BTS has teamed up with the British Museum, one of the world’s leading museums, to bring Korea’s cultural heritage to a global audience.
HYBE, the group’s agency, said Wednesday that the museum’s Korean Gallery is hosting the “Korea Gallery Trail,” an interactive program featuring BTS, from July 6 to July. 23 (local time).
The program was organized as part of the offline events surrounding BTS’ “ARIRANG” world tour, following the group’s concerts at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on July 6 and 7. To coincide with the shows, the London Eye glowed red, the signature color of the “ARIRANG” tour, while a large boat carrying the tour’s logo sailed along the River Thames.
Named after BTS’ fifth full-length album, released in March, the “Korea Gallery Trail” highlights Korean cultural treasures from the British Museum’s collection. The museum said the exhibition features permanent collection items that capture the themes of hope, resilience and belonging at the heart of “ARIRANG.”
Among the highlights is the moon jar, which represents the album’s message of shared humanity. A traditional sarangbang, or Korean study and reception room, symbolizes new beginnings. The exhibition also pairs artifacts from the Silla Kingdom with the sound of the Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok, better known as the Emille Bell, as featured in “No. 29,” the sixth track on the album.
Visitors can scan a QR code at the entrance to the Korean Gallery to follow the exhibition route and join the campaign. They are invited to answer the question, “What is Your Arirang?” by sharing on social media the Korean cultural artifact they feel best reflects their own lives.
“We hope BTS’ music and Korea’s cultural heritage will resonate with visitors from around the world and create new moments of connection,” HYBE said.
Since releasing its comeback album, BTS has been on its “ARIRANG” world tour, which kicked off in April and spans 88 concerts in 34 cities. Last month, the group performed for a combined crowd of 110,000 at Busan Asiad Main Stadium to mark its debut anniversary before heading to Madrid, Brussels and London. The tour will continue across Europe, North America and Southeast Asia through March next year.