I’ve been seeing a lot of discourse around BTS’ new album Arirang not being “Korean enough,” and I’m curious — what does that even mean?
Like, is there a scale I missed? A checklist? Because from where I’m standing, it feels like a very convenient standard that gets pulled out whenever Asian artists don’t fit into a very specific, expected box. What’s more interesting is that most of this criticism isn’t even coming from Korean listeners themselves.
To me, the album actually feels like the opposite. It feels like evolution without erasure, a modern interpretation of culture rather than a rejection of it. The use of lyrics from the original Arirang:
“아리랑, 아리랑, 아라리요 아리랑 고개로 넘어간다 나를 버리고 가시는 님은 십리도 못가서 발병난다”
as the bridge in “Body to Body,” references like the 29th national treasure in “No. 29,” and the blending of styles all add to that. Without these songs, would a lot of us even know about these things?
Musically, it just works. The production is strong, the rap line finally gets more space (which people have been asking for forever), and each member’s individuality and style actually comes through.
The lines:
“Those guys are special (Special) among Asians,” ayy “Some kinda heroic beings (Beings), too hard to break,” uh “Uh, we can’t relate (Late), We’re just seven people, though”
— essentially meaning, “we’re not special Asians, we’re just seven men trying” — stood out to me. It feels more grounded and, honestly, more meaningful than the usual “paved the way” type of flex. “They don’t care about us” feels like a message to all those who claim to know them, which is telling, considering the reactions they’ve been getting to the album not being “Korean enough.”
What’s especially interesting is how differently releases get framed. Other K-pop acts can come back with more Western-leaning or minimal releases and not face the same scrutiny about being “Korean enough,” but when something like this tries to balance identity and evolution, it gets picked apart.
It’s not the first time I’ve thought about this, and it probably won’t be the last. But isn’t it annoying how, in global pop conversations, “Asia” often gets reduced to a very narrow image, usually whatever feels most familiar or marketable? The moment Asian artists step outside that version, they’re suddenly “not Asian enough.” Why do we need to divide people by how Asian they are? It’s not like other groups are constantly measured against how much they fit their identity.
At this point, it just feels like people will criticize either way: too “Western,” not “Korean enough,” too this, too that.
What does “Korean enough” even mean in global pop? And who exactly gets to decide that? Can people not just appreciate music as it comes instead of trying to force it into specific narratives? Or are we just forcing artists into boxes we’re comfortable with?
submitted by /u/highonferrarihopium
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