“BTS: The Return” captures a poignant snapshot of a troubled comeback

BTS’ comeback could be likened to a classical Greek hero’s homecoming. After years at war – or performing military service as it were – they’re back to pick up where they left off with their lives, music and fans. But as with those ancient tales, such long-awaited returns aren’t without some conflict.

“There’s a long lineage of storytellers and filmmakers who have told part of BTS story, and for me, this moment was so pivotal and almost mythical,” director Bao Nguyen told members of the global press at a March 20 screening of his Netflix documentary, “BTS: The Return.”

“In a way for me, BTS is like Odysseus, and ARMY and the fans who are longing for BTS to return, are like Penelope. So I thought this moment was really special and unique.”

BTS – comprising members RM, Jin, Saga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook – took a collective hiatus in 2022 for each of them to participate in South Korean mandatory military service. Their staggered returns allowed for various solo releases and tours, and “The Return” catches up with the group as they hole up in Los Angeles for two months to write their fifth full studio album “Arirang,” which was released on March 20.

Nguyen, who’s garnered acclaim for his documentaries “The Greatest Night in Pop Music” and “The Stringer,” had the savvy to understand that the members themselves should be a part of telling their own story and put them to work.

“One of the things I knew going into the project is that we weren’t going to have free rein access to them at every minute, every second of their time in Los Angeles,” he said. “What was important to me was to view their story through their own perspective. So I had this idea of giving them each these mini DV camcorders, which you see in the film, and I wanted them to document when our crew wasn’t around, because for me, that type of archival and home video footage, it feels like your dad or your uncle going around and shooting you, right? There’s something so intimate about that type of footage.”

Nguyen deftly crafts a poignant and contemplative snapshot of these seven bonded men who are caught between several masters in the creation of “Arirang.” At times their own desires and tastes take a backseat to the demands of others, and Nguyen also captures moments when candid feelings of frustration and ambivalence slip through. Expect ARMY to dissect the film forensically as their protective instincts are activated.

A matter of timing vs. the ticking clock

In the film, group leader RM (real name Kim Namjoon) mulls over two Greek concepts of time, one of which is the qualitative kairos, in which acting a certain way in the perfect moment has a lasting impact. This requires understanding context, the desired intent and having the ability to act in that moment.

The concept appears to drive RM and the other BTS members during their Los Angeles retreat as they probe their own identity post-military and whether what they have to say is worthwhile and proper for the album. They have an ongoing conversation about which song deserves to be the lead single to be released first. While some members gravitate toward the album’s first track, “Body to Body,” which includes snippets of the traditional Korean folk song “Arirang” in it,” the more romantic “Swim” is pushed forward. Was this the right song for this moment? Nguyen captures the ambivalence and anxiety surrounding these decisions.

“To be honest, the group was so vulnerable with what they said. They were actually giving us and the camera more than I expected,” said Nguyen. “Like I mentioned ‘The Odyssey’ was a frame of reference for me in entering the story, and then we were sitting in the car with RM, and then he starts talking about kairos and chronos out of nowhere . . . and in my mind. I was like, ‘Oh, my God, the synergy of this is something that you can’t direct.’

“It’s interesting what they think about when they’re alone. We didn’t have the intention to do traditional sit-down interviews, and so for me, I wanted to get in the interiority of each of the members somehow. And if you’ve ever been to LA, there’s a lot of driving, and when you’re sitting in a car, you do a lot of thinking. And naturally they would just talk to us when they were sitting there, kind of watching the palm trees go by. Those moments of vulnerability and intimacy were given to us by the members.”

In a sense, Bao Nguyen also must weigh kairos in the making of “The Return” such as when the seven BTS members go to a beach and are able to maintain enough anonymity that they’re not mobbed.

“One moment of gatekeeping, though, was the public beach scene that we shot in Santa Monica,” said producer Jane Cha Cutler. “I mean, we were scared that it was going to turn into a like a Beatles moment. But we all played it cool, and somehow they were able to have a fun private day that turns out to be a beautiful moment in the film.”

Producer Namjo Kim added, “When it comes to shooting a documentary, I feel like what’s really important is the ‘wait’ part of it more so than the actual filming part of it. And I think Director Bao did an amazing job in sort of waiting it out to make sure that he captured the very genuine, authentic moments of creativity, of inner struggles and of the weight of the responsibility that each of the members felt in this process. That was a very critical element to all of this.”

Waiting, however, is not a luxury that BTS has. That other Greek concept is chronos, which refers to chronological or sequential time and is quantitative. It relentlessly moves forward independent of a person’s actions or desires.

You can feel this ticking clock looming over the film from the first moment when Jin (vocalist Kim Seokjin) joins the others at the Los Angeles home late after coming off of his solo tour. The bulk of the songs have already been written without him, and it’s not made entirely clear why the timeline is so tight that they could not have waited.

But that question goes unanswered in light of their task; they have a comeback album to finalize, and too many people to please.

Who is “Arirang” for?

While the documentary captures parts of the creative process that includes self-expression and personal exploration, a recurring pattern emerges of how much the conversation revolves around other people’s desires for the album. BTS – as with many other K-pop acts – are fan-focused, and this is possibly why “Swim” gets chosen in the end as the lead single as a love letter to the fans. But who ultimately made that decision? Certain conversations are had away from Nguyen’s watchful camera, and we’re often only left with the aftermath as BTS tries to make do with the demands on their time and creativity.

The naming of the album “Arirang” is supposedly rooted in BTS’ Korean identity, and this heritage branding has been communicated over and over during the group’s comeback media blitz. Since the album’s release, more cultural elements – such as the use of traditional instruments – have been illuminated in various tracks.

In particular, Hybe Brand Strategist and Creative Director Boyoung Lee appears to present a key element to the “Arirang” lore, which will no doubt create discourse about how much control BTS has over their image and messaging. While companies have often become involved in brand strategy, this album’s Korean heritage push has been especially strong.

And while identity is layered and complex, one major decision about the album has been met with some controversy: the use of English as the main language for the lyrics. While English has often appeared in K-pop songs as breakout phrases or in choruses, the predominance of English in “Arirang” created challenges for the group who think and express themselves more naturally in Korean. RM, the member who speaks the most fluent English, appears frustrated as he’s tasked with writing many of these lyrics, and Nguyen captures this struggle as well.

“Within the creative process, I got to witness all the hurdles that the group has to go through in order to make something global,” said Nguyen. “You hear RM say in the songwriting session, ‘This is not my native language.’ And to write music and lyrics in something that’s not your native language, is something that I think maybe an audience outside of ARMY doesn’t realize that BTS is doing that’s another one of their superpowers.

“I think Jimin says it in one of the dinner scenes where they talk about pronunciation, and he says, ‘What’s going to suck is going to suck,’ in a way, because they’re trying so hard and they’re singing with honesty and passion in English. So for me personally as a listener, it’s about that effort, rather than getting the perfect pronunciation. Music is about feeling, it’s not about perfection.”

These conversations make it appear that the heavy use of English is not BTS’ personal wish but rather a directive given to them. In a separate Netflix press conference on March 20, Nicole Kim, vice president of Big Hit Music, alluded to the use of English in order for the album “to be heard and shared with as many people around the world as possible” and to not just please existing fans but also “reach and touch the hearts of those who have never heard of BTS before.”

 

The positioning of BTS as emissaries for Korea is clear, but also, comes with a lot of pressure. “RM says in the film, the heavy crown that they have to carry weighs on them as the members,” said Nguyen. “It’s hard enough to be a great artist, but also to represent a country, and as global icons – they hold that crown with such dignity and respect for that responsibility. It’s something that I didn’t understand until made the film, because I came to that realization how heavy the crown is.”

The word “global” comes up repeatedly in most of the Hybe and Big Hit Entertainment talking points. It appears that in their eyes, the Western audience, language and sound are keys to being globally appealing. In fact, the list of producers pulls heavily from the West, ranging from Ryan Tedder and Diplo  to Tame Impala and Mike Will Made-It.

The individual BTS members’ stamps can be found here and there on the album, especially when listening to certain songs. However, the documentary pulls back the curtain enough to pose the question of what “Arirang” – if it would even still be called that – would sound like if the emphasis on English or global appeal weren’t front and center. Is this what the BTS members want to release to represent themselves, or is it a product of corporate engineering?

Comments that RM made in December live stream could hint at some troubles behind the scenes at Hybe. In the live, as the members sit around a table of food with a Christmas tree in the background, talk turns to how 2025 is ending and the new year is around the corner. RM says, “I wish our company would show a little more affection for us. I don’t usually say things like this . . . I don’t know. Just take care of us a little more.”

At this point, Jimin fist bumps RM, who then adds, “I just hope they take care of us and embrace us a bit more.” The comments prompt J-Hope, Jimin and V to laugh, which could be played off as a joke. But it could also signal a deeper problem with the corporation.

Band of brothers

If it feels that there’s some division, it’s not between the members. Despite the stress of delivering the “Arirang” on time, the men never bicker or snipe at each other. Instead, Nguyen captures moments of levity, relaxation and cooperation within BTS. Much like siblings, only other members of the group have the unique knowledge of what it’s like to be raised in this environment and under such expectations.

“I thought in the beginning [the film] would be about reunion and return, and it is, but I think it’s also about brotherhood, resilience and human closeness,” said Cutler. “I didn’t realize really, how truly bonded they are. They are so considerate with each other. They really are like their second family. They spent half their lives together, a lot of their formative years together. One of the scenes [is] when they watched their young selves on screen together, and they haven’t seen that footage in a long time. It’s very moving, it’s emotional. We hope that when they look back on this film, they have that same emotion and good feeling.”

Nguyen added, “The moment when Jimin says, ‘It was so great living together again. Maybe we should do it again,’ you take those little statements for granted, but they do hold so much weight because of how long these members have been together. It’s not just about the creative process. They’ve really seen each other grow and having left for military service and coming back and sharing the same moment at the same time and again, the only way that they can carry the weight of the crown is through all seven of them, which I think is really beautiful.”

“BTS: The Return” streams Friday, March 27 on Netflix.

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