Teenager Love BTS: War Shatters Displaced Girls Dream of Traveling to South Korea
UNHCR Website - Compiled by Citizens
"At the moment, the future is something I cannot see or talk about; it has disappeared. But if you had asked me before, I could tell you what the future is: I would finish my studies, go to South Korea, and meet the BTS band."
This was the response of Islam Mubarak, a 21-year-old, in an interview with the UN Refugee Agency from her current residence in the Gedaref State in eastern Sudan last Friday, January 26, 2024.
Islam doesnt know much about the state she arrived in from the capital Khartoum just days before the outbreak of fighting between rival military factions, the Sudanese Armed Forces, and the Rapid Support Forces in April 2023. She had come to visit her grandmother, and after eight months, she remains stuck there, her life "put on hold."
Like many youth around the world, Islam became obsessed with the famous seven-member South Korean boy band after a friend told her about them.
BTS, short for "Bangtan Sonyeondan" (meaning "Bulletproof Boy Scouts"), is the first non-English-speaking band to gain widespread fame rivalling The Beatles. Their songs revolve around issues facing teenagers, and they have won the Best Social Artist award. They have also collaborated with UNICEF to combat violence and delivered a speech at the United Nations General Assembly.
Islam learned about the band from a friend named Thawba, who loved BTS, wore their shirts, and designed their outfits. Islam initially thought it was crazy but, after a Google search, found the bands story and the themes of their songs resonating with her.
She said, "I can relate their lives to mine in a simple way because they also faced difficulties before becoming famous. They pushed themselves to learn English, which connects me to them."
Before the war, Islam was studying English literature at the University of Sudan and working part-time at a perfume shop. In early April, her employer granted her a weeks leave during Ramadan to travel to Gedaref with her mother.
She said, "We came on Thursday, April 13, and the disturbances started on Saturday. I never imagined I would stay here with my mother, so I didnt say goodbye to many people, and I didnt tell them I would be leaving."
Now, her friends phones are all off, and she can no longer follow her favorite BTS member, Jungkook, on social media. She reflects, "Life in Khartoum was beautiful... But Gedaref is a place I dont know. An environment I havent lived in."
"I still feel like this is a dream, and I will wake up tomorrow to find myself at home, quickly getting ready to go to university."
Islam is among more than 7 million people forced to leave their homes due to the war in Sudan. Many still mourn the loss of loved ones or search for family members they were separated from.
After being uprooted from their normal lives, most dispersed to displacement camps across the country, with over 7,000 sites, relying on aid and the generosity of their fellow Sudanese, who are also affected by the crisis. Over a million people fled to neighboring countries, residing in refugee camps or temporary sites near the borders. Many displaced individuals continue to move from place to place.
Islam currently spends her time volunteering at a local womens center run by a humanitarian organization. She says about it, "Women gather to talk about issues affecting their lives, such as gender-based violence and how to support each other. These people have been very kind to me, so why not help them?"
Despite the conditions described by the UN Refugee Agency and many international organizations as horrifying, Islam remains resilient and hopeful that the war will end someday. She will return to Khartoum, resume her studies, and live the life shes accustomed to.
She concluded, "I hope to meet Jungkook and take a picture with him. I feel things will improve for me, and theres no problem; we can wait a little longer before returning to Khartoum."
