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BTS Comeback ARIRANG Album OUT: K-Pop idols make splash with Swim, read all details here
BTS Arirang Album is out now: As BTS returns after nearly 3 years and 9 months, their track Swim is already making waves.
ARIRANG, BTS's fifth studio album, released on Friday. The album's title references a traditional Korean folk song associated with themes of identity, longing, separation, and reunion
BTS Arirang Album: Three years, nine months, and a mandatory military service later, BTS is back. The group released their fifth full-length album, ARIRANG, on Friday at 1 PM KST, along with the official music video for its title track, “Swim.”
BTS comeback album Arirang
For the millions of ARMY members who have been counting down since the last member completed his service, the wait is finally over.ARIRANG is BTS at their most honest. The album is rooted in who they are, seven members who have spent years turning their personal stories into music that people across the world have found themselves in. The lead single, “SWIM,” centers on the resolve to keep swimming onward through life’s many tides, RM is credited on every track excluding the interlude, while SUGA and j-hope contributed to multiple tracks, including “Body to Body,” “Merry Go Round,” and “NORMAL.” Jimin participated in “they don’t know ’bout us” and “Into the Sun,” while V contributed to “2.0” and “Into the Sun.” Jung Kook also played a key role in the creation of four tracks, including “Hooligan.”
Why is BTS album called Arirang?
The album takes its name from Arirang, a traditional Korean folk song associated with themes of identity, longing, separation, and reunion. Big Hit Music stated the album captures BTS’s identity as a group that began in Korea. The timing feels deliberate. All seven members spent the last few years apart, fulfilling their mandatory military obligations. Coming back with an album named after a song about separation and return is not a coincidence.
Swim, the BTS song that’s making waves
“Swim” is an upbeat alternative pop track that speaks to the attitude of continuing to move forward through the waves of life without stopping. RM took the lead on lyrics, with the song reflecting the thoughts and emotions of BTS after their military service and reunion as a group.
The production involved 10 songwriters, most of whom are internationally based. RM and longtime BTS producer Pdogg are the only Korean names listed in the credits. The wider production credits read like a who’s who of contemporary music. The 14-track project features contributions from Diplo, Kevin Parker of Tame Impala, Mike WiLL Made-It, OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder, Flume, El Guincho, JPEGMAFIA, and Teezo Touchdown.
Along with the music video, the full tracklist for ARIRANG was also released on Friday. It runs 14 songs: Body to Body, Hooligan, Aliens, FYA, 2.0, No. 29, SWIM, Merry Go Round, NORMAL, Like Animals, they don’t know ’bout us, One More Night, Please, and Into the Sun
The Swim video
The music video was directed by Tanu Muino, who is no stranger to high-profile projects. Muino is known for maximising artists’ visual appeal and has earned back-to-back Grammy nominations for Best Music Video with Lil Nas X’s “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” in 2022 and Harry Styles’ “As It Was” in 2023.
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The music video opens with a woman running through an empty museum, scanning exhibitions before stopping in front of a large ship installation. The scene then transitions to a shimmering ocean, ending with the word “Swim” appearing over calm waves. The woman featured in the teaser is American actor Lili Reinhart, who mysteriously ends up in the ship with the members after watching the exhibit. The song, entirely sung in English, serves rich visuals of the sea, as the ship sails with the members and Lili.
What comes next for BTS
The album release is just the beginning of what is a carefully planned return. BTS is set to stage a comeback concert at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on March 21, which will be streamed on Netflix. A documentary, BTS: The Return, is set to premiere on March 27, and a live concert film, BTS World Tour ‘ARIRANG’, is scheduled to hit theatres in April.
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