Worldwide Impact: Pinoy ARMYs celebrate BTS Jin's birthday with a charity project for PWDs
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As Jin turns a year older, his words continue to inspire many of his Filipino fans: “Good influence becomes bigger when it's shared.”
Through the years, the trailblazing K-pop supergroup BTS has cemented its name as an influential force across the world. From making million-dollar donations in relevant advocacies to earning the chance of speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, the seven-piece band continuously treads a purposeful path in their career.
But the superstars' impact can also be found in their growing family of dedicated fans, popularly known as ARMYs.
The ARMYs have redefined their role as service-oriented supporters who organize community development projects in the name of their idols.
For Jin's 29th birthday last Saturday, Filipino ARMYs have re-launched their "Eat Jin Campaign" for the benefit of Cottolengo Filipino Inc., a residential care for rehabilitated and empowered persons with disabilities (PWDs).
Photo source: Jin of BTS and Cottolengo Filipino, Inc.
“Si Jin, matulungin talaga siya sa kapwa niya. Nag-donate din siya ng malaking pera sa UNICEF. 'Yun ang nag-inspire sa'min na tumulong sa iba. Ginagawa namin na inspiration kung ano 'yung ginagawa ni Jin. Gusto lang namin i-continue kung ano 'yung ginagawa niya sa ibang tao,” Merlene Basalan, one of the members of team Jin of BTS, told GMANetwork.com.
Aside from a birthday-themed Mall of Asia (MOA) globe initiative and several billboard displays across the Philippines, the community of Jin-biased BTS fans also provided their beneficiaries at Cottolengo Filipino with over P100,000 worth of donations in the form of biscuits, rice, milk, and diapers.
Merlene shared that their mission as fans has grown beyond supporting BTS as it influenced them to unite and offer help to others.
“Happy kami na sa ganitong paraan, nakakatulong kami sa iba. We spend time and effort talaga para dito pero okay lang 'yun. It doesn't matter kung mapagod kami basta ang happiness namin ay nakatulong kami sa iba,” she said.
In the past years, the "Eat Jin Campaign" has extended its help to poverty-stricken street children aided by CHILDHOPE Philippines, as well as underprivileged communities in Boracay Island.
Their fan community has given monetary contributions to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, and also adopted three corals from Hatamin Island and one humpback whale from Babuyan Island.
Uniting individuals from different backgrounds and geographical barriers, the impact of BTS transcends the spheres of music and entertainment.
They have also helped forge communities of supporters that serve the greater good, and according to Merlene, helping others has become their fans' way of honoring the seven-member K-pop megastars and the positive influence they share with the rest of the world.
Meanwhile, revisit the biggest breakthroughs of BTS in 2020 here.
