BTS Army now consists of ‘Titas’ or ‘aunties’ from the Philippines, who are taking social media by storm
- About 13,000 fans of the South Korean K-pop band belong to ‘Titas of BTS’ – a Facebook group proving fangirling transcends age
- Because BTS fans mostly skew young, some of these Filipino women say they’ve been shamed for their obsessions
By day, 39-year-old Demai Granali plans events and handles social media as a public relations manager at a start-up marketing agency in Manila, Philippines. When she comes home after a long day to her husband and kids, she’ll clean, do her share of “mummy duties,” and then sign into her second unofficial job running a Facebook group for about 13,000 fans of the South Korean K-pop band BTS.
Granali created Titas of BTS in 2020, during the stage of the pandemic when everyone was locked down and had a lot of free time to roam the internet. As implied by its name, which uses the Tagalog word for “auntie,” Titas of BTS only accepts ARMYs – the self-anointed name for BTS fans – of an older generation. The Facebook group has since become a kindred community for unlikely BTS listeners, who have proven time and time again that being a fan-girl transcends age.
These days, the Facebook group is flooded with worry over BTS’s eldest group member, Jin, who began his mandatory military term in December. Most of the time, however, members will post their favourite memes, share heartwarming stories of how they discovered the band, and start discussions about anything from new releases to fresh rumours. Occasionally, they even welcome “delulu content” – shorthand for “delusional” TikToks, where viewers assume the perspectives of their idol’s significant other.
Because these titas have been shamed for obsessing over a young boy band, the group has become a safe space to connect with each other and offer a more vibrant and authentic version of themselves.
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K-pop fans weigh in as BTS member Jin begins military service
Titas of BTS offers a judgment-free fandom zone
Granali admitted that, like many of her fellow titas, she’s been judged by friends and family for “stanning” (being an overzealous fan of) BTS at her age. It’s the reason she founded the Facebook group, so she and others can express themselves openly and forge deeper bonds. “You’re able to open yourself [up] and put yourself out there, and you can expect that others will do the same,” she said.
