REVIEW: BTS - ARIRANG
South Korean Megastars BTS have just released their 5th Studio Album on March 20, 2026 "Arirang" a powerful musical tribute to their roots with influences of their experiences and ultimate adulthood. The album blends heartfelt paired back vocals and vibrant dance and Korean beats. Standout tracks like "Body to Body," "One More Night," and "Normal" showcase BTS but more specifically V & Jin’s vocal and songwriting prowess. Read on & Enjoy!
©BIGHIT MUSIC
It is no secret that I’m a HUGE BTS fan. More importantly I’m a V and Jin fan the most. I wouldn’t say I’m Army level fandom BUT I do have keychains and marked my calendar when it was announced that after a 4 year hiatus due to military duty they were back. Now when I first heard that this album would be more mature and dive into more hip-hop sounds I was initially disappointed because the love for BTS was the “happy and feel-good” music. Even if the theme seemed superficial it made you feel good.
It seems that these days we cannot get a break from heartbreak or dark days and I didn’t want in the sound of BTS that has been known for more uplifting themes. Of course I was opened but didn’t have high hopes. I watched the Netflix documentary of creating the album AND the live event. I was BLOWN AWAY. This has got to be my favorite album and I love how this album you hear each member’s distinct voice in vibe which is great since they each did their own solo material.
Regardless if you are a fan of BTS this album touches on the one thing we can all agree on is during times where everything seems up in the air it’s even harder to come to terms with our own short comings and even admitting the hopes/ dreams we had for someone crumbled, days you don’t feel optimistic or days when people misunderstand you. BTS’s 5th Studio Album is reflective and all the emotions of being human. Everything from anger, reflection, infatuation, deep love, shortcomings, acceptance, and even reminding people of who you are.
The 5th studio album has originally 14 songs and the deluxe version has video of the group expressing their hope for this album. From the first song “Body to Body” which is a fun almost club-like song that makes you want to dance and then blends traditional Korean folk song “Arirang.” I thought it was a brilliant way to remind people of where they come from but their global reach and how music is the ultimate connector. I was truly moved from this album. With fun dance songs such as “2,0” and “Hooligan” to moving songs such as “One More Night”, “Normal” and “Into the Sun”.
I give this album a 10 out of 10, and has been on repeat since the release and I forsee it being on repeat daily. This album overall is an amazing showcase of BTS’s talents, vocal and songwriting abilities. I was so happy to hear more of Jin’s range in “Normal” and to see V showcased more on the hooks for “Like Aliens” and “One More Night.” For me this was a much needed love letter to the wonderful complexity of being Human and ARMY.
