Members of the K-pop boy band BTS at The White House. (Photo: The White House via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
The K-pop boy band BTS is in the middle of their triumphant ARIRANG World Tour, selling out stadiums across 23 countries. As such, their arrival to each different city has been met with widespread excitement not only by fans, but also by local communities who find joy in showing up for their followers. As part of the citywide celebrations in London, which hosted two BTS shows earlier this month, the British Museum is launching a BTS-inspired curated gallery trail spotlighting Korean art.
The BTS THE CITY ARIRANG Korea gallery trail features five objects closely tied to the themes on BTS’ latest record, ARIRANG. Named after a famous folk song often referred to as the unofficial national anthem of Korea, ARIRANG also draws from Korean heritage and cultural identity.
Exhibition curator Sang-ah Kim has represented these values with a reconstruction of a sarangbang, or scholar’s study, meant for learning, creativity, and conversation, built by contemporary Korean master craftsmen; a Moon jar, one of Korea’s most celebrated ceramic forms and somewhat of a metaphor to the two countries that make up the Korean peninsula; a gold earring that dates back to the first century CE, a testament to the deep-rooted Korean tradition of craftsmanship; and two roof tiles from Silla, a Korean kingdom that existed between 57 BCE and 935 CE.
The art trail also takes place around the upcoming exhibition Korea, kicking off this fall. The exhibit will feature pieces from the works bequeathed in 2021 by the late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-Hee to the National Museum of Korea and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, offering a comprehensive survey of 2,000 years of Korean creativity.
Fans can join the BTS THE CITY ARIRANG Korea gallery trail experience around The Korea Foundation Gallery (Room 67) at the British Museum until July 23, 2026, although the museum notes the gallery will be closed July 13-17. To plan your visit, view more information on the British Museum website.
As part of the citywide celebrations around BTS’ London shows, the British Museum is launching a BTS-inspired curated gallery trail spotlighting Korean art.
BTS: Instagram
British Museum: Website | Instagram
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