BTS is determined to introduce ‘Arirang’, a quintessentially Korean song, as a global piece of music.
On January 16, BTS announced the title of their upcoming fifth full-length album, set for release on March 20. The album, featuring a total of 14 tracks, shares its name with Korea’s representative folk song, ‘Arirang’.
According to Big Hit Music, the album title ‘Arirang’ encapsulates BTS’s identity and the emotions they aim to share with their fans. The group has focused on their roots, origins, and personal stories, intending to infuse deep longing and profound love, rooted in their identity as a group that began in Korea.
This marks BTS’s full group activity after about three years and nine months since they released the anthology album ‘Proof’ in June 2022.
Over the past two years, members completed mandatory military enlistment, resulting in a ‘military hiatus.’ Jin and J-Hope were the first to enlist, followed by RM, V, Jimin, and Jungkook, all of whom completed their active duty service and were discharged last year. Suga fulfilled his military duty as a social service agent, marking the end of this hiatus.
Given the lengthy wait, fans’ anticipation for the new album is exceptionally high. With ‘Arirang’ at the forefront, BTS has focused on their ‘roots’ as a K-pop group while also revisiting their initial motivations.
BTS’s global success has sparked a resurgence of K-pop and elevated the stature of Korean culture. As the group returns after nearly four years, many are eagerly anticipating how they will reinterpret the quintessentially Korean ‘Arirang’ and the worldwide impact it will have.
Image source: BTS account
