BTS is back after 2022, with their fifth album, leaving their fans overjoyed. The lead single 'SWIM' is making waves. Know everything about the same!
BTS fans are overjoyed as the K-pop boy band is back in the game. After three years, nine months and a mandatory military service, the K-pop boy band released their fifth album, Arirang, on Friday, i.e. March 20, 2026, 1 PM KST, and 9:30 AM IST.
To celebrate their comeback, the boy band will perform live at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, which will be streamed live on Netflix on March 21, 2026. BTS also dropped the official music video of the lead single, SWIM, which is making waves around. Following this, there is also a documentary release lined up, which can hint at the full-blown restart of the K-pop boy band after their military hiatus, and thus, naturally, the excitement among the Army reached an extreme level.
BTS's fifth album is named Arirang, and the choice of the title feels deliberate for the timing and also for the themes attached to it. Arirang is a traditional Korean folk song, and reportedly it is considered as an unofficial national anthem of Korea. If the theories are to be believed, BTS chose the name to represent their roots and their journey to 'homecoming' to their fans.
As per Big Hit Music, the album, Arirang features the group's identity that began in Korea. While the folk song, Arirang, captures the theme of identity, longing, separation, and reunion, it feels aligned with the K-pop boy group's timeline of releasing the album after 2022, as the seven members of the group spent their time apart, completing the necessary military service. And thus, coming back with an album whose title speaks about the themes of separation, reunion, and longing, was an apt choice.
The fifth album came almost four years after their anthology album Proof. Arirang consists of 14 songs, including SWIM, Body to Body, Hooligan, Aliens, FYA, 2.0, No. 29, Merry Go Round, NORMAL, Like Animals, they don’t know ’bout us, One More Night, Please, and Into the Sun. RM contributed to almost every track, excluding the interlude, while Jung Kook is credited with creating four tracks. SUGA and j-hope contributed to multiple songs whole Jimin participated in they don’t know ’bout us and Into the Sun. The lead single, SWIM's official music video, has been dropped, and it has been making waves since its release. SWIM is an upbeat alternative pop track which speaks about the attitude of continuing to move forward, no matter how hard the waves hit.
SWIM reflects the group's thinking process and emotions after their military service was over and reuniting as a group, with RM taking the place of the lead singer, and the production involved 10 other songwriters, and longtime BTS producer Pdogg. The music video was directed by Tanu Muino. BTS released a video, addressing their Indian fans to be a part of their live show through Netflix streaming, and there's no second thought about the fact that people were left excited. Apart from the documentary release and the live concert, BTS's most-awaited world tour is also on the list.
What do you think about BTS returning after all these years with ARIRANG?
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