K-Pop superstars BTS unveiled their latest album Be on Friday, November 20.
"The name Be is a verb, it is a very open concept," says band member Jimin, who took on the role of music project manager for this latest effort, at a press conference announcing the album. "In our discussion, 'life goes on' came up as a recurring idea."
This, fittingly, is the name of Be's opening track, which sets the tone for an album that is reflective and focused on the idea of resilience, which is in keeping with the global mood.
"This is what we wanted to say through this album. No matter what happens, despite what happens… life goes on," band member RM elaborates. "That is the topic, that is the motif."
The music video for the gentle ballad Life Goes On is a decidedly low-key affair, largely devoid of the high-octane dance routines that K-Pop is famous for. Instead, it shows the band members at home, wistfully looking out the window, in their pyjamas playing video games, brushing their teeth, driving around quiet roads or staring thoughtfully out at nature.
As is the band's wont, the video racked up more than 81 million views within 24 hours of being posted. It also surpassed 150,000 Shazams in the same period. BTS is scheduled to perform the song remotely for the 2020 American Music Awards on Sunday.
Life goes On is followed on the album by Fly to My Room, Blue & Grey, Skit, Telepathy, Dis-ease and Stay. The album closes with the band's hit single Dynamite, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart this summer.
Following swiftly on from February's Map of the Souls: 7 album, Be runs at slightly less than 30 minutes and consists of eight tidy tracks that, at their core, strike a hopeful tone. Which is precisely what the band's army of fans no doubt need in these trying times. "Feels like they're giving me a warm hug while tapping my back whispering 'it's okay' is how one fan sums up the experience on Twitter.
Band members RM, Jin, Suga, Jimin, J-Hope, V and Jungkook were heavily involved in the album, with the pandemic having given them time to immerse themselves in songwriting, production and visual concepts for the album, they said.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
How to help or find other cats to adopt
Strait of Hormuz
Fujairah is a crucial hub for fuel storage and is just outside the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route linking Middle East oil producers to markets in Asia, Europe, North America and beyond.
The strait is 33 km wide at its narrowest point, but the shipping lane is just three km wide in either direction. Almost a fifth of oil consumed across the world passes through the strait.
Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait, a move that would risk inviting geopolitical and economic turmoil.
Last month, Iran issued a new warning that it would block the strait, if it was prevented from using the waterway following a US decision to end exemptions from sanctions for major Iranian oil importers.
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2021 World Triathlon Championship Series
May 15: Yokohama, Japan
June 5: Leeds, UK
June 24: Montreal, Canada
July 10: Hamburg, Germany
Aug 17-22: Edmonton, Canada (World Triathlon Championship Final)
Nov 5-6 : Abu Dhabi, UAE
Date TBC: Chengdu, China
Dr Graham's three goals
Short term
Establish logistics and systems needed to globally deploy vaccines
Intermediate term
Build biomedical workforces in low- and middle-income nations
Long term
A prototype pathogen approach for pandemic preparedness
FIXTURES
UAE’s remaining fixtures in World Cup qualification R2
Oct 8: Malaysia (h)
Oct 13: Indonesia (a)
Nov 12: Thailand (h)
Nov 17: Vietnam (h)
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Company profile
Company: Rent Your Wardrobe
Date started: May 2021
Founder: Mamta Arora
Based: Dubai
Sector: Clothes rental subscription
Stage: Bootstrapped, self-funded
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
