Intro for March 18, 2026
– 3 min read
Dear Gossips,
For some of us – and by “some”, I mean an entire ARMY – there’s only one preoccupation right now. We’re so close now, so close to our “Spring Day”, less than 48 hours to go until The Comeback we’ve been waiting years for: BTS’s new album ARIRANG is arriving on Friday! The next day their free concert, from Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square, will stream live on Netflix.
Netflix’s socials have been counting down all week.
Every day there’s been new content from their photo shoot to promote not only the comeback show but also the documentary that will drop next week.
A trailer for the film was released on Monday. I know I was tired from Oscar weekend and probably extra vulnerable, but I sobbed watching this, LOL. Pretty sure it wasn’t just me. Seeing them together again, working and playing and sharing, so candid about their uncertainties, having to face the pressure of returning to so much anticipation, so much expectation – with the unshakeable faith that the only way to do it is to be Seven and also One. This is their superpower. I am going to be a f-cking mess on Friday.
Usually by this point during a BTS comeback, they would have dropped a lead single. This time they have pre-released anything, so it’ll all come at once, the album and the video for the lead single, “Swim”. A teaser for “Swim” was revealed late yesterday. At the time of this writing it’s already been viewed over four million times.
The motif here is obvious: the ocean, a journey, a ship. Layers and layers of meaning here, especially since they confirmed the album title a few weeks ago.
ARIRANG is the unofficial national anthem of Korea and when the album covers and the animation trailer were shared last week, RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook gave us some insight into the inspiration behind their new music:
“This video was inspired by the story of seven young Koreans as documented in The Washington Post on May 8, 1896 (“Seven Koreans at Howard”), some of whom captured the first known audio recordings of Koreans in Washington, D.C., on July 24 of that same year. As a modern reimagining, this work draws upon the profound cultural significance of these historical records, which preserve the authentic voices of young Korean men and the first-ever recording of “Arirang.”
With ARIRANG, BTS is in part honouring the Korean diaspora, recognising those who travelled beyond their home borders, sharing their cultural traditions and customs on their journeys. Over a century later, seven young men from that same nation are following in those footsteps while highlighting the contributions of their artistic ancestors. And leaning into their own lore.
Because many BTS fans would have already clocked the symbolism of the ship. Back in 2020, when describing the band’s evolution and how the seven of them had grown as individuals, collectively, RM said that:
"I consider ourselves as seven of us are in the same boat but looking at some different directions. It's okay to look at the other directions. The important thing is that we know that we are on the same boat.”
It’s another example of how intentional this group has always been with their messaging, with the ideas they explore in their music and visuals. Forbes published an article about some of the history behind BTS’s new album and the references that have been hinted at so far with the rollout. RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook are giving us pop… with purpose. It’s homework that’s actually fun.
Yours in gossip,
Lainey
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