Hmmm...

We've come such a long way...

The fact that we know they're happy and unstressed during this tour is everything. Personally, for me, it's closure on those feelings from four years ago when we last saw them together for Festa, sitting around that table, very sad, distraught, crying, knowing what was coming. The outdoor setting, the beautiful sunlight on their faces. Their easiness around each other. I can list many other reasons why I love these photos.

I was fortunate to be able to attend Las Vegas Day 1 and Day 2, both nights we had amazing seats and it was an amazing experience. Both nights were on Club level (suite and 100 level). The merch booth line was very long even in the Club lounge so we did not bother.

Not gonna lie, the suite experience spoiled me. Food and drink right there, cushioned seats and clear view the entire show. But yes, pricey.

Day 1:

I finally saw Jimin with my own eyes. I was there for surprise song, Black Swan, which is one of my favorite songs of theirs.

Day 2 I was able to score these seats when Ticketmaster opened the application form and I went for the center section. Note: when looking at a map of the stadium seating, we were in seats on the top half of the map. This is the side they will face when they come out and begin Hooligan.

In my opinion, the floor section are the worst tickets unless you are barricade for the Idol walk around, because you cannot see over the stage and even if you can, your eyes are at the level of their feet. There is so much crap along the edge of the stage and when everyone is standing, the view is blocked by all of that.

Our seats for Day 2:

Until next time, Allegiant Stadium!

We went to the BTS pop up at The Forum Shops but they were sold out of everything. If you want something, go earlier in the day. We had the last time slot. We went to the ARTE Museum and that exhibit did not take us 30 minutes to go through because it was so crowded. We walked from room to room just trying to make our way through people. We skipped the cafe because the line was so long. The exhibits were lovely though.

Transportation tip: Deuce Bus is cheap and runs up and down the Strip. The Aria Tram only goes between the Excalibur and Bellagio. The Mandalay Tram goes to the Excalibur. Both trams are free.

All resorts on the Strip are HUUUUGGEEE. We walked 7 miles the first day, 5 miles the second day and 5.5 miles the last day. If walking is not your thing, taxis are cheaper than Ubers especially after the concert. It did not help that it was 95° F at the hottest point of the day.

I'm sorry my photos and videos are not fan cam quality. I took some photos and a few videos but I mostly enjoyed the show without trying to record everything. After the last 4 years, it's been a long time coming. I'm still processing the experience.

We met some amazing Armys and it was indescribable how it feels being surrounded by people who love BTS every where we went. Indescribable.

I am so grateful that I will be able to see them again in Dallas and Chicago in August.

...it's like I just won a prize. And I keep going back to look at the images over and over. Does that happen to anyone else?

This is the best I could do:

I highly recommend watching "BTS Jungkook and Jimin, the day they were SWIM in Choo Sung-hoon's ears (ft. full sauna healing course)" on Youtube.

SWIM

There is an intrepid push and pull feel to the song, hypnotic yet there’s a feeling of urgency. Anxious to get on with eternity with the one I love.

It’s an ear worm and I usually don’t like that descriptor.

The MV: I love me some technicolor, cinematic drama. Of course the female character represents Army, waiting, pining for her heroes return from sea.

Symbolically the members are sailors—the navy being a branch of the military--she’s waiting for them. The wait is fraught with trying to stay occupied, trying to stay happy, on the edge of breaking down emotionally, and finally freedom. She walks to the bow of the ship as it plows through the sea, destination unknown with the members by her side, watching over her. And then suddenly, she’s back in the maritime museum, looking at the model of the ship. Her smile says it will all be ok, her heroes are back.

There is a brief view of the map on the desk in Namjoon's scene with the stars like the way the lines and stars on the backs of the vinyl album covers can be arranged so they line up and form the big dipper constellation.

SWIM credits: Producers: Tyler Spry, Leclair, Pdogg Engineers: Pdogg, Sergan Ghenea, Bryce Bordone, Mike Bozzi Written by: James Essien, Sean Foreman, Tyler Spry, Jamison Baken, Ryan Tedder, Kirsten Allyssa Spencer, Derrick Milano, Pdogg, RM Main vocals: BTS Background vocals: James Essien, Tyler Spry, Jung Kook

Merry Go Round

A rather melancholy song… a drifting type of despair, help-me-but-don’t-help-me-because-I-chose-this-life kind of despair.

My life is like a broken roller coaster, but maybe I’m the only one to blame…

The perfect song for emo girls.

Here are some of the Apple Music translated lyrics, my own comments in parentheses :

Feel like I’m grown up now, but my worries are just the same Every day the same routine, merry go round or hamster wheel, don’t matter Racing through a labyrinth of questions with no answers Everyone putting on smiles, pretending to be fine, da-da-da-da Stuck in a loop that just won’t stop The child inside me is crying out I’ve had more than enough of this spin My bed is my coffin (they do sometimes live like vampires sleeping all day) Maybe my whole world’s just one big caffeine Every day I go to die by you Can’t I just switch off this dream? Cause I’m doing a dance I can’t stop Again, thoughts on thoughts on thoughts on thoughts I’m thinking about how to stop thinking Spinning and spinning, are you happy Keep smiling ‘til it’s over

Understanding that this is how it is. Resignation over the situation: this is my life and I'll just keep going because I can't change it because this is what I chose.

Merry Go Round credits: Producers: Sam Homaee, Sarah Aarons, Kevin Parker, Gregory “Aldae” Hein, GHSTLOOP Engineers: Pdogg, Alex Ghenea, Jack Normile, Mike Bozzi, GHSTLOOP Written by: Gregory “Aldae” Hein, Kevin Parker, Derrick Milano, SUGA, j-hope, Pdogg, RM, Ryan Tedder, Sam Homaee, Sarah Aarons Vocal arranger: GHSTLOOP Main vocals: BTS Background vocals: Sarah Aarons, Gregory “Aldae” Hein, Derrick Milano, Jungkook, RM

NORMAL

Big bass sounds. Ominous. A very plodding, inexorable beat.

Inflammatory rumors, misinformation, lies, hate… just another day… normal. What stupid baseless rumor will I have to face today? It's just another day.

Are they asking "we call this shit normal?" or are they making the statement "we call this shit normal." ?

All English lyrics. Has a languid flow.

Show me hate, show me love, make me bulletproof. We call this shit “normal.” Will you color me red? Will you color me blue? Two sides of a coin and they both ain’t true.

Jimin seems to be pointedly asking and saying “what are you going to say about me today? today its one thing, tomorrow another, do you hate me? or do you love me?” This is his reality.

Some pain don't heal.

This is their normal.

NORMAL credits: Producers and Engineers: Ryan Tedder, Sean Cook, Pdogg, Serban Ghenea, Bryce Bordone, Mike Bozzi Written by: Sean Foreman, Livvi Franc, Ryan Tedder, Sean Cook, Kirsten Allyssa Spencer, Derrick Milano, Pdogg, j-hope, SUGA, RM Main vocals: BTS Background vocals: Jung Kook

Like Animals

A dreamy, psychedelic, alt/grunge rocker straight out of 1992. Where's my plaid flannel shirt and ratty t-shirt? All English lyrics.

So what, your shadow’s mess? I’m walkin’ with my own dirt…

Yoongi saying, so what? you made mistakes? Well, I live with mine too. No one is perfect. We’re all flawed individuals. Bottomline: we’re all animals.

Eat this life till your heart is full…

That has to be the most impactful lyric on this entire album. Eat this life till your heart is full. Live so hard until you are full. No regrets.

There’s beauty outside control…

Yes, those with the courage to let go of control have a chance of experiencing something beautiful, but it’s so scary to let go, isn’t it?

Got you in the wild, somewhere so far, with your claws sharp and them fangs out. Now you see a whole land full of animals. None of us are tameable… ends with screaming lyrics and a screaming over-modulated guitar riff which strokes my inner rock music brain cells.

Like Animals credits: Producers: Artemis Diamandis, Toby Daintree, Kevin White, Diplo Engineers: Mark “Spike” Stent, Kiernan Beardmore, Mike Bozzi, GHSTLOOP Written by: Thomas Wesley Pentz, Jesse Fink, Toby Daintree, Kevin White, Kirsten Allyssa Spencer, Beau Nox, Artemis, Diamandis, RM Vocal arranger: Pdogg Main vocals: BTS Background vocals: Jung Kook

they don’t know ‘bout us

The whole song has a sardonic flavor – grimly mocking or cynical.

Did Jimin write most of the lyrics? Did they say that in the Studio Notes live?

Again, Jimin’s fingerprints on this song, giving Alone/Face-off vibes. Jimin’s opening vocals “how your voice can calm the sea…”  just what???? I fell out when the beat dropped.

Jungkook and his “we’re just BIG boys a.k.a. small town boys” hahahahaha you could have pushed me over with a feather.

And Jin singing in tiny.

Everybody hears the story they wanna… This is why they blew up, trust me… Every time we tryna tryna explain, we find

They don’t know ’bout us

We’re just seven humans

I. LOVE. ALL. OF. IT.

They're saying "we just go about our business and the rest of the world is making up their narratives, pushing their rumors, trying to bring us down, ruin our reputations, when in reality they know nothing about us."

But seriously. We only see a tiny sliver of what goes on. WE DON'T KNOW THEM. And they are telling us this, point blank. My kings.

they don’t know ‘bout us credits: Producers: Y2K, PDogg, GHSTLOOP Engineers: Pdogg, GHSTLOOP, Mark “Spike” Stent, Kiernan Beardmore, Mike Bozzi Written by: Rug, Kurtis Wells, GHSTLOOP, Pdogg, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, RM, Ari Starace. Main vocals: BTS Background vocals: Jimin and RM

One More Night

Floaty, bubbly, carefree…Tae said this song is great for driving and YES! It’s got that breezy, top-down, sunroof open vibe.

What a groove! Melting, warm, feel-good, just one of those all-around songs you want to put on to make your day even more better.

Their harmonies, the vocals immediately injecting happiness into your veins.

Pleading for one more night, just more.

One More Night credits: Producers: Diplo, NITTI, Pdogg Engineers: Pdogg, Yang Ga, Mike Bozzi Written by: Thomas Wesley Pentz, Pdogg, Beau Nox, Richard Cook Mears IV, SUGA, j-hope, Ant Clemons, RM Main vocals: BTS Background vocals: Beau Nox, Jung Kook, RM

Please

Maybe my favorite song on this entire album.

This R&B warm fuzzy thing wraps around you like the best hug.

Apple Translated lyrics in italics:

Baby, Oh please When the world divides us Baby, Oh please I’ll take one step closer I’m on my knees Stay with me on my worst day Hold you even tighter right now Even hell, I’m down All I want is you Any place that you are, I’ll surely follow Path of thorns, I’ll tread right over The world’s always getting in between us Going in circles, back to where we started

Jimin begging "oh please." Jungkook's "I'll do that thing if you wanna"

Hello.

On a less than perfect day, play this lush treat to bring your spirits up.

Please credits: Producer: Tyler Spry Engineers: Pdogg, Manny Marroquin, Chris, Galland, Ramiro Fernandez-Seoane, Mike Bozzi Written by: Tyler Spry, James Essien, Ryan Tedder, SUGA, j-hope, RM Vocal arranger: Pdogg Main vocals: BTS Background vocals: Tyler Spry, James Essien, Jung Kook, Alisa Xayalith, Dawson Daughtery, RM

Into the Sun

This song is the eternal perfect sunset. The perfect finish, bathed in glorious golden light.

Apple Translated lyrics in italics: The wind when the sun sets The warmth as it rises up What you must feel The sunlight from dusk to dawn What is yours that’s lost Dark threshold, a step too soon Until the break of dawn, I will be guarding you, into the sun 24, 24/7 feel like 24 Even if I run towards the sun Even if I never get closer Don’t be afraid, remember That it’s all only for a moment Passing through the dark night Greeting the morning as it comes Open your eyes, into the sun

You call, I run, dark days, and find the sun, I don’t care, how far, just wait… dawn

The hour of the dog and wolf The compass of broken beasts The refuge that we seek Facing noise and regrets A human with a breath, rebels I just wanna go home To where you are Where the grass grows And the stars set Please pass the fire Into this oil You are wonderful The moon probably won’t be coming out today

And if we run out of time, I’ll chase the feeling, never too far behind…

I follow you into the sun I follow you into the sun I follow you into the sun

Their live from Santa Monica beach back in August... grips my heart. Jimin wanting so badly to spoil this song. I want to love them more than I already do. How can I love them more? Please tell me.

Into the Sun credits: Producers: Diplo, GHSTLOOP, Tyler Johnson, NITTI, PDogg Engineers: Mark “Spike” Stent, Kieran Beardmore, Mike Bozzi, Owen Stoutt Written by: Pdogg, Thomas Wesley Pentz, Teezo Touchdown, Ki-An Dee Kambaran, Richard Cook Mears IV, Tyler Johnson, GHSTLOOP, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, RM, V. Main vocals: BTS Background vocals: Jung Kook, V

More comments about Arirang...

I was so baby, baby Army when the BE album dropped. I had no idea how to be Army then. So this is my first REAL group comeback with ALL new music.

After listening through the album several dozen times so far (top to bottom of course) I can confidently say I absolutely love it. 100% no skips on this album. I even love listening to No. 29. I can hear the bell for about 1 minute and 15 seconds. Then my hearing fails me. Or my air conditioner is too loud. One or the other.

The songs are so different. I love the experimentation. I love the music, the lyrics, the vocal stylings each member uses for the lyrics they sing. After watching the Studio Notes live and learning a few tidbits about which member contributed in which ways to the songs, it just made it all even sweeter.

The familiar sounds of their voices is comforting to me, even when they’re singing lyrics like: The child inside me is crying out, I’ve had more than enough of this spin…

I adore the way I can actually see how they’ve stretched themselves musically, vocally… how they’ve grown so much. The rap line’s singing vocals are so lovely. Everyone’s vocals are sublime. I am in love.

The lyrics... as expected... BTS. Namjoon is credited on every song. His big brain is stamped into every song, even if only tucked into a corner, quietly elevating the words and phrases. Yes, some of the songs on the surface are erotic but if you really listen to what each song is saying, really take time to understand them as a whole you will take away so much more.

image credit: @cypherluscious on X

I know my music tastes range far and wide and many times do not match those around me. My music library contains Bon Jovi, Van Halen, Def Leppard, Guns ‘n Roses, Aerosmith, Duke Ellington, James Taylor, Post Malone, Harry Styles, Santana, Disturbed, Flo Rida, Earth Wind and Fire, Harry Connick Jr., Josh Groban, Calvin Harris, Prince, The Police, Blondie, Tim McGraw, everything George Strait put out until 2009, I could go on and on. My music library contains almost 4500 songs.

My love of music is what led me to BTS in the first place. I am 99% listening exclusively to BTS these days but my love still exists for every music genre I’ve embraced during my adult life.

My point of view is influenced by the fact I never really knew what the kpop “system” was before BTS. None of those kpop concepts are at the forefront of my mind when I’m listening to the music. Visuals? When I fell into the rabbit hole, I didn’t realize visuals was one of the primary elements of kpop. Sure, visuals can impact a music act’s popularity, I mean… marketing… right? But I’ve never made that one of the prerequisites for listening to an artist’s music.

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while you’ll know that I was searching for something other than the hardcore rap that was prevelant when MOTS:7 released. I found it in some mindless songs from SuperM and I have listened to various kpop groups and watched many kpop MVs since discovering BTS so I now have a good working knowledge of what the kpop sound is.

ARIRANG IS NOT KPOP.

Anyway, I’m ready to embrace BTS 2.0 and in my humble opinion, they’ve delivered with Arirang. I am streaming hard for those #1Hot100 singles and #1 Billboard 200 charts. LESSSS GOOOOO ARMYYYYSSS!!

P.S. Who gave him permission to do this?

IT'S HERE, IT'S FINALLY HERE!!

I deliberately limited my exposure to everyone else’s takes and opinions on social media so I could give my own first impression about Arirang. Disclaimer: I am not a music expert, just someone who has listened to a wide range of music before BTS found me.

Like everyone else, 4 years ago after that 2022 Festa dinner, I was devastated. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever see BTS in concert. Completely heartbroken. I didn’t know what was going to happen. BTS didn’t know what was going to happen in the next 4 years. They had obligations to fulfill. We all had lives to live. There was so much we, as fans, did not know about them and what was going on in their individual situations. 2025, much less 2026, seemed like an eternity away!

Fast forward (because boy, did it go by fast or what?) and now here we are with our hot little hands on BTS’s fifth studio album complete with 14 new songs. I heard that a version of the vinyls had a 15th hidden track? Is that true? Again, I’ve stayed away from social media so I don’t know if anyone has shared it yet.

I’ve read as much as I can find about Arirang: BigHit press releases about the album and the songs, industry press articles, etc. I’ve watched and listened to and read the words of the members since last summer when they began working on this album. The album is supposed to touch on their roots as Koreans and show where they’ve been and what their future sound will be. As a group and individually, they’ve said they love the album and they actively listen to it. They said it “grows” on you. Basically, it’s my religion to listen to them and treat it like gospel. Trust them. Believe in them. Word. Yo.

All that being said, here are my little, irrelevant thoughts and opinions on Arirang. I reserve the right to change my mind at any point in the future.

Body to Body

I am certain this song will be the concert tour opener with the lyric:

I need the whole stadium to jump Put your phone down, let’s get all the fun I got my eyes on the row in the front, The vibe is high, if we bein’ blunt The vibe is high like the building

Apple Music translation of some lyrics further into the song:

Life is short, ditch the hate Why get hung up on saving face, drop it ya dude

THIS! Life is short. Ditch the hate. Why get hung up on saving face?

It’s so true, all the hate is such a waste of time. I say that all the time. Be kind. Love each other. Have fun. Live life to the fullest while we can.

During the Studio Notes live, I think it was Namjoon and/or Hobi who said they have always promised to be back but also there was no guarantee they would be back. And what they mean is that anything could have happened, beyond their control, while they were enlisted. They lived with this knowledge for the last 3 years while they were serving. They can reveal these thoughts now that they are on the cusp of a live performance on Netflix and a world tour in three weeks. They didn’t say stuff like this before because they didn’t want us to worry.

And now they are ready to live some real life.

The “body to body” lyric I’m sure is being interpreted in an intimate way because Armys are horny and want every song to be about sex, which is fine, but it also is a metaphor for being close and inseparable. Like BTS and Army.

It was a shock to hear the original folksong Arirang coming in as background vocals and realizing the drumbeats were probably made by traditional Korean drums and all this became the bridge (at 2:25) of the song. It was cognitive dissonance yet the beat and song blended so beautifully.

Body to Body credits: Producers: Ryan Tedder, Diplo, Picard Brothers Engineers: Kieran Beardmore, Mike Bozzi, Pdogg, Mark “Spike” Stent Written by: Ryan Tedder, Maxime Picard, Thomas Wesley Pentz, Akira Evans, Teezo Touchdown, Pdogg, Kirsten Allyssa Spencer, j-hope, SUGA, RM Main vocals: BTS Background vocals: Jung Kook, Teezo Touchdown

Hooligan

Watch this, watch this beat goin’ hooligan We pop out, actin’ the fool again Hooligan Why this bass line slappin’, so rude? Drop it lower, then chopped and screwed…

Jimin singing that last line so sweetly kills me and the ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha used as a percussive accent is A.MAZE.ING. And the knife chopping sound effect! More cognitive dissonance. It’s deranged which makes it sexy. I love it.

Hooligan credits: Producers: Jasper Harris, El Guincho, Fakeguido Engineers: Pdogg, GHSTLOOP, Manny Marroquin, Chris Galland, Ramiro Fernandez-Seoane, Francesco Di Giovanni, Mike Bozzi Written by: Pablo Diaz-Reixa, Michel Magne, Pable Martinez Alborch, Marcus “MarcLo” Lomax, Xplicit, Delacey, Jasper Harris, Derrick Milano, Kirsten Allyssa Spencer, PDogg, Jung Kook, RM, SUGA, j-hope. Vocal arranger and sampler: GHSTLOOP Main vocals: BTS, j-hope, SUGA, Jin, Jimin, RM Background vocals: V, Jungkook.

Aliens

This is their cypher to the western music industry. And everything that goes with that industry.

A big fuck you to everyone who looked down on them because of where they came from, because of the type of music they made and because of stereotypes and preconceived ideas of what they were.

EVERYBODY KNOW NOW WHERE THE K IS.

Apple Music translated lyrics are in italics and my comments in parentheses:

This gon’ be the jam of the year Everything’s so boring and lame Time goes way too fast, tick-tock To the stadium, gather up What is there to hesitate? Born of a different cloth, seven aliens Green with jealousy, those civilians Won’t waste my breath to explain To the stadium, gather up What is there to hesitate? Hello, this your, hello, this your new honey (new love) Clap and shake it to jungmori rhythm (Jungmori is a specific drumbeat in Korean music) Oh my god, do I look to funny? So what, Just move for me, yeah, move for me (What this lyric is saying is, “so you think I look funny because of my clothes? shape of my eyes? ok fine but I’m making you dance) From the ka-na to the ha (I need an explanation of what this means) Watch and learn from us Yeah, we aliens … If you wanna hit my house Shoes off at the door Yeah, we aliens … The nerve of you, shameless Show some respect, we aliens Out of the East, the sun’s risin’ Aliens, aliens Every night, every day Faster, whatever it is Stay up all night, every day Yeah, we livin’ that Aliens, aliens Every night, every day, faster whatever it is The era demands us Yeah, we livin’ that Aliens, aliens It goes let me, honey, talk about the business (you accept me now that you know you can make money off me) Everybody know now where the K is How far are we taking this? Dammit Still cursing us out and talking trash Pardon me, Kim Gu seonsaengnim tell me how you feel (seonsaengnim is teacher or instructor) But that is how we kill I’m the only one who speaks English, but that is how we kill (All the members understand English and I bet they’ve heard things that people don’t think they understand) You guys with the ridiculously big eyes say Are they for real? For real? Hello, this is your, hello this is your new honey

(etc.)

Ok. I want to reiterate. This is MY interpretation of the lyrics. I could be wrong in where they were going with this but I’m going to guess this song has the most Korean lyrics in it. And it’s deliberate.

You see what they are saying? And most of their accusatory words are in Korean, which are translated to the italicized words, courtesy of Apple Music app.

Those lyrics are in Korean because if you don’t understand Korean (like you’re a native English speaker aka westerner) you won’t know you’re being dissed. BRILLIANT.

HELLO? HELLOooO, this is your new love? You know where the K is now? Thank the “aliens.”

Aliens credits: Producers: Mike WiLL Made-It, Pluss, Donut, Khaled Rohaim Engineers: Jaycen Joshua, Jacob Richards, Pdogg, Mike Seaberg, Chris Bhikoo, Mike Bozzi Written by: Khaled Rohaim, James Essien, John Mitchell, Derrick Milano, Michale Len Williams, Jean Marcel Day Jr., Terrance O Niel Hogan Asheton, Charles Hinshaw, Brandon Kenneth Bell, Pdogg, j-hope, Jung Kook, SUGA, RM Main vocals: BTS Background vocals: j-hope, Jung Kook, SUGA, RM

FYA

EVERYTHING IS FIRE!

The vocal or sound effect in the beginning sounds like panting. Jungkook was making this panting sound during one of their lives, I can’t remember which one. If one were to go back and watch all the lives again, we’d see ALL the spoilers! But we don’t have time to do that now there’s so much coming!!

Anyway, I never thought I’d hear BTS refer to Britney Spears and an almost lyric in one of their songs. “Club go crazy, like Britney baby, hit me with it one more time.”

It’s basically a song to just brainlessly head bang for 3 minutes and 1 second. I’m down for that. I predict the performance of this song is going to involve fire and some sweaty, breathless choreography. I hope it involves nekkid Bangtan too. One can hope.

And then it segues seamlessly into the cypher directed at the kpop industry, k-media and every other hater that throws their shit at them…2.0

Bangtan be coverin’ all the bases. You get a diss, you get a diss, you and you and you.

FYA credits: Producers: Diplo, Flume, NITTI Engineers: Tom Norris, Mike Bozzi, Pdogg Written by: JPEGMAFIA, Gregory “Aldae” Hein, Curtis Wells, Thomas Wesley Pentz, Jung Kook, Richard Cook Mears, IV, Harley Streten, SUGA, RM, Pdogg Main vocals: BTS Background vocals: Jungkook

2.0

Apple Music translated lyrics and my comments in parentheses:

Yeah, like bulletproof, that’s easier said than done (you can’t replicate this) We’re a vault, always someone vaulting over us Kinda funny, but really it’s not at all Ten years doesn’t even scratch the surface (it’s not just their years of experience but all of the crap they’ve overcome during those ten years) Stop, ride…pull up at your block We gon’ knock, knock, knock, knock, yeah, had your little fun, fella? (bahahahahaha!) Pop, pop, pop, pop, yeah, came back for what’s mine (oh snap) We don’t stop, ride … Yeah, we on that brand new, you know how we do Aye, aye, aye That’s right, feels like it’s brand new Specced out, stepped in, we ain’t missin’ step two, tow, after the two-point-oh update (we ain’t missing the chance to be BTS chapter 2) Left and right, we just shut it down again, ten out of ten, ten Now throw away the unsuable junk Going to collect, take the time to get back to the grind … Baby getting’ too lit rah, rah, rah, rah, rah, rah Hit ‘em up like pop Hit ‘em with the truth like rah Time to pay your debt Fear me or fear me not Let it be, let it bleed Hit a lick, in a split Stop, ride

---

Knock knock, little boys, had your little fun fellas? Times up, we came back to take what’s ours, and we’re doing it in a brand new way.

No more words needed.

This song is heavy with Korean lyrics because guess what? They wanted the diss target to understand immediately.

2.0 credits: Producers: Mike WiLL Made-It, Pluss Engineers: Pdogg, Jaycen Joshua, Mike Seaberg, Jacob Richards, Chris Bhikoo, Mike Bozzi Written by: Mike Ien Williams, Terrance O Niel Hogan Asheton, Atia Boggs, Charles Hinshaw, John Mitchell, Derrick Milano, j-hope, Jung Kook, Pdogg, SUGA, V, RM Main vocals: BTS Background vocals: j-hope, Jung Kook, SUGA, RM

No. 29

This is the sound of the Sacred Bell of King Seongdeok, also known as the Emille Bell, South Korea's National Treasure No. 29.

From Google about this specific recording:

The Sound: Recorded at the Gyeongju National Museum, it features the bell's unique "beating" effect, where the sound swells and fades.

Cultural Significance: The bell is known for its mystical sound that historically resonated up to 40 km, and it symbolizes Korea's cultural heritage in the album.

Context in Album: It is placed before the track "SWIM," creating a moment of calm and introspection after the high-energy first half of the album.

Background: The collaboration was initiated by HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk after visiting the National Museum of Korea's sensory gallery.

Toward the end of the track I think I hear subtle traffic sounds.

In Korea, it is tradition to strike a bell similar to this on New Year's Eve at midnight. The members did a group live at Namjoon's house where they wrecked his sofa and watched the bell-ringing. Another spoiler.

The members have said this track serves as a marker to show the past and the future. And as the Google descriptions says, musically, it’s the division between the hard and fast songs and the more mellow, dreamy songs. Which brings us to the title track, SWIM.

This is taking a long time and it’s late so I will continue with part two in a day or two.

Source: Netflix main and regional social media on Instagram and X.

The Arirang Animation Trailer from BangtanTV:

It's almost confirmed that the beat snippet at the end are from the track Body to Body on the upcoming album.

Also, if you are interested, here is a documentary about the original 7:

I love this stuff...

Source: Netflix Instagram reels

I saw someone on X say since we suspect they filmed the SWIM MV in Portugal perhaps it was on the beach and will be some kind of ship wrecked scenario and there will be some level of nekkid going on... I'll help manifest that.

Also, in case you missed it GQ Magazine posted a 14 minute group interview:

Source: Netflix on Instagram

Whatever language the songs are in, I would absolutely LOVE if they did remixes with switched languages. That would be mind-blowing. If a song is Korean, redo the song in English and the original English, do a version in Korean.

A whole album like that.

Yes, I'm the ultimate delulu.