BTS (Photo provided by BigHit Music)
BTS returned with its fifth full-length album, “ARIRANG.”
The group released the album at 1 p.m. on the 20th and unveiled the music video for its title track, “SWIM.” Shot against the open sea off Lisbon, Portugal, the video moves between a real large ship and detailed sets, emphasizing scale and visuals.
The video opens on a massive vessel crossing an endless ocean. A woman is shown shaken and discouraged as she endures a difficult period. BTS appears as helpers guiding the ship — taking the helm, raising the anchor and scanning the route ahead. The seven members stay by her side in their own ways, offering quiet support. She eventually breaks a necklace that had felt like a restraint and smiles, conveying anticipation, tension and the moment of taking on a new challenge.
Hollywood actor Lili Reinhart appears in the video, adding a restrained emotional arc. Director Tanu Muino led the production, creating a film-like mise-en-scène.
In comments released through BigHit Music, the members said viewers can see a subtly more mature BTS. They also asked fans to watch it as they would a movie because it has a storyline. The group shared a weather-related anecdote, saying there was not a single day of good weather during filming and that a rain-soaked scene turned out beautifully.
The group released the album at 1 p.m. on the 20th and unveiled the music video for its title track, “SWIM.” Shot against the open sea off Lisbon, Portugal, the video moves between a real large ship and detailed sets, emphasizing scale and visuals.
The video opens on a massive vessel crossing an endless ocean. A woman is shown shaken and discouraged as she endures a difficult period. BTS appears as helpers guiding the ship — taking the helm, raising the anchor and scanning the route ahead. The seven members stay by her side in their own ways, offering quiet support. She eventually breaks a necklace that had felt like a restraint and smiles, conveying anticipation, tension and the moment of taking on a new challenge.
Hollywood actor Lili Reinhart appears in the video, adding a restrained emotional arc. Director Tanu Muino led the production, creating a film-like mise-en-scène.
In comments released through BigHit Music, the members said viewers can see a subtly more mature BTS. They also asked fans to watch it as they would a movie because it has a storyline. The group shared a weather-related anecdote, saying there was not a single day of good weather during filming and that a rain-soaked scene turned out beautifully.
Photo provided by BigHit Music
“ARIRANG” is described as an album that captures BTS’ identity and universal emotions many people can relate to. Bang Si-hyuk, the label’s chairman, oversaw overall production. The title track, “SWIM,” is an alternative pop song about pressing forward through life’s waves, framing the resolve to keep swimming at one’s own pace as a form of love for life.
BTS will hold “BTS Comeback Live: ARIRANG” at 8 p.m. on the 21st around Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, where it plans to perform new songs including the title track. On the 23rd (local time), the group will team up with global audio and music streaming platform Spotify for a “Spotify X BTS: SWIMSIDE” event in New York. It will then appear on NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” on the 25th and 26th.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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