BTS “ARIRANG” (아리랑): the album explained, song by song
What the album is about
BTS's fifth studio album ARIRANG draws its name and spirit from a Korean folk song and looks at the group's roots in 2026. It is their first full-group release in about three years and nine months, shaped by identity and what the members feel today. The first half is loud and celebratory, from the concert-night call of “Body to Body” to the fiery return of “FYA”, before the short interlude “No. 29” marks the middle. The second half turns inward, with “SWIM” about moving on at your own pace and “Into the Sun” closing on a promise to stand together.
How to say it아리랑a·ri·rang
Tracklist
Every track in album order. Songs with a page show their key Korean lines and vocabulary; the rest open in the app.
1. Body to Body
A loud, joyful invitation to celebrate shoulder to shoulder with fans at a concert. A pansori-style rendition of the folk song Arirang appears inside it, tying the party to the album's roots.
2. Hooligan
A boastful, high-energy track about tearing up the floor with unruly confidence. Heavy bass and a restless crowd drive it, and behind the swagger is a wish to open a path others can follow and make something global.
3. Aliens
A playful, swaggering declaration from outsiders who were born different and now set the pace. They brush off doubters, show newcomers how things work, and hope to leave their mark on the world they meet.
4. FYA
A fiery return set on a blazing club floor, urging everyone to dance without holding back. Heat and sweat drive it, even deep winter feels warm, and a teasing warning says to keep a little distance from the flames.
5. 2.0
A confident return in which the group shrugs off imitators and presents itself as freshly upgraded. A decade is only a beginning, the old is burned away, and a pounding, chanting beat drives them to reclaim what is theirs.
6. No. 29
A short interlude at the centre of the album, built around the tolling of the Divine Bell of King Seongdeok. It marks a pause between the energetic first half and the more inward second half.
Coming soon7. SWIMTitle track
The title track, about moving forward at one's own pace. Water imagery runs through it as the singer leaves a harsh world behind and is drawn toward someone they could watch for a lifetime.
Open in the app ↗First verse free, no sign-up8. Merry Go Round
A weary look at a daily loop of routine and worry. Fairground rides and a hamster wheel stand for a life that spins nowhere, and it ends on a tired plea for someone to keep smiling.
9. NORMALKorean Ver.
Living under fame's glare until constant love and hate begin to feel ordinary. The singer is numb yet fragile, pulled in every direction, and settles into tired acceptance with a longing for quiet.
10. Like Animals
An invitation to live fully and freely, without fear of mess or darkness. Long nights and wild instincts become a way of embracing a heart that answers to no one.
Open in the app ↗First verse free, no sign-up11. they don't know 'bout us
Tired of outsiders who judge and demand explanations, they shrug off gossip and talk of success, insisting they are simply ordinary people. Underneath, a gentle wish to offer love to anyone who truly wants to know them.
12. One More Night
Deep infatuation is the heart of this track, which sits in the album's inward second half and lingers on the pull of being completely taken with someone.
Coming soon13. Please
A plea from someone ready to do anything to stay beside the one he loves, even as the world keeps pushing them apart. Kneeling, thorny paths and even hell can't shake a giddy devotion and a promise to stand together.
14. Into the Sun
Closing the album with the same promise to stand together, the singer vows to rush to anyone in need and keep heading toward the light through a long run of dark days, certain that morning is coming.
Learn the Korean in “ARIRANG” with an AI idol
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Start with “Body to Body”Credits and sources
- Artist
- BTS
- Album
- ARIRANG (아리랑)
- Released
- Label
- BIGHIT MUSIC
Album facts (release date and tracklist) come from the label's official album page. No lyrics are quoted on this page; the track descriptions are written by theIDOL. Official album page ↗