Song Review: Dionysus - BTS

CONTEXT

After three song reviews, I’m finally writing about another BTS masterpiece!

BTS’ songwriters are masters at deceptively wrapping up deep songs like ‘Go Go’, ‘DOPE’, ‘Burning Up (Fire)’, ‘Silver Spoon’ and of course, ‘Dionysus’, into simple party song packages. These types of songs are already good enough on first listen, and simultaneously marketable, but once you get the deeper meaning, these songs get elevated onto a whole other level.

There is however, no one way to “get” ‘Dionysus’. ‘Dionysus’ is both animalistic and refined, antiquated and modern. It’s paradoxical, just like Dionysus himself. The song is like a fine wine that has truly fermented into its own flavor and tastes better with each sip.

Additionally, just like ‘Spring Day’, ‘Dionysus’ has its clear story arc (accentuated by its sensory and cinematic techniques), hence I have named each of the sections of the song with the arc stage I think it represents.

INTRO: WHO IS THIS?

If ‘Dionysus’ were personified, he could be described as making a grand entrance with his head held high, walking in in no particular rush. Some words that spring to mind from the mezzopiano repeated and doubled trumpet motif are stately, regal and dignified. This is the opening procession of Dionysus, the most trusted and stable followers walking in front of him. The sudden disruption of from the strict rhythm in Bar 1 i.e. the held note after two half-staccato notes, makes it clear that this royal is not your typical law-and-order king, but an Olympian of a more humorous caliber. It’s also akin to a movie sound effect for an extra turning their head up to see who’s coming, a subtle call to attention to the power and presence Dionysus wields.

On the lower side, we hear a warm, deep-timbered guitar riff with a rocking feel. This is fitting with how Dionysus was the last to become an Olympian, and the only one with a mortal parent. Hence, he was perceived as having less of a “holier than thou” image compared to the other Olympians, known to encourage the free mingling of peasants and social outcasts during his yearly festival, City Dionysia, and often disguising himself as a mortal to roam the countryside.

It’s important to note that the guitar and trumpets start in sync, break apart, then coalesce, like the ebb and flow of a crowd of people parting to make way, a perfect musical metaphor for the gradual reveal of a VIP.

The effectively built-up intro ends with a hopeful major chord and an enthusiastic string of drums, similar to a follower beating down a large drum to signal the start of festivities. This then fades out, redirecting the listener’s focus towards the refrain.

What’s really praiseworthy in this section is the producers’ attention to detail, and the sheer amount of intention put into each production choice. The subtle but swaggy smoothed-out record scratch primes us for some of the hip-hop flare more dominant later in the song, and the guitar riff is washed out, ending at slightly different times, just like it would if played by a crowd of followers.

REFRAIN: “I AM DIONYSUS”

JH starts ‘Dionysus’ a little shakily, and off-beat as he progresses, sounding less confident than I would’ve imagined a Dionysian entrance to be. However, this makes for a more satisfying arc.

Instrumentally, the refrain manages to considerably ramp up the atmosphere as well. More noticeable and aggressive record-scratching calls back to hip-hop culture once again, and various background ad-libs (exactly what the second and third choruses of ‘SWIM’ were missing) act as an auditory pan around the room to see different sources of commotion at the festival, with each person enjoying it in their own way. The call-and-response format, with “sippin’”, “tippin’”, etc. is both perfect for ARMY to shout out at a stadium setting and still on theme, as in the interpretation of the song it sounds like Dionysus’ followers.

Apart from the atmospheric department, the various lyrics thrown at us immediately paint a picture of ambition. Repeated active verbs build a dynamic scene filled with action, and introduce us to the pillars of Dionysus’ core values via symbolic props in Greek mythology, re-interpreted through a 21st-century artist lens. The most notable two are thyrsus, reinterpreted as a mic, and grapes, used to make wine or as a staple for casual dining. This is a smart lyrical choice as the refrain is the section of the song that has is re-played multiple times and serves different roles, acting as the transition between sections, the closing of sections and half a hook (the other half usually being the chorus). Hence, placing the song’s “manifesto” here reminds the listener of the song’s core message every time it is played.

Some of my favourite lyrics in this section are:

• “D-style”: Establishes Dionysus’ morals as a philosophical ideology and way of living in a hip way, like rapper tagging their track.
• “Kill it”: Possible reference to animal sacrifices eaten raw at Dionysian rituals, a symbolic return to humans’ animalistic nature the Ancient Greeks called “omophagia”. The repetition of “it” in the following phrases makes it feel like the song is gradually building up a mountain.
• “Wine glass, arms crossed”: Double meaning - pompous posture or cross-cupped wine（交杯酒）.
• “One shot”: Double meaning - achieving something in life in one go or downing a glass of wine in one go (later builds to “two shots” as they stack portions).
• “Illest”: A lyric often used in hip hop to describe someone as cool that works especially well here, as it can be re-interpreted as being ill from wine.

VERSE 1: DIONYSUS’ STORY

The introduction continues, taking quite an unconventional approach as it spans three sections (producers in 2026 seem to just want to get the intro over and done with).

RM’s entry feels more like the proper entry of Dionysus, with a bold call to “just get drunk” from the start. However, his voice feels a little boxed-in sometimes; I would’ve appreciated a little more tonal variation and a more open throat position (currently is feels like small rather than big stadium rock).

Nevertheless, his delivery matches the “I just don’t care” attitude perfectly, helped by a heavy-hitting drums on both the up-beats and down-beats; the fact that his grounded voice is suitable for scene-setting (hence why he opens a lot of BTS songs); vocal doubling (in such a song as ‘Dionysus’, even solo parts need to feel backed by a group); and a syncopated beat to build a messy, rugged and spontaneous feel. The use of a more swingy rhythm and a second, more twangy guitar entering also delivers an Ancient Greek feel.

In this section too, a lyric dissection is necessary:

• Reverb of “예술 [ye-sul, art]” emphasizes the pun between “예술” and “술 [sul, alcohol]” and the infatuation of artists with art, mirroring Dionysus’ passion for wine. Alternative interpretation: People repeating things mindlessly when drunk.
• “wine glass in one hand… thyrsus in the other”: Sharpens image of Dionysus living the life/having it all.
• “Art is liquor too, drink it and get drunk, fool”: Dionysus coming down to Earth to remind humans of his teachings. Inspiringly, “drink it and get drunk” seems to be a balance BTS actually live by, as RM also commented about creativity and consumption as a two-way street in their comeback documentary ‘BTS: THE RETURN’ (he said something similar to ”after you’ve emptied everything out [creation], you have to fill yourself with something [consumption]”). Alternative interpretation: Creativity is collaborative and Dionysus is encouraging humans to exchange art with each other, thereby completely immerse themselves in it.
• “Art sloshing inside a crystal-clear glass”: “sloshing” signals abundance i.e. so much inspiration that it is flowing out of the cup. “crystal glass” symbolises a clear artistic vision. Looking into a glass also has divine connotations, like looking into a crystal ball; perhaps alluding to allowing fate and intuition to guide your creative process and trusting oneself.
• “mic made of ivy and rugged wood”: Making art is natural. Alternative interpretation: Reference to BTS’ self-sufficiency and rugged individualism in forging their own path as breakout idols from a small company.
• “You don’t know what to do with”: Held brassy note adds a comedic sound effect, almost like a variety show (I’m more convinced of this because it’s not repeated later), but also like a TV show sound effect used to reveal someone lounging in a royal chair). It adds a superior stance aligned with Dionysus’ confidence.
• “push forward with something… different”: BTS re-branding from idol to artist.
• “No sound ever comes out in a single breath”: Good art takes persistent hard work.

Finally, RM ends Verse 1 with a subtle “whoo!”, disappearing back into the party while passing mic to JM. I love these little moments producers create in songs.

PRE-CHORUS 1: THE PARTY BEGINS

The pre-chorus, astonishingly, has three sections (it’s amazing how well-thought out the structure and symmetry of the song is). The pre-chorus is underpinned by the guitar riff from the beginning, this time strummed more rapidly. In other words, it’s the undercurrent of the wine you’ve consumed about to kick in, the last moment before you’re crested over the high.

My complaints are the same: I wish vocal delivery would’ve been more out-of-the-lines, but at the same time, you don’t want your listeners getting fatigued before the chorus has even started. In imagery terms, I would describe it as Dionysus appealing for energy and support for the chorus from all corners of the universe.

PT.1

“Until the sun rises, where the party at” and “Until we fall asleep where the party at” reminds me of how humans used day and night more before to regulate their circadian rhythm, implying making art and being in touch with oneself is not merely an activity, but a lifestyle ingrained in human nature. This is truly a beautiful metaphor for how, just as nature goes through cycles of death and rebirth, and the players in nature have to experience the pleasure and pain that comes along with that, art is the same. The symbolic imagery of the sun and the party mention also bring the themes youth, eagerness, adventure and passion for life.

PT.2

JH re-enters with “Sing it, sing it again, Drink it, drink it again”, beautifully using the word “it” to provide broad encouragement for people to return to and luxuriate in the things they are passionate about (exactly the kind of vagueness ‘SWIM’ tried to get away with). It also reminds me of scenes I have seen in real life when friends peer-pressure each other on to down more shots, providing comedic relief to the very cosmic-scale and, fundamentally, identity-rooted message of the song.

JH’s rhythmic delivery adds to the “urging” quality, which matches three cleverly short rhymes reminiscent of the brevity of some Chinese poems:

• “고통 [go-tong]”, in full “창작의 고통”: drinking up the pain of creation willingly
• “호통 [ho-tong]”, in full “시대의 호통”: downing one shot of scolding of the age and society, something best to have in moderation and quickly (feels very authentic, as BTS experienced this firsthand with initial backlash to their early works speaking up against pressures of Korean society e.g. ‘DOPE’, ‘N.O’, ‘No More Dream’)
• “소통” [so-tong]”, in full “나와의 소통”: prioritising communication with the self, the struggle of artists learning how to stay in touch with their artistic vision and the drivers behind their passion

These deceptively simple rhymes crucially reveal the 3 “magic ingredients” BTS thinks are needed for creation, almost like a witch’s brew. All of them weaponize the unpleasant elements of art and life in the public spotlight to use it to further their artistic journey: a true hallmark of a mature artist.

JM then ends Part 2 with another strikingly symbolic line: “We are born twice” as a reference to Dionysus’ status as a twice-born god. JM’s vocal choices here are very fine-grained: his strained delivery matches the pain of constantly needing to innovate as an artist and his emphasis on individual syllables mirror the slowing down of time before grand moments and the inevitability of falling. The instrumentation, stripped back to leave only the 808 bass, adds suspense, the first of two important “the rug has been pulled out” moments in the song that emphasise a crisis in identity.

PT. 3

The drum “cascade” (I will be referring to it as that from here on) returns, symbolising the descent into Dionysian epiphany. This is strange for a pop song, as in my view, the main party starts here instead of at the chorus. The starting riff returns, more radio-staticky and high-pitched to accumulate tension, and distorted, while high-pitched angelic choral harmonies stay subtle enough for the song to remain grounded. This is the first usage of the song’s biggest strength (which is also one of BTS’ biggest strengths): the combination of vocal harmony and rap.

Besides just building the typical tension and harmony you often see in pre-choruses though, this section reveals the more incomprehensible but magnetic nature of Dionysus. The one steady beat drummed throughout is dark and ominous, like a faraway thundercloud rolling towards the listener. The party is falling deeper in the throes of drunkenness, and despite the steady beating of the heart, entering a state of volatility. Dionysus’ masculinity is also pronounced here, with the use of JN’s lower vocal range. However, the song quickly pivots back to high spirits as JH’s “ready fo’ sho’” and rapid drum beats round off the iconic three-part pre-chorus, like a bird flapping its wings as it takes flight towards a clear blue sky.

CHORUS 1: THE PARTY INTENSIFIES

Here we enter the intoxication phase, or the first peak of festivities, where all the festival-goers are losing themselves. The producers blends all three genres in the song to create a massive wall of sound. Two, RM’s rap-rock and the pre-chorus’ synth-pop, have already been teased at, leaving SG’s part’s trap for a grandiose reveal in Verse 3.

The guitar riff from the intro returns with full force, layered with 808 sub-bass, thick synth chords, and the trumpets. Layered voices, half-shouted and echoed, make the atmosphere communal, chaotic. The loops’ repetition is akin to the swaying of a stadium crowd or drunks at a gathering.

Lyrically, the songwriters opt for a more simplistic approach purposefully (unlike a the failures of ‘It’s Me’’s Verse 2 or basically the entirety of ‘PINKY UP’), but even here there are some phrases worth dissecting.

• “All drink… from my glass”: The gracious god spreading the happiness to all. “마셔 [ma-syeo]”’s onomatopoeia matches the pouring of more rivers of wine from jugs.
• “빠져 [bba-jyo]”: Repeated thrice, reminds me of reckless party-goers destroying something in three goes. JH’s pronunciation for each “빠져” is slightly different so that the words change shape, alluding to how gods or your surroundings shape-shift in intoxicated or mystical settings.
• “All fall for/get pulled into the mad artist”: Becoming a fan of an artist or a artist falling deeper for the craft (or both: the reason people get converted into fans is because of their love for their craft). Still retains awareness that one is going mad (emphasizing it as a conscious decision rather than a stray route they were sucked into). Possible reference to willing to make the necessary sacrifice of others perceiving them as eccentric to live life authentically.
• “꽹과리 [kkwaeng-gwa-ri]”: Korean rural percussion instrument used for shamanic rituals (a link back to Dionysus roaming the countryside and his mythical nature).

For “two shots”, the trumpets return subtly in the background playing two ascending notes, transitioning hopefully back to the refrain.

REFRAIN: WAR BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH

This is one of the few songs where the refrain sounds better than the chorus (post-choruses are usually memorable but not “how did it just get even better?”). The repeated drum crashes create a tense atmosphere, like something being thrown onto the floor, setting the stage for the cooperative tug-of-war between the members (again, paradoxical like Dionysus). The rap line returns with the active verbs filled with swagger, with the vocal line launching the counter-offensive using JN’s euphoric high notes, an arrangement truly worthy of the phrase “clash between the heaven and the earth”.

VERSE 2: THE PARTY EXPANDS

After the chaos of Chorus 1, V and JK bring a contrast in vocal tone from the already-featured members and a different type of charisma to the equation. The start of Verse 2’s soundscape feels like walking out of a loud setting due to the more low-key trap beat and hi-hats replacing the familiar guitar riff, which matches the lyrics “as I step onto the stage” perfectly.

A similar lyric, “I’m at the door of the world now”, conveys the boost artists get from seeing fans gathered from all around the world in a stadium at concerts, possibly feeling like they own the whole Earth and are capable of achieving anything (similar to how Dionysus would feel when he sees his rings of followers).

JH returns much more energetically with slight voice cracks and fun, intentionally off-pitch endings to spice things up in the muffled “mumble”s and “tumble”s, like a drunk staggering out into the darkness of the night after exiting a bar, possibly an expansion of the celebration to outside Dionysus’ den. This is quickly followed by JM’s wolf-like “eh-oh”s, bringing an animalistic call-and-response theme, like Dionysus’ followers agreeing with his hubris.

Similar to RM’s cool exit earlier, JH’s ending “yeah” is trendily auto-tuned, reinforcing how Dionysus always exits with style.

PRE-CHORUS 2: THE TUG-OF-WAR CONTINUES

Pre-chorus 2 is more passionate and rushed than Pre-chorus 1, since this is unconventionally the last time we will hear it (no Pre-chorus 3)! This changes the role of Pre-chorus 1 to more of a transition to one huge chunk of the party following it, and builds anticipation even more than a thrice-repeated pre-chorus would whenever the song is looped and Pre-chorus 1 plays.

The guitar chugs and subtly distorted crashes in the background following each of JM’s lines re-introduce a dynamic nature to the song, making me think of Newton’s famous law of “every action has a reaction”. This section of the song enhances the enjoyable push-pull dynamic from the tug-of-war section earlier.

CHORUS 2: CONTROLLED EXCITEMENT

The chorus amalgamates the previous drum patterns: a more rhythmic version of the drum cascade is repeated twice to establish a brief rhythm, then, rapid drum beats appear (all in the background to not distract from the artist. I’m curious to hear what ‘Dionysus’ would sound like if producers hadn’t been under the constraint of “rock pop” and could’ve released the song fully in all of its genres; probably interestingly chaotic).

Different to the first refrain, the response ad-libs (”kill it”, etc.) progress from rapping to singing, then step one octave higher, but the producers make sure to cut short to save excitement for the final chorus.

VERSE 3: IDENTITY CRISIS?

We’re gifted with an increasingly rare Verse 3 in pop, as the Dionysian manifesto develops with a deeper link to SG’s life. The classic boom-bap rhythm and crisp rolling trap hi-hats and snapping snares match both SG’s backstory as an underground rapper and Dionysus’ decisiveness, while managing to match the accents in SG’s rap perfectly. Interestingly, if you focus on the vocal delivery alone, it’s less gritty than RM earlier, but feels grittier because the instrumentation has been stripped back (the second instance of “pulling the rug out” I was talking about earlier). The vocal effects added to “예술도 이 정도면 과음이지 과음” and “새 기록은 자신과 싸움이지 싸움” are very distinctively drunk: like a drunk speaking, or how syllables would sound through the ears of that drunk.

Verse 3’s lyrics mainly build on motifs introduced already in Verse 2, but two points are still worth developing:

• “Wherever in the world we show up, stadium party”: BTS’ global reach is compared to the touch of Dionysian religion. Develops the feeling of “owning the world” to the world being an artist’s oyster and being able to feel at home anywhere.
• After repeating the reincarnation from idol to artist: “Whether I’m an idol or an artist doesn’t matter, cheers” shows BTS is actually above the long-standing debate of whether an idol/artist distinction exists and one is superior, they will actually accept their own artistic journey no matter what it becomes.

Most crucial though, is the last line: “But I’m still thirsty, What”. Paired with a subtle uplifter scream, the party collapses in on itself with another sprinkle of comedic relief. The producers pull out the old trick in the book of sudden silence before a beat drop to build anticipation. (This is actually potentially a candidate for the third “pulling the rug out”.)

Message-wise, the artist has just made his ultimate declarative toast — his love for music will never die, like the immortality of gods. He has uplifted himself and his craft onto the same level as the most respected figures in Greek religion. There is only one question left in the listener’s mind: What will happen now?

TRANSITION: STUCK IN LIMBO

The answer is that RM returns, giving us déjà vu from the intro. This time, he brings “Are you ready to get hyped up” and building drums with him, a clear warning that something is about to happen. This is the moment where the song fully embraces its theatricality (Dionysus is also the god of theatre).

The guitar riff and repeated bass blend so the distinction between notes is less clear, deepening our confusion. It then fades out and in again, testing the audience’s patience, before leaping out of obscurity like a performer pulling away the curtain away. The audience is still pre-occupied with looking up at the dark clouds gathering when they are hit full-force with a storm: the last hurrah.

CHORUS 3: THE AFTER-PARTY

The last kick of the shot of wine that is ‘Dionysus’ revs up in no time, capitalizing on the quickly cooling engine of the audience’s excitement. This section is boisterous but still harmonious, adding the final garnishes to the cake. This is the definition of a “go-out-with-a-bang last chorus” in pop.

The first noticeable change is that the drums go double-time. This produces a frenzied shaking effect that makes the audience want to jump up and down but also makes song sound slightly choppy and lose a lot of its original feel (this feeling subsides after several re-listens though). The metallic timbre from RM’s first part returns with more prominence, with the guitar riff serving an “undercurrent” role again. Contrary to before, this time the underpinning of the riff feels milder, more like the general excitement you get at a party instead of the roiling of an impending thunderstorm. BTS’ voices are also no longer doubled as heavily, a symbolic blending of all festival-goers becoming one.

At the start, JN and JM act as the scaffolding, keeping their vocals relatively soft, pronunciation plain, and timing uniform with the beat, all to provide steadiness after the sudden double-time transition highlight. More use of JM’s higher range would’ve been nice for the “pained artist” feel. On the upside, JK’s ad-libs are also no longer cut off and boosted, the pay-off to all the building up of familiarity in previous refrains before unleashing the full creative force of the idea. Listeners are really in for a treat with this chorus, as such rapid member-switching for lines and ad-libs rarely seen in K-pop, usually reserved to add functional variation in Verse 2 duet lines. JH’s importance is also not to be ignored. Though he’s not given any new lines, he returns as the ultimate “mood-maker” of the group, spitting out every syllable like it’s important.

• “one shot” and “two shots”: Vocal effects give it a “I’ve lost my voice from partying too hard” quality. The reverb and prolonged “s” on “two shots” are like the exhale after downing a shot, making the sample feel like a gust of wind quickly drifting away.
• The second “옹헤야 [ong-he-ya]”: JM conveys excitement by adding a convincingly uncontrolled but actually intentional tensing up of his voice, one of his signature techniques. The phrase is used in a traditional Korean harvest song for barley (used to produce wine), so we can see the seeds being sown for the iconic ‘Body to Body’ Arirang sample. My favorite part of the song, however, is JN’s “ya” ad-lib, matched perfectly to the end of JM’s “ya” in “ong-he-ya”. JN uses a mix of raw scream and rock-tinged belt reminiscent of a cat that I wish they would’ve developed more. Just for the sake of the drama, cymbals also clash here for the first time in the song.
• During the first round of the refrain, the producers gradually decrease the volume on RM’s vocals, like he’s ebbing in and out of the crowd. Unlike Verse 1, RM is returning as a host for the vocal line to shine; the spotlight isn’t on him anymore. However, he manages to joins in on the last “let’s steal it, the illest”, like he’s so intent on screaming the motto that he keeps screaming it even as he gets swallowed by the crowd.

ENDING: THE AFTERTASTE

The omnipresent guitar exits quickly but decisively, leaving one awestruck at what just happened. The decrescendo feels like Dionysus has just closed the party in his hands in one neat move, like the conductor responsible for the magical evening show.

JN’s half-falsetto, half-rock belt “let’s steal it, the illest, yeah hey!” is delivered legato, like an uninterrupted whistle, with RM’s “illest” cut off to accommodate this continuity. The strained texture in JN’s voice as he does this is one of the biggest highlights of the song.

All of this easing out of the song provides a gradual respite from the brutal transition from the peak of the song to absolute silence, mirroring the feeling during a hangover the morning after the party. This is one of the components that makes the song so addictive to listen to.

However, ultimately, the guitar fades out into a buzz that feels very complete and contented. If you’ve ever observed an electric guitar player, they have to stop the strings with their hand to make the sound stop reverberating. In this sample, it sounds like whoever was playing wanted to revel in the last notes for a while before they ended the song at peace. Dionysus’ ritual may leave you thirsting for more (like SG’s line about never getting enough as an artist), but the ritual doesn’t leave you feeling empty. The yearning is simply the eagerness of an artist to continue to progress in their journey after being enlightened upon their true self.

CONCLUSION

For all of his pomp, Dionysus’ story is ultimately one of a foreign god struggling to be accepted in Greece. From the moment of his birth to his gradual and sometimes violent integration into standard religious practices, Dionysus struggled with the self and being accepted by the more orderly world for his different lifestyle. BTS’ ‘Dionysus’ is above all, a reminder to artists that despite the exhaustion of questioning one’s worth, the backlash from breaking artistic boundaries, the uncertainty that comes with the duration of life’s hardships, one can always choose to be born again; and taking pleasure in the pain of creation is one of the most beautiful parts of making art.