BTS drops promotional animation video and first group photo ahead of album release
The video is inspired by the story of seven young Koreans published in The Washington Post on May 8, 1896, some of whom also captured the first-known audio recordings of Koreans in Washington DC, in the US.
BTS dropped their first promotional group photo ahead of their album release on Mar 20. (Photo: BigHit Music)
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ARMYs, we’re officially one week away from one of the industry’s most anticipated releases, K-pop stars BTS’ fifth studio album Arirang, which drops on Mar 20.
But the wait just got so much sweeter. In a surprise drop on Friday (Mar 13), BTS released an animated trailer to the upcoming album on their YouTube channel and the first promotional group photo, featuring the seven members in suits, similar to those seen in the animation.
The album and animated video are inspired by the beloved Korean folk song and cultural symbol, Arirang.
The video starts with a message: “The 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, DC, on Jul 24 of that same year.”
The video then follows seven young men in 1896 as they sail across the Pacific Ocean and sing a song overseas in front of local audiences. Then, the scene shifts to the present day, where BTS performs before a crowd glowing with purple lights in 2013, which was the year the group made their debut.
The animation ends with the seven men standing in front of Gwanghwamun Square, which is also where the boy band is expected to perform on Mar 21 in their first group performance since 2022, and the legacy will continue.
According to BTS’ agency Big Hit Music, the project aims to introduce the story behind the song to global audiences while spotlighting the group’s efforts to promote Korean culture worldwide. “We hope more people will look up its lyrics and connect with the uniquely Korean emotions embedded in the music,” they added.
On May 8, 1896, The Washington Post published an article titled "Seven Koreans At Howard: Ran Away From Home To Be Educated In United States."
According to history site Boundary Stones by WETA, a non-commercial public radio station in Washington, DC, the article was accompanied by this line: "All are sons of noble families, but do not understand a word of English – will be kept at expense of the Minister from Korea."
The Washington Post described their story as “somewhat wild and romantic,” noting that they were “scions of noble families, and had been established at school in Japan, but instead of remaining there, they took it into their heads to acquire their education in the United States.”
BTS is set to release their first album in over three years on Friday, Mar 20. The album has a total of 14 songs, with title track Swim described as an upbeat alternative pop song that captures the spirit of perseverance and moving through life even amid rough waters.
On Mar 21, the group will also be performing the BTS The Comeback Live Arirang, which will stream on Netflix at 7pm (Singapore time).
BTS will perform in Singapore for four nights: Dec 17, 19, 20 and 22. But in the meantime, theatre chains Golden Village and Shaw Theatres will hold live screenings of two Arirang concerts, as well as reruns, in select cinemas.
