[with ARMY ⑭] "They Just Keep Me Going": How BTS United One Family Through Life's Hardest Moments

For Ashley and her 12-year-old daughter Seraphina, attending BTS concerts has become more than a family tradition. It has become a reminder to keep moving forward together, even during life's most difficult moments.

Speaking with K-POPIT ahead of BTS' ARIRANG World Tour stop at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the pair reflected on how the group's music has helped their family through both joyful memories and ongoing challenges.

Traveling from Philadelphia, the concert marked their third time seeing BTS live. Their first show came shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic during the group's Los Angeles concerts, followed by another stop in Tampa this year for the "ARIRANG Tour". Now, months later, they found themselves at New jersey's Metlife stadium sporting two purple hanbok-styled outfits and were once again surrounded by tens of thousands of ARMY.

For Ashley, becoming a fan began during the pandemic after her husband introduced the family to BTS. What started as his interest soon became something that united everyone in their household. "My husband is a diehard BTS fan," she said with a smile. "He got us into BTS during COVID."

That shared passion has since become a family affair. Her husband attended the concert wearing a purple hat, while their son proudly sported a BTS shirt, making the New Jersey show another outing for the entire family.

For Ashley, however, BTS has come to represent something much deeper than music. "I'm actually going through chemo and cancer right now," she shared. "Their music just keeps me going."

While the group first entered her life through her husband, it was BTS' messages of kindness, hope and acceptance that made her remain an ARMY.

"I think that's BTS," she explained. "Just be kind and be nice to people. Especially with what we're going through right now in the world, it's important not to exclude anyone. We're all one big family. That's why I love them even more."

Standing beside her mother was 12-year-old Seraphina, who at such a young age was already attending her third BTS concert. When asked what she loves the most about the seven members, her answer wasn't about their performance or success but rather something much more simple.

"I like how they're not always so serious," she said. "They can also be really funny."

As BTS begin a new chapter following the completion of their military service, both mother and daughter had heartfelt messages for the group. Ashley hopes that despite becoming global superstars, BTS never lose the qualities that first inspired millions of fans around the world.

"I hope they keep being who they are," she said. "They're basically the same people as when they first started. The fame and the money didn't change them. They still express the same ideas, and I really admire that."

Seraphina's message reflected the support that many ARMY hope BTS continue to feel after more than a decade together.

"I hope they keep going," she said. "I know they've been through really hard times, especially in the beginning, but I hope they know they have a whole ARMY family around them. Everyone loves them, and I hope that gives them enough courage to keep going."

Their words echoed a theme heard throughout MetLife Stadium that weekend. While BTS have spent years encouraging fans through their music, countless ARMY continue to find comfort in those same messages during their own lives. For Ashley and her family, that support has become something they now pass on together as a family.