I started planning my trip to Seoul around February or March 2022. Like a spell quietly forming, I found myself jotting down all the places BTS had visited or eaten, Hybe, the dorms, streets they walked, restaurants they shared meals. I was kind of planning it with an ARMY friend I met during PTD. My flight was already booked for October, a month that felt whispered to hold perfect weather.

I remember coordinating with my friend coming from San Francisco while I was flying from LA, and then my PTD friend arriving the next day from Washington State. A non-ARMY friend of mine gave me detailed instructions about the K-ETA, where to exchange money, and even hooked me up with a van pickup.

I arrived in Seoul past 7 pm, but because of a mix-up, my friend and I didn’t realize we were at different terminals and they were far apart. Thankfully, the van organizer was super helpful and guided the driver.

Finally, the drive from Incheon to Seoul took about 45 minutes. I’ve never felt that kind of excitement seeing a place for the first time. As cliché as it sounds, it really felt like breathing the same air as BTS, like stepping into a space that carried a little magic, the kind of feeling I hadn’t felt since my husband passed.