BTS & Literature: Magic Shop

In his 2016 besteller book “Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart” the clinical professor of neurosurgery James R. Doty writes a recollection:

I am worthy. I am loved. I am cared for. I care for others.I chose only good for myself. I chose only good for others. I love myself. I love others. I open my heart. My heart is open.

Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart, page 93

Although many words from this deeply emotional journey through many moments of professor Doty’s life can be connected to the BTS song “Magic Shop”, this one quote can easily explain the whole “LOVE YOURSELF, LOVE MYSELF” series which became inspiration for bands UNICEF campaign and famous speech. This series consisted of two albums: Love Yourself: Her; Love Yourself: Tear and an enhanced compilation Love Yourself: Answer, together they formed a concept and a journey to finding love for yourself and see that you too deserve to be happy and loved. Something, that the books teaches you as well.

During his recollection of producing and writing “Magic Shop”, leader, producer and rapper Kim Namjoon recollected:

I thought about the hook part of the song, the lyrics part:

Days when you hate that you’re you.

That’s my favorite part because there are many days when you hate that you are you. It could be when you are dangerous. Or it could be when you are facing a challenge. These are the days when you really don’t want to be yourself. If that happens, you can make a door in you and visit “Magic Shop”. I really believe that we all have galaxies in us, so I wrote the lyrics accordingly.

Kim Namjoon, Vlive broadcast

Reading the Magic Shop is an emotional journey of finding many lessons on how one can come to terms with oneself, with little reassurance that life has much to offer despite suffering and difficult lessons it forces on us. Magic Shop, the BTS song provides a safe place where all these lessons can be remembered in an imaginative purple galaxy space that can be anything and everything in moments of self-doubt, sadness and even hate for oneself and provide safe space to exist for brief but important moment.

The topic of loving oneself has become an occurring theme in BTS music and the band worked and works rigorously on providing fans with assurance, that it is okay to love yourself despite what you might think your faults are.

In the “Magic Shop” SUGA verse continues:

Comparing myself with others became my daily life

My greed that was my weapon suffocated me and also became a leash

But looking back on it now, truthfully

I feel like it’s not true that I wanted to be the best

I wanted to become your comfort and move your heart

I want to take away your sadness, and pain

SUGA, Magic Shop

Which is something professor Doty talks about as well, “I spent a lot of my life comparing myself to my friends who seemed like they had everything.” It’s something fundamentally human to do, we all live in certain circumstances and society constantly creates competitiveness that finds it’s way to families, relationships, and friendships. And the lesson in Doty’s book here is to be able to open your hearts and care, something that may seem very obvious, but how often are our hearts closed to ourselves and others? More than we often realise or imagine.

In the bridge of the Magic Shop, Jimin and V sing:

Would you believe me I said that I was scared of everything too?

All the sincerity, the remaining times

All your answers are in this place you found

In your Milky Way, inside your heart

Magic Shop, Jimin & V

Both Magic Shops are a huge journeys and the book which inspired this song is a read I highly recommend. There is a very fine line between love and hate is a common quote, but Doty shows us that there is an even finer line between happiness and suffering and they both teach us compassion through which one can truly be happy and learn how to open one heart, if one is willing to do that. Ultimately, that is up to each and every on of us, but Doty and BTS provides us with inspiration to do so or to consider ourselves from different light, one that is meaningful, compationate and rid of everyday competition and stress.

The book is very inspiring and so is the famous BTS song.
Listening to Magic Shop has become the equivalent of a healing moment, a place where you can share your worries and find a solution. The most famous line in the song speaks volumes about self-love, compassion and companionship between artist and fans or simply humans:

You gave me the best of me

So you’ll give you the best of you

You found me, you knew me

You gave me the best of me

So you’ll give you the best of you

You’ll find it, the galaxy inside you

Magic Shop, BTS

Source: Genius Lyrics

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