BTS’s latest project has been looming in the imagination of fervent fans for the last four years.
The K-pop group took a break to fulfill their required military service in Korea shortly after a meteoric rise cemented their status as leaders in global pop music.
Now that their service is completed, the group’s hiatus ends with a new album deeply rooted in Korean history. Proudly named after a popular Korean folk song, Arirang represents both the ancient and current cultural impact K-pop music shares throughout the world.
K-pop generally thrives on catchy lyrics and impressive choreography. With their earlier music, BTS perfected both while also redefining expectations for the genre with their blend of Korean and English lyrics and collision of global cultures.
The success of K-Pop Demon Hunters and its accompanying music further solidified the cravings of young fanbases yearning for pop music where the mood stays light and the messages remain welcoming.
Arirang delivers, but it seems to be pushing the band into a new era. The album is marked by their characteristic pop sensationalism, but it also uncovers a softer side of introspection.
Part of K-pop’s premise—and certainly the premise of BTS’s former works—is promoting self-confidence, promising that you can believe in yourself. With Arirang, BTS still wants to leave you feeling good, but how long that will last isn’t something they’re quite ready to reckon with yet.
“Swim” is a classic pop song about the highs and lows of a blossoming relationship. BTS remains mostly positive and affirming in their declaration of love as they sing, “You know that I’m never holding back.”
On “Please,” BTS declares love for a significant other regardless of circumstances. BTS sings, “If I ever knew happiness, it was only you” and “When the world divides us … I’ll take another step closer.”
“Into the Sun” continues that theme as BTS claims they’ll do anything for their paramours. They sing, “You call, I run/Dark days and find the sun/I don’t care how far/Just wait till dawn.”
At several points, Arirang carries pleas from the band for fans to “put their phones down” and “enjoy the moment.”
The first track, “Body to Body,” sets the tone for the album, opening with the echoing phrase: “I need … I need/I need some body/All of your body beside me.” There’s an implication for something more than simple cheering at a concert as the song crescendos into a demand for physical contact.
“Normal” shows that a recent relationship is anything but normal as they sing, “Kerosene, Dopamine, chemical-induced/fantasy and fame, yeah, the things we choose … yeah we call this s— normal.”
“Hooligan” refers to an ambiguous night of partying as “we the mess, gonna get a bigger mop in here” because BTS has decided that there is no future and the present is all that matters.
“Like Animals” is a vain attempt at love that only ends in worthless physical pleasure. BTS sings, “If you wanna be animals/we can be animals/Eat this life till your heart full … none of us are tameable.”
“Merry-Go Round” describes an unsuccessful attempt to end a relationship they know is ultimately damaging. BTS sings, “My life is like a broken roller coaster” and “Spinnin round and round … I just fall apart.”
“Aliens” contains a reference to suggestive dance moves and urges the crowd to join in.
In “2.0,” a repeating verse with the word “pop” symbolizes the popping of a gun as the group brags about their status as global icons.
Several songs contain various profanities, such as the s-word, “d–n” and “h—.” The Lord’s name is taken in vain, as well.
It’s typical for a band as popular as BTS to avoid uncovering personal details or take risks with their sound and style. So unfortunately, Arirang rarely reveals deep reflection from a group that’s had several years to do just that.
What’s apparent throughout Arirang is a commitment to delivering empty messages of love both doomed and hopeful. BTS’s tone rotates between uplifting and depressing often creating an imbalance of emotions reflected in the very relationships they portray.
Stray fragments of profanity outline the concerns surrounding their outlook on relationships. For BTS, love can be discarded the moment something better appears. But there also seems to be an acknowledgement that when the only thing worth keeping around is the latest good feeling, nothing will truly satisfy.
At several points, BTS literally describes this cycle as a roller coaster of chasing highs. Despite their realization, and against their better judgement, it’s a roller coaster they don’t seem to be getting off anytime soon.
Jackson Greer is a High School English Teacher in the suburbs of Texas. He lives in Coppell, Texas with his wife, Clara. They love debating whether or not to get another cat and reading poetry together. Also, he is a former employee of Focus on the Family’s Parenting Department.
