BTS album Arirang cover sparks ARMY theories about tribute to seven Korean students

According to historical records, the first known recording of Arirang was made in 1896 by American ethnologist Alice C. Fletcher, who captured Korean students singing the melody — a moment now preserved in the U.S. Library of Congress. Some accounts note that seven Korean students studying in the United States at the time were associated with early performances and recordings of the song, an element that fans say may have inspired the creative choices behind BTS’s album art.