New Delhi, March 13 The globally popular K-pop group BTS released an animated trailer for their fifth studio album "Arirang" on Friday, which goes back to 1896 to tell the story of seven young people who ran away from home to study in the US and recorded the first known version of the eponymous Korean folk song.
The album, which marks their much-anticipated return to music after their four-year hiatus for mandatory South Korean military service, is named after "Arirang", a 600-year-old folk song that has come to symbolize Korean cultural identity.
During the Japanese occupation of the region from 1910 to 1945, the song became synonymous with resistance and has multiple versions popular in both North and South Korea.
Although historians are divided on the meaning of the words, some believe it means "beautiful beloved one". The song's lyrics are "You are going over Arirang Hill (a symbol for parting). My love, you are leaving me."
The animated trailer opens with a short message that reads: "This video was inspired by the story of seven young Koreans as documented in the Washington Post on May 8, 1986 (Seven Koreans at Howard), some of whom captured the first known audio recordings of Koreans in Washington DC on July 24 of the same year."
"As a modern reimagining, this work draws upon the profound cultural significance of these historical records, which preserve the authentic voices of young Korean men and the first ever recording of 'Arirang'."
The video opens with seven young men winding a gramophone as the melody of the song begins to play. The scene then cuts to the youngster boarding a ship bound for America.
In May 1896, seven young, noble-born Korean men enrolled at Howard University after fleeing political turmoil in Korea via Japan. Known as the "Howard Seven", they were notable for being among the first Koreans to study in the US, where they recorded the first known version of the folk song "Arirang".
The trailer then transitions to a modern concert of BTS performing to a packed audience, thus symbolizing the journey of Korean music from the first recording of "Arirang" to their modern global popularity.
BigHit Music, the company behind BTS, said the video is an attempt to introduce international audiences to the cultural and emotional background of the song and stressed that it is a creative interpretation of history.
"We wanted to share the story behind 'Arirang' with listeners who may not be familiar with it," the agency said.
BTS, also known as the Bangtan Boys, was formed in 2010. The band consists of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook. The group has attained superstardom in music with followers, known as Army, spread across the world.
The band will release the fifth studio album on March 20 and also host a massive live performance in central Seoul’s Gwanghwamun area on March 21, to be streamed worldwide on Netflix.