Amid the hype for BTS‘ world tour and the highly anticipated upcoming album “ARIRANG,” a particular surging trend on X left the K-pop septet’s fans with more questions than answers.

A single question took over Seongsu-dong, one of Seoul’s up and coming trendiest hotspots, on Monday, Feb 9, as visuals of an entire building being covered with “What Is Your Love Song” printed on a tape flooded social media. Putting two and two together, BTS’ fans aka ARMYs picked their brains wondering if it had anything to do with the K-pop sensation’s forthcoming album.

What is Your Love Song ads take over Seoul building

A user wrote on X, “Is this for BTS Arirang?” Meanwhile, some others wondered if the advertisement was dropping spoilers about the group’s next title track.

Korea’s Fast Paper Magazine also joined in on the buzz, sharing snippets of the scene from the Seongsu-dong neighbourhoods. In its Korean caption, the magazine affirmed that the secret would be revealed soon. Local magazine SEONGSU BIBLE also marvelled at the widely shared ads on Instagram. “BTS?!?!?!” It raised the big question in the comments.

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On its own part, the representative publication supporting local businesses had also shared a post dedicated to the question “What is Your Love Song” perturbing K-pop fans on social media.” In its post caption, the Seongsu Bible noted that the over-the-top advertisement strategy had been executed on the CUEREN Seongsu Tannery building, in addition to being spotted on Musinsa Mega Store screen.

In a separate comment, the @seongsu_bible also responded to @nowseongsu on Instagram, saying “Seongsu-dong, the heaven of BTS! (English translation)”

Is ‘What is Your Love Song’ BTS related?

Meanwhile, an EP playlist titled “What Is Your Love Songs” was also published on Spotify. Dated February 6, 2026, the so-called album listing drops the following the tracks:

  • Self-Love
  • Fandom Love
  • Romantic Love
  • Healing Love
  • Unrequited Love
  • Nostalgic Love

Despite having a runtime of 58 seconds each, neither of the tracks listed have an audio. BTS ARMYs are also linking it to a previous shout-out by member Jin on the 2026BTS website: “Thanks for always being by our side. What is your ARIRANG?”

Fans are already buzzing with speculative chatter about whether BTS is planning to drop a pre-release track on Valentine’s Day as a gift for the ARMYs. BTS’ 5th album “ARIRANG” album is scheduled to release on March 20, 2026.

Screenshots of a previously revealed BTS Arirang album “logo ticket” also vividly mentioned “What Is Your Love Song?” while listing out BTS as the “Director,” and the seven members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook named as the cast members. The film ticket frame was pictured on Ktown4u’s special gift listing for the BTS ARIRANG album’s pre-order sales.

Given the theatre-related connotations of the pictured ticket, some are also wondering if the group is planning to release a special film as part of their comeback plans.

The pop superstars are already known to have released quite a few short films or “highlight reels” in the past, especially during the “Wings” and “Love Yourself,” respectively.

Meaning of BTS’ Arirang joins speculation

A user on X speculated, “Arirang is known for covering themes like love and has had various variations through years so the question “What is your love song” is so fitting. BTS you are genius.”

The title “Arirang” indeed carries profound emotional weight for Koreans as it refers to the Korean peninsula’s most beloved folk song. As per the Guardian, it has emerged as an “unofficial and sentimental national anthem,” with its origins dating back to centuries.

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“Arirang” appears twice on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, thanks to submissions by South Korea in 2012 and North Korea in 2014. During Japan’s colonial rule of Korea from 1910 to 1945, the track became a symbol of resistance.

“Experts estimate the total number of folk songs carrying the title ‘Arirang’ at some 3,600 variations belonging to about sixty versions,” notes UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage page’s explainer on Arirang. “A great virtue of Arirang is its respect for human creativity, freedom of expression and empathy.”

While its actual meaning remains contested in folksong culture owing the term’s fluid multiplicity, the Korean Herald cited scholars suggesting that “ari” comes from the old Korean word meaning “beautiful” or “aching,” and is paired with “rang,” which means “beloved.”

BTS’ choice to borrow a folk-culture callback reflects the group’s conscious intentions to embrace its Korean roots despite being hit with backlash in recent years that they’ve succumbed to the desire to appeal to Western audiences.

As per the group’s agency, Big Hit Entertainment, the so-titled new album promises to “delve into the emotional journey and introspection experienced by the seven members over the years.”

Much like “Arirang” multiple meanings, the group has so far left this promotion strategy open-ended, allowing fans to come up with countless interpretations about “What is Your Love Song” and its ties with the upcoming album.

Stay tuned!