Hi, Taehyung-ah 😊🤗 How are you right now? Are you sleeping already? Since you have a bad cold, I hope you’ll rest earlier and just focus on getting better and healthier. I wonder why you’re being very sad lately, but I know there are lots of reasons for that. There was just so much sabotage that Hybe/BigHit has done to your solo career, especially during your Layover release.
For me, it’s really such a shocking and overwhelming thing that the label itself would blatantly sabotage its artist by deleting the sales, delaying the shipment and restocking of albums even though they’re pre-ordered already, or stocked for pre-order, there were lots of wrong credits to your stream or view counts on major platforms, not to mention the release was abrupt and there was certainly lack of promotion from the company. They can’t even post links to your release on time and only did that after being called out and it trended on social media. It’s just really devastating that you worked so hard for your album release and did so many promotions by yourself and yet the company that earned so much from your solo debut did not even show any respect and gratitude for you, Taehyung-ah.
According to a post, it was reported that your Layover had the highest contribution, a massive 71% contribution, to the total album sales in Hybe’s third quarter report, with you getting a total of 382.4B won (sales from direct participation and advertisement appearances, 264.1B won for album sales, 2.1M copies in the first week) out of the total 537.9B won of Hybe’s 3rd quarter album sales.
Your Chinese fandom, which is one of the highest contributors to BTS album sales from before, had also shown so much love and support for your Layover. There’s a post that reported how they spent $10.2M on your Layover this year and had also spent $10.78M on prior BTS albums (Proof, Map of the Soul:7 and Map of the Soul: Persona), with your Chinese fans spending a total of $21M for your artistry, Taehyung-ah. That double amount they spent for your solo album is such a great declaration of their dedication and continuing interest and admiration for your music and all your crafts. That’s really super fantastic. As expected, you got the highest fansite bulk order album sales of K-pop acts of all time in the Chinese territory with your Layover at $10.2M, while you occupied the 5th ($4.3M with BTS MOTS:7), 12th ($3.5M with BTS Proof), and 17th ($2.9M with BTS MOTS: Persona) spots.
We’ve already covered about how you got the best-selling solo album, actually a double million seller album in many esteemed Korean charts – all of Circle, Hanteo, Gaon – making you a formidable competition even to big and famous K-pop groups and reputable Korean soloists, especially that you have broken the record for having a double million album, and the album with the highest sales in the first day and week (at the time), which no one else had achieved since 1997, almost 3 decades to date. You know you’re super amazing, Taehyung-ah, and that’s no wonder since your name has become more and more popular and respected in many fields of interest around the world. You’re a great artist who have surpassed not only the highest ranks in music but also in fashion and cultural awareness.
What’s even more admirable is that you only do what you love and believe in and that you do not reflect any greed that your label or company – Hybe/BigHit – had blatantly done in front of your fans and armys’ faces. I really can’t believe what they were doing in the global scene. How would they redeem BTS this way and maintaining the group’s honor and non-discriminate stance for all? They can’t even stand up beside you on some of your nasty rumors and they did not release any official notice of legal action when you received death threats or experienced that stalking incident recently.
I wonder how much you’re earning from all of your sacrifices for your Layover promotions, your projects and activities, and all your brand ambassador promotions and ads, Taehyung-ah. If Hybe/BigHit can’t be fair in front of the world, how much vain are they behind doors? I just really hope that all your efforts are justified and rewarded rightfully, that you were not working in vain and sadness, that you won’t fall into depression again because of the company’s very unfair treatment of you and even not being honest and fair with you with what you should be earning while they’re not promoting you properly but actually sabotaging you, and many more. That’s why, I can see and understand why, with all your hard work and all these problems that unfortunately became your unjust compensation, your body can’t help but fall into sickness. I wonder if you were bullied and sabotaged by Hybe/BigHit because you refuse to accept what is less than what you deserve. I’ve seen the way they were treating you even on Weverse lives with BTS before (remember that time?), and that’s why, don’t ever give in to their trap, Taehyung-ah. It’s better to suffer now and get what you deserve than to suffer forever and be treated less that what you deserve. Don’t give up what makes you happy and motivated. Without it, what purpose is there for working hard and sacrificing yourself to death? This is when it’s truly right and just to love yourself – to take care of yourself and value yourself. Like I told you so many days now, there’s someone bigger and mightier who’s watching and who’s giving the right judgement.
Abraham Lincoln said it well, “They can fool some people all the time, and they can fool all of the people some of the time, but they can’t fool all of the people all of the time.” So, don’t stay sad. Don’t stay sick. Energize yourself, because fate has its own way of giving you back your rightful reward, and the later it is, the bigger it will pile up, so that your happiness will become absolute and you won’t dare become sad again because you’re more grateful and hopeful, seeing how things turn out so good. Above all, may you always remember and see that you are loved sooo much, all of the time.
I love you so much, Taehyung-ah. I, and so many of your armys, love you so much. Always remember that. May we always be your friends to make you comfortable. May we be among your many sources of strength and vitality so that you can go beyond and be successful in any endeavor you’ll take this year. We’ll support you through thick and thin. Please take good care of yourself. Eat and sleep properly and keep a healthy lifestyle and optimistic mindset. May your days always be filled with happiness, graces, and blessings. May all your dreams come true and may you be happy, successful, and peaceful in 2023. 👼😘 Borahae, Saranghae, Taehyung-ah. 💜💜💜💚💚💚❤️❤️❤️ (P.S. I got so strong in this letter. I might be wrong. I’m sorry. I just want to see you being treated fairly, or at least, may they be professional and do their job as your label, especially that you’ve contributed overwhelmingly more than anyone else, even doing the majority on your own. Fight the right enemies, Taehyung-ah.)