BTS released their highly anticipated album, “ARIRANG,” on Friday, March 20, marking the group’s first full-length studio album since “Be” in 2020. The release immediately broke records on Apple Music, according to the platform, signaling a triumphant return for the K-pop group following a hiatus necessitated by mandatory military service for its members.
The 14-track album, named after the traditional Korean folk song, represents BTS’s most experimental project to date, fusing hip-hop with elements of Korean folk music, according to USA Today. The album’s lead single, “Swim,” accompanied the release. The project explores themes of connection, distance, and reunion.
The return of BTS follows a period of individual military service for each of the seven members. Jin, the oldest member, completed his service in 2024, with the remaining members – J-Hope, RM, V, Jimin, and Jung Kook – finishing their service by June 2025. South Korean law requires all able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 28 to serve between 18 to 21 months in the military or in social service roles, though recent adjustments allow deferral until age 30.
“ARIRANG” is available on Apple Music, featuring 16 songs including “Body to Body,” “SWIM,” “Hooligan,” “FYA,” “Aliens,” “2.0,” “Merry Go Round,” “NORMAL,” “Like Animals,” and “they don’t grasp ’bout us.” The album also includes essential tracks from previous releases such as “LOVE YOURSELF 承 ‘Her’” and “The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever.”
BTS is scheduled to perform tracks from “ARIRANG” for the first time in years at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square on Saturday, March 21. The performance will be streamed live on Netflix. A feature-length documentary, “BTS: The Return,” will be released on Netflix on March 27, chronicling the group’s return to music.
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