After a nearly four-year hiatus, K-pop icons BTS have returned with their fifth studio album “Arirang”, a reflective yet forward-looking project that marks a major new chapter for the group.
The album comes ahead of the band’s open-air comeback concert in the heart of Seoul on Saturday. The gig, which is expected to draw around 260,000 people, will be BTS’s first after a hiatus of three years and nine months while all seven members served compulsory military service.
Released on Friday alongside its lead single “Swim”, the 14-track album signals a new era for the seven-member group. Beginning with “Body to Body” and ending with “Into the Sun”, the album draws inspiration from traditional Korean folk song “Arirang” that was first recorded in 1896 and is often dubbed as South Korea’s unofficial national anthem. The album weaves cultural motifs into a hip-hop-heavy, experimental soundscape.
Comprising RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook, the band uses “Arirang” to reaffirm its Korean identity while expanding its global sonic footprint.
The release was accompanied by a large-scale live presentation in Seoul, streamed globally via Netflix from Gwanghwamun.
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“We gave deep thought to our identity – and how best to express ourselves authentically – across the entirety of our music and performances,” BTS member Jimin said ahead of the release of the album.
“As an extension of that process, we also revisited the significance of our background as a group comprised entirely of Korean members,” he said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the hype in Seoul is electric, with hotels reaching capacity as thousands of international fans fly in—a clear testament to the global power of a group that continues to break records while staying true to their Korean roots.
In Seoul, the streets were festooned with purple-and-blue “Welcome BTS + ARMY” signs, referring to the group’s fandom. BTS hoodies, wallets and figurines were on sale at new pop-up stores and convenience shops.
BTS are the music vanguard of a Korean cultural wave, which includes Oscar-winning films like “Parasite” and “KPop Demon Hunters” and hit dramas like “Squid Game”.