Skip to content
All articles
  • All articles
  • About whales & dolphins
  • Create healthy seas
  • End captivity
  • Fundraising
  • Green Whale
  • Prevent bycatch
  • Prevent deaths in nets
  • Stop whaling
The White Sharks and Whales Expedition

Short stories – first time seeing whales and dolphins in the wild

First time seeing whales and dolphins in the wild Bri and humpback whales The White...
Gretchen_flukes

An incredible first time whale watch in the Azores

An incredible first time whale watch in the Azores © Gretchen Gretchen D's story Off...
Gray whales from drone.

We’re taking steps to uncover the mysteries of whales

Vicki James Vicki is WDC's protected areas coordinator, she helps to create safe ocean spaces...
WDC Breach and Provincetown

A first time whale watch that led to many more

A first time whale watch that led to many more © Susan, a very foggy...

A Beautiful Coincidence: WDC partners with fan club dedicated to BTS RM

I’m not sure if I believe in fate or coincidences, but in early April, all of the stars aligned for an amazing partnership to form. I was sitting at my desk, with my headphones on and chugging away at my tasks of the day. Through the sounds of my podcast, I could hear the office phone ringing in the other room and it took me a few rings to realize that I was the only one available to answer it. I rushed into the other room, picked up the phone, and was amazed that in the rare occurrence that I answered the phone, it was actually for me. This is when I first met June. She was calling to tell me of a super cool discovery she had made when she was googling online…

RM in-ear monitor cropped

You see, June is part of the leadership for a fan club for RM, the leader of the internationally gigantic k-pop group called BTS.  As part of their fan club “Baidu RM bar”, they were brainstorming ideas for RM’s upcoming birthday. As they started to brainstorm, they were thinking of something to do with RM’s self-produced solo song Reflection. As she was using Google to search for different ideas, she stumbled upon WDC and found the most beautiful coincidence -  there is a humpback whale who goes by the same name as his song – Reflection! Now it may just seem like a name, but the connection goes much deeper. From the BTS song Whalien52 about a whale singing at 52Hz to using a CG whale as a special effect, to RM’s in-ear monitor design, whales have been a consistent symbol for RM.

As June and I continued to talk, we couldn’t believe all of the connections between RM and our humpback whale Reflection and we knew that we needed to share this with RM’s fans. Each week, they have been sharing photos, videos, pieces of Reflection’s life story – including how she received her name, where she lives, stories about her babies, and why Reflection and all whales are so important to us.

While we may seem like an unlikely partnership -  a fan group for a k-pop band and a whale conservation group – we are so excited to introduce Reflection to a whole new audience who will love her as much as we do.

To celebrate RM’s birthday, Baidu RM bar adopted Reflection and donated $2906 (RM’s birth year is 1994 and his birthday is September 12 so $1994 + $912 = $2906) to WDC to support our work to protect Reflection, her friends, and her home.

Reflection Tweet

To keep the celebration going, WDC is now offering two RM-themed donation packages, both of which will also be sent to RM.

The Protect Reflection’s HOME package is $52 (in reference to the BTS song Whalien52) and includes a personalized certificate, an exclusive RM X Reflection postcard, sticker set and other goodies. The Happy Birthday RM package is $26 (in reference to RM turning 26) and includes an exclusive birthday card, our favorite photo of Reflection, and some special surprises.

WDC_Logo_H_D_Black
RMbar logo black and white cropped

To the BTS a.R.M.y,

Your support and outpouring of love has been incredible already and thank you for welcoming WDC and Reflection into your world!

 

RM  Donation Packages

With your amazing support, these packages will support our work to protect Reflection, her friends, and her home.

Protect Reflection's HOME Package

This $52 package includes:

  • A personalized certificate which has a photograph, biography, and information about Reflection's HOME
  • Reflection's family tree
  • Exclusive RM x Reflection postcard
  • Exclusive RM x Reflection sticker
  • WDC humpback sticker
  • Thank you card

Happy Birthday RM! Package

This $26 package includes:

  • An exclusive RM x Reflection Birthday card
  • Reflection's family tree
  • Our favorite photograph of Reflection
  • WDC humpback sticker
  • Thank you card