Panel: ARMY at Work—How We Channel BTS in Our Everyday Careers

During this relaxed panel we’ll hear from individuals who are devoted members of BTS ARMY in their personal lives and who have thoughtfully integrated BTS’s influence, artistry, and philosophy into their professional careers. 

Beyond their music, the Korean musical group BTS has become a worldwide cultural force. Their influence spans international entertainment, philanthropy, and social awareness campaigns. They’ve broken records across global music charts, fostered cross‑cultural connections, and expanded representation for Asian artists in mainstream media. Their partnerships with organizations like UNICEF have amplified conversations around mental health and youth empowerment on an international scale. BTS’s ability to inspire diverse audiences around the world continues to shape global pop culture and build bridges across languages, borders, and generations. 

BTS fans, known collectively as ARMY, are recognized for their dedication not only to the music but also for their strong organization, community‑building efforts, and charitable work. They actively help spread BTS’s messages of self‑love, mental health awareness, youth empowerment, and speaking one’s truth. 

Todd Inoue (Hobi bias) is an award-winning Contributing Writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, covering music, arts, entertainment and Asian American issues. A lifelong Bay Area journalist that included 14 years on iTunes/Apple Music editorial teams, he has interviewed Stray Kids, Jackson Wang, Bini, Eric Nam, SB19, Tablo and many others. 

Vernadette Gonzalez is a Professor of Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley, and teaches courses on Asian American Studies and U.S. empire in Asia and the Pacific. She is co-editor of Bangtan Remixed: A Critical BTS Reader (Duke University Press 2024), and taught a freshman seminar on BTS. 

Jun Shao is an event producer, live events production specialist, and the Founder & Director of Events for 82ALLNIGHT, a non-profit collective dedicated to empowering the Bay Area AAPI community through fandom-focused K-Pop and Asian cultural events. Jun’s journey began with a deep love for K-Pop during its 1st and 2nd generation era with groups like Shinhwa, H.O.T., Big Bang, SHINee, Fin.K.L, Baby V.O.X, B.E.G. SNSD, and many others. Korean music became a personal bridge for Jun to reconnect with his Korean roots and explore his identity through the vibrant communities around him. Driven by a mission centered on advocacy, connection, and creating safe spaces for everyone, Jun launched 82ALLNIGHT in early May of 2023. Since then, he has brought together over 85,000 people across 45+ events in 8 Bay Area cities and even Southern California, partnering with teams like Oakland Roots SC, Crunchyroll, Fan Expo SF, and the Asian Art Museum to celebrate Asian culture and spotlight local talent. 

Tida Beattie is a grief educator specializing in cultural bereavement, the disenfranchised grief tied to migration and displacement. Embracing BTS & ARMY gave her something rare: a fandom that looked like her, a language that centered around Korean instead of English, and a felt sense of representation that helped her recognize her own cultural grief, especially after losing both her parents in 2019. She carried that insight into her company, MESO (2020–2025), where her team supported immigrant families through peer grief programs and even shared “Life Goes On” bracelets at BTS concerts as a quiet thread back to their work. She now leads The Collabyrinth, creating full-scale, walkable labyrinths designed for reflection, healing, and meaning-making.