BTS fans suspect an album announcement could happen at any moment. Fans have already predicted the month the album might drop, the comeback stage, and the album name. BTS ARMY also appears universally convinced BTS’s next album will take on a darker tone than Map of the Soul: Persona.
BTS ARMY already has a theory about the album name
BTS fans theorize the group’s next album will drop in October or November. They also suspect Map of the Soul: Shadow is the name of BTS’s next album. Because of the possible timing and name, fans suspect the album will have a dark theme.
“imagine if bts has a comeback on october or november & we’re getting dark horror concept,” a fan wrote on Twitter.
Fans suspect Map of the Soul: Persona is the first of a series of three like BTS’s Love Yourself series. BTS often incorporates different musical genres in their albums, and the sound of 2018’s Love Yourself: Tear was darker than 2017’s Love Yourself: Her.
“DNA” was the lead single for Love Yourself: Her and is a vibrant song about love. “Fake Love” was the lead single for Love Yourself: Tear. The song is emotional and deals with love not lasting forever. If BTS follows the same pattern with their current series, the next album in the Map of the Soul series will be darker like Love Yourself: Tear.
Some fans suspect BTS’s next album will be similar to their ‘Wings’ album
BTS released Wings in October 2016. The album deals with themes like temptation, growth, and conflict. In Wings, each member also had a solo song based on their personal journeys. The music in Wings was truly ahead of its time and is a favorite era among BTS fans.
“dude imagine if bts really does comeback on october which is like next month with a concept that is similar to blood sweat & tears but like a darker version type… i’m scared,” a fan tweeted.
The ARMY ZIP teaser trailer hinted at a darker concept
In August 2019, Big Hit Entertainment released a teaser trailer for ARMY ZIP, the annual Global Official ARMY Membership. The trailer announced membership kits come out in October 2019, fitting theories about an October BTS comeback. The trailer also took on a dark concept.
In the trailer, V held a gun and Jimin had tattoo writing on his arm. Some of the members of BTS appeared blooded and bruised. All of the members appeared in outfits resembling their “Fake Love” outfit from the Love Yourself World Tour and their Dior outfits from the Love Yourself: Speak Yourself Tour. At the end of the trailer, the text “A NEW SUPERHERO” appeared.
Fans decoded clues about ‘Map of the Soul: Shadow’ from the ARMY ZIP teaser
Fans decoded the video and picked up several clues. When looking for clues, fans focused on the text reading, “A NEW SUPERHERO.” According to fans, the superhero concept could fit in with a dark concept for Map of the Soul: Shadow.
“The jungian hero archetype: ‘The hero’s main feat is to overcome the monster of darkness: it is the long-hoped-for and expected triumph of consciousness over the unconscious,’” a fan wrote in a Twitter thread.
The fan continued, “In Persona they came to understand their true selves, now in Shadow they must undergo what Carl Jung called the ‘Process of individuation’ Which is ‘a psychological journey to return to one’s true feelings and unique potential.’”
“So perhaps in this journey of self discovery they realise that the term of ‘Hero’ is not all it’s cracked up to be and merely a part of their growth. They must come to understand what is called the ‘shadow of the hero,’” the fan tweeted.