The boys of BTS are back. It has been a long five-year wait since they released their 2020 studio album Be, their last full-fledged release as a complete group before stepping away for their national service and solo careers. But with their military commitments and the pandemic in the rearview, the septet are pulling out all the stops for their latest studio album, ARIRANG.
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Released on 20 March, the 14-song record signals a powerful new era for the group—playfully dubbed “BTS 2.0” by its members in an interview with Apple Music—informed by their last five years of personal and artistic growth. And what better way to kick off the historic return with a massive comeback show to a thousands-strong audience at the iconic Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, livestreamed to the world on Netflix? If you've yet to tune in, here's the rundown.
Backdropped by Gyeongbokgung Palace, BTS lit up the city on Saturday evening with eight brand-new songs, along with long-time fan-favourites. The group started out strong with album opener “Body to Body”, a hip-hop-forward number that samples the traditional Korean folk tune Arirang. They kept energy high with back-to-back performances of “Hooligan” and “2.0”, complete with new choreography for fans to feast their eyes on.
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After a quick reprieve with the bright dance-pop of their pandemic hit “Butter”, they launched into another revisit to their hip-hop roots with a powerful performance of 2017’s “MIC Drop”. Rappers RM, Suga and J-hope took the wheel on the high-octane “Aliens”, followed by the club-ready banger “FYA”.
The group followed with a showcase of ARIRANG lead single “SWIM”, setting a more mellow, mature tone for the rest of the show. The song led them into the second half of the album, featuring their new soft-rock jam “Like Animals”—led by vocalists Jin, Jimin, V and Jungkook—and the raw honesty of “NORMAL”, peeling back to unveil the emotional core of the record.
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Each member took turns delivering their closing messages to fans, expressing their gratitude for awaiting their return. “No matter what happens, we promise to keep swimming together,” said leader RM. They bid the crowd goodbye (for now) with an uplifting performance of “Dynamite” before closing with the celestial-themed fan song “Mikrokosmos”.
In one captivating, emotional hour, the record-breaking boyband shared a taster of what to expect on their upcoming world tour and sent a clear message out into the universe: BTS are officially back and better than ever.
BTS The Comeback Live | ARIRANG is now streaming on Netflix.