BTS Make Their Historic Return With Studio Album “ARIRANG”
On March 20, the seven members of BTS — composed of RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook — made their return with ARIRANG. The album marks their first time making music together in over three years after completing their mandatory military service and their first full-length studio project in six years. ARIRANG honors the band’s Korean roots and is titled after a traditional folk song that has been around for over 600 years.
To celebrate, the group did a free live performance in Seoul, South Korea, which was broadcast on Netflix and hit No. 1 in 24 countries. One week after the album drop, they premiered their Netflix documentary, BTS: THE RETURN.
Looking Back and Moving Forward
In BTS: THE RETURN (dir. Bao Nguyen), viewers gain an understanding of why “SWIM” is the main single. It fits multiple personalities and isn’t limited to one genre, which is why, ultimately, “SWIM” was chosen to be the centerpiece of the album.
The song’s lyrics talk of finding your place, following your gut, and moving forward no matter what is happening around you. BTS take what they have learned these past three years and create art from their pain.
While “SWIM” encompasses a universal feeling, the ubiquitous experience is shown through one person in the music video. Actress Lili Reinhart is seen dancing, running, and trying to find her way around a ship as seven members direct the ship where it needs to go.
In the ‘ARIRANG’ animation trailer, it was revealed that BTS’s music video characters represent seven Korean men from the Joseon Kingdom who created the first recording of “Arirang.” Those seven traveled to Washington, D.C.’s Howard University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), in 1896 in hopes of continuing their studies. Despite not being shown in the trailer, they met the legendary ethnologist Alice Fletcher during this time. Though they spoke two different languages, Fletcher and the group of men were able to communicate and educate each other through music.
The seven men are how “Arirang,” a traditional Korean song from the 13th century, was first recorded in America. While there is no official meaning for the word, linguists believe it could mean “beautiful longing,” with “ari-” meaning “beautiful” and “-rang” meaning “longing.”
Charming, Beautiful Longing
Welcoming listeners into the reignited world of BTS and ARIRANG is “Body to Body.” Meant to be listened to in a group environment, the track gets its name from people partying, celebrating, and coming together as one.
The high point of the song is found about two minutes in, when “Arirang” can be heard in the background and ultimately takes the focus of the track. In the final version, trained folk singers have rerecorded the standard “Arirang.” Originally, they tried to sample the 1896 “Arirang” recording, but, as SUGA said in the documentary, they couldn’t hear the vocals very well. In the final version, the drum and voices of the singers are now so powerful, they bring the listeners fully into the moment, no matter if the original Korean lyrics are understood.
BTS return to their hip-hop roots with “Hooligan,” a punching hip-hop song that keeps its energy and disruptive nature from start to finish. Mainly through rap, BTS confidently boast about their production talent (“Why this bassline slappin’ so rude? / Drop it lower than chopped and screwed”) and how even when people don’t understand their native language, their beats are enough to hook people in.
Seven “Aliens” From Korea
This theme continues with “Aliens,” as they express the disrespect they’ve experienced internationally. SUGA and j-hope set the scene of seven “aliens” creating dynamic music and inviting outsiders to dance to Jungmori rhythm. Every line and detail of the song is a direct hit at the impertinent comments they’ve received about their looks and culture over the last 13 years as BTS.
The most impactful and hardest-hitting line comes from RM when he raps, “Pardon me, Kim Gu seonsaengnim, tell me how you feel / I’m the only one who can speak English, but that is how we kill / You guys with those big eyes say / Are they for real? For real?”
BTS make their thoughts about their culture clear, with RM even referencing Kim Gu, a man who fought for Korean independence and international awareness of Korean cultural harmony. With every lyric, “Aliens” leaves no room for outside opinion.
The first half of the album ends just as strongly as it began with intense hip-hop tracks “FYA” and “2.0.” Heavy breathing introduces the former song, and sporadic screaming is used to continue the fun. “FYA” doesn’t allow for rest between “Aliens” and “2.0,” the latter being the anthem of BTS’s official chapter two.
As the fire of the fourth track fades out, it quickly reignites with a signature Mike WiLL Made-It producer tag, and BTS burst into a gritty, steady-tempo rap. While “2.0” is relatively repetitive, it supports the strong choreography that fans got the chance to see during the BTS live comeback on Netflix. Dressed in almost all black, BTS coolly dance around each other as they dismiss the theories that people can be “like BTS.”
Diving Deep
“No. 29” acts as a palette cleanser before the album shifts into its softer, more emotional side. The title refers to the Sacred Bell of King Seongdeok, which was named South Korea’s National Treasure No. 29 in 1962. The sound heard is a recording of the bell’s toll now used in museums, and the reverberations last for one minute and thirty-eight seconds.
After the moment of calm comes “SWIM” and then the first ballad of the album, “Merry Go Round.” In previous albums, fans grasped onto songs like “Blue & Grey” or “We are Bulletproof: The Eternal” because of their emotional depth. For ARIRANG, this song is “Merry Go Round,” a moment where they reflect on the constant pain life brings.
In the pre-chorus, Jung Kook and V sing, “I wish that I could tell you that it’s over / I wish that I could walk away from pain / My life is like a broken roller coaster / But maybe I’m the only one to blame.” The lyrics allow fans to see the inner workings of BTS’s mind — particularly the rapline (RM, SUGA, and j-hope), as these three members all have writing credits on the track.
Like “SWIM,” “NORMAL” is sung fully in English. In the final version, every member sounds confident in their pronunciation of the words “kerosene, dopamine, chemical-induced.” But in their documentary, viewers got insight into the process, which was a lot more stressful.
While recording the song, they didn’t have much time to practice each part, but in the end, RM suggested he could send each member voice memos with how to pronounce every word. It’s moments like these that remind listeners of the work that goes into each song, even after they are written.
The theme of “NORMAL” is similar to that of the next song on the album, “Like Animals.” Both tracks focus on the imperfections of life and relationships that they accept as time goes on. While “NORMAL” channels the pain that BTS experienced as they’ve stepped into stardom, “Like Animals” encompasses the act of loving someone fully, no matter what their flaws. With this song, they express their desire to give in to their instincts and let someone else love them for who they are.
BTS’s last note of self-reflection hits during “they don’t know ‘bout us.” Started by Jimin as he sings, “They don’t know about us / How your voice / Can calm the sea,” a vintage filter also adds to the age of the song’s emotion.
Even though Jimin owns the focal point, j-hope’s message halfway through the song is what really enhances the tone. He raps, “‘Those guys are special among Asians,’ / ‘Some kinda heroic beings, too hard to break,’ / We can’t relate / We’re just seven people though.” As he calls out comments that are often thrown at BTS, j-hope’s line solidifies that the pedestal people put them on is just a mirage.
Dipping Into Devotion
At the end of ARIRANG, “One More Night” and “Please” both lean into the group’s sultrier side through lyrics that drip with yearning.
“One More Night” appeals to a night at the club as the members hope for their fantasy to last just twelve more hours. Leading into the chorus, V enters his higher register, singing, “Twenty-four hours in the tub / Twenty-four hours of your thought / Z-z-z, don’t wake me up / If it’s a dream, don’t wake up my.”
When the track fades into “Please,” their desire only increases, as does the R&B influence. Willing to go anywhere for the one they want, BTS sing of themselves walking over thorns and begging on their knees for their lover to stay and hold them. With these two tracks, BTS show a more mature direction, and it’s one of limerence and lust that their fans — ARMY — can surely look forward to.
From Darkness to Dawn
Closing out the comeback album is the bright track “Into the Sun,” co-written by member V. The song sounds familiar and warm, as it emphasizes finding home in other people. It presents itself as a new song gifted from the group to their fans and a promise that they will guide listeners to happier moments.
The chorus is short, but meaningful, as different members sing, “You call, I run / Dark days, and find the sun / I don’t care, how far / Just wait, dawn.” The group also sings sweet sentiments such as “Until the break of dawn, I will be guarding you into the sun” and “Remember that it’s only for a moment passing through the dark night.”
Since their album release last month, BTS have performed from Seoul to New York City. With ARIRANG, BTS have already broken records by taking up all 10 spots on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts, and they show no sign of slowing down.
ARIRANG is available to stream on Spotify and Apple Music. Make sure to stay up to date on all things BTS on their Instagram and TikTok.
Want more K-pop album breakdowns? Check out our breakdown of P1HARMONY’S latest EP UNIQUE!
