Forbidden Fruits star Lili Reinhart joined forces with BTS for the group’s new music video for “Swim.”
The lead single off the K-pop supergroup’s long-awaited fifth studio album, Arirang, “Swim” is a synth-heavy track that is much more mellow than most of the album. The music video starts with Reinhart looking at ship in a museum as the sounds of waves usher in the song. The video then cuts to that very real ship, manned by the seven members of BTS — RM, Jin, Suga, J-hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook — sporting sailor friendly fits.
“Swim” continues BTS’ exploration of their perspective on life, similar to their previous singles “Life Goes On” and “Permission to Dance” — although those certainly take two different routes to get to that end point.
The ship featured in the music video is representative of a space of healing and growth. Reinhart’s character, having woken up inside the ship, grapples with moments of doubt and anguish throughout the music video. “The seven members remain by her side as quiet sources of support. Over time, she reflects on herself and finds the strength to move forward once again,” a release says about the music video.
Filmed in Lisbon, Reinhart and BTS shot the video practically on an actual ship with “purpose built studio sets” to make it appear more cinematic, according to a release. The music video was directed by Tanu Muino, who directed member Jungkook’s solo music video, “Standing Next to You.”
Moving forward is a consistent theme throughout Arirang, but nowhere is it stronger than on “Swim.” The song “centers on the resolve to keep swimming onward through life’s many tides,” according to a release. It continues, “Rather than resisting the current, the song frames the choice to move ahead at one’s own pace as an expression of love for life itself.”
In a statement, the group said of “Swim”: “[It’s] a song that mirrors life itself. [We] hope it resonates with many people as they move through each day, taking each moment as it comes, splashing along and continuing to swim forward. The more you listen, the warmer it feels, so [we] hope it becomes a source of strength as people go through their lives. Also, just like the folk song ‘Arirang,’ which has been passed from mouth to mouth and stayed with people through generations, [we] hope ‘Swim’ will remain close to people’s hearts for a long time to come.”
Reinhart, who fans had been speculating would appear in the music video, took to social media shortly after its release to share a video with the global super stars. “Will you guys watch my friends for a second?” Reinhart asks the camera, partaking in the popular TikTok trend. The “friends” in question just so happen to be the members of BTS.
Arirang marks the group’s first seven-member release in several years, as the members of BTS each completed their mandatory military service over the last few years. BTS is ringing in the latest chapter of the group with two Netflix projects.
Last month, Netflix announced their special, BTS The Comeback Live | Arirang, a livestream performance of the seven-member group, which will stream on the platform on March 21. The livestream, the first global performance of the album, is being broadcast live from Gwanghwamun, a well-known Seoul landmark offering views of the city’s iconic Gyeongbokgung palace.
Following the live stream, Netflix will premiere BTS: The Return, an “intimate documentary film chronicling the making of the band’s new album,” according to a release. It’ll premiere a week after the live stream on March 27 on the streaming platform.
The seven-member K-pop supergroup is also preparing to embark on their first full-scale, all-group tour in years. The tour, spanning 2026 and 2027, will hit Asia, North America, Europe, Latin America and Australia, making it one of the most expansive tours of the group’s career.
The tour will kick off with three nights in Goyang, South Korea, before heading to Tokyo for two nights. BTS is set to then head to the U.S. for a stop in Tampa. The group then zigzags around the world with U.S. stops sprinkled throughout. The group is anticipated to make 82 stops.
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