Sawt Falasteen - BTS to drop new album ahead of comeback mega-gig

It comes after a hiatus of almost four years to allow all seven BTS members to perform around 18 months of military service, compulsory for all young men in South Korea.

"We are trying to find out what makes us BTS," the group's leader, RM, 31, said in a video shared prior to the unveiling of the album, their fifth studio release and the first since 2020.

The 14-track "ARIRANG" takes its name from a beloved folk song about longing and separation often dubbed South Korea's unofficial national anthem.

A cryptic animated trailer released this month draws on an obscure episode in Korean-American history believed to have occurred in the late 19th century.

It concerns a group of young men who, according to a 1896 Washington Post report, captured the first known audio recordings of Koreans in Washington that year, according to the clip.

With "Arirang" the folk melody playing, it shows the young men on a sailing ship bound for the United States before cutting to BTS at the historic Gyeongbokgung Palace in central Seoul -- the backdrop for Saturday's concert.

Two other short trailers -- one 16 seconds, the other 26 -- include an excerpt of "Swim", one of the new album's tracks, again with a glimpse of a sailing ship and the sea.

- 'Coming back stronger' -

Streaming giant Netflix, which will livestream the concert to around 190 countries, said the album is a "deep reflection" on BTS's "beginnings and identity".

The group reportedly spent time in Los Angeles while recording the songs.

Grace Kao, a sociology professor at Yale University, said that while the album features collaborations with Western songwriters and producers, the title "ARIRANG" works to "remind international fans that BTS is, first and foremost, a Korean group."

"They are looking towards the future but reminding the fans and themselves of their history," she said.

Four of the BTS members spent their military service stationed near the heavily fortified inter-Korean border, known for barbed wire, harsh winters and intense training.

One slept in a self-propelled artillery vehicle.

"Just like many people who had to put their lives on hold or adapt to difficult circumstances, BTS completed a duty that separated them for a while," Loukia Kyratzoglou, a fan from Greece, told AFP.

"But they are coming back stronger and ready to continue their journey."

- 'Love letter' to South Korea -

At the height of their fame prior to their break, BTS ranked among the most popular artists on Spotify, mixing with the likes of Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber.

After visiting the White House, releasing hugely successful English-language albums and performing at famous venues around the world, the group has chosen a historic stage at home for the landmark comeback concert.

This will be Seoul's sweeping Gwanghwamun Square, near the landmark Gyeongbokgung Palace, an area that has witnessed centuries of history, including major political protests in 2025.

The open-air gig is expected to draw about 260,000 people, with millions more watching online. It comes ahead of a world tour of 82 concerts in 34 cities.

This new album "feels like a love letter to their home country," said Jeff Benjamin, Billboard's K-pop columnist.

"BTS starting off this new era with a huge comeback concert in the middle of Seoul feels like a group that wants to ensure Korea remains at the heart of this massively anticipated return," he said.

"I do think they'll be remembered the way we remember the Beatles or Michael Jackson — not just as chart-topping acts but as artists whom the industry calculates time in terms of 'before' and 'after'".

L.AbuAli--SF-PST