It has been two months since 'ARIRANG' was released, and the achievements and accolades it has accumulated are more than enough to demonstrate just how successful and impressive BTS 2.0's musical direction has been. Nevertheless, when the album first came out, numerous controversies and doubts emerged, even within the fandom itself.
One of the most debated topics revolved around the relationship between BTS and Bang Si-hyuk during the album's production process. Many criticisms were directed at Bang PD, with some arguing that he and the company had intervened too heavily in the project and had even imposed the group's musical direction. On the other hand, some questioned whether BTS actually played the central creative role that had been portrayed in the media.
However, these controversies may finally be put to rest, as Ryan Tedder—one of the producers who participated in the creation of *ARIRANG*—has now directly addressed whether Bang PD was really "pulling the strings" behind BTS!
Specifically, during a recent appearance on *The Zach Sang Show*, Ryan Tedder shared considerable detail about how *ARIRANG* came together. He began by explaining that what impressed him most about working with BTS and their team was their highly organized approach to songwriting. According to the renowned producer, HYBE and BTS operate through a "songwriting camp" model—a structured songwriting system involving multiple consecutive work sessions, similar to the professional music-production environments he had previously witnessed at DreamWorks.
Then came the part that attracted the most attention from fans! Ryan Tedder revealed that producers in Los Angeles began working on the project around March and April of 2025. However, at that point, even Bang PD himself could not provide a concrete musical direction for the album. "Bang didn't know what the sound was yet. And he kept saying, 'Ryan, these are great, but I don't even know what the sound is. Like, chill, bro,'" Tedder recalled.
It was not until the second half of April 2025 that Bang PD returned with a clearer answer. Tedder continued: "Bang tells me, 'Ryan, I have good news. All the guys minus one are getting together in Seoul for the first time, and I'm gonna know what the sound is. They're gonna tell me.'"
The αмєяι¢αn producer then made a particularly noteworthy statement: "Anyone at home that thinks that like Bang or HYBE is like sitting here pulling the strings on those guys? A lot of people think that. They are not. BTS is picking everything. Yeah. They're writing. They're picking the songs. They picked the direction. It came directly from that group. There's no, you know, string pulling."
His comments are being viewed as a direct rebuttal to the notion that BTS merely follows a blueprint designed by the company. Instead, Tedder described the members as the primary decision-makers who occupy the central role throughout the entire creative process.
Notably, RM's earlier comments during a recent livestream also provide additional evidence supporting this view. The BTS leader revealed that "Hooligan," a track initiated by j-hope and Jungkook, ultimately became the standard that shaped the entirety of 'ARIRANG'. One month after the demo was completed in the two members' studio, the song was so well received by both the company and Bang PD that the members and production team spent much of the remaining production period trying to create songs capable of matching the energy it brought to the album. "That was really a huge contribution from Hobi and Jungkook," RM emphasized.
Meanwhile, returning to Ryan Tedder's story, he also humorously recounted how he had been "harαѕѕing" Bang PD for answers while Bang himself was still waiting for BTS to reach a final conclusion. "And so he finally told me what the descriptive was, what the sound was. And I was so thrown by the inspirations and what they were chasing because it was the polar opposite of what anyone in LA was doing," Tedder remembered.
Although Bang was the initiator of the 'ARIRANG' project, he was not the one making every decision. Rather, it was only after BTS had discussed the project among themselves that Bang PD gained a clear understanding of the kind of music the group wanted to pursue and the inspirations they were chasing.
Based on various behind-the-scenes accounts, Bang may have contributed ideas and feedback throughout the process, but he was never the person making the final decisions from the very beginning. His role was to listen, communicate BTS's direction, and provide consultation—much like any other producer involved in the project.
Ultimately, fans can clearly see that BTS served as the driving force behind the creation of 'ARIRANG', and that every aspect of the album was carefully selected and agreed upon by the members themselves. Put simply, *ARIRANG* represents the outcome that BTS felt most satisfied with!
