The return was eagerly anticipated; it was a resounding success. Within the first hours following its release, BTS’s new album, ARIRANG, sold nearly four million copies in a single day – exactly 3.98 million, according to data from the local Hanteo Chart ranking published on Friday, March 21 by the label Big Hit Music. A figure that surprised almost no one, as the fever surrounding the South Korean group had never really subsided, even during the two years of absence imposed by mandatory military service.
Released on Friday, March 20, ARIRANG is the boy band’s first studio album since 2020. Its title draws from a repertoire as old as Korea itself: a folk song laden with nostalgia and melancholy, evoking separation and exile, often considered the unofficial national anthem of the country. A choice that speaks volumes about the group’s desire to assert a deeply rooted identity, just as they reconnect with a global audience. The fourteen tracks that make up the album blend rap with incisive rhythms, ambitious electronic productions, and unexpected sonic experiments.
A global phenomenon and staggering records
Formed in 2010, BTS was one of the very first K-pop groups to conquer America, topping the Billboard 200 with global hits like Dynamite and Butter. At the peak of their glory, the seven members were among the most streamed artists on Spotify, alongside Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber. An unprecedented achievement for a non-English-speaking group.
In Seoul, March 21st was turned into a national celebration. Banners reading “Welcome BTS & ARMY” adorned the shopping streets, signs displayed the faces of the seven members, and shop shelves were stocked with merchandise. In the sky, a drone show outlined the singers’ silhouettes in lighted letters. From Paris to New York to London, queues stretched from the opening of the shops, and social networks were flooded with enthusiastic reactions from the ARMY – the official name of the group’s global fanbase.
A historic concert
The concert scheduled for Saturday evening at Gwanghwamun Square is expected to attract more than 260,000 people. To ensure security, authorities have mobilized around 6,700 police officers and 8,200 agents. Beyond the Korean borders, millions of fans in around 190 countries will follow the event live on Netflix. The palace and the adjacent museum, closed for the day, symbolically give way to the show.
One shadow came to temper the general euphoria: an ankle injury to RM, the leader and primary spokesperson of the group. Big Hit Music announced on Friday that his stage participation would be limited during the opening concert. A piece of news received with concern by fans, but without dampening the collective fervor. Because beyond the inaugural concert, a worldwide tour of 82 dates is set to begin, including two stops in France, eagerly anticipated as major events in their own right. For BTS, the curtain has just risen.
