BTS mark comeback with Arirang album and historic concert

0:00Hey, I'm Etcra. This is what's in the world from the BBC World Service. I don't know about you guys, but this is what my phone was like over the weekend. I cried. I shook. I was very emotional. I was just completely still. But it felt like a dream. It was just so massive that my company, which is in Kwangamlin, has actually recommended all of the employees to work from home on Friday, which is yesterday just for safety. And when they performed my drop, it truly felt like BTS had finally made their long-weighted comeback. And just like those guys, I was tuned into BTS's big comeback concert. When they were last on the scene, they were not only K-pop's biggest band, but one of the biggest bands in the world. So this concert marked the start of a whole new era after the members had been away doing their mandatory military service. The fans, otherwise known as ARMY, have been waiting for almost four years.

1:00So in this episode, we're going to get into how the comeback concert went, especially with attendance lower than expected. Here about some of the Korean references you need to know from the new album Aroh Rang, and here from the BTS Army too. Our reporter, Yuna Koo, was at the concert, and she's speaking to us from Seoul right now. Hey, Yuna. Hey, thanks for having me. Yuna, I want to know all about the concert. You were there. How was it? It was quite something I would have to say. You've got this Gwanghwamun Square right in the heart of Seoul, which is normally packed with tourists and nearby office workers. Suddenly transforming into this massive, high-energy K-pop concert venue in just one week. And visually, it was quite stunning. You've got this historic palace gate from the 14th century and the mountain in the background. All of that basically becoming part of the stage backdrop.

2:01So the whole set up really blended traditional Korean elements with modern K-pop. They kicked things off with the sound of a traditional bell. And then went straight into the first track of the new album, Body to Body. And the crowd there were chanting the member's name all the time and waving light sticks. However, I would have to say the crowd wasn't as big as the original estimate with tens of thousands of them, which is far below the original estimate of 260,000 maximum. With the turnout a little bit less than expected, do we have any idea of what people are putting that down to? One of the reasons is because of the Itaewon Stampede in 2022. And for people who don't know, that's when more than 150 people died during a crowd surge at Halloween celebrations in Seoul's Itaewon district. The area is known for its narrow streets and alleys.

3:01It's estimated around 100,000 people showed up. So after that, the government has been putting in much effort to prevent this kind of accident from happening. So the police said they think it was much needed to prevent further accidents. And another reason could be this very strong security operation that was going around this area. There were so many police officers, thousands of them, trying to direct people in certain ways. You know, let's turn to the BTS album now. How's it going down with people? Yeah, when it comes to the music itself, I think the reactions in South Korea bit mixed. There was this expectation that the music would lean more into South Korean tradition and heritage. And some listeners feel like that didn't fully come through in the tracks. But I would have to say that this kind of criticism doesn't just stop with BTS.

4:02It's sort of a broader conversation around K-pop right now. That as the genre becomes more global, it's also becoming more westernized. And what kind of impact does BTS have on South Korea's economy? BTS will be on a 82-day world tour for one year. And this is expected to generate a huge income for overall industry, including hospitality sector and music content sector and so on. There is even a newly coined word called BTS nomics. And South Korea to describe the economic impact by BTS in the overall economy. So from what you saw over the weekend, is the magic still there for BTS? Is there still a lot of love for them? I would say that BTS has become more than just one of these K-pop groups. They now symbolize the trends of South Korea's soft power. And for South Koreans, it's hard to reach for their failure.

5:04Because with many people expecting that their success will link to the promotion of South Korean culture and heritage in the long run. You know, thank you so much. It's been so good to have you. I hope you get some rest now. Yeah, thank you so much. So how are music writers and critics feeling about the album? Here's Chase Kang. She's a K-pop journalist and podcast host based in LA. Arirang is what historians call a collective folk song. It was shaped over centuries by ordinary people, farmers, laborers, people without power, without platforms, and often without the freedom to speak openly at all. So when BTS title their comeback album, Arirang, that word carried all of that history with it. Fans were like, wait, the album's called Arirang, but the title track's already in English? The thing about Arirang is, it was never really about a fixed sound. It came from people who didn't have power, and in a very different way,

6:06BTS didn't come up through the traditional Western music system either. They grew on YouTube through global internet culture, through a fanbase that formed online before the industry even knew what to do with them. So maybe the question was never, does this sound like Arirang? Maybe it was always, does it move like Arirang? And if you listen that way, it does. And here's music journalist, Clint Edwards. He's based in Seattle in the US. This comeback was probably one of the most highly anticipated albums of all time for a group, and I really think they were successful overall with this album. I've seen some mixed reactions when people compare the album to previous work of theirs, and I can definitely see both sides, but I enjoy the album a lot, especially with the songs Normal, Like Animals, and The Track Swim. Swim was such a good song to lead this album with just because it is a little more repetitive with lyrics,

7:06which I think is good for the overall commercial success of the song, because a lot of the other tracks, Lean More, Rap, and R&B Heavy, which are really great. Thank you for that one, Clint. Now let's get back to the fans. I have to say, Netflix, I'll stage themselves without the prosthesis to us, and with their 4 years to see something like that again. And you know, it was what every single weight, it was what every single thing. It's just hard to believe that it's been 13 years since their debut, and they still have that raw energy, but with even more depth and maturity now. And watching the fans from all over the world gather in the heart of Seoul, being me feel incredibly proud as a Korean. Okay, so with the hype and full force, I'm wondering how far some of you will go to make sure you see BTS on their soul-out world tour. As you now mentioned, they're playing over 80 shows across the world, and there's no bigger army than my sister, Eman, who's still to get tickets.

8:08When your songs and your choreography is watching over Netflix, was this good, it's made me want to jump on a flight to Korea, and definitely be there for their concerts in June or for their festa, would love, love to see them in person, and it's really just made me want those tickets even more. Well, I'm definitely manifesting that sister's trip to Korea, watch this space. BTS Army, thank you so much for being part of this episode. I hope you've all recovered from the comeback show, and remember, you guys can DM us on Instagram at any time. At BBC What's in the World is our handle over there, but for now, I'm Ikkra, this is What in the World from the BBC World Service. Mike Drop.