'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABeAAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABRAAAgEFAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDAAQFESEGByMBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYRAQACAgMBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQRACExBRL/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AKmQ9NN8+zfqbuxxmKnFijJbwS25EaqQzdCMu22o6arn6pn5SXGLwKB+hRazaG+6H7UpQbKwMT6MKbcqotm1x3N3vwPeOaJSoUrWAn6SPRuSr1z/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
BT21, BTS’ collaboration with LINE Friends, ended years of long wait by giving fans Mang’s face reveal on April 5, 2023.
For years, ARMYs had wondered and speculated about the real face of Mang, making up iterations of its face on their own. On February 24, the BT21 official Instagram account posted a teaser for a new series titled INSIDE MANG with the caption, ‘WAR. IS. OVER’ signaling at Mang’s face reveal.
On April 5, the company revealed Mang’s face without its mask, in all its glory. Millions of ARMYs were pleasantly surprised by the face reveal, which also moved them emotionally.
The seven BT21 characters, Koya , RJ, Shooky, Mang, Chimmy, Tata and Cooky were introduced in September 2017. Each character was created by a BTS member. Among them all, Mang, created by j-hope, was the only cartoon that wore a mask to hide its identity.
“I didn’t expect it to rip my heart out”: Fans get emotional at Mang’s face reveal as Jin’s RJ shows up in the scene
After five and a half years of waiting, anticipation reigned high as ARMYs waited for BT21 to post Mang’s face reveal video. They knew that the result would take the internet by storm, but they weren’t ready for the emotional connection that the creators included in it.
BTS’ eldest member, Jin, was the first to enlist in the military in December last year. In late February, BIGHIT MUSIC announced that j-hope would be the next member to enlist. It seems that the BT21 producers gave a nod to this relationship in Mang’s face reveal video by having Jin’s character, RJ, greet Mang in the morning.
The INSIDE MANG Episode 6 served as the ultimate video where Mang, with newfound confidence, finally takes off its mask after going through a journey of self-discovery. Mang does so at sunrise on a terrace.
After his adorable face is revealed for the world to see, he is then joined by RJ, who comes in with a beverage and wishes Mang a good morning.
Mang and RJ then sit together looking at the sunset. ARMYs believe that this is related to the fact that j-hope will be joining his Jin hyung in the military. As several of BT21 characters’ features are directly based off BTS (since they created them), fans’ guess holds considerable weight.
Fans also trended ‘2seok’ by posting fan edits of Jin (Kim Seok-jin) and j-hope (Jung Ho-seok) with references to RJ and Mang.
Take a look at how fans reacted to the adorable face reveal of Mang and the 2seok trend:
Meanwhile, BIGHIT MUSIC has not revealed j-hope’s enlistment date yet.
On April 1, they released a statement informing fans that he will be enlisting as an active-duty soldier. They also requested fans not to attend his entrance ceremony, as it is not a public event but a ceremony for people to send off their loved ones to the military.
