BTS Celebrates Korean Heritage in New Animated Trailer for ARIRANG

Rosa Gulliver
2 days ago
3 min read

Rosa Gulliver of TINYGMUSIC | March 13, 2026

BTS has unveiled a striking animated trailer for their upcoming fifth studio album ARIRANG, blending Korean heritage with the group's global narrative

BTS have released an animation titled '‘아리랑’(ARIRANG) Animation Trailer : What is your love song?' on BTS’ official YouTube channel ahead of the highly-anticipated release of their fifth studio album ARIRANG. The animation serves as a visual prologue, tracing the historical and cultural inspiration behind the new album.

The film opens with animated versions of the seven members gathered around a gramophone. As the record begins to play, the scene transitions back to a historical moment: a ship crossing the Pacific Ocean carrying Korean men, introducing the origins of the Korean folk song “Arirang.” The folk song “Arirang” sings of distance, longing, and the resilience to move forward—emotions that resonate across cultures and generations.

The following scene shows Korean men singing “A-ra-rang” at Howard University in Washington, D.C. in 1896, making it the first known recording of a Korean song. The animation rewinds to the pivotal moment in history, depicting the men singing the song that would go on to become one of the most widely recognised Korean songs in the world. The scene also portrays them sharing the song with students at Howard University, illustrating how the music travelled beyond Korea.

The story then shifts forward to 2013, highlighting the global attention BTS has received since their debut. It shows the unfolding of their journey with a stadium concert filled with a sea of BTS official light sticks. The sequence captures the band performing in front of a roaring global audience, bridging the historical moment of “Arirang” with BTS’ own journey from Korea to the world stage. The scene then cuts to the seven members gathered around the gramophone, singing and dancing, as a subtitle appears reading, “When the world feels heavy, when your heart feels light, what is your love song?” The line continues with the subtitle, “My love song is…,” before the animation closes on the final shot of the ARIRANG logo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Exukk6JO9i0

Ahead of the release of the animation, BTS also drew global attention with their call-to-action campaign “WHAT IS YOUR LOVE SONG?” featuring large-scale installations across Seoul, New York City, and London in celebration of the upcoming album. The campaign reflects the central message of ARIRANG, an album that encapsulates BTS’ identity and the universality of the emotions they encounter.

ARIRANG stems from personal experiences and expands into a universal narrative that transcends generations and cultures. With this, BTS declares their identity with clarity and power: born in Korea, playing for the world.

ARIRANG will be released on streaming platforms worldwide on March 20 at 05:00 GMT.

About BTS

BTS, an acronym of Bangtan Sonyeondan or “Beyond the Scene,” are a GRAMMY-nominated South Korean boyband that has been capturing the hearts of millions of fans globally since their debut in June 2013. The members of BTS are RM, Jin, SUGA, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook. Gaining recognition for their authentic and self-produced music, top-notch performances, and their deep connection with fans, the band has established a legacy as 21st century pop icons breaking countless world records. While imparting a positive influence through activities such as the LOVE MYSELF campaign and the UN ‘Speak Yourself’ speech, the band has mobilised millions of fans across the world (named ARMY), earned six No.1 Billboard Hot 100 singles since 2020, and performed multiple sold-out stadium shows across the world. They were also named TIME’s Entertainer of the Year 2020. BTS are 5-time GRAMMY nominees (63rd to 65th GRAMMY Awards) and have been recognised with numerous prestigious awards like the Billboard Music Awards, American Music Awards (Artist of the Year 2021) and MTV Video Music Awards. The band will release their fifth Studio Album ARIRANG on March 20, 2026 with a massive world tour to follow, signalling a return set to be etched in pop culture history.