u/zikachhakchhuak

I think I've been writing this essay in my head ever since BTS released their 5th studio album, "ARIRANG" on 20th March 2026, feeling the need to preserve the impact this album and era have had on me, so I decided to finally put it down in writing for FESTA month (BTS' 13th anniversary). Also this will be long, so big thanks to whoever gives the whole thing a read 💜

##INTRO

As a lot of people here probably know, after announcing their hiatus from group activities in June 2022, the seven members of BTS went on to have successful, highly diverse solo careers before enlisting in military service. With Suga's discharge last year, all seven completed their service and were finally reunited as a group in June 2025, three years after their hiatus announcement. 9 months later, ARIRANG was released.

It was the result of a two month long LA song camp, where they worked in close collaboration with several songwriters and producers working in groups and teams, with their main producer since debut, Pdogg, manning the helm. A 100+ songs written during this process were narrowed down to the final 14 tracks that now make up ARIRANG.

I don't think it'd be a lie to say that this was probably BTS' most anticipated album yet, with both fans and non-fans tuned in to see what the big comeback was all about. With so many ARMYs joining in during the hiatus, and news of their reunion making both national and international news, this was essentially BTS' re-introduction to the world. The pressure felt immense even to me as a fan, with so many fellow ARMYs having BIG expectations and things they wanted from this comeback, curious casuals and non-fans wondering what this would be like....as well as antis who had been ~~(hoping)~~ predicting that this would be a goodbye album and BTS' last group album for a long time.

So when the album finally arrived, I was blown away by how, atleast by my perception, BTS DELIVERED on everything and more, on their OWN terms and exactly the way they wanted to. This will be my breakdown of said album, from the concept and music to the lyrics and themes.

DISCLAIMER that since I wanted to keep this mainly album-focused, I won't be discussing the documentary or the ongoing tour (which deserve separate posts of their own).

##THE CONCEPT

ARIRANG the album is titled after Korea's most famous traditional folk song, dubbed its unofficial national anthem, and believed to be as old as 600 years old. The song has been sampled, interpolated and referenced in many Korean works of art over the years.

With the original song having many variations (BTS even released their own recording of one such version back in 2016), the meaning of it is fairly ambiguous, but with the passage of time, has come to encompass feelings of longing, sorrow, pain, anger, resistance and hope for Koreans....in essence, it is found to be the embodiment of the unique Korean concept of Han. I was introduced to this concept of Han after reading this post made by a K-ARMY eight years ago. After the album title was announced, I revisited this post and the comments under it, which helped a lot in my understanding of the album's themes and concept, as well as BTS' approach to it.
This concept of han, has in opposition to it - heung (indeed the heung referenced in BTS' song Heungtan sonyeondan / Boyz with fun), which means "life of the party". These two concepts are intertwined, in that despite its meaning of "fun", heung is inextricably connected to han; therefore, quoting OP, "it's the life of the party in the full awareness and presence of han - in other words, the fun and partying is motivated by the knowledge that the balance of the universe has fated that an event of han will soon come". There's a good article explaining these unique Korean concepts.
BTS mentioned this in interviews and their docu, how they drew upon the han Arirang embodies, and tried to incorporate a lot of heung in this album.........something you can immediately understand looking at the tracklist, the way it has been structured to present both heung and han, with the upbeat and fun first half of the album giving way to the more reflective and calmer second half.
Incidentally, Arirang the folk song was the first Korean language song to ever be recorded back in 1896, sung by three from a group of seven Joseon boys who had gone to Howard University in the US for their education. This recording was titled "Love Song" by the American ethnologist Alice Fletcher, who made the recordings.
Drawing from both of these, BTS announced their album title "ARIRANG", promoted it by asking fans, "What is your love song / arirang?", and built their album around their interpretation of the various feelings and emotions Arirang has come to embody. In other words, they made their own 2026 version of Arirang, while encouraging listeners to do the same.
ARIRANG the album has three named versions - "Rooted in Korea", "Rooted in music" and "Living Legend". All these themes are explored throughout the album, with BTS experimenting with new genres, songwriters and producers to widen their musical net, talking about their experiences as Korean artists who found success in the global music industry, exploring themes of fame and legacy and correlating it to the meaning of the "living legacy" that is Arirang.
The album cover with the 7 members dressed in suits is a direct nod to the seven Joseon boys. The album art with the three red spheres is a stylized version of the hangul spelling of Arirang (아리랑), developed further from an initial sketch made by Jungkook. They got special permission to feature the recording of the Sacred Bell of King Seongdeok, the 29th National Treasure of Korea as the sixth track on the album. This bell also has a unique lore behind its origins, that ties in well to ARIRANG's concept.
The outfits for their comeback live show were made by a Korean brand headed by designer Jay Songzio, who came up with the concept of "Lyrical Armor", drawing on traditional Korean dress and early Joseon-era armor, reimagined through sculptural silhouettes and a monochromatic palette. The designer too drew inspiration from the concept of han, building the designs around imagining the BTS members as modern day warriors fighting against the turbulent times to build a better future.
They also worked in collaboration with MU:DS (National Museum of Korea Cultural Foundation) on merch for the album, reinterpreting traditional patterns from the Divine Bell of King Seongdeok (the bell featured on the track "No.29") into modern design items.

##THE MUSIC

The best part of a BTS album, every time! More than any other, this is an album that I would recommend checking out with GOOD HEADPHONES on. The production is so lush and intricate, and the adlibs and vocal layers glorious. Three months in, I'm still picking up new things I missed despite listening to the album daily.

The songs - This is the one and only BTS album with every single track being OT7 (featuring all seven members), which is incredibly valuable to me. There are no artist collabs either. When the tracklist was first revealed, the only thing that I found somewhat concerning was the song lengths, with a couple songs clocking under 3 mins. But once I listened to the album, there was nothing that felt like it was missing. Every song felt complete and realised, the album flowing together more cohesively than any other I've listened to, save for perhaps RM's "mono" and Epik High's "sleepless in ____"; while those were both 20 min long EPs, ARIRANG is a full studio album twice their length. I love the clear distinction between side A and side B of the album, separated by the 1min 37 secs long track "No.29", a much needed breather after the heavy first half. As any other BTS album, the genres are DIVERSE but there is a clear intentional lean towards their hiphop roots as well as experimental forays into ones they've never tried before (as a reviewer noted, album included - psychedelic indie rock, mainstream pop and rap, electropop, hiphop and more). As one of their collaborators Ryan Tedder mentioned, it's very much inspired by their earlier sound right alongside the music that they're currently listening to and loving.
Production - I'm not a music expert by any means but to my untrained ear, it's CRISP, immersive and often experimental, with so many tiny details. I love how relaxed and intentional the production is on every single song, and how every song is allowed to breathe. You can also pinpoint clear inspirations from the members' solo albums, and personal tastes. One of my favorite things is when the production aids in delivering the song's message; it always feels like the icing on top of the cake, and it's something BTS have often done before, with ARIRANG being no exception -> the sharp clanking of knives in Hooligan highlighting the slightly menacing tone of the song, the relentless beat that just keeps going in Aliens really reflecting the diligent ~~(to the point of being excessive?)~~ work ethic of Koreans that they sing about in the song, the way the beat literally burns up at the end of FYA, the electric guitar in SWIM that sounds like the horn of a ship mooring, the dissonant note ending to Merry Go Round leaving you with unresolved feelings just like the lyrics do, the guitar distortion in Like Animals as the members sing about being "untameable".
They've also played around a lot with the song structures on this album, and it's really refreshing. The members pop in and out all the time, lines interweaving, adlibs galore, harmonising and singing over each other. Probably nightmare fuel for those that love to obsess over line distribution. Here we have rapline members having no distinct separate verses at times, doing just choruses (FYA), prechoruses (Aliens, Please) or sharing one long verse (NORMAL). They also SING. A whole lot. And yet they still deliver incredible verses for songs that demand it (hello to every single rapline moment in 2.0).The distinct vocal colors of the vocal line shine beautifully in this album because even for the lines they share, none of them sound remotely alike. I feel like more than any other album, their voices have been used as instruments adding variety to every song.

>Favorite parts - I could go on forever about the music but I'm limiting myself to just a few standouts >>Body to body - Most delicious beat I've ever heard and the easing in of the Arirang sample with the traditional drums is perfection
>>Hooligan - the chopped and screwed technique reference, employing said technique, putting knife sounds in, stripping back everything for RM's deep voice delivering an oh so calm fire verse...chef's kiss!!
>>FYA - J-hope in the chorus, J-hope in the chorus, J-hope chorus with Jimin harmonising.......
>>No. 29 - It's audacious, compels you to pay attention, is a much needed break within the flow of the album, and the deep resonance of the bell with the ambient noise is a genuine healing experience. I never skip!
>>NORMAL - every single line delivery but especially the contrast between V's heavier tone and Jungkook's crystal clear tone for the prechorus
>>Like Animals - Suga's intro after the haunting "ooohs", and the bridge with Jin's siren falsettos and the rest of vocal line doing whatever they're doing is just..an incredible experience
>>they don't know 'bout us - the transition from the sample to V's intro is perhaps my favorite moment in the album, and Jimin's lower register on the chorus is the cherry on top.

I've listened to this album a hundred times over at this point, and it's still such an immersive experience. Borrowing from reviewer Seo Seongdeok,

>ARIRANG doesn't sound like it was pieced together over email - it sounds like it was made with everyone in the same room, engrossed in productive, lively debate

It's an album that feels LIVED IN and stitched together with care, and one that really demands listening from top to bottom every time.

##LYRICS

The album has a very distinct flow lyrically, and the storytelling is amazing. Han and heung interweave throughout, even within the same song at times, as the members of BTS sing about longing, anger, sadness, reunion and excitement, their military life, identity and fame, adulthood and the future. From the celebratory nature of Body to Body and FYA seeking close contact with fans after a period of separation, proudly announcing their return in Hooligan and 2.0, facing the grim realities of Aliens, they don't know 'bout us and NORMAL, they also take time to look back on their enlistment period in songs like Merry Go Round and SWIM, making new resolutions to break free, grow and move forward together in Like Animals, Please and Into The Sun.
The lyrics are clever and poetic as ever, in Korean as well as in English. Trying to dig deeper into the English lyrics gave me newfound appreciation for our Korean translators, who have always looked beyond the surface to provide us with nuance and deeper meanings. There are multiple references laced throughout the album, from the nod to the 1988 Olympics theme song "Hand in hand", El Cucuy from the horror stories of Spain and Portugal, hiphop legends Tupac Shakur and Rakim, South Korean independence activist Mr. Kim Gu, to Korean culture and history, and the military, of course. I love the imagery built in the lyrics for songs like SWIM and Into The Sun, the cohesion in songs like FYA (chockful of references to fire and being hot), Like Animals (literally as the title implies) and Body to Body (physical contact, connecting), or the juxtaposition of using "childhood" rides to describe the pains and traps of adulthood in Merry Go Round.
Hooligan is a song I find incredibly clever. The title refers to a rowdy, rebellious character not in tune with a normal functioning society. Over the years, we've often seen BTS referred to by their haters as the "big bad" of K-pop, a gigantic presence looming darkly over the industry, somehow feared but also hated, often avoided altogether in discussions even when relevant. And here they are embracing that status fully, "pop out, acting a fool again", "like a madman", laughing maniacally, like El Cucuy the boogeyman, warning you that "you're gonna hear this one round the clock", they're "taking you out", and "this is INTERNATIONAL (no one is safe from them now that they're back). In between these, they get all meta questioning the "rude" bassline, next line referencing a production technique employed in the song..it's just campy in the best way and feels like them playfully going "Boo! Scared ya 🤪".
Meanwhile, Aliens is heartbreaking, infuriating, empowering and inspiring all at once. BTS speak of their experiences being "aliens" in the bigger western-dominated music industry, looking "too funny" and asked if they're "for real" by those with "ridiculously huge eyes". But they push back with the confidence of being from a well-mannered culture from the East that's ever hustling, pulling all-nighters to achieve their goals....to the point where they're now your "new honey", in demand by the era that they've come to own, where everyone knows "where the K is", telling the listener to just move to the "jungmori rhythm" for them. If you ever visit, you have to take off your shoes, learn about their culture from the ABCs...while they keep killing it with only one English speaker amongst them. They've marched far, landed, stood firm and put their stamp on the land and the culture. And they're not going anywhere. One of their best written songs to date, in my opinion.
NORMAL is one of the saddest songs they've ever written, addressing the highs and lows (a LOT of lows) that come with the "fantasy and fame" they've chosen. It's one of those songs where every single line hits -

>show me hate, show me love, make me bulletproof

>wish I had a minute to turn me off

>heavy is the head when you're chasing true

>two sides of a coin, and they both ain't true

>said you wanted all of me, but what is even all of me?

>heard the things they're calling me, what the hell you want from me?

they don't know 'bout us is a song in a similar vein that'll take too long to elaborate for this post, but my favorite lyrics from it go "You said we changed? We feel the same". This is a really interesting song that addresses naysayers, fans, "ex" ARMYs and envious peers all in one.

What I loved about reading these lyrics was how many of their previous songs I got reminded of - the Hooligans from ARIRANG once sang of being Boyz with fun, the amateur-ish but courageous braggadocio in We on has evolved to the assured confidence of 2.0, the boys that pled you to not let go of their hands in Love Maze continue to do so in Please, where they once said Life goes on they now ask you to "Keep swimming", repetition and toxic cycles are addressed in Merry Go Round as they were in Jamais vu and Trivia: Seesaw, where they once sang about all things Rain they now write about going Into The Sun, and now they fantasise about One More Night like they once did for Just One Day.
At the same time, the themes addressed in songs like Aliens, Normal, they don't know 'bout us are ones they've never quite explored. This is what I love about BTS' discography, the clear checkpoints and growth you see with each new album. They don't pretend to have all the answers, and don't draw definitive conclusions. There's always room for growth and new experiences, but there's also hope and the courage to go forward, encapsulated perfectly by the closing track Into The Sun. Listening to this song really does feel like golden specks of sunlight lighting up your path as you ride off into the sunset with your friends. There is so much hope, warmth and camaraderie...a perfect song to carry BTS 2.0 forward with.

Lyric sources - bangtansubs and doolset bangtan

##SWIM

With SWIM being the title track, I wanted to give it a special section and elaborate a bit on how I agree with BTS that it's the perfect title track for an album like ARIRANG. Starting with....the song itself is brilliant! The production is incredible and so immersive, capturing the "yearning" of a long separation so perfectly; the soft vocals starting the song and the beat drop as RM's verse starts hit so GOOD, the rap and vocal parts are delivered so cleanly, the lyrics are so well written and paint such lovely imagery in theme with the title, and it's an earworm that doesn't get tiring even on repeat listens. It's placement in the album is PERFECT, both sonically and message-wise, coming right after the No.29 interlude and marking a clear transition in sound and direction.
The MESSAGE - Like I've highlighted in the concept and lyric sections, ARIRANG is an album that carries such a diverse array of BTS' stories and emotions, and among all the tracks on the album, SWIM is the song that best encapsulates all of them, the one that tells best the story of BTS' Arirang. On the surface, you could perhaps take it as a simple and straightforward love song. But things are never that simple with BTS. Breaking down RM's verse line by line, followed by the rest of the song, SWIM tells the story of BTS - them reflecting on the state of the world, enlisting, returning to a world still unchanged, one that they find hard to "breathe" in amidst the pressures placed on them as "goody-goody" idols, the desire to just let go and be free of thoughts/worries, simply going on (swim, swim) at times, and the resolve they arrive at to just dive in and embrace life (the sea representing life, "salt on my tongue, she's stunnin" is a gorgeous line), no longer "chasing the time". As most BTS songs go, it's not just self-referential but takes time to encourage the listener too, to run in instead of running away, despite the high waves thrown at you, saying they "could spend a lifetime watching you". At the very end, Jin's gentle vocals change one line to "LET IT ALL BEGIN", signalling the start of BTS 2.0, one they've decided to fully dive into.
The choreography is also understated but a lovely watch, their fluid movements and seamless transitions all designed to bring out the message of the song - from graceful waves in the chorus to ones that turn turbulent in Suga's verse, to slow sinking movements, circling sharks and boat imagery - each move playing a role in highlighting the lyrics.
The music video is cinematic, beautifully edited, and incredibly acted by Lili Reinhart. I love how much texture there is to it, from the waves, the sails of the ship, to the shadows and all the wooden parts of the ship, to Lili's dress as she runs and dances. It's a great addition to the song's message, my personal interpretation being that of Lili representing ARMY/the listener, confused and lost with a broken compass at the start, riding the boat of life that the members help steer, unable to be there physically for her in a form she can see but always watching and cheering her on, with her taking the plunge at the end to dive in herself and embrace life for all that it is. There's also a lot of yearning and nostalgia that I think the MV captures, which feels so significant with this being BTS' first MV after their return.
For a comeback this massive, it makes sense to expect a title track that is louder, flashier, more "impactful", more performance-oriented...but BTS subverted such expectations with SWIM, going for a much subtler, gentler approach; an easy-listening and comfortable pop song, one that carries their resolve going forward as BTS 2.0, that sits comfortably within the album tracklist and doesn't overshadow the rest of the album. Despite it carrying risks of alienating or disappointing their already massive audience, I love that this is the choice they made to set the tone for their new chapter. That they keep us on our toes, and we can never know what to expect. They have always been album artists, and it's clear ARIRANG was made with the intent of having the whole album be impactful, and SWIM as the title track makes perfect sense for such an album.
The cherry on top is the incredible "Keep Swimming - Stories of those who don't stop" campaign, that they started alongside the normal album promotions. Through this campaign, they have been highlighting incredible Korean innovators, creatives, athletes, with inspiring and incredible stories, as well as normal everyday people. Not only did this campaign help to put a spotlight on these amazing people from their home country, ones we would not have known about otherwise, but it also invited fans to share their own stories. Under the hashtag of the same name on twitter, so many ARMYs shared stories of the times they kept going despite the worst odds and hardships, sparking amazing discussions and camaraderie within the community. Sure, it's not the whole fandom participating, but enough people did to make it a success. No matter how grand the scale of the comeback, how big they get, it is this commitment to putting the message first, of fostering community and conversation, that I find amazing about BTS.
SWIM now joins the echelon of BTS title tracks I deeply adore for the message and sound, alongside Life goes on, Spring Day, Yet to come.

##PERFORMANCES & MUSIC VIDEOS

I will keep this segment short, but I believe that alongside the tour, these are important parts of an album that help flesh out the era and paint the complete picture envisioned by the artist.
For ARIRANG, the biggest event was the Netflix Comeback Show live, which took place at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, a historical landmark which carries a lot of significance for Koreans. It was directed by Hamish Hamilton (renowned for directing Super Bowl Halftime shows, the Olympics). For this show, BTS wore outfits designed by Jay Songzio labelled "Lyrical Armor" as a collection. Starting from the opening track of the album, Body to Body, they performed 12 songs in total, eight of them from ARIRANG. This was livestreamed via Netflix to over 190 countries, drawing in 18.4 million viewers worldwide. Something RM has been saying during their tour comes to mind -

>"Born in Korea, and now playing for the world"

Other live performances were the ones at the Spotify Swimside event for their top listeners in New York City, and the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (filmed at the Guggenheim). After 9 years or so of regular promotions in the west, it feels significant that Jimmy Fallon's was the one and only program they decided to go back on as a group, and have been consistent with since 2018. SWIM had other live performances pre-filmed, a swimming pool version and one at Sunhyewon. They had performance videos for SWIM and Hooligan as well.
Besides SWIM, music videos have been released for two other tracks so far, with another one for Merry Go Round coming up on 19th June.
The MV for 2.0, a not so subtle reference to the famous South Korean film "Oldboy", directed by Park Chan Wook, is a masterpiece. From the cinematography, humor, outfits to the choreography, transitions and multiple layers of satire (the title itself, the roles BTS assume in the MV, their weapon of choice, the elevator scene as "2.0 loading..." blinks on the screen, the significance of picking a world-renowned Korean movie that has crossed barriers as Korean artists breaking down walls of their won), every choice made is deliberate and executed to perfection. 2.0 also has one of my favorite BTS choreographies ever, stylistic and cool, executed with an ease and swag only 13 years of experience could bring you.
The MV for Hooligan, on the other hand, is theatric, loud and their most "k-pop"-esque. It reminds me a bit of the IDOL MV in how they embraced that part of their identity, down to the makeup, outfits and settings. It's heavily conceptual, the sets rich and dramatic, with subtle references to their older MVs littered throughout (Not Today, Danger, BS&T, Mic Drop, etc). My favorite part of the MV is Suga's section, his gaze fixed unyielding towards the camera as he's surrounded by jeering, taunting figures. That he ends his verse with "all clear, isang-mo (a military term meaning the same)" is extra poetic.
Every MV is by a different director (SWIM - Tanu Muino, 2.0 - Lee Hangyeol, Hooligan - Hannah Lux Davis). With Tanu Muino who has previously worked on Jungkook's "Standing next to you" and Lee Hangyeol's team who directed V's "Winter Ahead", it's really cool to see the members' solo work and collabs carry over to this new era. Each director also brings a very specific aesthetic and artistic view of their own, while maintaining the BTS-ness of each of these MVs. I love how diverse they all are, while each embodying an aspect of ARIRANG perfectly. Alongside MOTS:7, this has to have my favorite set of MVs for a BTS album.

##TAKEAWAYS / IMPRESSIONS

After having experienced this album and era (that is still ongoing), taking it all in from the music to the vision and the message, I have a few big takeaways:

ARIRANG is a BTS album. No doubt about it. So much has changed in the past 13 years, this is a brand new comeback that they approached differently from every other album, but there are things that remain unchanged. They're still making music that THEY like, telling their own stories, putting the message first, while always looking to grow and evolve, still seeking to reach even more people, and no, they're certainly not playing it safe. This remains the BTS I know and whose music I fell in love with.
At the same time, the influences of the songwriters and producers they worked with are also clear, and present all over the album. You can hear the Ryan Tedder, El Guincho, JPEGMAFIA, Kevin Parker, Tyler Spry, in these songs. About working with them, RM said in an interview, (paraphrasing slightly) "Especially the younger generation (of songwriters), we wanted to borrow from their thoughts and creative minds, to help us transition....it's about how we wear the clothes". Knowing everything that we do about how this album came to be, I love how we can hear that collaborative nature in the music, hear the voices that made them, sometimes hidden in the background harmonies or at the very front in the lyrics and certain phrases. It makes so much sense for an album made in LA, a place that has often been referred to as "a melting pot of cultures", and by a South Korean group heavily inspired by American hiphop that has gone global. I don't find anything "appropriative" about it, but rather, there is so much appreciation and collaboration going around.
This being THE comeback album, the fact that every single song is OT7 sends a strong message. Not only is it so rewarding for fans who have waited years for the group reunion, but it's so apparent that every single member is still on the same page when it comes to being in BTS.
After listening to songs like 2.0, SWIM, Into The Sun, there is another clear message -> BTS the group is here to STAY, to remain active. This isn't a "here you go, damn" type of album released just to placate fans for a bit. Nor is there a hint of goodbye in this album. Their excitement for their future as a group, to make more music together, is palpable. It's almost unbelievable if you think about the success they have had as solo artists, and how different their solo albums were, but just like in chapter 1, the group remains a priority. "Came back for what's mine, we DON'T stop", like they said.
Speaking of messages, i think their voice together as BTS the group has never been clearer than this album. In the past, the rapline took initiative writing lyrics that told their individual perspectives and yes, they were great at integrating it into the overall group's. But in ARIRANG, they take it further. Here, they sound like one voice. Their LIVED experiences being Koreans, of being Korean artists at their level, of having enlisted in the military, of the pressures that come with the fame, and the eventual resolution they come to to keep going....ARIRANG really is BTS the group speaking to you as a collective.
With this being their re-debut in many ways, knowing ARIRANG would probably be a lot of people's first experience of BTS' music, that they structured it the way they did (a hiphop and rap heavy first half making way for a more pop sound in the second half, with several experimental tracks in between) is very interesting. It's clear this is the way they want listeners to perceive their group identity. There is an intentional lean away from the sounds of "Dynamite", "Butter" that most non-fans know them from. This makes it even more exciting to see what type of music they will release in the future.
ARIRANG is a hit. As a musical project, as an album, as a comeback, as an ERA. Even looking at past BTS albums, even comparing it to albums made by the biggest artists on the planet, I think there are very, very few projects where almost every song on the album has gone viral, spawned so many challenges, been embraced by different audiences. I don't think it's something you can attribute alone to the era that it was released in (the Tiktok, shorts-form generation), especially looking at how there isn't a single song on the album that was built for a Tiktok sound, for a viral hit. Yet audiences embraced it all the same. There are dance challenges for Body to body, Hooligan (this one being an extra hit), Aliens, 2.0, FYA, SWIM, they don't know 'bout us, motorbike transition challenges for Hooligan, they don't know 'bout us (this one spawning several edits and challenges as well to the theme of the song), videos showcasing Korean culture and heritage to the Arirang sample, edits made to One More Night, Please, song covers of NORMAL going viral, guitar covers of Like Animals, and beautiful friendship stories told to the tune of Into The Sun.
Finally, with ARIRANG, simply by being themselves and embracing their identity, I think BTS did a lot in bringing their culture to the forefront, both the Korean side and the musical aspect. As Tablo from Epik High has pointed out, even just naming their album ARIRANG has done so much to spread awareness and appreciation for the original folk song, more so than so many press articles and informative videos about it. You see people going out of their way to pronounce it right, to look for a deeper meaning in it, on why BTS would name their album so. As they tour, hundreds of thousands of people all over the world are singing along to the original Arirang. From being an important song to Koreans everywhere, it has now managed to touch a whole new generation of non-Koreans. As for the music, the amount of discourse and think pieces ARIRANG has generated (it'd be an entirely different thing if it was universally panned, which it very much wasn't), the new audiences it has brought in, the conversations it's started, the impact it has had already....I think this is emblematic of great art, the type that gets people talking. What an exciting start to BTS 2.0!

Two quotes come to me as I conclude this.

From music reviewer Seo Seongdeok,

>"Most of the conversation around ARIRANG seems to be focused on what BTS might have compromised to make it, but it's more honest to ask what they've held on to"

and what Zane Lowe said to them during their Apple Music interview

>"Music is better with you here"

It really, really is. Welcome back, BTS 💜

Serotonin break - our maknaes' handshakes over the years 💜

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