Back when BTS announced their hiatus on June 14, 2022, for mandatory military service and solo projects, it seemed like it would be forever until their 2025 return. Time eventually flew, with the group announcing their comeback album “ARIRANG” on Jan. 15, to be released on Friday, March 20.
“ARIRANG” is named after “Arirang,” a 600-year-old Korean traditional folk song. The song almost functions like a national anthem due to its themes of resilience and cultural identity for Korean people. When the album title was announced, fans immediately realized its significance, setting the tone for possible album themes and meanings.
In the lead up to the album release, the track list was released with early looks at songwriters and producers. This was nothing new, as it’s something most K-pop groups do leading up to a new album. What was new, however, were some of the collaborators BTS worked on this album with. Some artists credited included Teezo Touchdown, Tame Impala, JPEGMAFIA and Mike WiLL Made-It, who were either listed as producers or writers on the tracks. Artists like these made non-ARMY – the name of BTS’ fandom – audiences excited for the album.
The album contains pop, rap, hip-hop, trap and even some elements of rock sprinkled throughout. Upon first listen, some tracks left much to be desired, but others were instant ear worms. Some listeners have complained that the album is too “westernized,” misuses African American Vernacular English and is a downgrade compared to the rest of the group’s discography.
The first half of the album is very hip-hop and rap centric, with high energy and an “in-your-face” vibe. Most of these tracks were lacking for me, personally, and weren’t too memorable upon first listen. They’re probably better performed live and might grow on me over time.
The track that showcases those genres best to me, was “Aliens,” where they rap about being successful in the K-pop industry despite feeling like outsiders in the industry. Translated to English, the lyics read, “Are you still cursing us? You thought we’d flop, but look at us go,” according to blogger Doolset, who has translated many BTS songs.
“No. 29” also serves as a divider between the two halves of the album. After the transition, listeners get serene and pop-adjacent tracks, where the vocal line really shines. The rest of the tracks are mostly in English, and most of these songs went into my playlist immediately.
The first track of the bunch is “SWIM.” It feels like a soothing lullaby, destined to be a radio hit. Kim Namjoon, who goes by RM, took charge of this track lyrically, adding to its sentiments of “swimming forward without stopping in the waves of life,” according to the track’s official description. This, to me, is their best fully-English single thus far, which almost makes me emotional as a fan, as it showcases their growth.
My personal favorites on the album are also in this second half: “Merry Go Round” and “Like Animals.” “Merry Go Round” follows “SWIM,” keeping the same calming tone and making everything feel still for a moment. I recently listened to it while driving on a rainy day, and it fit the vibe perfectly.
On Apple Music, you can listen to BTS break down each track. For “Merry Go Round,” they said, “Merry Go Round is about life’s repetitiveness, like a carousel, and about enduring that cyclical grind in life. I hope this song can be for our ARMY going through hard times or feeling overwhelmed – a source of comfort, even if only for a moment.”
“Like Animals” is my top song on the album right now. Jimin’s (Park Ji-min) vocals are really highlighted here, and though the track remains mellow, the song is slightly more intense than the previous ones. In fact, a bit of electric guitar peeks through at the end and it scratches your brain just right. To me, it’s perfect.
Most of the album is amazing melodically but lacking lyrically. I think I didn’t enjoy the first half of the album as much as the second because of this, as the lyrical repetition fell through for me. For example, I struggle to like the track “FYA,” as it includes lyrics like “everything lit is fire” being sung over and over again.
Despite everything, it’s clear this album tells a story. This is a new chapter for BTS. They’ve each matured their solo sounds and came back together as one to remind the industry who they are at this new level. The album mixes confidence, Korean pride and support for their fans during troubling times.
Just a day after release, “ARIRANG” became the most streamed K-pop album in Spotify history and the most streamed album in a single day in 2026 so far, according to Spotify. It also sold over one million copies in five minutes upon release.
On Saturday, March 21, BTS did a live stream on Netflix to celebrate the album while performing at the historic Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul. They ended the set with a sweet surprise to fans by performing “Mikrokosmos,” a classic and beloved BTS track.
Whether some tracks need to grow on you or you fell in love first listen, BTS is back, along with new records to be broken and more history to be made.
