BTS unveils first music video teaser for lead single Swim ahead of Arirang album release
The 16-second snippet is the first glimpse into the album, out on Friday (Mar 20).
BTS dropped the first music video teaser for Arirang's title track, Swim. (Photo: YouTube/HYBE LABELS)
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With every day, we inch closer and closer to the release of BTS’ upcoming album that has stirred lots of anticipation – Arirang, out Mar 20.
On Wednesday (Mar 18), BTS dropped the first music video teaser for the album’s title track, Swim.
Just days away from the album’s release, the 16-second snippet is the first glimpse into the album’s sound.
As a melody plays, the teaser begins with a woman running in an empty museum, through what seems like nautical exhibits, fitting for the album’s maritime-themed lead single.
She stops right in front of a large model ship exhibit and stares at it for a few seconds, unmoving. Then, a single word appears on screen with a soft voice singing, “swim”.
ARMYs (BTS’ fans) online have been quick to point out that the museum in the video is Lisbon’s Maritime Museum, Museu de Marinha. BTS was reportedly in Portugal in February 2026.
Korean media reported that the music video is directed by Tanu Muino. The Ukrainian director won for Best Direction at the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards (alongside Lil Nas X) for Montero (Call Me By Your Name) and was nominated in the same category in 2022 for Harry Styles’ As It Was.
She has also worked on BTS' Jungkook’s solo song Standing Next To You, and with K-pop girl group Blackpink's Jennie and pop stars Lady Gaga and Dua Lipa, and more.
BTS’ animated trailer for Arirang also featured a ship, which was boarded by seven young men in 1896 as they travelled across the Pacific Ocean to sing a song overseas in front of local audiences.
According to the message that appears at the start of the trailer, the animation 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”.
Out on Friday, Arirang is a 14-track album with title track Swim, an upbeat alternative pop song that captures the spirit of perseverance and moving through life even amid rough waters. This will be BTS’ first group release in over three years, making it their highly-anticipated return to K-pop. Seoul city will come alive with light-ups and fan experiences starting Mar 20.
On Mar 21, the group will also hold the BTS The Comeback Live Arirang. It’s a free performance at the historic Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea, which will also be livestreamed on Netflix. After that, BTS will head to New York for an exclusive fan event with Spotify on Mar 23.
On Mar 27, BTS will release the documentary, BTS: The Return, on Netflix.
