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| BTS / Photo courtesy of Big Hit Music |
[Sports Today reporter Lim Si-ryeong] BTS — the group the world has been waiting for — has returned with their fifth studio album, ARIRANG.
BTS released the record at 1 p.m. on the 20th and premiered the music video for the title track, “SWIM.” Filmed off the coast of Lisbon, Portugal, the video alternates between a full-size ship and meticulously constructed sets, delivering cinematic scope and stunning visuals.
The video opens aboard a colossal vessel cutting through an endless sea. Onboard, a woman struggles through a fraught, uncertain moment. BTS members appear as guiding figures on the ship — taking the helm, raising the anchor and helping chart the course. Each of the seven members quietly supports and watches over her in their own way. Eventually she snaps free a necklace that felt like a shackle and breaks into a radiant smile. The video evocatively captures the thrill, tension and challenge of stepping into a new journey.
Hollywood actress Lili Reinhart deepens the story with a nuanced, emotionally grounded performance. International director Tanu Muino helmed the project, shaping a film-like mise-en-scène.
Via Big Hit Music, the members said fans will see a subtly more grown-up BTS and urged viewers to experience the narrative-driven video like a short film. They also shared a behind-the-scenes weather anecdote: unfortunately, they didn’t get a single clear day of weather; several scenes were shot in the rain, but those rainy takes turned out beautifully and were a pleasant surprise.
ARIRANG explores BTS’s identity while tapping into universal emotions many listeners will recognize. Chairman Bang Si-hyuk served as executive producer, helping sharpen the album’s musical vision. The title track “SWIM” is an alternative-pop number that celebrates pressing forward amid life’s waves — a calm, determined pledge to swim at your own pace and, ultimately, an ode to loving life.
BTS will hold “BTS Comeback Live: ARIRANG” at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul at 8 p.m. on the 21st, where they will perform new tracks including the title song. On the 23rd (local time), they’ll collaborate with global streaming platform Spotify for “Spotify X BTS: SWIMSIDE” in New York. They will continue their global push with back-to-back appearances on NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on the 25th and 26th.
[Sports Today reporter Lim Si-ryeong ent@stoo.com]
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