The title is loaded with meaning for all Koreans, and will give fans globally an insight into the folksong culture that shaped the world’s biggest K-pop group
BTS announced their long-awaited comeback and world tour this week, with their first full-length album in nearly four years set for release on 20 March.
On Friday, the K-pop group revealed its title – Arirang – a choice that carries profound emotional weight for Koreans. So what does it mean, what is its significance for the Koreas, and why did BTS choose it?
Arirang is the title of the Korean peninsula’s most beloved folk song, an unofficial and sentimental national anthem that has resonated across generations. Its origins are believed to stretch back centuries.
There is no single agreed-upon definition for what Arirang specifically means. Some scholars suggest “ari” derives from an old Korean word meaning “beautiful” or “aching”, paired with “rang” meaning “beloved”, though this remains contested folk etymology. The imagery of crossing the Arirang ridge or mountain pass alludes to moving from despair to hope, or a journey from hardship towards something better.
