Answer in brief
ARIRANG had at least 19 official product positions as of 15 September 2026: five CDs, twelve vinyls and two digital formats. The right choice depends on more than price -- photocards, bonus tracks, seller and region all matter.
A Route Built From Product Cards, Not One Review
In this piece -- a buying route assembled from verified product cards rather than a single magazine roundup: which version physically gives you what, where the same version is worth more for what's included rather than just the price, how the 'Weverse Albums ver.' (QR card) differs from a CD and from an ordinary digital album, and which editions genuinely carry bonus tracks and which do not.
BTS's Fifth Album or Tenth -- Which Count to Use
BigHit Music announced the album's title on 16 January 2026 Seoul time (15 January U.S. time): South Korea's Korea JoongAng Daily, which published the news on Friday, 16 January, writes 'BigHit Music said Friday.' The title refers to the traditional Korean folk song 'Arirang.' The album itself came out on 20 March 2026 and was BTS's first group release after all seven members completed mandatory military service in the Republic of Korea.
The official BTS store and the bundle descriptions on Weverse Shop call the album 'BTS The 5th Album ARIRANG'; individual Weverse Shop listings sometimes use the shorter form, simply 'ARIRANG (...)'. The number 'fifth' is the label's own numbering: Wikipedia calls the same release the 'sixth Korean-language and tenth studio album overall.' The difference isn't about mini-albums (neither scheme counts those) -- it's that the count of 'ten' also includes four Japanese-language studio albums and Be, which BigHit's own numbering leaves out. For the reader this isn't an error -- packaging and stores use the 'fifth album' count.
The same period also produced a separate product -- the 'Arirang World Tour': 85 dates in 34 cities, from 9 April 2026 to 14 March 2027, meaning it is still running as of this check. The tour shares its name with the album, but they are different products: its dates and tickets are not part of the edition line-up this piece covers.
Four ARIRANG Formats: CD, Vinyl, Digital Album and QR Card
The album's standard track list is 14 songs, identically titled across every ordinary edition's listing. Running time differs by format: on the digital version (whose length appears in Wikipedia's infobox as 41:13), track 'No. 29' is a recording of a bell sound running 1:38, while on physical media (CD, vinyl) the same track runs just 19 seconds -- meaning the total CD and vinyl running time is noticeably shorter than the digital version, even though the titles and track order match.
The full list of editions as of the fact-gathering date for this piece (15 September 2026) is at least 19 official positions: 5 CDs, 12 vinyl versions (11 'base' editions plus a limited picture disc) and 2 digital formats -- a paid album and the 'Weverse Albums ver.' QR card. The list grew over time: on 19 March 2026 (the day before release), Rolling Stone wrote about 16 versions but listed only 4 CDs and 11 vinyls; BTS store catalogs on 10 April 2026 showed the same 4 CDs and 11 vinyls; a fifth CD edition appeared on 4 May, and the limited '613' vinyl on 12 June. The 'Weverse Albums ver.' QR card launched on the album's release day, 20 March 2026.
Five CD Editions and the Differences Between Sellers
All five CD versions sell the same music in different packaging -- the difference lies in the collectible items and, for two versions, in the number of photocards depending on the seller.
Rooted in Korea Ver.
At the official BTS store the version costs $27.98; the set includes an Out Box, a pin, envelopes, the CD itself, a set of 7 photocards, a photocard holder, a poster and an 84-page photobook. The listing states that the BTS Store Exclusive version includes one additional photocard, meaning one more than the standard version of the same set.
Rooted in Music Ver.
Also $27.98 at the official store; the contents differ -- an 82-page photobook, a CD sleeve, the disc itself, an envelope and a lyric sheet, a set of 7 film-style photos and a separate set of 7 photocards with a holder. The same note about an extra photocard when buying at the official store applies here too.
Living Legend Ver.
$33.98; the set includes an Out Box, a dust jacket, a 54-page booklet-poster, a book band, a set of 7 'archive' cards, a set of 7 photocards, an envelope, a sticker set (2 pieces), a lyrics booklet, a CD sleeve and the CD itself.
Travel Tag CD Box Set
$51.98; contents are an Out Box, a disc case, a 4-page booklet, the CD itself, a travel tag and a poster. The edition is limited to U.S. buyers, capped at 4 per person. A snapshot of the listing from 10 April 2026 showed it as 'sold out,' but as of the listing data on 15 September 2026 it is available to order again ('Add to cart') at the same price -- this edition's stock status has shifted over time; see the section on limits and sold-out items below for more.
T-Shirt CD Box Set
Appeared later than the rest -- on 4 May 2026 -- and sells on Weverse Shop for $45.21 before tax (Weverse shows the price marked 'Excl. tax'; the final checkout price on the listing is $49.73). The set includes an Out Box, a case, a CD-R, a 4-page booklet, a T-shirt (one of four random designs, 100% cotton) and a poster; the limit is up to 8 per order. As of the 15 September 2026 check, the edition is in stock.
Twelve Vinyl Versions: Member Editions, Deluxe and a Limited Picture Disc
The full vinyl line-up is confirmed by the official store's catalog: eight 'colored' versions at $25.98 each -- one for each of the seven members (RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V, Jung Kook), each with its own disc color and sleeve design, plus a 'Group Red' version; two deluxe editions, 'Deluxe B&W' and 'Deluxe Color,' at $59.98 each; and 'Modern Korea' at $37.99 with a 36-page photobook, sold only at the official BTS store and on Weverse US Shop. Sources call one of the variants the 'group version' as opposed to the seven member editions, but don't say directly which one they mean out of 'Group Red' and 'Modern Korea.'
None of the eight 'colored' versions contains photocards -- only the 12-inch record, an exclusive sleeve, an inner sleeve, a poster and a lyric sheet; sources don't confirm a member's portrait on the sleeve, only that the color and design differ. Sets of 7 photocards appear in the Rooted in Korea, Rooted in Music and Living Legend CD editions and in the deluxe vinyl -- but not in the member vinyl versions.
The deluxe vinyl editions ($59.98 each) contain noticeably more: the 12-inch record, a gatefold sleeve, an inner sleeve, a 20-page photobook, a slipmat, a lyric sheet, a poster, a postcard, a set of 7 photocards with a holder, and the bonus track 'Come Over' (co-produced by Suga, with RM and j-hope among the writers), first released on the deluxe vinyl, which became separately available on streaming from 12 June 2026. Both deluxe editions are marked as a Target exclusive while also being sold at the official BTS store and on Weverse US.
The price gap between sellers isn't always a simple markup. According to Rolling Stone, 'Deluxe Color Ver.' at a third-party retailer (Amazon, Target) cost $74.99 versus $59.98 at the official store -- but the retailer's set included an extra, unofficial 'Store Gift Photo Card (not official card)' that the official store's set doesn't have: it's a different bundle, not just a markup. Separate from these versions is a single vinyl, 'BTS SWIM 7",' which is not part of the 'ARIRANG' album editions.
Weverse Shop also sold ready-made bundles -- prices on its listings are before tax (marked 'Excl. tax'), with a higher final checkout price. The three-CD bundle -- 'Rooted in Korea,' 'Rooted in Music' and 'Living Legend' -- cost ₩64,727 before tax (₩71,200 with tax); the bundle of both deluxe vinyl editions cost ₩105,273 before tax (₩115,800 with tax). Both bundles were sold out as of 15 September 2026. On the same date, the official BTS store's catalog showed the member vinyls 'V Velvet Red' and 'Jung Kook Orchid' as sold out -- worth knowing for anyone looking for a specific member.
613 Limited Edition Picture Disc Vinyl
Released later than every other version -- on 12 June 2026. The set includes a printed outer PVC sleeve, the picture-disc record itself (a double-sided portrait disc), a 'Preview Reel,' a set of eight Polaroid-style cards and an envelope for them; manufactured by South Korea's YG PLUS. The record carries two bonus tracks beyond the standard 14: 'Voice Message: Love Song' and 'NORMAL (Korean Ver.).' Of the two, only 'Voice Message: Love Song' is fully exclusive -- 'NORMAL (Korean Ver.)' has been separately available on streaming since 17 July 2026, on the digital EP 'Normal' and on the single 'BTS NORMAL -- Original & Korean Ver. Single CD' for $2.99. So '613' isn't the only source of bonus content: only one of its two tracks is exclusive, and the bonus track 'Come Over' belongs to the deluxe vinyl.
Stock status for '613' differs by platform as of 15 September 2026: the listing is sold out on Weverse Shop, while the same record is available for $59.98 at the official BTS store -- only one of the two channels is sold out, not the edition as a whole.
Two Digital Formats: A Paid Album and the Weverse Albums QR Card
Apart from CD and vinyl, ARIRANG has two digital ways to get the music -- buying the files directly, and a physical card with a QR code that unlocks access in the separate Weverse Albums app (Weverse Company).
BTS The 5th Album 'ARIRANG' Digital Album -- Buying the Files Directly
The official BTS store separately sells the 'BTS The 5th Album ARIRANG Digital Album' for $15.99. It's delivered instantly after payment, contains the standard 14 tracks with no bonuses, and is capped at one purchase per person -- the listing states outright, 'Digital downloads only available to U.S. customers.' This isn't a streaming subscription: according to Rolling Stone, the album also went out the same day 'on all major streaming services in the U.S.'; whether it's available without restriction in other countries isn't specified by the sources -- worth checking your own country on the specific service.
'ARIRANG' (Weverse Albums ver.) -- A QR Card Instead of a Disc
Apart from the CD, vinyl and digital album, Weverse Shop sold 'ARIRANG (Weverse Albums ver.)' from 20 March 2026 (release day) -- the listing states the content-delivery format as 'How to Offer Your Goods: QR card.' This is a physical card with a QR code, not a CD or vinyl: according to the App Store, the QR is scanned in the separate 'Weverse Albums' app (developer WEVERSE COMPANY Inc.) -- not the same app as 'Weverse: Connect with Artists' -- requiring Android 10+ or iOS 16.0+; after scanning, the album is added to the app, where it can be played. The exact content and track list are not disclosed by the Weverse Shop listing itself -- its 'Contents' and 'Track list' fields read 'See product details' and 'To be announced,' so it's worth clarifying exactly what the edition includes before buying. The price is $9.01 before tax (final: $9.91). In South Korea, the 'Weverse Albums' format received its own Platinum certification (Korean chart data, May 2026) -- sales in this format are counted separately from CD and vinyl. As of 15 September 2026, the listing is sold out.
Official BTS Store vs. Weverse Shop: Not Just a Shipping Question
Choosing a platform isn't only about whether a specific version is available. The '613' listing on Weverse Shop states outright that purchases there count 100% toward the Korean Hanteo and Circle charts -- for part of the audience buying the album partly for the group's chart standing, that matters. None of the sources used here confirm that purchases from Amazon or Target count toward the same charts -- the Weverse listing states this rule only for its own platform.
The 'US Store Exclusive' label on the 'Rooted in Korea' and 'Rooted in Music' listings doesn't mean those versions are sold only there -- it refers to a specific packaging variant: the BTS Store Exclusive version contains one more photocard than the standard version of the same edition. The versions themselves sell more widely: Rolling Stone links to Amazon, Target and Barnes & Noble, and on Weverse Shop they're part of the three-CD bundle. Combined bundles ('Set') of several editions at once appeared only on Weverse Shop -- the official BTS store's catalog has none.
Limits, Country Restrictions and Sold-Out Items
Most physical editions at the official BTS store are aimed, one way or another, at U.S. buyers: the digital album says so outright ('only available to U.S. customers'), while for some CDs and vinyls it's only the 'US Store Exclusive' label on a specific variant; the per-person limit is usually 4 (1 for the digital album, up to 8 for the Weverse T-Shirt CD Box Set). None of the listings directly confirm shipping to Russia or CIS countries -- the wording is limited to a phrase about availability 'for residents of the seller's country/region,' and Weverse separately asks buyers to log in to see shipping ('Please log in to check shipping availability'). This is an open question to check yourself before paying, not a guarantee either way.
Stock status per the listing data as of 15 September 2026 varies by edition and platform and hasn't moved in one direction since April. The Travel Tag CD Box Set was marked 'sold out' in a 10 April 2026 snapshot, but by mid-September it's again available to order at the official BTS store at the same price. The '613 Limited Edition Picture Disc Vinyl' is sold out on Weverse Shop but available at the official BTS store for $59.98. The member vinyl versions 'V Velvet Red Vinyl' and 'Jung Kook Orchid Vinyl' are sold out in the official BTS store's catalog as of the same date, while the remaining five member versions and 'Group Red' are in stock. Both of Weverse Shop's combined bundles and the 'Weverse Albums ver.' QR card are sold out as of 15 September 2026. The T-Shirt CD Box Set is in stock on Weverse Shop that day.
Prices and stock status can naturally change by the time a reader opens a specific product listing -- as shown by the Travel Tag CD Box Set, whose status already shifted both ways within five months, so it's worth checking right before ordering rather than relying on this article's snapshot.
A Buying Route: Which Version Solves Which Need
If the goal is simply to listen to the album without collectibles, the simplest route is the $15.99 digital album or an ordinary streaming subscription; both give you the standard 14 tracks with no bonuses. The 'Weverse Albums ver.' QR card is cheaper (about $9 before tax), but it's a platform album for the separate Weverse Albums app, not ready-made files: the Weverse Shop listing doesn't disclose its digital content, and that's worth clarifying separately before paying.
If a specific member's photocards matter, don't mix up the editions: the member vinyl ($25.98) doesn't include any at all -- just the record, sleeve, poster and lyric sheet. A full set of 7 photocards comes only with the four editions listed above in the CD and vinyl sections -- but the card inside the set is random, and sources don't describe a way to order a particular member's card. The most photocards in 'Rooted in Korea' or 'Rooted in Music' come with the BTS Store Exclusive variant -- it has one more card than the standard version of the same edition.
If the goal is bonus content: 'Come Over' has been on streaming since 12 June 2026, and the deluxe vinyl ($59.98 at the official BTS store, in stock) is only needed if you want a physical copy with that track. 'Voice Message: Love Song' on '613' is the one track that, per the sources studied, hasn't been released anywhere else -- go to the official BTS store for it, not Weverse Shop, where the record is sold out. The second '613' bonus track, 'NORMAL (Korean Ver.),' isn't exclusive: since 17 July 2026 it's been on streaming and on a separate single CD for $2.99.
For a purchase to count toward Hanteo and Circle Chart, that's confirmed only for Weverse Shop -- the sources used here say nothing about Amazon or Target. A buyer outside the U.S. should open the region-availability line on the product listing before paying -- guaranteed shipping to Russia or CIS hasn't been confirmed for any version.
Practical checklist
- Just want the music with no collectibles -- get the $15.99 digital album or listen on a streaming subscription, both without bonus tracks; the Weverse Albums ver. QR card is a separate format for the Weverse Albums app, and Weverse itself doesn't disclose its exact contents, so check before buying.
- Want a specific member's photocards -- the member vinyl ($25.98) doesn't include any; look for the set of 7 photocards in 'Rooted in Korea,' 'Rooted in Music,' 'Living Legend' or the deluxe vinyl, keeping in mind the card inside the set is random.
- Want the track 'Come Over' -- it's been on streaming since 12 June 2026; the deluxe vinyl (Deluxe B&W or Deluxe Color, $59.98 at the official BTS store) is only needed for a physical copy with that track.
- Want the track 'Voice Message: Love Song' -- the only source is the '613 Limited Edition Picture Disc Vinyl'; as of 15 September 2026 it's sold out on Weverse Shop but available at the official BTS store.
- Need the purchase to count toward the Korean chart -- buy on Weverse Shop; there's no such confirmation in the sources for third-party platforms.
- Want the most photocards in 'Rooted in Korea' or 'Rooted in Music' -- look for the BTS Store Exclusive variant: it has one more card than the standard version of the same edition.
- Not located in the U.S. -- open the region-availability line on the product listing before paying; some editions are meant only for U.S. buyers.
Questions and answers
What is 'ARIRANG (Weverse Albums ver.)' and how does it differ from a CD?
It isn't a disc but a physical card with a QR code: per its own Weverse Shop listing, the delivery format is 'QR card,' and the QR itself is scanned in the separate 'Weverse Albums' app (WEVERSE COMPANY Inc.; not the same app as 'Weverse: Connect with Artists'), requiring Android 10+ or iOS 16.0+ -- after scanning, the album is added to the app and can be played there. CD and vinyl are playable physical media, while 'Weverse Albums ver.' is a platform album specifically for the Weverse Albums app. The Weverse Shop listing itself doesn't disclose the exact digital content or track list -- worth checking before buying.
Can you choose which member's photocard shows up in a set?
Judging by the descriptions of editions with photocards (Rooted in Korea, Rooted in Music, Living Legend, deluxe vinyl), the card is handed out randomly inside the set -- sources don't describe a way to order a specific member's card. The eight 'colored' vinyl versions (seven member editions plus Group Red) don't include photocards at all, only their own disc color and sleeve design.
Can official BTS store editions be ordered outside the United States?
On the listings studied, the digital album is directly marked 'only available to U.S. customers'; the 'Rooted in Korea' and 'Rooted in Music' versions are marked 'US Store Exclusive' (which is about a specific store variant, not a blanket shipping ban). No listing directly confirms shipping to Russia or CIS countries -- this needs checking on the specific product page before paying.
Which edition is the most affordable?
Among the editions studied, the 'Weverse Albums ver.' QR card is the cheapest -- about $9 before tax, though the listing doesn't disclose its digital content. Among editions with a clear, confirmed set of contents, the ordinary digital album at $15.99 (standard 14 tracks) is cheapest. At the official BTS store, the cheapest physical edition is a member vinyl at $25.98, but that's only a comparison within one platform: per Rolling Stone (checked 19 March 2026), third-party retailers sold the 'Rooted in Korea' and 'Rooted in Music' CD versions for $23.99 -- a different seller, a different date and possibly a pre-tax price, so the sources don't support a single 'cheapest across all physical editions' ranking.
What if the version you want shows as sold out?
The sources don't describe a guaranteed way to get a sold-out edition. It's worth checking the same edition on another platform -- for example, the '613 Limited Edition Picture Disc Vinyl' was sold out on Weverse Shop as of this check but in stock at the official BTS store. Current availability needs to be confirmed directly on the specific product page before buying.