5 Years with Love Yourself: Her
Happy 5 years and anniversary to Love Yourself: Her, the first in BTS’ series of LY albums! This album was a turning point for BTS in some ways – the start of a new arc in their story, and sonic changes in their music. At the time, Namjoon described it as “the starting point of a second chapter of [their] career.” The DNA MV went on to get 21 million views in the first 24 hours, making them the first K-pop group to reach over 20 million views in that timeframe. Later that year they performed at an US awards show, the AMAs, for the first time.
Thematically, LY:Her is about love and growth at both an individual and collective level. We see the narrative of growing into adulthood, and learning to love oneself and others, as well as understanding the social contexts in which we all learn to relate to each other.
In the structure of the album itself we start from exploring the anxiety, passion and joy of love in the first half, before moving into more assertive social commentaries and explorations of the complexity of being a young person in the world with MIC Drop, Go Go and Outro: Her. In keeping with the “承” naming in the album, meaning development or continuation, LY:Her is an emergence, an unfolding of wings, a sunrise they invite us to bask in too.
If we look at the chart of the album, the Pisces Ascendant jumps out, as well as the stellium (group of planets) in Virgo, in the 7th house of relationship/partnership/close connection. With both the Sun and Moon in Virgo, LY:Her is a (nearly) new moon baby, which feels in line with the way it’s a beginning – a closing of the previous chapter as well as an opening. Mercury and Mars are also in Virgo, providing the burst of vitality, energy and ambition to get out into the world (with a healthy dose of analysis and strategy). Neptune right on the ascendant casts a hazy, dreamy filter over the whole album which counterbalances the scalpel-sharp precision in the 7th house.
Jupiter ruling the 1st house from Libra, a Venus sign, adds to the duality embodied here – this is a piece of work that has layers, that may not be what it appears to be purely on an aesthetic or surface level. LY:Her is beautiful, and fantastical, but has hidden depths too (we can see that very literally with the hidden songs). We also see the theme of aging and maturity coming through with Saturn on the Midheaven, the place of public visibility and recognition. This album put forth a vision and laid crucial foundations for Bangtan’s music and image going forward.
I’ve created a tarot spread in honor of this album that I hope can help you work out what kinds of love, joy and exploration you’re emerging into at this time.
Card 1: what is emerging and developing for me at this time?
Card 2: what does love and connection look like in my life currently?
Card 3: how can i cultivate and tend to my relationship with myself right now?
Card 4: where is it helpful to create more structure for my dreams?
Card 5: what can i do to let go of worrying about other people's ideas of me?
Card 6: what is here to help me ground through paradox and change?
I hope it’s helpful and resonates with the feelings you connect with this album. Love Yourself: Her is such a special work of art and I wish you all the sweetness in celebrating this 5 year anniversary however feels best to you!
