If you’ve been anywhere near TikTok, Twitter, or the depths of ARMY group chats within the last 24 hours, you already know that everyone and their mom is losing their minds over BTS’ brand new music video for “SWIM”, which stars Lili Reinhart. Within hours of its release, fans dove deep into every frame, picking apart the ocean imagery and the dreamlike “lost at sea” symbolism, searching for meaning. And honestly? The theories are already spiraling — in the best way. Some sleuths believe the visuals hint at BTS “swimming against the current” of the music industry, while others connect it to themes of longing, distance, and finding your way back home. It’s the kind of layered, symbolic storytelling that BTS does best — and yes, we will absolutely be analyzing it for the next three to five business days.
To really understand why “SWIM” feels so significant, you have to zoom out a little. BTS’ new album, ARIRANG, marks their first full group comeback since 2022, following a nearly four-year hiatus while the members completed their mandatory military service. So, of course, they knew their new project had to come out with a bang. The album’s title references a traditional Korean folk song associated with themes of separation, resilience, and reunion, signaling both a return to their music and their roots. So if this music video left you with more questions than answers, you’re not alone. Let’s dive into what “SWIM” actually means.
The music video opens with none other than Lili Reinhart as she studies a ship inside of a museum. The video cuts to the ship itself, which is manned by all seven members of BTS in sailor-esque fits. (And on a cheeky note, the ship is indeed named the ARIRANG.) According to The Hollywood Reporter, a release for the music video described each of the members as representative of quiet sources of support for Reinhart. “Over time, she reflects on herself and finds the strength to move forward once again,” the release wrote, explaining what Reinhart went through after waking up on the ship and enduring several different obstacles.
The lyrics further reinforce this shock of waking up to challenges. In the first verse, RM sings, “Bad world, gone away and I still wake up in this mad world / Name a place that I could breathe on this map, world / Lookin like a goody goody in this bad world, bad world / Don’t know how to act girl / I’m in the deep, tell me where the hell you at, girl?” But instead of resisting the tides, BTS opted for a more perseverant take. SUGA sings in the second verse, “Water, water so deep, water so deep / Take it off the ground, I ain’t never getting cold feet / Yeah, you know me, yeah, you know me / Sittin’ on the shore, now I’m ready for the whole sea / I can feel the high waves comin’ (Yeah) / Salt on my tongue, she’s stunnin’ (Oh).” Talk about a major shift in energy. Fans are definitely in for a ride, and didn’t mince any words on Twitter.
Throughout the video, Reinhart goes through an emotional roller coaster of her own. While she’s content and seems to be enjoying herself on the ship, she seemingly descends into her own mental spiral. She even has her own Titanic-esque moment, when she stands at the front of the ship and rips off her necklace.
In a statement on “SWIM,” BTS said that it’s “a song that mirrors life itself. [We] hope it resonates with many people as they move forward each day, taking each moment as it comes, splashing along and continuing to swim forward. The more you listen, the warmer it feels, so [we] hope it becomes a source of strength as people go through their lives.”