BTS is turning a traditional Korean art form into something strikingly modern with its 2026 Dalmajung collection. What makes this release especially intriguing is the way its designs connect Joseon-era folk painting with a message taken directly from the group’s latest musical era.

The new collection does not simply borrow traditional Korean imagery. It brings together Munjado, symbols of longevity and good fortune, and the BTS ARIRANG track “Aliens” to create merchandise built around wishes for peace, prosperity and better days.

BTS Dalmajung 2026 brings Munjado into the spotlight

HYBE announced the new 2026 BTS DALMAJUNG Merch. collection on September 23. The fourth Dalmajung series was created in collaboration with the National Museum Foundation of Korea, with 13 products combining traditional Korean artistic motifs and BTS’ identity.

The collection will officially launch on September 29, with merchandise available through a dedicated pop-up at HYBE’s Yongsan headquarters, Weverse Shop and the National Museum of Korea’s museum shop.

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Dalmajung itself dates back to 2021, when BTS first introduced the official merchandise series as a way of incorporating Korean traditional culture into contemporary products. Rather than simply reproducing historical objects, the project has consistently used traditional aesthetics as the starting point for BTS-related merchandise.

For 2026, the focus shifts toward Munjado (文字圖), a traditional Korean folk-painting genre in which imagery is incorporated inside or around the strokes of written characters.

The new designs take inspiration from Munjado works held by the National Museum of Korea, bringing elements of Joseon-era visual culture into a collection designed for a modern audience.

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The 2026 collection continues BTS’ museum collaboration

The project also continues the relationship between BTS merchandise and MU, the cultural-product brand of the National Museum Foundation of Korea.

BTS and MU previously collaborated in 2024, when they reinterpreted Korean cultural heritage through products inspired by artifacts including the Pensive Bodhisattva and white porcelain moon jar.

This time, however, the emphasis is less on individual artifacts and more on Munjado itself as an artistic tradition.

That shift becomes especially significant once the collection’s connection to ARIRANG comes into focus.

“Aliens” gives BTS Dalmajung its central message

At the heart of the 2026 collection is the Korean phrase “흉즉대길 (凶則大吉)”, which appears in the lyrics of BTS’ ARIRANG track “Aliens.”

The phrase expresses the idea that something that initially appears ominous or unfortunate can ultimately become something greatly fortunate. That message becomes the bridge between BTS’ current musical identity and the traditional meanings associated with Munjado.

HYBE explained:

“’겉으로는 불길해 보이지만 결과적으로는 대길’이라는 역설적 의미를 담은 ‘아리랑'(ARIRANG) 앨범의 수록곡 ‘에일리언스'(Aliens)의 가사 ‘흉즉대길'(凶則大吉)을 메인 모티프로 삼고, ‘문자도’에 내포된 행복, 효, 장수 등의 전통적 의미와 연결하여 행복, 행운, 소원을 담아 더 나은 일상, 평온한 삶을 기원하는 상품들을 기획했다.”

In English, the concept connects the phrase’s meaning with traditional Munjado symbolism associated with happiness, filial piety and longevity.

The collection consequently centers on wishes for a better everyday life, peace and good fortune rather than using traditional imagery purely as decoration.

The visual designs also incorporate elements from the Ten Symbols of Longevity, traditional symbols associated with longevity and good fortune. Those motifs are woven into Korean lettering representing BTS, ARIRANG and “흉즉대길,” creating a contemporary interpretation of the Munjado format.

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What is included in the 13-piece BTS Dalmajung collection?

The 2026 collection contains 13 products, extending the traditional visual concept into everyday objects as well as decorative merchandise.

One of the more distinctive pieces is a mini desk broom, designed around the symbolic idea of sweeping in good fortune.

Another product is a ceramic jar-inspired item associated with purifying negative energy and attracting financial prosperity. A pollock-shaped fortune-protection magnet also appears in the lineup, drawing on the traditional association of pollock with warding off bad luck.

The collection also includes a mini pouch modeled after the ceramic jar, a gonggi-stone pouch set containing seven small stones, an incense holder and incense sticks, a graphic mat, graphic keyring, coaster set, bracelet and necklace.

The complete lineup is:

Product	Official detail
Jar	Ceramic jar-inspired design
Incense Holder	Traditional-inspired incense item
Incense Stick [BTS]	BTS-themed incense
Incense Stick [ARIRANG]	ARIRANG-themed incense
Fortune Magnet	Pollock-shaped fortune-protection magnet
Graphic Mat	Graphic merchandise item
Graphic Keyring	Graphic merchandise item
Coaster Set	Traditional-inspired everyday item
Mini Pouch Bag & Gonggi	Mini pouch with seven gonggi stones
Mini Broom	Designed around sweeping in good fortune
Bracelet	Dalmajung accessory
Necklace	Dalmajung accessory
Keyboard	Weverse Shop-exclusive pre-order item

The keyboard is exclusive to Weverse Shop as a pre-order item. The other products will be available through the designated physical sales locations as well.

BTS Dalmajung pop-up opens at HYBE Yongsan on September 29

For fans in Seoul, the first major physical destination will be the 2026 BTS DALMAJUNG POP-UP at HYBE Yongsan.

The pop-up will operate from September 29 through October 11, 2026, on the first floor of HYBE’s Yongsan headquarters at 42 Hangang-daero, Yongsan-gu, Seoul.

It will open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. KST throughout its 13-day run.

According to official Weverse information, the venue uses an online reservation system, with reservations opening on September 23.

The pop-up will carry the 2026 Dalmajung merchandise except for the keyboard, which is available through Weverse Shop. Fans will also be able to find BTS Official Light Stick Ver.4 and related light-stick accessories at the venue.

Because quantities are limited, the official notice states that individual product purchase limits may vary depending on availability.

National Museum of Korea will sell the collection through November

The collaboration does not end at the HYBE pop-up.

From September 29, the 2026 BTS Dalmajung merchandise will also be available at Museum Shop 2 inside the National Museum of Korea in Seoul.

This location gives fans a longer opportunity to access the collection. While the HYBE pop-up ends on October 11, the museum shop’s sales period is scheduled to continue through November 30.

Museum Shop 2 is located on the first floor of the permanent exhibition hall at the National Museum of Korea, 137 Seobinggo-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul.

The museum shop will carry the Dalmajung merchandise except for the keyboard.

Online sales through Weverse Shop will begin at 11 a.m. KST on September 29. The official sales notice also warns that, because the merchandise is produced in limited quantities, individual products may sell out early.

BTS’ Korean heritage connection continues beyond Dalmajung

The new collection arrives as BTS’ connection with Korean cultural heritage has received renewed attention.

In June, the National Museum of Korea appointed RM as its Global Public Relations Ambassador. The museum said the partnership would help promote the value of Korean cultural heritage in Korea and internationally.

RM said:

“국립중앙박물관의 글로벌 홍보대사로 위촉되어 매우 기쁘게 생각한다”며, “우리 문화유산이 지닌 아름다움과 가치를 더 많은 분들게 전해질 수 있도록 함께하겠다”

However, the distinction between the two projects is important.

The 2026 Dalmajung release is a group merchandise collaboration involving HYBE and the National Museum Foundation of Korea. It is not an RM-specific museum ambassador project.

Instead, the merchandise is centered on BTS as a group and the creative identity of ARIRANG.

That makes the collection another example of how BTS’ contemporary identity can be presented alongside Korean history and traditional aesthetics without treating the two as separate worlds.

From 2021 Dalmajung to the 2026 Munjado concept

The latest release also makes more sense when viewed as part of Dalmajung’s longer development.

The series began in 2021, with the goal of combining BTS’ identity and Korean traditional culture. Since then, its designs have repeatedly translated historical aesthetics into contemporary merchandise.

The 2024 MU collaboration took that approach directly into the National Museum of Korea’s cultural-product ecosystem, with products inspired by recognizable Korean heritage pieces such as the Pensive Bodhisattva and white porcelain moon jar.

The 2026 collection takes a different route.

Rather than focusing primarily on individual artifacts, it uses Munjado as the artistic framework. Symbols associated with longevity and good fortune are placed within Korean characters connected to BTS, ARIRANG and “흉즉대길.”

That gives the traditional format a distinctly modern pop-cultural identity.

The collection therefore sits at an unusual intersection: Joseon-era folk art, Korean traditional symbolism and BTS’ contemporary music identity all become part of the same visual language.

Why “흉즉대길” makes the ARIRANG connection stand out

The phrase “흉즉대길” is particularly important because it prevents the merchandise concept from feeling disconnected from BTS’ music.

Rather than selecting a traditional phrase independently of the group, the collection takes its central message from “Aliens,” a track on ARIRANG, and connects that message with meanings already embedded in Munjado.

The concept revolves around the transformation of difficulty into fortune while expressing wishes for a peaceful and prosperous everyday life.

For BTS fans, this creates a direct visual connection between the group’s ARIRANG era and Korean heritage. For the museum collaboration, Munjado provides the traditional artistic structure through which those contemporary BTS elements can be expressed.

That combination is what gives the fourth Dalmajung series its particular identity.

BTS Dalmajung 2026 release dates and locations

Date / Time	Event	Official details
September 23, 2026	Collection announcement	HYBE announces the 2026 BTS DALMAJUNG Merch. collection
September 23, 2026	Pop-up reservations	Online reservations for the HYBE Yongsan pop-up open
September 29, 2026	Merchandise launch	Sales begin through designated channels
September 29–October 11, 2026	HYBE Yongsan pop-up	11 a.m.–8 p.m. KST, 42 Hangang-daero, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
September 29, 2026	Weverse Shop	Online sales begin at 11 a.m. KST
September 29–November 30, 2026	National Museum of Korea	Museum Shop 2 sales period
November 30, 2026	Museum sales end	Scheduled end of Museum Shop 2 sales period

BTS brings ARIRANG and Korean tradition together

The 2026 BTS Dalmajung collection ultimately brings together two elements that might initially seem separated by centuries: the visual traditions of Joseon-era Munjado and the contemporary musical identity of BTS’ ARIRANG.

Through “흉즉대길,” the message of “Aliens” becomes the conceptual center of the collection, while traditional Munjado meanings surrounding happiness, filial piety and longevity provide its cultural foundation.

With 13 products, a HYBE Yongsan pop-up, National Museum of Korea sales and Weverse Shop availability beginning September 29, the collection extends that concept into a wide range of everyday merchandise.

More than a conventional merchandise release, the 2026 Dalmajung series presents BTS’ current creative identity through a traditional Korean artistic form, connecting the group’s ARIRANG era with symbols and visual traditions rooted in Korean heritage.

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Conclusion: The 2026 BTS Dalmajung collection officially begins its rollout on September 29, bringing together ARIRANG, “Aliens,” Munjado and traditional Korean symbolism across 13 products. Its core message of turning what appears unfortunate into something fortunate gives the collection a clear connection to BTS’ music, while the Joseon-era artistic inspiration keeps the project firmly rooted in Korean cultural heritage.

Disclaimer: This article has been prepared based on thorough research of the sources provided with the verified material, including official Weverse information, the National Museum of Korea, Yonhap News, Korea JoongAng Daily, Seoul Economic Daily and The Korea Times. The article reflects the information available from those sources as of September 24, 2026, and does not imply independent verification beyond the information supported by the provided sources.

Sources

• Weverse: 2026 BTS DALMAJUNG Pop-Up Visit Guide
• National Museum of Korea: RM appointed Global Public Relations Ambassador
• Yonhap News: BTS reinterprets Munjado through new Dalmajung merchandise
• Korea JoongAng Daily: BTS blends Korean folk art with ARIRANG for new Dalmajung merch
• Seoul Economic Daily: BTS brand teams with National Museum for new merchandise line
• The Korea Times: BTS bridges centuries of Korean art with new ARIRANG merchandise line

Featured Image Credit: HYBE / Weverse / National Museum Foundation of Korea