You're listening to Pop Culture Happy Hour, the podcast that keeps you plugged in about the latest and greatest in movies, TV, music, and more.

If you're a pop culture junkie who's not following the show yet, we're recommending you fix that right now by following Pop Culture Happy Hour on your favorite podcast app.

Now, on to the show.

One of the biggest groups in

K-pop is back. BTS just released its first full-length

album following a hiatus in which the members

released solo projects and served in South Korea's military.

It's a brash, catchy comeback that's

bound to leave a huge mark on the

billboard charts next week and beyond. I'm Stephen Thompson, and today we are talking about

BTS's new album, Ari Rang, on Pop Culture Happy Hour from NPR.

Joining me today is NPR music editor Sheldon Pierce. Welcome back to the show, Sheldon. So happy to be back.

It is great to have you also with us making her pop culture happy hour debut, NPR music executive producer, Soraya Mohamed. Welcome to the show, Saraya.

Hey, Stephen, glad to be here. I am delighted to have you both here to talk about

this record. So the last time BTS released a full-length studio album, it was the fall of 2020,

Dynamite topped the pop charts, and K-pop was truly cemented as a major force in U.S. pop music.

BTS went on hiatus in 2022 in order to allow its seven members to complete mandatory military

service in Korea and to release a string of successful solo albums.

But the K-pop landscape has changed considerably during their sort of absence.

More groups broke through and K-pop demon hunters became a global phenomenon.

Still, the return of BTS was always going to be a colossal deal in K-pop.

They have a big year planned, including a worldwide stadium tour, and Ari Rang announces the

...