The world-favourite icons BTS released their highly anticipated album, 'Arirang', on Friday at 1 PM KST. It is their first full-group project in about four years following the completion of their military service.
BTS Releases New Album 'Arirang'
The name of the album 'Arirang' draws inspiration from Korea's traditional folk song, 'Arirang.' It is loved by every Korean and often considered the country's unofficial anthem. The name Arirang symbolises cultural heritage, love, and resilience. Likewise, the title was chosen to symbolise the group's origin and identity.
Kim Hyun-jung, the Vice President at Big Hit Music, said, "As the name 'Arirang' suggests, it starts from the roots of BTS's identity." She also added, “To convey this message, we prepared it using both Korean and English so that as many people as possible can understand it well." She also hoped the album would not just be enjoyed by BTS fans but also by people and generations who weren't aware of BTS.
"We hope this album will be enjoyed by not only existing fans who have loved BTS but also by those who were not familiar with BTS, transcending generations," added Kim.
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Talking about the group's concert, HYBE's Chairman, Bang Si-hyuk, mentioned BTS's connection to their roots in Korea, "If BTS, who started in Korea and became global superstars, were to make a comeback, the starting point should be Korea, and among all places, it should be the most symbolic space in Korea. (Gwanghwamun)."
BTS officially announced their album with 14 tracks. Here's the list of their songs in the Arirang album:
- Body to Body
- Hooligan
- Aliens
- FYA
- 2.0
- No. 29
- SWIM
- Merry Go Round
- NORMAL
- Like Animals
- they don't know 'bout us
- One More Night
- Please
- Into the Sun
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RM, J-Hope, and Suga have produced the majority of the songs above. While Jung Kook contributed to songs like Hooligan, Aliens, FYA, and 2.0, V did his part in production in songs like 2.0 and Into the Sun. The album also features some international collaborators like Ryan Tedder, Diplo, and Kevin Parker.
The lead single SWIM's music video has also been released, where the boy band is seen voyaging on a ship. The song is reportedly about fighting against life's currents and moving forward in life as the group's emotional comeback.
The 'Arirang' concert is the beginning of a monumental weekend for the group. On 21st March, 2026, Saturday, BTS is back on stage as a complete group after about 4 years. The concert will be at the Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea. This free comeback concert is titled BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG, starting from 8 PM KST. For the global audience, the concert will be livestreamed exclusively on Netflix.
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