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Beloved mobile game BTS WORLD will be shutting shop on Tuesday, December 26, 2023, nearly five years after it was first launched. Fans of the K-pop megastars had mixed reactions to the game, with many enjoying the roleplay as BTS' manager.
However, if there is one thing that supporters of the group can agree on, it's that the original soundtrack (OST) album released to support the game has incredible music. From unexpected collaborations to introduction tracks for each member, the DNA group's OST album will far outlive the game that it was created for.
They might not have promoted the OSTs as heavily as their other albums, but the BTS WORLD soundtrack continues to occupy a soft spot in the hearts of fans.
Heartbeat, All Night, and more tracks from the BTS WORLD soundtrack that made the mobile game fun
1) Heartbeat by BTS
The first track on the BTS World OST album (according to Spotify, although it was the fourth to be released) is a favorite among fans. Featuring all seven members, it invokes the metaphor of being "seasick" to describe the possibility of not having met fans (and each other) the way they did.
It is destiny that BTS and ARMY have each other, says Heartbeat, while hoping that the fans stay by their side for a long time. This sentiment hits home in 2023, with two members serving in the military and the others releasing solo music. Fans eagerly await the promised reunion in 2025.
2) Dream Glow by BTS' Jung Kook, Jin and Jimin with Charlie XCX
BTS members have frequently collaborated with artists around the world, and this song with Charlie XCX is an example of a beautiful partnership. With Jung Kook's beautiful harmonies weaving together with Charlie's vocals and Jin and Jimin singing the Korean verses of the song, this BTS World track remains fresh and addictive.
3) A Brand New Day by BTS' V and j-hope with Zara Larsson
If fans found the instrument used in the melody hook familiar, that is because SUGA aka AGUST D, used it in Haegeum. While V's characteristic baritone keeps listeners on their toes, it is j-hope's unique vocal timbre and Zara Larsson's lilting chorus that make A Brand New Day truly memorable.
4) All Night by BTS' RM and SUGA with Juice WRLD
If anyone ever insinuates that the group's music lacks variety, pointing them to this track from the BTS World OSTs will wipe that preconception clean. RM's clear English vocals contrast with the soft yet striking rap by SUGA, and Juice WRLD supports the rappers in the refrain and his stanza about risking it for love.
This collaboration eventually led to SUGA participating in Girl of My Dreams from Juice WRLD's second posthumous studio album, Fighting Demons.
5) Captain (Namjun Theme)
Sounding like the theme of an upcoming spy thriller, complete with an impossible heist and dashing action sequences, RM (or Kim Nam-joon) suits the theme that producers Brandon Jung and Kang Minkook came up with. The BTS leader often guides his team through uncharted waters, just as a captain of a ship might, making this tune perfect for him.
6) Cake Waltz (Jimin theme)
Jimin's high-pitched vocals and on-stage persona radiate the same tranquility as Cake Waltz from the BTS World Original Soundtrack, produced by Kang Minkook. It makes one visualize the solo dance stages of the Promise vocalist, where he mesmerizes all, making it an ideal theme for him.
7) Shine (Yunki theme)
Another gem by Kang Minkook, Shine depicts a more playful side to BTS' second-oldest SUGA. A deeply reflective individual, Min Yoon-gi tries to lift others by sharing his own struggles via music, as seen in his solo album. It is said that those who have suffered a lot can see the true beauty in the mundane, and this BTS Word track proves that.
8) Not Alone (Jeongguk theme)
The youngest of the septet, Jung Kook, had a great deal of responsibility on his shoulders as the main vocalist. Not Alone, produced by Kang Minkook, seems to reassure listeners that no matter how lonely one might feel in life's journey, there will always be people who will be there by one's side.
9) Friends (Hoseok's theme)
j-hope calls himself ARMY's hope, making it on brand for his theme to sound like the opening of a youth drama about sports and friendship. His solo music has allowed him the luxury to touch upon the rawer aspects of his personality beyond "hope", and this can be subtly heard in Friends from the BTS World OSTs as well.
9) Wish (Seok Jin's theme)
In the same neck of the woods as Jimin's Cake Waltz, Wish is melancholic and tender, almost as though it were meant to serve as a companion piece for Beauty and the Beast. If Jin's solo songs on BTS albums make fans weep at the soulfulness and earnestness, this Kang Minkook track is not divorced from the heartache either.
10) Flying (Taehyung theme)
If Flying were the OST for anything apart from BTS World, it would be a Studio Ghibli film. Starting off with energy, the theme is full of drama, slowing down before building itself up again. Colorful and magical, V's theme seems to take on different emotions, just as his deep vocals tend to do.
11) La La La by OKDAL
A lighter track after the heavier, dramatic member themes, La La La by Korean duo OKDAL (also called Rooftop Moonlight) is fit for a K-drama set in a small town where the protagonists discover who they truly are. While it is definitely a departure from the other BTS World songs, La La La is a welcome addition to uplift moods.
12) You Are Here (and the Orchestra version) by Lee Hyun
BIGHIT MUSIC's seniormost singer, Lee Hyun, ties together the BTS World OSTs with You Are Here, a beautiful musical composition that thanks fans for sticking by the group. The talented vocalist conveys sincere emotions in the song, making it seem as if he is speaking on behalf of the Life Goes On group.
Conversely, the track could also be a tribute to BTS for changing so many people's lives through their music and being the "light in the dark" for them.
Though saddening, the conclusion of BTS World serves as closure for many who have stuck with the game through all its updates. The OSTs only served to enhance the experience and will continue to enthrall fans after the game shuts down.
