[with ARMY ㉘] A Wrong 'Dynamite' Led This Mother and Daughter to BTS

CHICAGO — Genevieve Franklin was looking for a completely different "Dynamite" when she accidentally found BTS.

She had meant to play Taio Cruz's 2010 hit of the same name, but BTS' "Dynamite" came on instead. Rather than skipping it, Genevieve listened, liked what she heard and decided to find out more about the group.

"I looked them up afterward and immediately became a fan," she told K-POPIT ahead of BTS' "ARIRANG" World Tour concert at Soldier Field.

That accidental discovery eventually pulled in her mother, Julie Franklin, too. The two traveled from Madison, Wisconsin, to Chicago for their first BTS concert, turning what began with a mistaken song selection into an interest they now share as a family.

After discovering BTS, Genevieve began watching episodes and clips of "Run BTS" on YouTube. Julie frequently found herself watching alongside her daughter and soon became invested herself.

"She started watching all the 'Run BTS' videos on YouTube all the time, and I started watching and just fell in love with them," Julie said. "They're just so funny."

BTS eventually became more than something for the mother and daughter to watch together. Genevieve said discovering the group made her curious about a culture beyond her own and encouraged her to learn more about others as well.

"They kind of made me expand my culture," she said. "I tried to experience more cultures that way after experiencing them."

For Julie, watching that curiosity develop has made being an ARMY a family experience. Their interest in BTS expanded into trying Korean food, learning more about Korean culture and watching K-dramas, giving the two another way to spend time together.

"We've been able to do that together," Julie said. "Aside from just them deeply entertaining us, it's also just expanding our knowledge too."

The interest has spread beyond Julie and Genevieve. Julie's husband and son also traveled to Chicago and planned to join them for the following day's concert, making BTS something the wider Franklin family could experience together.

For Julie and Genevieve, the first Chicago show marked a milestone of their own. Neither had seen BTS perform live before, and they had been waiting for the moment for months.

"Oh my God. Extremely excited," Julie said. "Ready to jump out of our skin. We've been counting down since January."

The atmosphere outside Soldier Field added another layer to that anticipation. Julie said she was struck by how naturally fans looked out for one another, whether through sharing items or simply celebrating together.

"You feel like everyone's looking out for everybody and sharing and just happy to be here," she said. "It's just a positive energy that I feel like comes directly from them."

That sense of positivity was also what Julie most wanted BTS to know. Asked what she would say if she had the chance to speak directly to the seven members, her answer centered on the happiness the group had brought into her family's life.

"Thank you for all the joy you bring," she said. "It's so, so fun to watch, and you are just such positive influences. You can tell you're grateful for ARMY, and it comes across so strongly. So, thank you."

For the Franklins, that joy began almost entirely by chance. Genevieve had searched for one "Dynamite" and found another, only to discover a group that would eventually bring her and her mother from Madison to Soldier Field for their first BTS concert together.