A Kolkata auditorium booming with young cheering crowds as the global K-pop phenomenon BTS appeared on the giant screen — dancing, singing, and charming with their defining aura. But what’s new in that?
Away from the rush, crowd, and over-the-top fan chants during a concert screening organised by Bengal BTS Army Community sat a woman in her 60s in the shadows — calm, composed, yet humming to the rhythm of the songs from her seat.
Arati Sharma Chakraborty, 65, is surely one of the senior-most fans, an ARMY (BTS fan) in Kolkata, who believes that this K-pop idol group is not just for Gen Z.
“I don’t think I can ever accept that BTS is just for a younger audience. For me, they are more than music—they are honesty, comfort, and a source of strength. Their songs have brought me so much joy and helped me keep going with a positive spirit through life’s ups and downs. If I feel healthy and happy today, I truly believe they’ve (BTS) played a part in that,” Chakraborty told My Kolkata.
Sourced by the correspondent
Arati Sharma Chakraborty started her journey as a BTS fan in 2016.
“My daughter was the first in our household to follow their music. After returning from school, she would talk about her favourite idols, their latest songs, shows and achievements. I was intrigued enough to find out what the real deal was; and I must say, I will never regret that decision,” she said.
Chakraborty has always encouraged her daughter to follow their music and believes that “parents should encourage their children” to delve into what message BTS is carrying to the world.
She said, “BTS helped me cherish my good old days of youth, but never to brood over them. I never let stress grapple my mind, and I try to spread positivity and kindness around me, just like these Korean stars.”
Before her retirement, she served as sports officer at Rabindra Bharati University. She is a national-level athlete from Tripura and even represented India at the Indo-Sri Lanka Dual Athletics Championship and the IX Asian Games held in New Delhi in 1982.
She has won multiple gold medals and was also honoured with a National Award by the Government of India.
On being asked about her favourite BTS songs, she said, “Oh, I love Spring Day and Fake Love! These two tracks define so much for me—their lyrics, the presentation, and the deeply motivating message of carrying on with our lives no matter how challenging it gets. There’s something very comforting and powerful in the way they remind you to keep going, even when things feel difficult.”
Does Chakraborty have a bias too? To this, she laughed: “Though my daughter is a fan of Kim Taehyung, I admire Jimin the most! Of course, you just can’t love just one member. Each one of them holds significant importance in my life, and I look up to their work.”
From dancing to BTS songs with her daughter as if no one is watching to attending Borahae Bash thrice and multiple concert screenings, Chakraborty has never stopped embracing her love for the “seven normal boys from Korea.”