Behind the scene ARIH development:
1. 3 years ago, BTS members themselves came up with the initial concept, saying, "Let's make the noodles and drinks we want to eat." It's not a simple collaboration. The members really created this from the very beginning.
2. The direction was clear. No spicy or stimulating flavors. It was a taste that harmoniously blended East and West while preserving Korean sensibilities. They wanted something that all global fans could enjoy.
3. All the members love carbonated drinks, but the guilt they felt every time they drank one was a problem. So, the goal was to achieve three things simultaneously: "It must be healthy, have a lively carbonation, and absolutely cannot taste bad." From the development team's perspective, this was truly a Mission Impossible, lol.
4. The same goes for caffeine. Since there was a member who couldn't drink coffee, they decided to go with natural caffeine, but finding ingredients that could get export approval to the U.S. was another battle.
5. All seven members were incredibly actively involved.
They contributed their opinions on every single detail, from the flavor and ingredients to the concept. They said that reaching a consensus was the hardest part, especially regarding the noodles, because all the members were experts in the field. But that is also the reason why they created such high quality.
6. After settling on the flavor, they spent three months just on the brand naming. The members strongly pushed for "ARI," taking inspiration from the 2.0 album title "Arirang," but 3 letters are unregisterable as trademarks. It reportedly took three months just to persuade them to change it to "ARIH" lol.
7. The design was no easy task either. Their standards as BTS artists were so high that proposals kept getting rejected. Eventually, the members personally created and submitted a design guide. That is why the flavor, name, and design are all BTS creations.
8. The members reportedly said they "would highly recommend Dual Soda to their parents." They also said they carry the noodles, soda, and energy drinks with them when they go on concert tours around the world.
9. They didn't make it just to sell it; they made it because they genuinely wanted to eat it themselves. That is the message that emerged from it: "We hope you like what we like, too."
10. This is why it is different from just any idol collaboration product. 3 years, 7 members, and they did everything themselves; flavor, naming, and design. ARIH was truly made by BTS.
Remember when the director left this completely unedited, skipped the retake, and decided the entire south korea needed to see it on a massive billboard 😭😭 oh taehyung
@DaechwiTamS Will forever be annoyed that it clashes with download festival so I’m always away, praying and hoping I get enough data in the campsite to watch things 💔
@DaechwiTamS We’re adorable but it’s just so cringy 😂💀 especially with the fact there’s such a diverse age range in the fandom like.. are we still the representative MCs for youth 😂
If I could ask for one present from BTS this festa: a new meaning for what ‘ARMY’ stands for. Like they got to rebrand ‘BTS’ I think it’s time we get one 😂 Maybe could we have a new, more mature name for our ARMY 2.0 era