BTS’s ‘Arirang’ Album Features Historic Korean Bell Sound
BTS’s fifth full-length album, Arirang, released after a nearly four-year hiatus due to mandatory military service, incorporates the sound of the Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok, also known as the “Emille Bell.” The bell’s resonance is featured on the track “No. 29,” an interlude bridging the first and second halves of the album.
According to the National Museum of Korea, a high-quality audio recording of the bell was used in the song. “No. 29” captures even the subtle “beating” phenomenon – a rhythmic fluctuation in sound intensity that creates a long resonance often imperceptible to the human ear. The track’s length, 1 minute and 38 seconds, was intentionally set to match the duration of the bell’s resonance when struck, as noted by BTS leader RM during a live broadcast.
Historical Significance of the Bell
The Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok, cast in 771 during the Unified Silla period, is currently displayed at the Gyeongju National Museum. It was formerly designated as National Treasure No. 29, a numbering system South Korea abolished in 2021 to avoid implying a hierarchy among cultural assets. Legend surrounds the bell, with tales suggesting it wouldn’t ring until a child was cast into the bronze, and its sound is said to resemble an ancient word for “mom.”
‘Arirang’ and Korean Cultural Identity
The inclusion of the bell sound is seen as a fusion of traditional Korean heritage and contemporary pop music. The album’s release coincided with a Netflix-streamed concert at Gwanghwamun Square, and even garnered attention from President Lee Jae Myung, who expressed hope it would share the beauty of Korean cultural heritage and K-culture. The album’s opener, “Body to Body,” also incorporates a rendition of “Arirang,” the country’s most famous traditional folk song, emphasizing a message of global attention focused on Korea.