BTS are back – 5 things that stood out from their long-awaited comeback album, Arirang

After more than three years, K-pop superstars BTS are back with a new album, Arirang. It wastes no time in reminding listeners why they remain one of the most closely watched acts in the world.

First announced in January, the record dropped on Friday (Mar 20) after months of anticipation, marking BTS’ first album since completing their military enlistments. The 14-track project features an impressive lineup of collaborators, including American singer-songwriter and record producer Ryan Tedder, American deejay and record producer Diplo and longtime BTS collaborator Pdogg, a South Korean songwriter and record producer.

The members were also deeply involved in shaping the music, with group leader RM credited in 13 tracks, Suga in 11 tracks, J-Hope in 10, Jungkook in four, and V and Jimin credited in two tracks each. 

From cinematic visuals and bold cultural references to an unexpectedly experimental tracklist, here are five things that stood out from Arirang.

1. SWIM AND ITS MUSIC VIDEO

The album’s title track is accompanied by a cinematic music video starring American actress Lili Reinhart, an unexpected addition.

Reinhart plays a woman navigating a mysterious ship across an endless sea.

ARMYs (BTS fans) are known for their detective skills and how they decode the group’s releases. Fan interpretations quickly followed here, too.

Some see Reinhart’s character as representing the fans themselves. In the music video, the BTS members watch her but she cannot see them, which ARMYs say symbolises BTS being “apart but together” with their fans.

Others have drawn parallels to scenes from the movie Titanic, particularly moments where Reinhart runs through the ship, and the closing shot where she throws her necklace (a compass that led her there) into the ocean.

Whatever the interpretation, the video reinforces the song’s central message: even in rough waters, you keep moving forward.

Interestingly, BTS appears sparingly in the video. In livestreams on YouTube and Weverse following the album’s release, the group explained that this was an intentional creative decision: The focus should be on the song and the narrative unfolding through the actress.

They also jokingly added that, outside the music video, they would be visible in other ways. The group dropped hints that some things hadn’t been revealed yet. Well, we can’t wait.

2. BODY TO BODY – A POWERFUL CULTURAL REFERENCE

If Arirang has a moment that feels instantly built for stadium crowds, it’s the opening track, Body To Body.

The explosive pop-rap song kicks off the album with the kind of intensity BTS is known for, complete with lyrics that practically call out to a live audience: “I need the whole stadium to jump.”

The song’s most striking moment arrives at the bridge, with a dramatic sample of Arirang – the traditional South Korean folk song the album is named for.

Often considered the unofficial anthem of South Korea, Arirang carries deep cultural significance. The folk song has been inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by both South Korea and North Korea. According to UNESCO and South Korean newspaper Korea JoongAng Daily, the song has a well-known refrain – “Arirang, arirang, arariyo”, associated with a wide range of emotions, from sorrow and longing to hope, resilience and community.

Hearing the folk melody emerge in the bridge of a modern pop anthem feels like a quintessential BTS moment – blending global pop elements with a strong nod to their cultural roots. It will inarguably be a goosebump-raising moment in their live shows.

Our take? This song could have very easily been a contender for the album’s title track.

3. NO.29 CAPTURES THE SOUND OF A HISTORIC KOREAN BELL

One of the album’s most unexpected moments arrives midway.

Clocking in at about 1 minute and 38 seconds, No.29 contains no lyrics at all. Instead, it features the resonant toll of the Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok, also known as the Emille Bell, a historic Korean national treasure.

Some ARMYs had already guessed the reference ahead of the album’s release, when they got a first look at the merchandise, which they believed contained intricate patterns that resembled motifs associated with the historic bell.

The bell was rung publicly in September 2025 for the first time in 22 years. During their Mar 20 livestream, BTS shared that RM had even been invited to sound the bell himself but was unable to due to scheduling conflicts.

The runtime of the track also carries meaning. The group said the sound of the bell takes roughly 1 minute and 38 seconds to fully fade away, even if not fully audible.

Placed in between the album’s more intense opening tracks and its softer second half, No.29 serves as a mid-album break signifying a shift in mood and tempo, leading into the more restrained Swim, the album’s title track.

4. THE ALBUM HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

Across its 14 tracks, Arirang rarely stays in one sonic lane for long.

Opening with a powerful start with a pop-rap anthem infused with cultural elements, it moves into the theatrical Hooligan which pairs dramatic strings with unique composition elements – including a striking knife-slashing effect and a playful “hahaha” laugh.

Aliens takes a reflective turn, with the group addressing their own identity over a catchy beat. The song leans into the idea that being seen as “different”, even alien, is part of what defines them.

Elsewhere, FYA (pronounced ‘fire’) dives into a Jersey club-inspired production with distorted synths and a playful reference to Britney Spears’ legendary ...Baby One More Time. 

It then leads into 2.0, a nod to when BTS focused on their solo careers and military enlistments and re-emerged refreshed: “Yeah, we on that brand new, you know how we do.”

The album’s second half explores a different sound after the No.29 reset. Swim starts it off with an alternative pop kick while Merry Go Round, produced by Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker, blends dreamy synths with psychedelic pop influences, while Normal – produced by Ryan Tedder – leans into pop-rock as it reflects on life both in and out of the spotlight.

Like Animals introduces a grungier edge with a sultry tone and electric guitar outro, followed by a clapback to critics in the jazzy-pop They Don't Know 'Bout Us, before heading into the house-infused pop track One More Night. Then, it goes into Please, a love letter to ARMYs before heading into an experimental yet cathartic end with Into The Sun. 

Just like that, Arirang proves it’s the kind of album that refuses to sit still. Whatever the listener’s taste, there will be something for them.

5. AN UNMISTAKABLY BTS ALBUM

Perhaps the most striking aspect of Arirang is how firmly it centres BTS as a collective. After more than three years away from the stage, the group proves they shine brightest together.

Unlike their recent projects, the album contains no solo tracks, unit songs or outside collaborations. Every track spotlights all seven members’ voices.

During their release-day livestream, the group described the album as the result of seven artistes in their 30s exploring music together again – each bringing their own tastes, influences and perspectives into the studio.

That process, they admitted, sometimes meant differing opinions over which songs should ultimately make the cut. But as they reflected on the album track by track, the members expressed gratitude for one another’s ideas and the final vision they arrived at together.

And that may be the biggest takeaway from Arirang: After years of exploring their individual paths, BTS have returned not just with a new album, but with a renewed sense of what it means to move forward together.

And fittingly, its title – borrowed from a folksong long associated with resilience, longing and shared experience – echoes the journey BTS have taken to reach this point. Arirang cements that even as their sound evolves, the core of BTS has always been the seven of them creating together. 

On Saturday (Mar 21), the group will perform the BTS The Comeback Live Arirang at the historical Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, which will be livestreamed on Netflix. 

Unfortunately, on Friday (Mar 20), their agency BigHit Music announced that the group's leader, RM, injured his ankle during a rehearsal on Mar 19 (Thursday). Following the injury, the label said that RM’s performance on stage "will be partially limited".

Nonetheless, the leader assured fans: "I will be singing and hyping everyone up, and I will try hard to recover for the (April) concert, please do not worry because it is not as serious, so I hope you look forward to the stage." 

After that, BTS will head to New York on Mar 23 for an exclusive fan event with Spotify, marking the group’s first performance in the United States in nearly four years, before heading on to The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Mar 25 and 26 (local time).

The group is also set to release their documentary, BTS: The Return, on Netflix on Mar 27.