BTS is back after a nearly four-year hiatus with their best album yet. I had a very hard time writing this post because I could honestly yap about this album all day. I’m not exaggerating when I say I’ve had it on repeat nonstop for the past ten days — and I have the Spotify stats to prove it. I tried my best to condense my thoughts as much as possible, but I still ended up writing nearly 1,500 words. Oops!

The album’s title, ARIRANG, derives from the Korean folk song of the same name. While technically ambiguous in meaning, “Arirang” often symbolizes longing and reunion after a period of separation. Beomjin of The Weaver’s Mind has a great article on the many meanings of ‘Arirang’ here. Given that BTS has been inactive as a group since October 2022 to fulfill their mandatory military service, it’s only natural that their first album post-hiatus would contain themes of longing and endurance.

Unfortunately, I’m still not fluent in Korean even after six years of ARMYing, so I miss out on cultural context quite frequently. Fortunately, ARMY is the best fandom in the world, and our multilingual friends have graciously translated BTS’s Korean lyrics into English for us. Here are a couple of my favorite translators: Doolset Bangtan and BangtanSubs.

Now, let’s get into the album!

1. Body to Body

BTS starts the album with a bang. “Body to Body” is an upbeat track about becoming one with ARMY again and getting back where they belong: on stage. The song starts with “I need the whole stadium to jump!” and culminates with a sample of “Arirang.” An insane way to start the album if I say so myself. Tens all around!

2. Hooligan

The hype continues with a shit-talking trap anthem about how good BTS’s music and performances are. The production on this one has generated lots of #discourse — the song starts and ends with the sound of sharpening knives — but, I honestly think the people who were shocked by this sound just don’t listen to rap.

3. Aliens

The jam of the year! Only BTS could make a song about being treated like otherworldly outsiders by the Western music industry as Asians hit this hard. Some of my favorite lines include: “If you wanna hit my house, take your shoes off,” “Oh my god, do I look too funny?” and “You guys with your crazy big eyes, I hope you say ‘Are they for real? For real?” The beat on this one always makes me want to bodyslam someone, even though I’ve never fought anyone in my life. Mike WiLL Made-It did his big one!

4. FYA

“FYA” is for the dancers! It evokes the imagery of a packed, sweaty club with strobe lights flashing everywhere as bodies bump into one another with reckless abandon. 21-year-old Mina is shaking.

5. 2.0

After a brief dance break, we’re back to shit-talking. “Had your little fun, fella? Came back for what’s mine, we don’t stop.” For context, the Korean idol industry (and global executives, including One Direction founder Simon Cowell) have been trying to create “The Next BTS” since at least 2017, when BTS began their meteoric rise to global domination. These efforts ramped up even more during BTS’s hiatus, but “2.0” makes it clear that they don’t plan to relinquish their crown anytime soon.

6. No. 29

For 1 minute and 37 seconds, the Sacred Bell of King Seongdeok, officially designated the 29th National Treasure of Korea, can be heard vibrating in the background. “No. 29” serves as an interlude as the album transitions from upbeat hip-hop to mellow pop ballads, soft rock, and R&B in the second half.

7. SWIM

“SWIM” is a calm track about moving through life’s waves, persistently swimming towards your goals through high and low tides. It’s very easy listening, and I’ve even caught my grandma singing “Swim, swim” around the house.

8. Merry Go Round

“Merry Go Round” is a trippy, Tame Impala-esque song (co-produced by Kevin Parker) about feeling trapped in a never-ending cycle of monotony. The band uses a malfunctioning merry-go-round as a metaphor for the thought traps and banal patterns that are oh-so-easy to fall into. As an over-thinker myself, the lines “I think and think and think and think. I even think about not thinking” definitely hit home. I immediately added this to my emotional support playlist.

9. NORMAL

“NORMAL” is a ballad about the downsides of fame and navigating the impossible and often conflicting expectations of fans and critics alike. The members have expressed their desires to be seen as seven normal guys from Korea dozens of times, and “wish I had a minute just to turn me off” gets to the root of their desire to balance fame with being human. Bless ‘em!

10. Like Animals

My favorite song at the moment! “Like Animals” is a soft-rock track encouraging listeners to take life by the reins and live freely, becoming untameable. “Eat this life till your heart is full” is such a wild, raw lyric and makes me want to chase all of my dreams at once.

11. they don’t know ‘bout us

If “NORMAL” is about the general experience of fame, “they don’t know ‘bout us” addresses questions that critics pose about BTS’s specific rise to popularity. Why are they the chosen ones? What makes them special? What do they have that others don’t?

12. One More Night

My first thought upon hearing “One More Night” was, “Wow! This would go crazy in the UK clubs!” Yet another song about longing, BTS sings about a special connection they want to last forever, hoping it’s real rather than a fantasy. Like many of the songs on ARIRANG, “One More Night” can be interpreted both romantically and as a tribute to the relationship between BTS and ARMY.

13. Please

On the album’s penultimate track, BTS dips into silk-shirt R&B, with lyrics that yearn for closeness. “Please” very much gives “standing out in the rain with a boombox singing your heart out in front of some poor soul’s window” energy. #BRINGBACKBEGGING

14. Into the Sun

“Into the Sun” is the perfect album closer. It has the end credits song vibes of a 90s movie and feels like a love song from BTS to ARMY, but also from the members to each other. Most K-Pop idol groups don’t last more than 7 years — the typical contract term. BTS has been together for twice that long and has vowed to keep going until their bodies give out.

The first thing I noticed while listening to the album was how full the sound is. Each song is perfectly mixed — the members’ voices all sound sensational — and it’s clear that each member has leveled up during the hiatus. Taehyung (stage name: V) and Hobi (stage name: j-hope) especially stand out, experimenting with different vocal techniques throughout the album. All of the members released solo projects between 2021 and 2024, and the Influence of the solo era on ARIRANG is clear. I can especially hear traces of j-hope’s Jack in the Box, RM’s Right Place, Wrong Person, SUGA/Agust D’s D-DAY, and Jimin’s FACE. The result is an album that’s experimental but still very much BTS.

BTS has always managed to strike the perfect balance of talking their shit and sharing their worries in a way that connects on a very human level. Despite their start as “idols,” they consistently seek to be seen as regular humans navigating the highs and lows of life just like everyone else. They balance pettiness and humility quite well, if I say so myself.

Despite BTS working with a slew of American producers and songwriters in addition to BIGHIT’s in-house production crew, ARIRANG is filled with Han (a complex concept of unresolved sorrow, resentment, longing, and resilience) that’s palpable even to foreigners like me. In my opinion, ARIRANG is BTS’s best album to date, and I’m excited to see where they’ll go next. I’m someone who sees clear movies and images in my head when I listen to music, and ARIRANG took me on a beautiful ride. BTS, if you happen to stumble across this post, know that I’ll follow you into the sun.

To everyone else: if any of you want to chat about ARIRANG or BTS in general in more detail, feel free to DM me on Substack or reply to this email. I’m always down to make new ARMY friends! Thanks for reading!

Yours in Arirang,

Mina

P.S. Did you miss last week’s post about how I became a BTS ARMY? Read it here!