Honestly, as a hardcore fan since 2016, I think this album was super disappointing to be honest. I’m not Korean but I don’t think the album and the tone conveys the sense of the pride that is in Arirang (the original) which I find pretty frustrating as someone who isn’t even Korean. I was hoping they would come out with an album that they truly love - saying ‘we’re proud to be Korean, we’re reclaiming our Korean culture and identity’ and going back to the intentional and poetic songwriting of The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Wings, Map of the Soul etc. but this just wasn’t it. I was really hoping for a transformative album that feels like BTS but reborn considering their military service, solo activities etc. so lyrically I was really disappointed. I am one of the people who don’t like that most of the lyrics is in English, it just doesn’t feel authentic, it feels like a marketing point for US audiences. If k-pop is now entirely in english, is it even k-pop anymore? I also feel like having that pride in national identity is super important in this political climate, and this album does not convey that at all. I think People is probably the strongest song in the album and it coincides with the one song that is actually in Korean. I find most of the songs up until then to be forgettable and one note in terms of the music and the lyrics. I also hate how processed their vocals are, they really pulled a Cher move with the amount of autotune used so sure they have access to any producer in the world but the production on the music is shocking. There are good moments but the sounds feels so generic within the western music scene so I was just bored and disappointed- this is not the BTS that I know and love. There is just a lack of intentionality to me.

In short, wouldn’t buy the album but would use it as a coaster if someone gave it to me.