global influence. How does the band use that influence to help others? How do BTS members demonstrate integrity in their actions toward themselves and others?
The documentary shows the benefits of teamwork. In what ways does BTS work as a team?
The members of the band are very honest and transparent with one another. How does open, honest communication lead to positive outcomes in the documentary?
How does BTS use their platform to showcase empathy?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Lynnette Nicholas
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
