BTS Returns: Inside the Making of Their Ambitious New Album ‘Arirang’
A New Chapter for the Global Icons
When RM finds himself navigating an existential crisis—a frequent occurrence for the BTS leader—he often turns to the words of Rainer Maria Rilke or the lyrics of Tyler, the Creator. He finds solace in the poem “Go to the Limits of Your Longing,” specifically the line: “No feeling is final.” It is a mantra that has guided him through the most challenging period of his career: the 18 months of mandatory military service that forced the world’s biggest group to press pause.
Lying in a cold army bunk, struggling with insomnia, RM found himself listening to artists like Don Toliver and Joji. He became obsessed with the phrase “Forever is too long” from a Tyler, the Creator track. “Maybe at that time, the military felt too long for me,” RM reflects. “I was being healed just by singing along to it.”
The Road to ‘Arirang’
Five weeks before the release of Arirang, the group’s first album of all-new material in nearly six years, the members are back together in a warehouse-like studio at the Hybe headquarters in Seoul. The atmosphere is electric, a mix of relief and intense creative pressure. For the members, this project is more than just a comeback; it is a statement of artistic growth and a response to the question of what BTS represents in 2026.
“I have extreme stress and extreme joy at the same time,” RM says. “It’s all always back and forth, every night.” He is joined by his six bandmates—Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook—who have all returned from their service with a renewed sense of purpose. The album, which has already seen massive commercial success, serves as a testament to their resilience.
“If we don’t challenge anymore, there’s no reason we should keep doing this.”
Reclaiming Their Roots
The group’s journey from their 2013 debut, which was heavily influenced by hip-hop, to their global pop dominance has been well-documented. With Arirang, the band felt a pull toward their origins. “We unconsciously come back to when we started, all those really turnt-up energy, I-want-to-show-something-to-the-world type of energy,” RM explains. Veteran producer Pdogg, who has been with the group since their trainee days, notes that the members were “very intentional about carrying a hip-hop sensibility into the album.”
The recording process was a departure from their past workflows. Moving into a house in Los Angeles in the summer of 2025, the members worked in separate writing rooms, collaborating with producers like Diplo and Mike WiLL Made-It. The goal was to blend a fresh, global edge with the core identity that made them legends. For the members, the time apart had only strengthened their individual voices, making their reunion even more potent.
Looking Toward the Future
As they prepare for their upcoming ARIRANG Tour, the members are focused on enjoying the moment rather than just chasing records. “Before, we were way too competitive,” Suga admits. “But now, we can relax a little. I think we can have more fun with it now.”
The band remains humble despite their massive influence. When asked about their place among other global icons, RM winces. “They are greater artists than us,” he says softly. “We’re just so small. We’re just a boy band from Korea.” It is a sentiment that feels increasingly inaccurate, given the global cultural footprint they have established. As they look ahead, the members of BTS are not just focused on the next chart-topping hit; they are focused on the music that feels most authentically them.
