Final week, BTS followers in Argentina obtained an sudden however joyous piece of stories. Kim Seok-jin, extra generally generally known as Jin, the oldest member of the South Korean Ok-Pop group, could be performing his new single “The Astronaut” for the primary time as a particular visitor at a Coldplay live performance in Buenos Aires. As excited as followers have been, in addition they confronted a problem: How would they welcome Jin and present their assist for him on the live performance when lots of them didn’t have the costly and hard-to-get ARMY bombs?

For the uninitiated, a BTS ARMY bomb is likely one of the must-have objects for the group’s followers, who’re generally known as ARMY. Relaxation assured, it’s not a actual bomb, however slightly a customized gentle stick that followers can use to indicate their assist at BTS concert events and different occasions. The sticks additionally enable followers to take part in an ARMY bomb “ocean,” the time period used to explain what all the sunshine sticks seem like collectively. As well as, BTS ARMY bombs additionally kind a part of colourful gentle exhibits coordinated by occasion employees through Bluetooth.

ARMY bombs may be exhausting to come back by for any individual, however they’re particularly tough to get in Argentina. The nation has been rocked by a grueling financial disaster, inflation of almost 100% this yr, and the decreased worth of its foreign money. As a number of followers within the nation defined on social media and in interviews with Gizmodo, shopping for an ARMY bomb in Argentina proper now could be very costly. Many individuals merely can’t afford them. Their official worth was round $60 final yr, however that doesn’t embody additional prices like taxes and transport.

“The ARMY bomb is that one factor that every one of us dream of getting after an album, if we will purchase it, however not everybody has the monetary means,” Marian, one of many admins of the fanbase BTS ARMY Residence Argentina, who solely wished to be recognized by her first identify, advised Gizmodo in Spanish through WhatsApp.

Marian herself hasn’t been capable of buy her personal ARMY bomb.

Confronted with this state of affairs, BTS ARMY Residence Argentina, which was based not too long ago in 2020, got here up with an concept: They’d make their very own economically-accessible model of an ARMY bomb. Shortly after Jin’s efficiency was introduced in Buenos Aires, they unveiled their “Purple Lights x Jin” venture.

The thought was easy. As a substitute of looking for an analogous gentle stick or make one from scratch, they’d use what most of them already had readily available: their telephones. To create “purple lights”—purple is BTS’ group coloration—all followers needed to do was seize some purple cellophane, fold it into three elements (so the colour shall be stronger), and tape it to their telephone’s flashlight.

“For the time being when Jin seems, let’s accompany him with purple lights within the River stadium whereas we get pleasure from his efficiency,” the group wrote on Twitter in Spanish beneath the hashtag #PurpleLightsxJin.

After they introduced Purple Lights x Jin, Marian stated the group obtained an even bigger response than they might have ever imagined. Many followers responded that they thought it was an amazing concept and would take part wherever they watched Jin’s efficiency, whether or not it was on the live performance itself or at one of many film theaters streaming it.

Zowie, who makes use of the deal with @dreamminn_ on Twitter and needed to be recognized solely by her first identify for privateness causes, was one of many BTS followers that determined to take part when she noticed the initiative introduced on social media. She additionally doesn’t personal an ARMY bomb and reiterated that it was sophisticated and costly to get one within the nation. So as to add her personal little grain of sand to the venture, Zowie determined to create a tutorial to assist different followers create their very own purple lights.

She advised Gizmodo through Twitter direct messages that she thought creating the tutorial could be a pleasant method of integrating ARMY inside and out of doors the live performance stadium, resembling these followers who have been watching in film theaters or have been in different international locations. For her half, Zowie goes to the live performance at this time, though she managed to get tickets on the final minute.

“Military is a gaggle of very completely different folks and each little factor we will do to be extra united is one thing I’m at all times going to wish to take part in,” she stated, including: “I [also] needed extra Armys to take part within the venture as a result of Seokjin deserves it.”

Eliana is one other BTS fan who thought Purple Lights x Jin was nice and determined to affix in. Additionally missing an ARMY bomb, she made a bunch of kits with purple cellophane at hand out to fellow followers that hadn’t introduced one. The kits included a observe with a bit of astronaut asking followers to not go away the purple cellophane on the stadium and eliminate it within the correct trash receptacle.

“Lots of people which can be going to the live performance don’t have Twitter in order that they don’t know in regards to the venture,” Eliana, who’s going to the live performance, advised Gizmodo through Twitter DM. “There are additionally individuals who weren’t capable of get the cellophane or didn’t have time to make their lights due to work or college. The thought is for as a lot of the fandom that attends to make itself recognized so Seokjin can really feel accompanied by ARMY.”

When Gizmodo spoke to Marian, the admin for BTS ARMY Residence Argentina, on Thursday, the fan was busy slicing purple cellophane. Like Eliana, Marian was making a lot of additional purple gentle kits for ARMY, Coldplay followers, or anybody else who needed to affix of their Purple Lights x Jin venture.

Marian advised Gizmodo that she and the remainder of BTS ARMY Residence Argentina have been very pleased with how followers have responded to the venture and are desperate to go have fun collectively on the live performance and hearken to Jin carry out “The Astronaut.” As for BTS, its members are at the moment on hiatus and can perform their obligatory navy service earlier than coming again collectively as a gaggle round 2025, Marian desires them to know ARMY will at all times assist them.

“We’re going to be ready for them right here eagerly,” she stated. “We love them a lot. They encourage us to be higher folks in our everyday, to assist others, and to be united. We’re grateful to them and that is a method we’ve to provide again all of the love they’ve given us.”