When BTS first announced the title of their comeback album, Arirang, there was plenty of talk about what it might mean for the septet’s collective return. After all, this was coming from a group whose overall musical direction had been constantly morphing, even prior to their enlistment and solo season. At its core, ‘Arirang’ is a Korean folk song that feels integral to the very fabric of Korean society and the sorrows that came with the separation of the peninsula during the Korean War. It sings of longing, but there’s also a sentiment of resilience, tenacity and hope. In a comeback live hosted on Weverse, the seven members—RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, V, Jimin and Jungkook—explained that they discussed their title choice extensively considering the historical significance of the song. As Jimin aptly puts it: “It’s a song that we simply grew up knowing, and understanding.” At the core of the decision it seems, sits a desire to express not just their Korean roots, but who they are—in this season of BTS.
Right off the get go, the references for Arirang might feel more metaphorical than distinct; the nautical overtures of the ‘Swim’ music video, Arirang being the first album they’re releasing since their military service, and the clear separation that they’ve had from ARMYs over the past few years. But it wouldn’t be a BTS song without an attempt to musically transform the original song—or one of its many iterations—to give it a modern spin. True enough, this unfolds in the first track ‘Body to Body’, with a midway segue that switches from pulsating hip hop beats to the sounds of the janggu (Korean traditional drum). It’s certainly no ‘Daechwita’ or ‘Idol’, but there’s a clear sense that this song was destined for the stage. We can already imagine how an entire troupe of Korean traditional musicians and performers might very well change the dynamic of this song entirely, circa the group’s memorable MMA performance of ‘Idol’ in 2018.
On that note, there’s another track that does feel like it might belong as an interlude on the stage and does have a direct link to the group’s Korean heritage—the resonant toll of the Divine Bell of King Seongdeok in ‘No.29’, which splits the album quite clearly into two. The first half is subsumed in hip-hop sounds delivered in full throttle, strongly led by the rap line’s intensity and verve. Especially ‘Aliens’, which opens with Suga’s hard-hitting energy. Notably, it’s also the track with the most Korean lyrics—as they refer to themselves as the aliens from the East. As a longtime fan, this track felt most like home ground for them. Honourable mention to ‘Fya’, in which j-hope shines with his raspy tone; it’s almost like his voice was made for this.
Post ‘No.29’, comes the septet’s more mellow, musical tracks, led by their highly-contested title track, ‘Swim’. Lili Reinhart shines in the MV but it’s certainly an interesting choice as a lead track. It feels safe—too safe—after all this time, even if we knew what they were trying to do with the cinematic visuals and grand ideas of embarking on an adventure. In terms of lyricism, it’s the next track, ‘Merry Go Round’ that might feel a bit more true to the kind of themes they were singing about in their Love Yourself era. In the second act of Arirang however, a clear standout has to be ‘Normal’, which probably speaks most to who BTS is now. Evolved, and hardened to certain expectations of who they are as artists. Musically too, it reflects the dark sense of resignation to their fame. But whilst the songs that follow span the dance-inflected ‘One More Night’, a more experimental ‘they don’t know ’bout us’, and the honey sweet tunes of ‘Please’—which might remind older fans of ‘Just One Day’—there’s a sense that something is amiss.
There is undoubtedly a lot that the group is trying to do with Arirang, and for what it’s worth, it’s a 14-piece package that still has the BTS-signature approach for experimentation written into it. It’s a different, more mature sound—and that might simply be who they are now. However, what Arirang perhaps lacks—amidst its really heavy, experimental production—are its emotional heart-tuggers. Arguably, they might have been trying to do it with ‘Swim’ but in truth, it’s the rousing, vocal-led melodies of songs like ‘Mikrokosmos’, ‘Answer: Love Yourself’, ‘We Are Bulletproof: The Eternal’ or ‘Epilogue: Young Forever’ that have always carried a certain sort of cathartic nostalgia to them. After all, there had always been something about the way each of the vocal line’s melodic qualities could shine through—something which perhaps, Arirang could have benefitted from. So call it wishful thinking, but I’ll still have faith that in time, a spring day just might come again.
Listen to Arirang here.
