BTS is back with their fifth full-length album, “ARIRANG.”
At 1 p.m. today (the 20th), the group dropped the new album and released the music video for the title track “SWIM.” Shot between a massive real ship and intricate sets with Portugal’s Lisbon coastline as the backdrop, the MV delivers grand scale and breathtaking visuals.
The video opens on a colossal ship sailing an endless sea. A woman weathers turmoil and despair. BTS appears as guiding forces―taking the helm, raising the anchor, and charting the course. The seven members stay by her side in their own ways, offering steady, wordless support. In the end, she breaks free from a necklace that felt like a shackle and smiles brightly. The clip captures the thrill, nerves, and challenge of setting out on a new journey.
Hollywood actor Lili Reinhart stars, heightening immersion with nuanced emotion. Global director Tanu Muino helms the project, crafting cinematic mise-en-scene.
Through BigHit Music, the members shared a viewing tip: “You’ll see a subtly more grown-up side of BTS.” They added that the narrative makes it feel like watching a film. They also revealed a weather anecdote from set: “Unfortunately, not a single day had good weather. There’s a scene we shot in the rain, and it actually turned out beautifully, which made us happy.”
“ARIRANG” houses BTS’s identity and universal emotions many can relate to. Bang Si-hyuk served as executive producer, elevating the album’s musical completion. Title track “SWIM” is an alternative pop song about pressing forward through life’s waves without stopping―promising to swim at one’s own pace, reframed as a “love for life.”
BTS will host “BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG” on the 21st at 8 p.m. at the Gwanghwamun Plaza area in Seoul, performing the title track and more new songs. On the 23rd (local time), they team up with Spotify in New York for “Spotify X BTS: SWIMSIDE.” On the 25-26th, they’ll appear on NBC’s "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" to keep the global comeback momentum going.
Photo: BigHit Music
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)
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