BTS’s latest title track, “SWIM,” is making waves globally! The music video, released on the 20th, surpassed 12.61 million views within just 5 hours, igniting a phenomenal response from fans worldwide. The YouTube comment section exploded, exceeding 445,000 comments, and the video quickly garnered over 2 million likes.
The pre-order sales of the “Arirang” album, released by HYBE, have exceeded 4 million copies. Based on Hanteo Chart data, 1 million copies were sold within the first 10 minutes of its release, showcasing the group’s immense popularity.
YouTube is buzzing with excitement! The official YouTube account (@YouTube) even joined the conversation, commenting “this. is. everything. ARMY WE ARE SO BACK,” which received over 140,000 likes. Fans enthusiastically responded with a chain of comments like, “I’ll rewatch this every time someone likes this comment,” with some comments receiving thousands, even tens of thousands, of likes. @foryouthnd commented “SWIM – Song of the Year / ARIRANG – Album of the Year / BTS – Artist of the Year,” earning over 89,000 positive reactions.
On the iTunes US chart, upon release, “SWIM” and several other tracks from the album, including “Body to Body,” “Hooligan,” “FYA,” “Normal,” and “Aliens,” simultaneously dominated the top spots.
“The Woman on the Ship Represents ARMY”
A central topic of discussion surrounding the music video is the fans’ interpretations. The video features Hollywood actress Lili Reinhart, who portrays a woman wandering on a ship in a vast ocean. The seven BTS members appear as sailors silently guiding the ship. Fans see this structure as more than just a simple narrative.
@sucreyoongi wrote on Twitter, “The woman on the ship represents us (ARMY). BTS isn’t physically there, but they are with us on our journey. Even in our pain and hardship, they will be here.” YouTube commenter @Foxesandpoems shared a similar interpretation, receiving 44,000 likes. “They’re like ghosts on the ship, and the woman senses them but can’t reach them. BTS called this song the ultimate love song for ARMY, and this metaphor is especially heartbreaking,” the comment read.
Fan @한승철-n4d also wrote on YouTube in English, “SWIM is a song about moving forward in the flow without losing yourself. And within it lives the echo of an ancient song of light — Arirang,” drawing significant attention.
“For Us Who Waited Four Years”
The emotions of the fans transcend global boundaries. South African fan base account @JkSouthAfrica stated, “A literal cinematic experience. The visuals, vocals, storytelling everything is on another level,” while Brazilian fan @PortalMinYoongi wrote in Portuguese, “QUEM EU SOU DEPOIS DE SWIM (WHO AM I AFTER SWIM),” resonating with many fans. @KarinaNunezCanchanyas commented, “Fandom hug to all who stayed,” receiving 95,000 likes.
Behind-the-scenes stories about the members have also become a hot topic. Fan account @dreamjeons shared conversations between the members, revealing, “When Jungkook went to LA, he was shy like he was 15 years old.” V’s revelation that “Jungkook cried while watching KDH (K-Pop Demon Hunters)” and Jungkook’s explanation that he was “sad because the main character died” quickly spread among fans.
BTS will hold a comeback concert on the 21st at Gwanghwamun Square, which will be broadcast live to 190 countries via Netflix. Next week, they are scheduled to appear on NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” for two consecutive days.
