Why BTS’s Album Includes the Sound of an Ancient Korean Bell — 성덕대왕신종 Explained (Updated May 2026)
Why one ancient Korean bell sound became one of the most meaningful moments in BTS’s ARIRANG album
⏱ 8 min read · Korean culture and K-pop sound guide
As of May 2026, one of the most surprising questions around BTS’s ARIRANG isn’t only about the title track, the lyrics, or the comeback itself. Many fans are asking a quieter question: why does a BTS album include the sound of an ancient Korean bell?
The answer begins with 성덕대왕신종 (Seongdeok-daewang-sinjong), usually translated as the Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok. It is one of Korea’s most important Buddhist bells, a National Treasure connected to Unified Silla history, Gyeongju, and the deep sound world of Korean heritage. In BTS’s album, the bell appears through the interlude track “No. 29”, a title that points directly to the bell’s national treasure number.
For global listeners, the track may feel unusual at first. It isn’t a typical pop song. It doesn’t work like a dance track or a ballad. Instead, it asks the listener to pause and hear a resonance that has crossed more than a thousand years of Korean history.
• BTS’s interlude track “No. 29” is connected to Korea’s National Treasure No. 29, the Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok.
• The bell is known in Korean as 성덕대왕신종 (Seongdeok-daewang-sinjong) and is also widely called the Emille Bell.
• It was completed in 771 during the Unified Silla period and is now connected with Gyeongju National Museum.
• The bell’s long, wave-like resonance helps explain why the sound feels symbolic, not just decorative.
• The cultural meaning isn’t simply “BTS used an old sound.” It is closer to “BTS placed Korean memory inside a modern global album.”
A quick roadmap for understanding 성덕대왕신종, BTS’s “No. 29,” and why an ancient Korean bell can carry cultural memory inside a modern K-pop album.
▲ Concept illustration of an ancient Korean bell resonance entering a modern K-pop soundscape
🔔 What is the Korean bell in BTS’s ARIRANG album?
The Korean bell connected to BTS’s ARIRANG is 성덕대왕신종 (Seongdeok-daewang-sinjong). In English, it is commonly called the Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok. It isn’t just “an old bell.” It is a major Korean cultural object associated with Buddhist ritual sound, royal memory, metal craftsmanship, and the city of Gyeongju.
The title “No. 29” matters because the bell is designated as Korea’s National Treasure No. 29. For a Korean listener who recognizes the name or number, the title can immediately feel like a cultural clue. For an international fan, it may look mysterious until the historical connection becomes clear.
The connection between “No. 29” and the bell’s official cultural designation is the central clue of this article. The title works because the number is not decorative; it points to the bell’s official designation as a National Treasure.
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🇰🇷 Korean: 성덕대왕신종
🔊 Pronunciation: Seongdeok-daewang-sinjong
💬 Meaning: Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok
🌿 Natural nuance: A solemn cultural heritage name, not a casual word for an everyday bell.
The word 신종 (sinjong) can be translated as “sacred bell” or “divine bell.” In this context, it doesn’t mean a small hand bell or a simple musical effect. It refers to a large Buddhist temple bell, the kind of sound traditionally associated with ritual, prayer, time, and spiritual awakening.
| Korean | Pronunciation | Basic Meaning | Cultural Feeling |
|---|---|---|---|
| 성덕대왕 | Seongdeok-daewang | Great King Seongdeok | A royal name connected to Silla memory and commemoration. |
| 신종 | sinjong | sacred bell | A solemn Buddhist bell, not an ordinary everyday bell. |
| 범종 | beomjong | Buddhist temple bell | A bell whose sound carries ritual, spiritual, and communal meaning. |
| 울림 | ullim | resonance / echo | A sound that remains, spreads, and emotionally lingers. |
These short clips are spoken pronunciation guides, not official museum audio or bell sound recordings.
🔊 Reading: Seongdeok-daewang-sinjong
💬 Meaning: Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok
🌿 Natural note: A solemn cultural heritage name connected to Silla, Buddhist bell sound, and Korean national memory.
🔊 Reading: ullim
💬 Meaning: resonance / echo / emotional vibration
🌿 Natural note: A sound that remains after the first strike and emotionally lingers in the listener.
🏛️ Why is 성덕대왕신종 so important in Korean heritage?
성덕대왕신종 (Seongdeok-daewang-sinjong) was completed in 771, during the Unified Silla period. That date is important because Silla is one of the central kingdoms in Korean history, and Gyeongju was its capital. When people talk about Gyeongju as a museum without walls, they are talking about a city filled with royal tombs, temples, Buddhist art, and traces of Silla’s long cultural influence.
The bell is massive. Official museum descriptions place it at roughly 3.6 meters tall and 18.9 tons. But its significance extends beyond its physical size. It is admired for its form, engravings, Buddhist imagery, long inscription, and most of all, its sound.
The date, cultural designation, and museum context should be checked through official cultural heritage and museum sources, not only through fan summaries or general search results.
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The bell is also known as the Emille Bell. This name comes from a famous legend connected to the way its sound was heard. Because legends can be emotionally powerful but historically difficult to verify, it’s better to explain the story as folklore, not as confirmed history.
One of the most meaningful parts of the bell is its resonance. A bell isn't only the moment it is struck. It is also the sound that spreads outward, changes shape, and remains after the first impact disappears. That is why 성덕대왕신종 (Seongdeok-daewang-sinjong) feels especially powerful in the context of ARIRANG: its sound is not just heard once. It lingers.
A pop album moves quickly: tracks, hooks, choreography, streams, reactions, and rankings. A bell moves slowly. It asks for stillness. When BTS places this kind of sound inside a modern album, the listener is briefly pulled out of performance time and into memory time.
🎵 Why would BTS put a sacred bell sound in a K-pop album?
The most basic answer is simple: ARIRANG is not only an album title; it is a cultural statement. The word “Arirang” already points to one of Korea’s most recognizable folk songs. By including the sound of 성덕대왕신종 (Seongdeok-daewang-sinjong), BTS deepens that Korean cultural frame through sound rather than explanation.
At first, a sacred bell may seem far from K-pop. But BTS has often used Korean language, memory, art, and symbolism as part of a larger artistic world. In the context of ARIRANG, the bell sound isn’t only a decorative sample. It helps frame the album as something connected to Korean sound history.
“No. 29” works because it slows down the album’s clock. Most K-pop tracks move in performance time: beats, hooks, choreography, and reactions. A temple bell moves in memory time: strike, resonance, silence, and the feeling that lingers. That contrast is what makes the interlude feel less like a sample and more like a cultural pause.
For Korean listeners, the bell may connect to school memories, museum visits, national heritage, Buddhist temple bells, or Gyeongju’s historical atmosphere. For global fans, it can become a doorway into a part of Korea that is older than modern pop culture but still alive inside it.
🌊 What makes the bell’s sound different?
The Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok is famous not only because it is old or large, but because of how its sound behaves. Korean descriptions often discuss the bell’s deep resonance, long aftersound, and wave-like vibration. One important acoustic idea connected to the bell is 맥놀이 (maengnori), which can be understood as a beating or wave-like fluctuation in sound.
🇰🇷 Korean: 울림
🔊 Pronunciation: ullim
💬 Meaning: resonance, echo, vibration, or emotional aftersound
🌿 Natural nuance: 울림 can describe physical sound, but it can also describe something that emotionally stays with you.
🇰🇷 Korean: 맥놀이
🔊 Pronunciation: maengnori
💬 Meaning: acoustic beating / wave-like fluctuation in sound
🌿 Natural nuance: A technical sound term, but in this article it helps explain why the bell’s resonance seems to pulse and breathe instead of disappearing immediately.
This is why the sound can feel powerful even if the track is minimal. The bell does not only strike once and disappear. Its resonance spreads, bends, and remains. That lingering quality makes it suitable for an interlude because it gives the listener time to feel space, memory, and transition.
Don’t describe “No. 29” as random silence or just a strange old sound. The point is not only that the bell is old. The point is that its resonance turns Korean heritage into something listeners can physically hear.
| Sound Feature | Simple Explanation | Why It Matters in the Track |
|---|---|---|
| Deep tone | The bell has a solemn, low, powerful sound. | It gives the interlude a serious cultural weight. |
| Long resonance | The sound continues after the strike. | It gives listeners time to sit with the meaning. |
| Wave-like vibration | The sound seems to pulse and move. | It makes the bell feel alive rather than static. |
| Cultural association | Buddhist bell sound is linked with ritual and memory. | It connects the album to Korean heritage without needing a direct explanation. |
When you hear a bell sound in a track like “No. 29,” listen not only to the first strike but to what happens afterward. The aftersound is where the emotional weight often lives.
그 말이 오래 울림으로 남았어요.
geu mal-i o-rae ullim-eu-ro nam-ass-eo-yo
That sentence stayed with me for a long time.
이 노래는 마음에 울림이 있어요.
i no-rae-neun ma-eum-e ullim-i i-sseo-yo
This song has an emotional resonance.
🇰🇷 Why “No. 29” is more than a track title
“No. 29” is short, almost minimalist. But once you understand the reference, the title becomes very direct. It points to the bell’s national treasure number and lets the object speak through sound rather than through a long title.
This is a good example of how Korean cultural references sometimes work in K-pop. A symbol may look simple from the outside, but it can contain several layers: a number, a historical object, a place, a legend, a sound, and a modern artistic decision.
🇰🇷 Korean: 국보
🔊 Pronunciation: gukbo
💬 Meaning: National Treasure; a highly important cultural property officially designated for preservation
🌿 Natural nuance: A formal cultural heritage word, often used for objects considered nationally significant.
The interesting part is that the track doesn’t need to explain itself in the language of a museum label. It lets the listener become curious. Fans search. They ask what the sound is. They learn about Gyeongju, Silla, Buddhist bells, and Korean heritage. In that sense, the track becomes a gateway.
When you see a short title like “No. 29,” don’t only translate the words. Ask what the number, sound, or image might be pointing to. K-pop often uses compact symbols that become clearer when you connect them to Korean history or language.
🧭 Conclusion: the bell makes ARIRANG feel rooted
BTS’s use of 성덕대왕신종 (Seongdeok-daewang-sinjong) is meaningful because it turns a cultural heritage sound into part of a global listening experience. Instead of only showing Korean tradition through visuals, the album asks fans to hear it.
That’s why “No. 29” matters. It isn’t the loudest track, the most danceable track, or the most straightforward track to categorize. But it may be one of the clearest cultural signals in ARIRANG. It connects BTS’s modern comeback to a sound that has lived in Korean memory for more than 1,300 years.
Save this quick card if you want to remember the key Korean words from this article.
| Korean | Reading | English Meaning | Level | Natural Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 성덕대왕신종 | Seongdeok-daewang-sinjong | Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok | Advanced | A formal cultural heritage name. |
| 신종 | sinjong | sacred bell | Intermediate | Not an ordinary everyday bell. |
| 범종 | beomjong | Buddhist temple bell | Intermediate | A ritual bell with spiritual and communal meaning. |
| 울림 | ullim | resonance / echo | Beginner+ | Can describe both sound and emotional impact. |
| 맥놀이 | maengnori | acoustic beating | Advanced | A technical term for wave-like sound fluctuation. |
| 국보 | gukbo | National Treasure | Intermediate | A formal heritage designation. |
Try answering first, then open each card to check your instinct.
Q1. What does 성덕대왕신종 refer to in this article?
01 Show answer
It refers to the Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok, a major Korean Buddhist bell and Korea’s National Treasure No. 29.
Q2. Why is “No. 29” not just a random track title?
02 Show answer
The number points to the bell’s official cultural designation as National Treasure No. 29.
Q3. What does 울림 mean, and why does it matter here?
03 Show answer
울림 (ullim) means resonance, echo, or emotional vibration. It matters because the track is built around the sound that remains after the strike, not just the strike itself.
Q4. How should the Emille Bell story be described?
04 Show answer
It should be described as folklore or legend, not as confirmed historical fact.
Q5. What is the main cultural meaning of the bell sound in BTS’s album?
05 Show answer
The bell sound turns Korean heritage into a living sound inside a modern global album. It connects pop listening with Korean memory, place, and history.
BTS’s “No. 29” uses the resonance of 성덕대왕신종 to turn Korean heritage into a living sound inside modern K-pop.
❓ FAQ
Q1. What is the bell sound in BTS’s “No. 29”?
It’s connected to 성덕대왕신종 (Seongdeok-daewang-sinjong), the Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok, Korea’s National Treasure No. 29.
Q2. Why is the track called “No. 29”?
The title points to the bell’s national treasure number. It’s a compact cultural clue rather than a random number.
Q3. What does 성덕대왕신종 mean in English?
성덕대왕신종 (Seongdeok-daewang-sinjong) is usually translated as the Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok. The word 신종 (sinjong) means a sacred or divine bell, especially in a Buddhist cultural context.
Q4. Is the Emille Bell story historically confirmed?
It’s best treated as folklore. The Emille Bell legend is famous, but a blog article should not present the child-sacrifice story as confirmed historical fact.
Q5. What does 울림 mean, and why is it important here?
울림 (ullim) means resonance, echo, or emotional vibration. It’s important because the track’s meaning comes not only from the first bell strike, but from the sound that remains afterward.
Q6. Where can visitors see the bell?
The bell is associated with Gyeongju National Museum. Official museum information also explains that visitors can experience related sound and vibration content through museum programs and spaces.
Did “No. 29” feel strange, beautiful, or mysterious when you first heard it? If there is another Korean cultural reference in K-pop you want explained, feel free to leave it in the comments.
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• BIGHIT MUSIC — BTS ARIRANG Discography
• National Museum of Korea — Press release on BTS and the Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok
• Gyeongju National Museum — Divine Bell of King Seongdeok exhibit information
• Korea Heritage Service — Sacred Bell of Great King Seongdeok
• VISITKOREA — The Divine Bell of King Seongdeok
This article was written based on publicly available official sources and reliable references as of May 2026. K-pop album details, track descriptions, museum programs, source links, and cultural heritage information may change. Please check official channels before relying on the latest information.
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