The Korean folk song Arirang holds a special place in Korea’s cultural identity, but few people know that its first known recording was made far from Korea. More than a century before modern K pop reached global audiences, a group of Korean students helped introduce the song to the world from the United States.

History of ARIRANG

Arirang is believed to be several centuries old and is often described as Korea’s unofficial national anthem. The song exists in many regional versions and carries themes of longing, separation and perseverance. These emotional elements reflect the concept of “han,” a deep cultural feeling that blends sorrow, resilience and hope. Over time, Arirang has been sung in homes, fields and public gatherings and has become a powerful symbol of Korean heritage.

One remarkable chapter in the song’s history dates back to 1896, when a group of Korean students living in the United States recorded it for the first time. At the time, several young Koreans were studying in Washington, D.C., including students connected with Howard University. According to historical records, the earliest recording of Arirang was captured by American ethnologist Alice Cunningham Fletcher, who recorded Korean students singing the melody on wax cylinders at her home.

The recordings were labelled “Love Song: Ar ra rang” and are now preserved in the Library of Congress. These wax cylinder recordings represent the earliest known audio documentation of Korean music and mark an important moment in cultural exchange between Korea and the United States.

The BTS connection with ARIRANG

The story has gained renewed attention in recent years because of its symbolic connection with global K pop group BTS. The seven members of the band have chosen Arirang as the title of their comeback album, leading fans to draw parallels between the group and the seven Korean students who helped record the song abroad more than a century ago.

For many fans, the connection highlights a powerful historical echo. Just as those students carried Korean music overseas in the late nineteenth century, BTS have brought Korean culture and language to audiences around the world through modern pop music.

Although separated by more than a hundred years, both moments reflect the same idea: Korean voices reaching global listeners. The story of those students and their recording of Arirang remains an early example of how cultural exchange can begin in small, unexpected ways and later grow into a worldwide cultural movement.