BTS is officially ready to make a comeback with their new album ‘Arirang’, there is much more meaning to this comeback. Apart from being their first comeback in the last 3-4 years, the title ‘Arirang’ itself has a lot of significance and cultural significance in South Korea. Read on to learn more about what it really means.
What is ‘Arirang’?
Originally, ‘Arirang’ is one of the oldest and most loved Korean folk songs. Also known as the country’s unofficial national anthem, it explores themes of love, hardship, endurance, separation and hope.
First audio version of ‘Arirang’
Although the song is said to be 100 years old, the first version of the song was made in 1896. Seven Korean students in the United States have been documented as the first people to record the song’s audio. It was recorded by the American ethnologist Alice Cunningham Fletcher, who recorded the melody of the song on some wax cylinders she had at home at the time. The report comes from an old Washington Post article.
The latest teaser trailer for BTS’s ‘Arirang’
The first official trailer was released by the famous K-pop boy group, connecting the dots with the past and showing the 7 members in 1896, standing around a phonograph, with the original tune of ‘Arirang’ playing in the background. The animated trailer followed, showing the 7 people traveling to a foreign country and recording the first audio version of the song. The scene shifts as they perform ‘Not Today’ on a stage as hundreds of fans turn on the purple lights and watch them. Talking about the trailer, the group’s management agency released a statement that the trailer was created for entertainment purposes and was only inspired by the historical event. Their statement read: “We wanted to share the story behind ‘Arirang’ with those unfamiliar with the song. We hope more people will seek out its lyrics and connect with the unique Korean emotions embedded in the music.”
