When BTS made their comeback with the album ARIRANG, there were some doubts about whether it could match the success of their previous projects. Not only that, controversies also emerged surrounding the heavy use of English lyrics, the involvement of numerous international producers, and the group’s musical direction—criticized by some as drifting away from their hip-hop roots despite their repeated emphasis on “returning to the roots.”

Addressing these concerns, Bang Si-hyuk clarified: “With this album, both the members and I shared a clear and deliberate goal: to move beyond the long-standing “boy band” label – often shaped by deep-rooted biases in the Western music industry – and to firmly establish BTS as true artists.” He added that both he and the group “deeply respect the genre and musical traditions we come from – but never remain confined by them.”

Meanwhile, SUGA, who was directly involved in producing the group’s fifth studio album, emphasized that their primary goal this time was “to pursue a new kind of sound that you haven’t heard from us before.”

At present, the BTS brand carries immense power and global symbolic significance. The group boasts a mαѕѕive and loyal international fanbase; they are backed by a strong support system (management, media, platforms, and partners); and the members themselves have accumulated years of experience and achievements in music production. In addition, their capabilities have been proven over the course of a decade.

Simply put, BTS now possesses almost everything that acts as a “safety net,” making it extremely difficult for them to completely fail with any project they release. This context allows them the freedom to experiment, explore, and expand their artistic vision.

However, in the early days of their career, they did not have such “privileges.” For BTS and BigHit Music at the time, a failed release could have meant the premature end of their careers—and they actually came very close to such a collapse!

RM remembered that was after the success of Boy In Luv. The group was incredibly excited and aimed to “win big” with their next comeback. Despite their enthusiasm, they were also under immense pressure: if the comeback failed, the company would face serious consequences. Beyond reputation, the money and resources BigHit invested in BTS at the time were nearly their last remaining capital—on top of a mαѕѕive debt from the group’s debut.

Unfortunately, those concerns became reality when BTS failed to secure first place with Danger on music shows. What made it even more disappointing was that the song “dropped off the charts after just one day.”

Jin also reflected on that period, saying, “As we plummeted with ‘Danger’ after ‘Boy In Luv’, the company happened to be suffering from financial difficulties as well.” That chain of misfortunes nearly marked the end of BTS’s journey. Jin shared how they felt back then: “It felt like it was the end for us.”

They couldn’t help comparing themselves to other groups, especially in terms of how long it took to reach No. 1. In addition to feeling burned out and impatient to succeed, the members grew frustrated, which led to many internal arguments at the time. However, they didn’t realize that overcoming that difficult period would become the starting point of an unstoppable rise in the future!

Everything changed completely with BTS’s next comeback, The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Part 1, when they earned their first-ever music show win with the title track “I NEED YOU.” Since then, BTS have achieved countless accomplishments, awards, and honors, including the prestigious Hwagwan Order of Cultural Merit bestowed by the nation. The shift from “Danger” to The Most Beautiful Moment in Life was not merely a comeback—it marked a breakthrough transformation in the group’s artistic mindset and their approach to making music.

Clearly, “Danger” was not a failure, but rather a meaningful test of BTS’s musical philosophy and perseverance. If they had not pushed through that setback and continued forward, they would have missed the chance to reach their first major success and become the living legends they are today. Looking back on that time, RM also affirmed: “After winning first place, I gained a lot of confidence.”

That moment clearly proves one truth: sometimes you have to нιт rock bottom before you can gather enough strength to leap toward unimaginable heights. That is why, even years later, no matter how many hardships and pressures BTS faced—and even if they thought about disbanding hundreds of times—they never truly gave up even once, always finding a way to push through.

A direct example is when we return to the moment RM spoke about the pressure BTS faced while producing the album ARIRANG. Even then, he still stated: “Anyways, it’s getting harder by the day you know, trying to do soмєтнing. No matter how heavy the weight gets, we’ll keep doing our thing without getting crushed under it. We’ll contain all those concerns and thoughts into the album.”

And, of course, they once again triumphed with that mindset! Even before ARIRANG was officially released, pre-orders surpαѕѕed 4 million copies within just one week. According to BigHit Music on the 25th, BTS maintained the No. 1 position for five consecutive weeks on Spotify’s “Weekly Top Albums Global” chart (tracking period: April 17–23).

On the “Weekly Top Songs Global” chart, all 14 tracks from the album—including the title track SWIM—remained on the chart for five consecutive weeks. Notably, “SWIM” ranked No. 2 on the “Daily Top Songs Global” chart (as of April 23) and held a top position for 35 consecutive days.

In markets like the UK and נαραи, the group also continued to achieve remarkable success. ARIRANG ranked No. 13 on the “Official Albums Top 100” (April 24–30), marking its fifth consecutive week in the upper tier. It also topped the monthly album chart for March and remained in the Top 3 of the weekly composite chart for five straight weeks.

Across Europe and Australia, their momentum showed no signs of slowing: No. 3 on Germany’s “Top 100 Albums,” No. 4 on fяαи¢є’s “Top Albums,” and No. 2 on Australia’s ARIA “Top 50 Albums.”

In South кσяєα, “SWIM” dominated major music shows, taking No. 1 on Inkigayo (SBS), Show! Music Core (MBC), Music Bank (KBS2), M Countdown (Mnet), and Show! Champion (MBC M). The B-side 2.0 also secured an additional win on Inkigayo, bringing the album to a total of 15 music show trophies, including multiple Triple Crowns.

Meanwhile, BTS is currently meeting global fans through their world tour, BTS WORLD TOUR ‘ARIRANG’, spanning 34 cities and continuing through 2027!