However, Jung Kook has recently opened up about his personal feelings regarding the production process revealing that he still carries a sense of regret despite his strong contribution to the project.
In a candid solo interview with Rolling Stone, published on April 20, the youngest BTS member reflected on his songwriting work for the album. He co-wrote four tracks out of the 14-song project and expressed mixed emotions about his participation.
“I don’t know if I would call it pride, but I did feel really great,” Jung Kook said. “It’s been a long time since we chose the songs and worked on everything, but there’s one thing I still think about why didn’t I do a little more? Two months is a really long time. Couldn’t I have done more? I have a lot of regrets about that.”
Despite his self-criticism, Jung Kook played a significant role in shaping the album’s sound. He is credited as a writer on “Alien,” “FYA,” “2.0,” and “Hooligan,” all of which reportedly achieved success by entering the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
He also shared insight into the creation of “Hooligan,” explaining that the idea came to him quickly after hearing the beat.
He immediately connected with the production, developed the flow and focused on crafting the hook. When the track was later selected by the group for inclusion on the album, Jung Kook described the moment as highly rewarding and emotionally fulfilling.
Meanwhile, “ARIRANG” has already made a strong impact commercially, spending its third consecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album marks BTS first full-length group release since 2020, highlighting their long-awaited return as a complete unit.
Alongside the album’s success, BTS is also currently engaged in a global stadium tour, further cementing their comeback era as one of their most significant phases to date.
