BTS is a seven-member South Korean boy band that debuted in 2013. The members include RM, Jin, Suga, J-hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook. They are a world-renowned group with countless hits and one of the largest fan bases on earth, known as the Army.
From 2022 to 2023, the members took a long hiatus in order to complete their military service, which is required by Korean law, and recently all the members reunited in June of 2025. Soon after their reunion, they released their tenth studio album, Arirang.
This has been a very anticipated album for fans, especially after waiting for three years, and it does not disappoint. BTS is known to have a very unique music style that catches your attention and sticks in your head. This album has brought back lots of old fans, many of whom had stopped listening to the group after they went on hiatus, and many new fans have discovered them through this album.
There have been very mixed opinions about this album, and lots of fans have stated that it doesn’t sound like the old BTS. But others have argued against this, claiming the album is similar to their older works like Dark and Wild.
Nonetheless, Arirang is a hit and has topped charts, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and holding that top spot for three consecutive weeks. The album has also exceeded 1 billion streams in two weeks, and it earned 641,000 equivalent album units in its first week, including 532,000 in pure album sales. This marks the biggest week for any album since Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl in 2025. Arirang has really had a huge global impact and has made history.
Soon after the album was released, the group held a completely free concert at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square on March 21, 2026 where around 104,000 to 250,000 fans attended. The comeback concert was also broadcasted live on Netflix with an estimated 18.4 million viewers from all around the world, including myself. This performance was a monumental event in which the group was able to perform at one of South Korea’s most historically iconic locations and mark the new era of BTS.
Arirang consists of twelve songs and is a mix of hip-hop and pop. Some of my favourite tracks from the album include “Hooligan”, “FYA”, “2.0”, “Like Animals”, “Merry Go Round”, and “Please”.
The first couple of songs on the album are in the hip-hop style, with very rap-heavy lyrics. The album starts with “Body to Body”, which begins very energetic and fast and then slows down during the chorus. Toward the end of this song, they feature a sample of the Korean folk song, “Arirang”, which inspired the title of the album.
This song represents the group’s rebirth, resilience and connection to their Korean roots. “Arirang” is South Korea’s most famous traditional folk song, and it is often referred to as the country’s “unofficial national anthem.” It was sung by South Korean soldiers during the Japanese occupation of Korea as a song of resistance, and it symbolizes love, sorrow and endurance.
Other hip-hop songs on the album include “Hooligan”, “FYA”, “2.0”, and “they don’t know ‘bout us”. Each of these songs has its own distinct vibe, and they all make you want to jump up and dance.
The biggest track on the album is called “SWIM”. This song is very slow and mellow, unlike the tracks that come before it. The music video for “SWIM” features the actress Lili Reinhart, and it depicts her and the members on a sailboat. In the video, it seems like Reinhart cannot see the members, but she still feels their presence.
Reinhart is supposedly representing the Army, while the members are there to support and guide her through the storms, symbolizing life’s challenges and emotional struggles. The music video is very visually pleasing and has a nostalgic vibe to it.
Another track from the album is called “Aliens”, which has a much deeper meaning than it may seem. When the members sing, “If you wanna hit my house, 신발은 벗어놔 (Take your shoes off), Yeah, we aliens,” it is a reference to traditional Asian etiquette that is often criticized or ridiculed in Western countries.
The members use the term “alien,” which is often historically used to categorize immigrants. When they repeat the words “Yeah, we aliens,” throughout the song, it is a way of embracing their differences and remembering how they were treated as foreigners and strangers before their rise in popularity.
Every song on this album is extremely thought-out, with its own meaning and message. All of the members contributed to the production of the album and even had other famous producers on board, including Mike WiLL Made-It, Kevin Parker (Tame Impala), Ryan Tedder, Flume, El Guincho, and Nitti.
Overall, Arirang is definitely one of the best albums to come out recently. I highly encourage everyone to check it out, whether you are into BTS or not, because this album will change your perspective on them.
And if you enjoy Arirang, make sure to check out some of their other albums, including Map of the Soul: 7, BE, and Love Yourself: Tear. You should also listen to their solo works, like Golden by Jungkook, Hope on the Street Vol. 1 by J-Hope, Right Place, Wrong Person by RM, Happy by Jin, Muse by Jimin, Layover by V, and D-Day by Suga.
