TV REVIEW: ARE YOU SURE - Season 1

4/5

Map Of The Soul.

8 Episodes. Starring: Jimin, Jung Kook & V. On: Disney +.

Are we there yet? Surely you don't need to ask that when we have no real destination except life itself. And in the new reality series travelogue 'Are You Sure', starring the youngest and coolest members of South Korean K-Pop phenomenon BTS, Jimin and Jung Kook (not to mention special appearances by members V and Suga (on the phone)), these big hitters continue their streaming service Disney deal with a plus. Even if this show seems like just a series of them eating food. Are you sure this isn't the cooking network? 

Following their 'Monuments: Beyond The Star' docuseries last Christmas and New Year, not to mention all the shows in concert on Disney +, like 'Permission To Dance: Live In LA', comes another documentary season of sorts. Something to hold the fans over whilst Jimin and Jung Kook conduct their mandatory military service (best of luck, boys) for the South Korean army. Much like the behind the scenes shows and album accompaniments 'J-Hope In The Box' and 'Suga: Road To D-Day', also deep into Disney's hyped HYBE entertainment vault. And any fears of this BTS hiatus being permanent are alleviated with the guys singing each other's solo songs as they take this trip across the world and a map of their favourite memories.

Jimin jokes that World Cup anthem singer Jung Kook wants to be a YouTuber as he documents their span across the globe that we are all dreamers for. From taking silly selfies, to pictures of their fabulous food, the two J's are exactly like us, across America and back to their South Korean home and map of the Seoul. With cute captions, tittering translations and emoji and emoticon effects filtering through this show, offset by Mario like sound effects, this is like the best YouTube channel you watch...but with an even bigger budget. Fond, funny and with a real fantastic feeling, even when these guys are just lazing around and doing nothing, you feel like you're hanging out with them. Even V wanted to get in on this action that makes this show (about almost as nothing as 'Seinfeld') one of the freshest and most compelling of the calendar. 

Whether snowboarding in Sapporo, Japan, go-karting on Jeju Island, or lounging around on a yacht, like you know, we all do, these boys do it all...with, or without a paddle. Cooking, camping, canoeing. Riding through it all on the back of Kook's motorbike, the 'Muse' and 'Golden' hitmakers have chemistry every friendship would feel jealousy towards. It's their camaraderie that's the winning combination on this show that shows another step for BTS and the big hits they make across all entertainment platforms. It's a great travel guide, too, to some of the planet's picture perfect, postcard stamp spots. Reminding us, in this world of woe, that it's still a beautiful one. Especially when shared with the dear friends we hold closest. Are you sure you want to miss out on this? TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Further Filming: 'BTS - Monuments: Beyond The Star', 'BTS - Permission To Dance: Live In LA', 'Suga: Road To D-Day'.