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| Photo=HYBE |
[Sports Today reporter Yoon Hye-young] The group BTS returned after a 3-year, 9-month hiatus with their fifth studio album, Arirang (ARIRANG). The release has drawn attention after reports that the project incorporates an idea from HYBE chairman Bang Si-hyuk.
BTS released Arirang today (the 20th) at 1 p.m., kicking off what the company frames as a new chapter: \”BTS 2.0.\” The album, which aims to capture both the group’s identity and universal emotions, was overseen by Bang as executive producer, a role that tightened the record’s vision and execution.
One striking element on the album is the resonance of the Sungdeok Daewang Sinjong — commonly known as the Emille Bell — which appears on the track \”No. 29.\”
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| Photo=HYBE |
The 14-track record unfolds like a two-act piece. The first half charts BTS’s ascent to global stardom and reflects on the steps they’ve taken along the way. The second half zooms in on the members as individuals — their struggles, resolve and experiences of love. Serving as a hinge between these contrasting sections is the sixth track, \”No. 29.\”
That song incorporates the toll of National Treasure No. 29, the Sungdeok Daewang Sinjong. Across the album, the bell functions as a tonal pivot; when the Emille Bell chimes, listeners encounter an experience that verges on meditation.
While the bell’s audible frequencies run for only about 20 to 30 seconds within the track, its inaudible frequencies persist for roughly two minutes — a subtle but compelling production detail.
Those production choices are said to stem from an idea by Bang Si-hyuk. Using the bell as an interlude links the album’s first and second halves, enhancing its cohesion and overall polish.
Last October, Bang met with Yu Hong-jun, director of the National Museum of Korea, to sign an MOU related to collaboration with \”Muse.\” At that meeting, Director Yu played the bell’s sound for Bang and explained how impressive and technically challenging the sound is to reproduce. Reportedly moved by the demonstration, Bang decided to incorporate the bell into the track and proposed the idea to the members, who welcomed it.
[Sports Today reporter Yoon Hye-young ent@stoo.com]
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