First, a bit of background: The KCON 2016 event was scheduled to be held on June 2 in Paris, France, the first time in Europe. Now, this event was more than a regular KCON. It was set to commemorate the 130th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and France with South Korean President Park Geun-hye and other dignitaries in attendance.

BTS had started their "The Most Beautiful Moment in Life On Stage: Epilogue" Tour, and they took a break to travel to France to participate. While they were there, BTS performed "아리랑 연곡" ('Arirang Medley') with artists Block B, SHINee, FTISLAND, f(x) and I.O.I. as the opening performance.

Just like this KCON was not a typical event, this song choice was not just any song. This medley was made to celebrate the Korean folk song 'Arirang,' considered by many to be Korea's unofficial national anthem. This special song is part of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and this version was made with the support of the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. To make this song, BTS reinterpreted the Gyeongi (Seoul) Arirang for the beginning melody, the Jeongseon Arirang, Jindo Arirang, and Millyang Arirang versions for the central verses, and followed those up with the last verse with lyrics they wrote themselves incorporating phrases from Gangwon Arirang. They sang it in dialect (satoori).

Now for today's event: At some point, BTS made a studio recording of their version of the song. A promotional cd simply titled 'Arirang' included this song as track 3, and it was distributed for free at the National Museum of Korea on October 9, 2016, which was Han-geul nal, or Hangeul Day (Korean Alphabet Day).

Take a listen: 아리랑 연곡 Arirang Medley BTS Version

To learn more:

Many view this song as simply a cover, but as they have done a number of times, BTS took this song and fashioned a version of it that is all their own. And once again, they invited all of us to appreciate something beautiful from their culture. Not sure if there are copyright issues, but maybe someday it will be available for streaming. Hope everyone has a lovely Hangeul Day today!

by KatinaS252