In our generation, Korean pop, otherwise known most commonly by its abbreviated name, K-pop, has expanded to include international audiences in Korea and beyond. Its popularity is only rising with the promotion of groups such as BLACKPINK, ATEEZ, TWICE, Cortis to American audiences. However, the popularity of Korean pop culture can be attributed to one K-pop group that has dominated charts, such as the Billboard Hot 100, and won top musical awards around the world, becoming the symbol of K-pop itself: BTS.
The group is made of seven members, all of whom have released and explored solo works of their own: RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook. When we think of BTS, most are reminded of their major hits, such as the iconic disco pop single “Dynamite,” released in August of 2020 and the catchy and upbeat track “Butter,” released in May of 2021. However, these two songs are only a small fraction of their discography; other notable works include “Permission to Dance,” “MIC Drop,” “Boy with Luv,” “My Universe,” “Idol,” and countless more. They have collaborated with multiple artists including Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, Lil Nas X, Halsey, among others. At their peak, they were known across the world as the biggest boy band of the time.
After their four-year hiatus, during which all seven members served their mandatory military requirements, BTS is back with a brand new, highly anticipated album: ARIRANG. Composed of fourteen songs, one of which is technically not a song, the album sold 3.37 million copies in the first twenty-four hours, surpassing the first week record set by their previous album Map of the Soul: 7 in a single day. ARIRANG has already won three American Music Awards, earning BTS the Artist of the Year award, and was nominated for the Video Music Awards. But does this album compare to their previous world-dominating albums? Has their hiatus dulled their edge? Let’s see what ARIRANG is all about.
I will be grading each song in five categories with an additional two categories dedicated to memorable moments and my favorite lyrics in the song. Lyricism is the meaning, clarity, and wordplay in the lyrics; production is background music; creativity is the creative skill put forward in the song; and execution is the overall rating of the song put together. Replay value is an additional rating of whether a listener would like to replay it again or not. Each category is scored on a one-to-ten score. These scores are based on my own thoughts and opinions and may conflict with your own opinions on the tracks. Let’s get started with the first song.
“Body to Body”
Lyricism: 7/10
Production: 8/10
Creativity: 8/10
Execution: 7/10
Replay value: 6/10
Memorable moment: Sample of the folk song “Arirang.”
Favorite lyric: “B-T-uh, from everywhere to Korea.”
I could tell the lyrics were chosen carefully, but it’s hard to pinpoint the message or meaning of this song unless you listen closely. On the other hand, the production was great from start to finish: It used different sound samples, and the beat of the song gave it more power. I also scored creativity highly because a sample of the Korean folk song “Arirang” was integrated into the song. Combined together, the song overall gave hip-hop all the way while staying true to BTS’s Korean roots with the sample from “Arirang.” The lyrics and background music combined well together. I ranked the replay value low, as those who don’t like loud beats or hip hop might not like it. Listening to it repeatedly, especially after the third time around, may bore listeners instead.
“Hooligan”
Lyricism: 7/10
Production: 8/10
Creativity: 6/10
Execution: 7/10
Replay value: 6/10
Memorable moment: The extended “Ha ha ha.”
Favorite lyric: “You gon’ hear this one playin’ ’round the clock, yeah.”
I have mixed opinions about this song. For lyricism, I can only say the same as what I said for “Body to Body”: I could tell the lyrics were chosen deliberately and carefully, but it was hard to understand their meaning, with the exception of RM’s bridge and two lines from the chorus, “Watch this, watch this beat goin’ hooligan/We pop out, we actin’ a fool again.” However, I ranked production high, as it gave a darker tone to the overall song. The only reason why I ranked creativity lower is because I believe it had great potential, but it could have been better. I struggled deciding whether to rank the execution as a six or a seven (no pun intended), but ultimately settled with a seven, as I gave extra points to the knife sounds at the beginning of the song. The replay value was ranked low due to the fact that listening to “Ha ha ha ha ha” multiple times seemed repetitive.
“Aliens”
Lyricism: 9/10
Production: 7/10
Creativity: 6/10
Execution: 8/10
Replay value: 7/10
Memorial moments: j-hope’s pre-chorus.
Favorite lyric: “Everyone now know where the K is.”
This song impressed me when I first heard and read the lyrics. I was blown away. Not only were the words like poetry, they clearly addressed haters and those who discriminate against others. BTS proudly defend their identities and express their experience regarding feelings of alienation, a relatable one for many, by calling themselves “aliens.” As for production, I felt that the tone of the song was too similar to “Body to Body,” “Hooligan,” and other tracks. I wanted to rank creativity higher because of the lyrics and word choices, but ultimately ranked it the lowest due to the repetitiveness of the production. However, I believe the overall execution of the song was good, and the lyrics combined with the music gave it a powerful punch. Because it was quirky and interesting, I ranked the replay value as a seven.
“FYA”
Lyricism: 6/10
Production: 7/10
Creativity: 4/10
Execution: 7/10
Replay value: 5/10
Memorable moments: The roaring of the music in the outro.
Favorite lyric: “Everything lit, it’s fire, everything big, it’s fire.”
After being impressed by “Aliens,” I was just stumped on this one. I was truly unsure what to rank this. All I gained from the lyrics is “fire, fire, fire.” Perhaps fire is the metaphor for mainstream media and is warning audiences not to get swept up in the wildfire of the media? I can’t tell if this is true, or if they literally meant fire, so I ranked lyricism as a six. The music for the song was fiery and intense, especially during the later half of the song. Due to the repetitive lyrics and production that felt like a rip-off of the other songs on the album, I ranked creativity low, along with the replay value. However, overall, I felt that it was okay enough to rank execution as seven.
“2.0”
Lyricism: 9/10
Production: 7/10
Creativity: 5/10
Execution: 8/10
Replay value: 8/10
Memorable moments: RM’s last verse.
Favorite lyric: “Pop, pop, pop, pop, yeah, came back for what’s mine.”
This song makes a very bold statement. This is the track where BTS says, “We’re back, and we’re taking back the stage as BTS 2.0.” I admire those lyrics, so I rated them highly. The production went well with the lyrics altogether. This is especially true with RM’s last verse in the song, which is so addicting to listen to. On the other hand, I ranked creativity low, because the beat felt similar to previous tracks, not “brand new.” Nevertheless, I ranked the replay value high, solely by how many times I listened to that particular section on repeat.
“No. 29”
Lyricism: 0/10
Production: 0/10
Creativity: 8/10
Execution: 5/10
Replay value: 1/10
Memorable moments: “Gooooo–”
Favorite lyric: “–ooooong”
This track is the most entertaining one yet. The “lyrics” and “production,” quote unquote, are terrible. There are no lyrics or production. It’s literally the sound of a bell. In terms of creativity, it was an unexpected idea to put this in between “2.0” and “SWIM,” perhaps to separate the two sections of the album. I have no words for execution and replay except to applaud their decision to make it 1:37 minutes long.
“SWIM”
Lyricism: 8/10
Production: 9/10
Creativity: 7/10
Execution: 8/10
Replay value: 8/10
Memorable moments: RM’s verse.
Favorite lyric: “Name a place that I could breathe on this map, world.”
As the lead single of the album, I didn’t know what to expect. However, when I first heard it, what came to my mind was how lo-fi the song felt. The lyrics were soothing, matching perfectly with the music. They reminded me of the light reflecting the ocean waves on a summer beach. For all of these reasons, I ranked this song highly. I couldn’t help but listen to it again after listening to it once. My favorite part is RM’s verse, when the song truly kicks off.
“Merry Go Round”
Lyricism: 9/10
Production: 7/10
Creativity: 7/10
Execution: 6/10
Replay value: 6/10
Memorable moments: The “da da da da” after SUGA’s lines.
Favorite lyric: “I wish that I could tell you that it’s over.”
The lyrics of this song touched me as they perfectly depicted a person struggling with the relentless cycle of life and forcing themselves to smile through it all. Perhaps the words could have been chosen differently, but the message was clear. The production went well with the voices of the members. I thought the metaphor of a merry-go-round and a roller coaster to represent life’s cycle was unique. However, I felt that the making of the song might have been a bit rushed. Despite this, I still enjoyed it.
“NORMAL”
Lyricism: 8/10
Production: 7/10
Creativity: 8/10
Execution: 8/10
Replay value: 8/10
Memorable moments: V and Jung Kook’s pre-chorus.
Favorite lyric: “Runaway, pushing me, pulling me, said you wanted all of me but what is even all of me?”
This song is calmer but has a melancholic vibe. The lyrics tell of a person struggling with their identity, wanting it all to stop but ultimately saying that this is normal for them. The “Kerosene, dopamine, chemical-induced” really got me into the mood of the song. The lyrics won me over for creativity. The production did a good job with keeping the vibe calm but still impactful. Overall, it’s a slower paced track than the other songs. This one is probably going to be one of my shower songs.
“Like Animals”
Lyricism: 6/10
Production: 5/10
Creativity: 8/10
Execution: 6/10
Replay value: 5/10
Memorable moments: The electric guitar sounds in the outro.
Favorite lyric: “So what, your shadow’s a mess, I’m walking with my own dirt.”
The lyrics of “Like Animals” are a bit confusing, so I can only assume they’re about being wild and free. As for production, I felt that the music was a bit overwhelming, with some unnecessary sounds and additions that distract the listener from the theme of the song, thus the low rating for production and execution. Its saving grace is creativity, as the song was able to mix tranquility with wild desire and passion. Due to the gritty sounds, I put the replay value as five. The beginning of the song was nice, but as it went further on, the song became more and more intense.
“they don’t know ‘bout us”
Lyricism: 9/10
Production: 6/10
Creativity: 7/10
Execution: 8/10
Replay value: 8/10
Memorable moment: V’s post-chorus.
Favorite lyric: “If you wanna know me, what can I do for you?”
The lyrics in the song are highly reflective. They send a message to the entertainment industry and, perhaps, even their fans and haters, expressing that others are parading them around as heroes when no one actually knows who they are.They truly are “just seven people.” I believe that the production could have been improved upon and was also a bit rushed in the creative process. However, I raised points for execution, as the English and Korean lyrics blended so well together. I think a lot of people will like this if they give it a try.
“One More Night”
Lyricism: 8/10
Production: 8/10
Creativity: 8/10
Execution: 7/10
Replay value: 7/10
Memorable moment: Jin and j-hope’s post-chorus.
Favorite lyric: “Baby I, baby I, I give it to you all night, yeah.”
This track might as well have been named “Fantasy,” and I wouldn’t have batted an eye. Lyricism, production, and creativity were straight eights. In my interpretation of the lyrics, the song talks about the desire of wanting to live in a fantasy world longer. The music had me nodding to the beat, and I liked the different direction the song took from the other songs in the album. Execution was ranked seven only because the ending could have been a bit better, in my opinion. Those who lik BTS songs from before ARIRANG will enjoy this track.
“Please”
Lyricism: 7/10
Production: 8/10
Creativity: 7/10
Execution: 7/10
Replay value: 8/10
Memorable moments: RM’s verse.
Favorite lyric: “Hold me from the front, back, left, right.”
The lyrics express the singers’ devotion to stand by the listener’s side no matter what, possibly a message of love to their fans. The words were understandable and clear. The production did well to bring out the melodic side of the song. I debated whether to put creativity as a seven or eight, and ultimately chose seven. I think there could have been more elements involved in the production. The song used a pop and strum beat, which made it feel repetitive and simplistic after a while. Execution, overall, was good, and I ranked replay value high, based on the fact that I played it on loop for a day.
“Into the Sun”
Lyricism: 7/10
Production: 7/10
Creativity: 9/10
Execution: 6/10
Replay value: 6/10
Memorable moments: The final breakthrough at the outro
Favorite lyric: “I’ll follow you into the sun, into the sun.”
What struck me as interesting was the digital effects on the vocals in the song which created a slightly muddy effect, thus I ranked this a nine for creativity. It was incredibly daring for them to use this form. However, the lyrics in the chorus were hard to understand with the exception of the rappers’ verses, and the digital sounds threw me off and took off points from production, although I can’t necessarily call it bad. I ranked the execution and replay value low, because of the muddy voices in most of the song. I would have ranked the replay value as five if not for the outro.
I can deduce that the first half of ARIRANG, from “Body to Body” to “No. 29,” is based on their hip-hop roots and displays another side of themselves that they haven’t shown since their early debut days, such as darker themes and tones. The latter half of the album, on the other hand, from “SWIM” to “Into the Sun,” is calmer and is more reflective of what we would describe as K-pop. My average score of the songs in the album was seven or eight out of ten.
I hope to see BTS learn and improve their skills and continue to dominate the stage with their new album. What’s next in store for the K-pop industry?
Be First to Comment