BTS launches Arirang-inspired heritage merchandise

HYBE launched the 2026 BTS DALMAJUNG merchandise collection Tuesday, tying the line to BTS’ album “ARIRANG” and Korean folk art, according to The Korea Times.

The collection reflects a continuing effort by HYBE and the National Museum Foundation of Korea to connect K-pop fandom with Korean cultural heritage through consumer products.

The collection is the fourth DALMAJUNG series and the second collaboration between HYBE and the National Museum Foundation of Korea, The Korea Times reported. The first collaboration took place in 2024 through MU:DS.

Designs in the new line draw on munjado, a Joseon Dynasty folk painting genre that incorporates decorative images into or around Chinese characters, according to The Korea Times. The collection also uses motifs tied to BTS’ “ARIRANG,” the group’s fifth studio album, including the lyric “heungjeukdaegil.”

The products feature cranes, deer, clouds and other symbols associated with longevity, The Korea Times reported. The planned 13 products include a miniature desk broom, a ceramic jar, a pollock-shaped good-luck magnet, a mini pouch modeled on the jar and a traditional gonggi pouch with seven playing stones.

“Building on the meaningful success of the 'Dalmajung' series — launched in 2024 through our first collaboration with HYBE — in promoting the beauty and excellence of Korean cultural heritage abroad, we are continuing our collaboration again this year,” Choung Yong-suk, president of the National Museum Foundation of Korea, said, according to The Korea Times.

“Moving forward, we will actively discover opportunities where the brand value of artists and the value of our cultural heritage can shine together,” Choung added, according to the publication.

A pop-up store opened Tuesday at HYBE Yongsan in Seoul and will run through Oct. 11, The Korea Times reported. The merchandise is also being sold through Weverse Shop and the National Museum of Korea museum shop.

The Korea Times said the article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by the publication.