Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you have probably heard about the massive comeback of the K-Pop boy group, BTS. For the past six years, BTS fans (AKA “ARMY”) have been waiting patiently for the members to finish their mandatory service in the South Korean military. On March 20th, they released their highly anticipated album, “ARIRANG.” With help from producers/lyricists Mike WiLL, Diplo, Artemas, Eardrummers, and many more, BTS created an album that is a more grown-up version of their earlier records, like the album Dark and Wild. ARIRANG has a hip-hop, rap, and even shoegaze influence, displaying the band’s ability to explore multiple genres, but does it still feel like it was clearly made for a global audience?
The album opens with “Body to Body,” a track that samples the traditional Korean folk song, “Arirang.” This song has a modern, yet traditionally-influenced, feel of BTS’ music, and symbolizes their “rebirth” from military service. The song has dynamic energy and is going to be amazing in concert, with lyrics like “I need the whole stadium to jump/Put your phone down, lets get all the fun.” Ideally, I think this song should have been the title track, like band member Jimin voiced. The song embodies what BTS hoped to do with this album: make it known that they aren’t losing their authenticity, even though they are megastars.
I also like the song “Aliens,” which, in my opinion, has the best mix of Korean and English. (ARIRANG has a total of 3 songs fully in English, while all the others are a mix of English and Korean.) The song discusses how the band is “aliented” in Western music because of their nationality, and has lyrics like “Do I look too funny” to analyze the internal monologues of many Asian Americans. My personal favorite is “Like Animals,” which is something truly reminiscent of their early hip-hop, rock inspired releases. The song was written and produced by the English record producer Artemas, who has experience in eclectic, alternative pop/rock. The song features a 30 second guitar solo in the outro, which is something very new and fresh for BTS. Longtime fans of BTS are enamored by this unique choice.
At the front of the album, the three songs “Hooligan,” “FYA,” and “2.0” are truly the most reminiscent of the band’s hip-hop and rap heavy early eras. This is where the band gets help from well established producers like Mike WiLL and his team at Eardrummers, Jasper Harris, Rosalia’s longtime friend El Guincho, and many more. While these songs are upbeat, energetic, and going to be hits in shows, I feel as if they lack the lyrical prowess of their usual rap songs. Take a listen to any of their “Cypher” songs or “Mic Drop”, and then “2.0” seems like simple chanting over a heavy beat. It’s at this point in the album where I wish they had more Korean lyrics, English simply does not allow them to have the same depth.
This lack of depth is mostly prominent in their title track, “Swim”, and some of the second half of the album. “Swim” is a track about someone “diving” into their lover’s life, cherishing the most of their world. In my opinion, the track seems a bit bland and repetitive, something that was made to do well on global charts, not reflect BTS. The beat is nothing extraordinary, the lyrics are fair, and the song isn’t “catchy.” BTS could very well have seen more acclaim with a title track along the lines of “Boy with Love ft. Halsey” or “Life Goes On.”
It is discussed online that BTS’ label, BigHit Entertainment, had pushed the boys for a more English-heavy album, and the members had voiced concerns about authenticity. The 7 members had written almost 100 songs for the album, about 10 songs each, and then had to narrow it down to a 14 song record. As someone who has been listening to BTS since around 2019, I am a bit underwhelmed by this release. I like it, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t LOVE it. ARIRANG won’t hold a special place in my heart like Wings, the Love Yourself trilogy, or The Most Beautiful Moment in Life albums.
As they grow into a global powerhouse, BTS has a newfound sense of security that their release won’t fail, their fans wouldn’t let them down. Their world tour could very well surpass sales in comparison to Taylor Swifts Eras tour, and they are constantly trending online. This release is music heavy, the members had numerous collaborations to provide them with beats, however, the lyricism is simply not as eloquent as their older releases. BTS has the safety of global stardom; because they know their music can’t fail, they can release music that is musically different. This isn’t a bad thing, but ARMY can listeners around the world can expect the boys to be switching to a more global audience instead of their solely Korean listeners. “ARIRANG” does show the septet’s musical skills and willingness to explore more English lyrics, but it lacks the soulful sound of their early eras.