Expectations were set high for BTS's appearance on "The Late Late Show" on January 28th because they would be performing their latest track, "Black Swan" live for the first time. Let's just say, James Corden fulfilled ARMY's wishes and then some.
From an interview, to a performance, to a game of hide & seek with Ashton Kutcher, James Corden hosted one of BTS's best American appearances.
Leading up to the show, Corden changed his entire Twitter layout and dedicated it to BTS. James was also interacting with fans through both the show's account, @latelateshow, and his personal account, @JKCorden on Twitter.
when the door to heaven opens, this is the first thing you see. #BTSxCorden https://t.co/I6A3q1mI4N— The Late Late Show with James Corden (@The Late Late Show with James Corden) 1580276857.0
Meanwhile in Los Angeles, fans who waited overnight outside the studio received cupcakes from James.
OH MY GOD JAMES CORDEN JUST CAME OUTSIDE AND GAVE US ALL BOXES OF CUPCAKES THAT SAY TO BTS ARMY #BTSxCorden https://t.co/2UNKVOdREC— sona⁷ (@sona⁷) 1580234638.0
It was from this point that ARMY decided to do something for James in return for all he was doing for them and BTS. @SarahJaneCheeky tweeted out and urged other fans to donate to a charity James supports called Magic Breakfast. This charity "delivers healthy breakfasts to schoolchildren who would otherwise be too hungry to learn."
So James Corden treats BTS and ARMY always so kindly and makes everyone feel welcomed at his show. There is a chari… https://t.co/aTvkJQjofj— Sarah ⁷ (@Sarah ⁷) 1580245209.0
With Sarah's tweet spreading quickly to BTS fans, James tweeted, "You have no idea how many children you have helped. Thank you thank you thank you x." Magic Breakfast confirmed this morning that ARMY donated enough to make 14,000 breakfasts for disadvantaged children.
We can tell you @JKCorden. Just this morning @BTS_ARMY have donated enough to provide over 14,000 Magic Breakfasts… https://t.co/TpbJfge0YY— Magic Breakfast (@Magic Breakfast) 1580294007.0
ARMY wanted to pay it forward to James because he did such an amazing job promoting BTS and creating an enjoyable atmosphere for them. All his segments with the members were incredible, and I want to take some time to highlight the best moments from them.
Starting from the interview segment, James congratulated BTS on being the first K-pop act to perform on the Grammy's stage. When asked about their performance, J-Hope explained his experience in perfect English. If you look at this interview compared to BTS's past American interviews, RM, the leader of the group, did less translating for his members because they are becoming more confident in their English.
In this interview, it is clear that James is genuinely fond of BTS, and he makes them feel safe enough to speak in a language they are still learning. I also want to note that in a live stream after the show, J-Hope and V talked about how James was very nice and provided a comfortable space for them.
BTS performed "Black Swan" next, and fans were highly impressed by both the performance and the set. After watching the performance, it was clear that James and the staff of "The Late Late Show" made sure the environment BTS performed in was the best.
corden gave bts a SET. corden made the skits accessible so bts could participate. corden didn’t make misogynistic a… https://t.co/cdZGKsfC5m— ʟɪᴠ⁷ (@ʟɪᴠ⁷) 1580280030.0
On top of the beautiful set, BTS left a mark on the stage. The choreography for "Black Swan" contains movements that align perfectly with song's meaning. If you are interested in hearing more about the lyrics of the song, I wrote a post about them here.
Every member moved with precision and passion, making it impossible to not rewatch. My favorite part is at 2:19 because you can see how J-Hope, V, RM, Jungkook, Jin, and Jimin enter back on stage like swans surrounding Suga. I also can't stop watching Jimin at 2:40 when he acts out the lyrics, "My wandering feet held in a rut".
The last segment was a game of Hide & Seek with Ashton Kutcher, which is something every BTS fan didn't know they needed. Like the last tweet above mentioned, James made this game so that the members of BTS could participate and not feel left out or confused. This segment flowed really well and was naturally funny, which some American interviewers have a hard time achieving.
Overall, BTS's appearance on "The Late Late Show" was one to remember, and I strongly encourage you to watch the videos linked above to see how James accomplished such a successful show.
