How Latin Sounds Quietly Found Their Way Into BTS’s New Album ‘Arirang’

When BTS revealed the creative team behind their new album Arirang, one name stood out to music fans across two continents. Spanish producer El Guincho, known for his work with Rosalía and other experimental Latin pop artists, appeared among the contributors. For listeners who follow the evolution of global pop, the credit felt more than surprising. It’s giving the latest chapter in a long and subtle cultural exchange.

The connection between BTS and Latin music did not begin with Arirang. It has developed over the years through collaborations, touring, and the growing overlap between K-pop’s international fan base and the global rise of Latin sounds.

While BTS has never released a full reggaeton track, the group’s music has frequently incorporated elements drawn from global dance music traditions. Their catalog shows a willingness to explore different genres, from funk-inspired pop to trap-influenced hip-hop. That flexibility has made the group particularly open to cross-cultural musical influences.

Another milestone in BTS’s relationship with Latin music came in 2019, when J-Hope collaborated with Becky G on the single Chicken Noodle Soup. The song blended Korean, English, and Spanish lyrics and quickly became a viral moment in international pop culture. Its choreography drew on hip-hop dance traditions that resonate across both K-pop and Latin urban music communities.

The collaboration demonstrated that BTS’s global reach could easily intersect with Latin pop audiences. The track charted internationally and strengthened the group’s connection with bilingual listeners, particularly in the United States and Latin America.

Touring has also played a major role in that relationship. BTS has performed multiple sold-out shows across Latin America, including stadium concerts in Mexico, Brazil, and Chile. Mexico City, in particular, has become one of the group’s strongest touring markets outside Asia and the United States. The Mexico ARMY, as their fans identify themselves, is so powerful that even the Mexican President, Claudia Sheinbaum, wrote to the South Korean President, Lee Jae-myung, to request more concert dates for the upcoming tour.

Streaming numbers reflect the same pattern. Countries such as Mexico and Brazil regularly appear among BTS’s top global listening territories on major music platforms. That audience overlap has helped reinforce the cultural link between K-pop and Latin pop fans. Considering that, plus the obvious global appeal of Latin music (in Spanish), it’s no wonder they looked to include some of it.

In comes El Guincho, and maybe Diplo.

The Spanish producer, whose real name is Pablo Díaz-Reixa, has become one of the most influential producers in Spanish-language pop over the past decade. He played a key role in shaping Rosalía’s album El Mal Querer, a project that blended flamenco traditions with modern electronic and urban production. His work often merges experimental textures with rhythms inspired by Afro-Caribbean and Latin traditions.

Bringing that type of producer into a BTS project reflects how global pop music increasingly moves across borders. K-pop, which has long absorbed influences from hip-hop, R&B, and electronic dance music, now operates within a musical ecosystem where Latin sounds are among the most dominant forces worldwide.

Latin music’s global expansion over the last decade has reshaped the rhythm of mainstream pop. Reggaeton, dembow, and Caribbean-inspired percussion patterns have appeared in songs across languages and continents. Even when artists are not singing in Spanish, those rhythmic structures often form the backbone of contemporary pop production.

The producers involved in Arirang also reveal a broader global network. In addition to El Guincho, the album reportedly features contributions from Diplo, Mike WiLL Made-It, Flume, and Kevin Parker of Tame Impala. These producers represent different corners of contemporary pop and electronic music, but many operate in an environment where Latin rhythms and global dance influences are increasingly common.

Diplo, for example, has previously collaborated with Latin artists including J Balvin and Juanes through his various projects. His work illustrates how producers frequently move between genres and languages in today’s music industry.

In that sense, Arirang reflects a broader transformation in pop music rather than a sudden shift by BTS. Over the last decade, the global charts have become increasingly multilingual. Artists like Bad Bunny and Rosalía have demonstrated that Spanish-language music can dominate international streaming platforms without adapting to English-language pop norms.

Arirang will be released on March 20th. BTS will also mark their comeback after three years with a massive world tour, kicking off in Goyang, South Korea, on April 9. They’ll arrive in Tampa, Florida, in late April before wrapping up the U.S. leg of their tour in September in California. Those who didn’t manage to score a concert ticket, or simply can’t wait to see BTS back in action, can catch a screening of BTS WORLD TOUR ‘ARIRANG’ Live Viewing, which will be shown in theaters this April.

ARIRANG Track List
1. “Body to Body”
2. “Hooligan”
3. “Aliens”
4. “FYA”
5. “2.0”
6. “No. 29”
7. “Swim”
8. “Merry Go Round”
9. “Normal”
10. “Like Animals”
11. “they don’t know ’bout us”
12. “One More Night”
13. “Please”
14. “Into the Sun”