The four-year hiatus was due to the mandatory military service all able-bodied Korean men must fulfill. Arirang represents the full circle journey of these seven Korean pop-stars. A celebration of their cultural roots as Koreans and expanded globalization through musical collaboration. This 14-track album deserves deep research as a critic and fan in order to understand where this album is culturally coming from – Arirang isn’t an album you can fully take in through a first-listen. It requires time to understand it – Arirang is a musical melting-pot of cultural and social immersion. The first known recording of Arirang was performed in 1896 by a group of seven Korean men at Howard University – the cover picture is a reference to them. Arirang is a beloved sentimental anthem that demonstrates longing, sorrow, and the resilience of the Korean people. The musical melting-pot is prominent with heavy trap-beats, instrumental synth pop, and lyrics structured as traditional Korean folk songs. The heavy-trap beats and rap in the first 15 minutes of the album brings us back to their 2014 studio debut album“Dark & Wild.” “Dark & Wild,” like ARIRANG, was developed and recorded in Los Angeles. Although, Arirang was finished back in South Korea.
“Body to Body,” starts off with a booming percussive beat followed by RM’s electrifying rap. Jimin and Jungkook’s dulcet vocals add to the intensity alongside Jin and V’s yearning. Arirang’s musical motif makes for a smooth transition, it adds a nice sense of pride, following the pre-existent percussion. We're reconnected back to the future with “I need the stadium to jump.” This provides the listener with the notion of how long Korean music has survived. “Hooligan,” builds off on strings and synths, the sharpening of knives acts as a smooth transition for j-Hope’s piercing rap. The punchy beats catch you off guard as Suga makes a reference to “El Cucuy (comparable to the boogeyman).” The multilingual incorporation is a bit intimate since the reference is culturally understood by a certain type of audience. The musical melting-pot is recognized here through “chopped and screwed,” a Houston-born hip-hop remixing technique innovated by DJ Screw. “Aliens,” the title of this track is self-explanatory. It isn’t news for people who have been following the group to know the racial prejudice they have faced for breaking into the Western music market. “Oh my god, do I look too funny?” This track references cultural customs, “If you wanna hit my house, shoes off at the door,” this serves as a metaphor for cultural and social boundaries. “FYA,” with heavy-breathing panning from side to side, RM & j-hope strikes us from the forefront. There are pop references to Michael Jackson, “I go full Thriller tonight,” and Britney Spears “Hit me with it one more time.” “2.0,” has old-school hip-hop rhythms with the rap-line mainly leading.
The vocal-line makes the track bright from its thick bass. There could be a reference to Tupac here, “Hit ‘em up like pop,” makes it sound like “Tupac.” “No. 29,” the silence acts as a bridge to the other half of the album – a sonic palate cleanser. It features the resonance of the Divine Bell of King Seongdeok. “SWIM” is the first track of the later half of the album, bringing forth a mellow track dominated by the vocal-line. The music video is set on a boat, although at first there might not be thematic connections – boats have historically been the primary vessels for immigration. “Merry Go Round,” is one of the more sentimental songs in the album. The structure of this song is formatted like a merry go round, we alternate between the vocal line and one rapper at a time. “NORMAL,” a rock-ballad filled with the member’s anxieties. “Will you color me red? Will you color me blue?” They’re questioning how both opposing sides will assign narratives, the colors also represent the colors of the Korean flag. “Like Animals,” “they don’t know ‘bout us,” “One More Night,” and “Please,” “Into the Sun,” start losing thematic connections to the album. They make sense musically because BTS has never had a set genre within their albums.
- Ethan Del Rosario De Regino
