On March 20, BTS (방탄소년단) or Bangtan Sonyeondan, released their 1oth studio album “Arirang.” The album comes at a high point in the Korean boy group’s career, as it is their first official album release since they announced they would be taking a break to fulfill their mandatory South Korean military service back in December of 2022.
The album received lots of love from fans and critics, with the Korea Times sharing that “Arirang” sold 3,980,000 copies on its first day out. The Financial Express also revealed that the group reached million seller status within 10 minutes, breaking their own record.
These 24-hour achievements continue, with the album’s title track, “Swim,” gaining 33-million views on its first day.
NPR reveals “Arirang” production was centered in Los Angeles, with the group spending about 2 months in the city to work with established producers such as Diplo, Mike Williams, Tame Impala, One Republic, El Guincho and Flume.
To protect their signature sound, they completed their post-production back home in South Korea with their company producer Pdogg.
Time Magazine writes that the album itself gets its name from a famous Korean folk song, “Gyeonggi Arirang.” This song is taught to children and carried into adulthood, symbolizing tradition and strength for many Koreans.
Consisting of 15 songs, “Arirang” captures the same tradition and high spirits as its inspiration. Listening to the album, you go through the emotions of anticipation and empowerment and end with feelings of longing and depth.
In this opening song, titled “Body to Body,” the band begins with the line, “I need the whole stadium to jump. Put your phone down, let’s get all the fun.” This song makes the listener feel energized, full of anticipation to see the group during their world tour, which they announced alongside this new album.
The next song, “HOOLIGAN,” is by far the most experimental song of the album. Each lyric is a clap back at people who call K-Pop too eccentric. Paired with a gritty beat that transitions into an angelic pre-chorus, the song is a perfect introduction for those who want to understand this new version of the group.
The feeling is immediate, with the sound of swords clashing against each other making you grit your teeth before the vocals ease the listener in.
This album, despite praise from music critics, was not immune to the same criticism that has followed the band since they first crossed over into the Western music stream.
Some claimed that the group had lost the roots of their culture that had intrigued older listeners. Their western production of “Arirang” led them to be called sell-outs and “Americanized.”
A social media comment by user “lethimjk” says, “BTS tried to present this album as a showcase of Korean culture and history, similar to what Bad Bunny did with his album last year, where he worked with producers and singers from PR, but Arirang feels Americanized, it only has some Korean lyrics, while BB sang 100% in Spanish.”
A song on the album titled “Aliens” acknowledges their constant limbo between music cultures. The group talks about feeling alienated from Western music because of their asian heritage while facing criticism that they’re trying too hard to make it in America.
Viewing this album as a product of selling their culture for money is a hard conclusion for people who actually understand the music. The classical Korean instrumental is prevalent throughout the entire album; it’s never lost beneath the exploration of other genres like rap and rock.
In fact, a 1-minute-long interlude song titled “No.29” marks the transition from the album’s experimental sound into something more K-Pop.
Songs like “SWIM” and “Merry Go Round” are slow and steady, changing the pace of the album. Its sound is like honey, sticking with the listener and making you ascend with the synth that’s in the back of each song.
The romantic and sad lyrics, such as “I can’t get off this merry-go-round. It spins me round and round, I do my best, but I can’t slow down,” signify their reluctance to release the album because they don’t know how to face their fans. It is this that makes you want to keep listening to see if these feelings change as the album goes on.
The final song, “INTO THE SUN,” begins with a heavy autotune voice effect, similar to early funk songs from the 70s duo Zapp & Roger. Channeling its hidden romantic undertone, you can also hear 90’s Chicano music inspirations similar to that of NB Ridaz.
The lyrics about promising to move forward together with the listener make your heart race; the singer’s passion is conveyed to your ears.
This interpretation is, however, rare. Most listeners struggled to place what the song’s production was trying to match. It is currently ranked the lowest on music charts because of its uniqueness.
It’s also not a secret that the group first started off as a rap and hip-hop group. These early albums from the group, like “2 COOL 4 SKOOL” and “DARK&WILD,” can be heard in every song of “Arirang,” keeping that raw BTS sound that pays homage to earlier fans.
Overall, the album is a perfect debut into the 2026 music scene. Its experimental production is not a flaw, but a strength that shows how the group has changed and grown during their time away. The portrayal of conflict connects with audiences, making people feel heard and seen.
