By the time 18 May 2018 rolled around with the release of Love Yourself 轉 ‘Tear,’ BTS had one foot firmly planted in a level of fame that no one could’ve predicted. Their third full-length album came off the heels of their most successful year yet, setting a high bar in more ways than one.

2017’s LOVE YOURSELF 承 ‘Her’ and its title track, “DNA,” set a global precedent for K-pop. Not only did “DNA” earn BTS their first Billboard Hot 100 entry, peaking at No. 67, but it was also their first music video to surpass one billion views – the first by a K-pop boy group to do so. On top of these milestones, BTS would go on to make their US television debut on the 2017 American Music Awards – performing “DNA” to a crowd that may have broken their own records with how loud their cheers and fanchants were.

With all that in mind, it couldn’t have been easy to formulate where to go next. They’d already begun their Love Yourself series, and, as they continued to lure new ARMY and break records, the message at the heart of this series would go on to serve both listeners and BTS. Where ‘Her’ depicted the anxiety and excitement that comes with first love, ‘Tear’ brings listeners into what happens when the love we fell for initially turns out to be false.

“Intro: Singularity” drops ARMY directly into this jaded landscape. V has over three minutes of this alt-R&B/jazz instrumental to overlay his sultry vocals that almost distract listeners from the tragic story he tells. The music video and live performance sees V using mannequins, masks, and choreography driven by illusion to map out the perspective of a narrator tortured by the love he lost himself in. With statements and questions like “I buried my voice for you” and “Have I lost myself / Or have I gained you?” it’s easy to imagine the paranoia and exhaustion that plagues the narrative that’s barely begun to unfold.

Just as “Singularity” tip-toes to an end, V’s voice hits your ears once again with the opening of the album’s title track, “FAKE LOVE.” “For you, I could pretend like I was happy when I was sad / For you, I could pretend like I was strong when I was hurt,” he mourns, followed by Jungkook’s belated wish that his insecurities and weaknesses were hidden from their relationship. It’s a sorrowful start to a track that bursts with regret and frustration with every chorus.

In the title track’s four-minute runtime, each member voices their own explanation of fake love and what one does in order to stay with someone they know is wrong for them. Whether it’s erasing oneself until they’re nothing but a doll for their lover to use or pushing one’s emotions aside to present a happy outward image, “FAKE LOVE” doesn’t shy away from the truth of such a damaging relationship.

The choruses themselves are a push-and-pull between being fed up and giving in. Even though they know this relationship shouldn’t continue, they can’t erase their love that easily. Through what many ARMYs declare as the song that got them into BTS, the group depicts the album’s message without sugar-coating.

“The Truth Untold,” however, tells a different story – one of isolation, insecurity, and hesitation. It references an Italian story titled “La Citta Di Smeraldo,” which tells the tale of a man whose deep-rooted hatred for his appearance leads to him locking himself in an old castle where his only refuge is in the garden full of flowers that he tends. The song is a line-by-line retelling of this story, from the moment the man sees a woman in his garden to the regret that follows after he gained the courage to approach her too late. It’s not a tale of fake love, but of love lost due to one’s own cowardice and humility.

From there, the sound of the album picks up, but the lyrics and overall tone remain the same – cautious, reflective, and with an underlying sense of hope. “134340” takes its title from Pluto’s asteroid number, comparing the loss of a planet’s official status to the loss of one’s title as part of someone else’s life while still revolving around them – all underlaid with a jazzy instrumental and three hypnotic rap verses.

“Paradise” encourages listeners to stop treating every moment in life like a race to the finish line. “As long as there are moments when you feel happiness,” things like dreams, goals, and major life decisions aren’t as important as they’re made out to be. You’re already in paradise if you’re able to love yourself and your choices. “Love Maze” compares a relationship to wandering blindly through a maze. As long as you believe in each other through every trial and unexpected turn, you’re sure to make it out to a more paradise-esque future.

“Magic Shop” and “Airplane, Pt. 2,” in different ways, feel like thank you messages to ARMYs and casual listeners after their success in 2017. The former is a love letter to their fans where BTS suggests that a magic shop of sorts lives with everyone’s heart. If they look inside, they’ll see the love the group has for them amid an environment where fear can be traded for happiness.

Sonically, “Airplane, Pt. 2” sounds more cocky than it actually is. The Latin pop feel adds to this assessment, but what BTS do on this track is recount the lengthy journey they’ve had to get to this point in their career. Jungkook kicks it off by describing the purity of holding onto their one dream of creating music when they were younger. They describe the highs and lows of gaining enough self-confidence to match what those around them were exclaiming, and humbly brag about every city they get to visit as people who get to make music and perform for a living. Make no mistake, though – wherever they go, they’re still putting in the work to get better at what they do.

The last three tracks on ‘Tear’ raise the energy tenfold. “Anpanman” refers to a Japanese children’s superhero – the members compare themselves to him rather than someone flashy and strong like Batman or Captain America, claiming that they can be their own version of a hero for their partner. “So What” leans into EDM and calls back to “Paradise” with the notion of brushing off the worries that threaten to overtake you.

To close everything out, “Outro: Tear” sees the rap line taking the album’s title in three different directions. RM’s verse refers to the tears that fall from our eyes while crying or feeling extreme emotions, SUGA’s verse refers to the physical act of tearing something apart, and j-hope’s verse speaks to the fear of speaking to someone after they’ve parted ways.

With “FAKE LOVE,” the album made its message incredibly clear: fake love will only lead to heartbreak. As listeners worked their way through the rest of the tracklist, they learned that the only true solution is for one to love themself before they branch out into loving others. It’s a message that comes from a version of BTS that is more famous than they’ve ever been – a version that couldn’t feel more grounded.