BTS: V Never Knew ‘I Purple You’ Would Become so Popular
To BTS and ARMY, purple is an important color. The phrase “I purple you” was originated by V during BTS’ 3rd Muster in November 2016. On March 29, BTS appeared on the KBS 2TV talk show special Let’s BTS. During the talk show, V revealed that he had no idea the phrase would become so popular.
How V created the phrase ‘I purple you’
Nearly every year, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook of BTS put on an event called BTS Muster. The celebration is both a concert and a fan meeting.
For BTS Muster, the members put on skits and perform songs for fans. Oftentimes, the Korean band fills the BTS Muster setlist with B-sides and unofficial tracks that typically do not get performed on tour.
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, BTS did not put on a Muster celebration in 2020. The most recent Muster celebration, BTS 5th Muster [Magic Shop], took place in 2019.
At BTS’ 3rd Muster in 2016, V came up with the famous phrase, “I purple you.”
“Do you know what purple means?” V asked fans. “Purple is the last color of the rainbow colors. Purple means I will trust and love you for a long time. I just made it up.”
He continued, “I wish I could see you for a long time just like the meaning of purple… We will always trust you and go up the stairs with you.”
Ever since BTS’ 3rd Muster, the members of BTS and ARMY have expressed their love for one another using the phrase “I purple you.”
V did not know the saying would become so popular with BTS fans
On Let’s BTS, the band members discussed their careers and their relationship with their fans, ARMY. V revealed why he coined the phrase “I purple you.”
“At the time, ARMY had covered their ARMY Bombs [light sticks] with purple cloth so that the light shone purple,” V said according to Soompi. “I thought that if a rainbow signified youth, the last color is purple, so ‘purple’ stood for loving and cherishing each other until the end.”
V also admitted that he never anticipated “I purple you” would catch on with BTS fans.
He added, “That’s why I said that, but I didn’t know it would become this big.”
What the members of BTS think of ARMY
Since their debut in 2013, the members of BTS have made ARMY a priority. On Let’s BTS, the members explained their bond with their fan base.
“They’re our Achilles heel. They’re the one source of strength that supports us so that we can walk. They’re an important source of strength, the driving force that makes us move,” J-Hope said according to Soompi.
RM added, “That’s right. They’re our biggest weakness. Without ARMY, we would not exist.”
