The K-pop band BTS resumed group activities after completing their mandatory military service in South Korea. This period halted their creativity and left uncertainty about their return. The group is preparing the release of their new album 'Arirang' and a global tour after more than four years without releasing music as a group. In an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, the members detailed that military service not only interrupted their artistic dynamic but also delayed the building of a collective vision. 'During my service, I believed that when we all got out, the big ideas would just come... but it wasn't like that,' stated RM of BTS. The time in the army implied a total break from the group's creative process. J-Hope explained that the military structure limited any possibility of inspiration. 'I consider the Army to be a completely different society.' RM admitted that after concluding his service, he faced a lack of direction despite the individual progress of other members. However, they were not entirely separated: 'We were already close, but after being apart we felt the absence even more. Even in the Army we talked a lot, and even more so now after returning.' V admitted that the exhaustion prevented him from thinking about music: 'I couldn't even come up with anything, because it was physically very demanding.' RM detailed that the staggered entry of the members prolonged the group's disconnection: 'We entered one by one, so everything took two or three years.' He also clarified that the group does not use these tools, although he recognizes their impact on the industry. What is BTS's dynamic like after returning from the military? During the hiatus, each member developed solo projects, but the group stopped producing music together. The return implied rebuilding their dynamic from scratch. Jimin described the work routine during sessions in the United States: 'We would wake up, exercise, eat, go to the studio, and repeat that pattern for two months.' J-Hope highlighted the value of that reunion: 'It was very fun to be all seven together again after so long.' This process led to the release of 'Arirang' and the planning of a new global tour in a more fragmented and competitive market than the one they dominated before their hiatus. RM explained that the choice of 'Arirang' responded to the need to find a common ground: 'We needed something that would unite the seven of us and that we could share with the world.' He emphasized that the group's origin was key in that decision: 'We concluded that, although there are many international bands, we are Koreans, we were born and raised in Korea.' RM explained that the song reflects a state of transition: 'It's a soft, more mature song. It's not explosive as many expect from BTS.' The meaning of the track is built from a central metaphor: 'I wrote it trying to express the confusion after military service: life is like swimming, we keep moving forward without stopping.' With this approach, the group presents a more introspective narrative compared to their previous releases. BTS did not use AI during the production of 'Arirang'. BTS's return occurs in a different environment than the one they left before their hiatus. 'Today it's all about people finding what they like and then going to see that artist live,' said the rapper. He compared this change to a structural transformation: 'It's like the Industrial Revolution.' J-Hope added that they reviewed their discography to avoid repeating formulas and decided to hold composition sessions outside of Korea to build a different sound. What does 'Swim', BTS's single about confusion after the Army, mean? The main single 'Swim' summarizes the post-military service period. 'I would say we are more united,' expressed Jimin. Why did BTS decide to return to their roots with 'Arirang'? After military service, the South Korean group opted to rebuild their identity from a shared cultural element. 'We returned to our roots. That's where BTS began,' said RM. Suga described the album's musical approach as a broad mix of styles: 'This album covers a great variety of genres, but our roots are in hip-hop.' Suga pointed out that the growth of musical content and the use of new technologies have modified the competition. 'Many people are using artificial intelligence to create music, so there are more and more songs on the market.'
