For the global pop supergroup BTS or Bangtan Sonyeondan dominating trends on Google is nothing new. However, on Saturday their fans, also known as the ARMY, were pleasantly surprised to see special popups in their honour on Google’s search page.
Yes, to celebrate the ninth birthday of the fandom, the tech giant decided to throw a special surprise party filled with balloons and personalised messages, and fans certainly can’t get enough of it.
On July 9, which marks the date the fans got their official name ARMY (Adorable Representative MC for Youth), Google launched the special event with animated purple balloons ready to be popped. The BTS fandom has long been associated with the colour purple. If you key in ‘BTS’ on the search engine today, a purple heart icon appears next to the BTS header on the upper left-hand side of the results page, for both mobile and desktop.
When popped, the round purple balloons shower confetti and splash the colour on the page. Microphones can be seen in some of the balloons, which when popped reveal handwritten birthday wishes from each of the seven members as their voice plays in the background, wishing the fans. The microphones also correspond to each member’s actual mic. “I Purple You” their voices say in what is the fandom’s equivalent of ‘I Love You’.
BTS Google Purple Balloons | Happy Birthday ARMYshttps://t.co/UltsdkF7Jc#BTS #방탄소년단 @BTS_twt pic.twitter.com/WtIWV8JvyV
— andrea ♡s bts⁷ (new acc) (@ZER0XBLACK) July 8, 2022
“BTS has such a positive energy, and we wanted to bring a bit of that to Search,” Elissa Wolf, Google’s lead delight features software engineer, said in a statement provided to Variety. “I’m a fan myself, so I was thrilled to be able to work on this project!”
“i purple you” – 220709, BTS to ARMY
this is what you call mutual love ♡#HBD_TO_ARMY #ARMYDAY pic.twitter.com/UrgV268bhm
— bts quotes archive⁷ (@btsqtsarchive) July 8, 2022
As fans were more than delighted to see the surprise, it turned out that Google had other special gifts lined up for ARMYs around the world. Google Arts & Culture also marked ARMY’s birthday with a unique collaboration with the band. Through “BTS x Street Galleries”, a collaboration that takes fans on a Street View tour of the cities and buildings that hold special memories for BTS, each member talks about artwork closer to their heart.
BTS x Street Galleries is a collaboration between icons BTS and Google Arts & Culture Lab. The experiment takes you on a tour of the places and artworks that reflect their personal story, curated by the band. #MyBTStory
Try it now:https://t.co/6S0fqkZNSn pic.twitter.com/FW19A9JRyg
— Google Arts&Culture (@googlearts) July 8, 2022
At each of the 14 locations, fans can create their own Street Gallery with artworks curated by members RM, Jin, SUGA, J-hope, V, Jimin and Jung Kook. With exclusive photographs and special anecdotes, fans can enjoy virtual tours and even create their own.
However, that’s not all. YouTube also wished fans on their birthday by releasing the teaser for #MyBTStory challenge. With the recent release of their anthology album Proof, BTS had teamed up with YouTube Shorts to exclusively host a month-long challenge, where they invited ARMY around the world to share their most unforgettable BTS memories. As the challenge wrapped up on Saturday, a special ARMY tribute video is set to be released on July 13.
are you ready ARMY? save the date for July 12 PST | July 13 KST, when the #MyBTStory “Yet To Come” music video drops 🎶 pic.twitter.com/jP8BTcZc0h
— YouTube (@YouTube) July 8, 2022
Met with numerous gifts and events, ARMYs have been expressing their gratitude and love for the band saying they are “most pampered and loved”.
The fact that Google is helping us celebrate our #9thARMYDay with BTS is absolutely CRAZY#HBD_TO_ARMY
Let’s continue to support each other 💜 pic.twitter.com/Epjmu1Iwp6— AneesaIsBackToEditing⁷ (@aneesa_mahboob) July 9, 2022
“I Purple You”🥺😭 – @BTS_twt
ARMYs~ the most beautiful, most amazing, most pampered and most loved by the ever dearest #BTS #HappyBirthdayARMY #HBD_TO_ARMY #HappyARMYDay pic.twitter.com/S5eIHlgon1
— Jack’s_Princess💜⁷ (@JiPinkPrincess) July 9, 2022
Yes, we are the most loved and pampered fandom on the planet…take it! thank you for so much love
💜🛐🇧🇷#HBD_TO_ARMY @BTS_twt @bts_bighit pic.twitter.com/UqRVWfe0Kz— Chapter.2_ME🐰🐥mood Proof 🎧 (@acheiumbilhete) July 8, 2022
Remember we used to try to get a Google doodle for BTS anniversary every year? And now BTS gave us this whole Google arts and culture experience for ARMY day 🥹
— Miche⁷ (@MicheBangtan) July 8, 2022
No but this is so huge and cute literally Google is celebrating army’s birthday by preparing a whole skit with purple balloons when u pop them up BTS voices comes with i purple you
— Shru⁷ (@bangtinyboyys) July 8, 2022
like i have never seen ppl celebrate a fandom birth like a national holiday there twt is writting “officially established in 2013” and google has a special birthday skit for army day 😭 when you tap on the mics in the purple balloons bts boys say “i purple you 💜” WOW
— ㋡🃏 (@stigmanoire) July 8, 2022
This made me so happy for Jimin. 💜🥰
And I’m trying to do the same in my own life.✨This BTS Street View Tour was such a meaningful gift to ARMY and so much fun. I loved seeing what each member chose and talked about. Thank you again, @BTS_twt! pic.twitter.com/mPocuI6JbR
— Dear Moon⁷🌛 (@DearMoon246) July 9, 2022
I’m really melting oh my god 😭😭😭 for ARMY 9th anniversary BTS collaborated with good arts for BTS X Street Galleries where it shows a cultural tour of BTS memorable places
This is really making me emotional pic.twitter.com/txSvr4tZyg
— ᴮᴱikram⁷ in the box🃏⟭⟬💜 (@bts07ddaeng) July 8, 2022
ARMY creating BTS making a bday
birthday project 🤝 project with google
ads for BTS for ARMY day pic.twitter.com/rfPSkpTahg— gab⁷ | ARMY DAY ! (@daesgukth) July 9, 2022
This is truly the most precious thing.,, thank you so much guys 🥹 you really brought tears to my eyes with your sweet kindness 💜🥲 what a surprise! and what a blessing the “art galleries” are!! Your thoughts 💜Thank you #BTS !!! 🙏🏻💜#BTSARMY #BTSItsOkayToRest #ARMYDAY pic.twitter.com/lIbt2j2RV6
— SpringMochin⁷ 💜 ⁱˢ ᴾʳᵒᵒᶠ (@SpringMochin) July 9, 2022
On the work front, the band, who are now focusing on their individual projects in Chapter 2 of their journey, are also getting ready for a concert in October.
