BTS Takes Us Through Black & White Memories in “Life Goes On” – like an arrow MV

BTS have released a new version of the lead single “Life Goes On.” The new MV is shot in black and white with beautiful moments of the boys enjoying each others’ compoany.

When the world that was standing still, BTS released a music video that gently reminded us that time, and healing, continues, even when everything feels frozen. The “Life Goes On (Like an Arrow)” version of the iconic track was more than a simple alternate take. Shot entirely in black and white, the visual was an emotional reset, stripping the chaos of color to lay bare the raw emotion and unspoken bond between seven artists and their audience.

Released as part of their BE album promotions in late 2020, this version came at a time when the world was deep in the throes of uncertainty, fear, and isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With this black-and-white rendition, BTS didn’t just deliver another performance, they delivered a feeling. A quiet, steady reminder that even without the brightness of a stage, even without the noise of a crowd, life goes on.

From the first frame, Like an Arrow sets itself apart. There is no grand production, no vivid colors, no glittering lights. Instead, it opens with the members in the most familiar place: home. Casual, serene, and quietly powerful, the monochrome effect immediately pulls viewers inward. Every emotion etched on their faces becomes more pronounced. Every breath, blink, and smile lingers longer.

The black-and-white aesthetic, often used in cinema to convey memory, timelessness, or introspection, was a perfect fit for this rendition. Without distraction, viewers focus on the members’ expressions, their movements, and the quiet poetry of shared moments, from Namjoon staring out the window, to Yoongi calmly strumming a guitar, to Jimin walking alone with a pensive look in his eyes.

It’s nostalgia, but it’s also clarity. It’s yesterday and today, captured in a single look.

The subtitle “Like an Arrow” is no coincidence. In their Korean lyrics, BTS sings of how time flies “like an arrow,” fast and unrelenting. But in this video, time slows. There’s a deliberate stillness in the way the scenes are captured, as if the camera, too, understands that the moments we overlook are often the most meaningful.

This visual version mirrors that sentiment, pulling focus onto the present and making the mundane, a shared meal, a walk in the hallway, a morning stretch, into something sacred. The beauty of this video lies in how effortlessly it captures reality. It doesn’t dramatize or exaggerate. It simply observes.

In a world that had to learn how to pause, this was the music video that said: It’s okay to just be. BTS has always excelled at portraying unity, but Like an Arrow emphasizes it without fanfare. Scenes of the members sitting together on a bed, watching something on a laptop, or simply being in the same space without speaking loudly echo the shared silences many experienced during lockdowns, when connection didn’t always come through conversation, but presence.

Each member appears at ease, dressed in simple, comfortable clothing, their interactions unguarded. Jin’s soft smile as he leans into a moment of stillness, Jungkook’s relaxed demeanor as he looks toward the camera, Taehyung’s glance across the room, these are not scripted idols performing for the world. These are seven people who’ve lived, laughed, and weathered storms together, offering their vulnerability without needing to explain it.

The video almost feels like a home movie: real, private, and heartbreakingly intimate.

“Life Goes On” was released during a time when the world needed healing, and this visual underscored that intention. Rather than pushing choreography or spectacle, BTS offered simplicity. And sometimes, simplicity is the bravest choice.

When the chorus rises, “Like an echo in the forest / The day will come back around / As if nothing happened / Yeah life goes on” it resonates differently in black and white. These aren’t just lyrics anymore. They feel like a lullaby whispered by someone who’s walked the same uncertain path and still chose hope.

Even the camera movements reflect this comfort. Slow pans, soft zooms, and gentle transitions give viewers the feeling of drifting, of being carried through the song with no rush, no pressure to arrive anywhere. Like grief. Like recovery. Like time itself. By choosing black and white, the director emphasized contrast, light and shadow, presence and absence, past and present. It’s an intentional design that makes the ordinary cinematic.

After its release, fans across social media expressed how Like an Arrow felt like a healing balm. Many commented that it felt more like a letter than a music video, a gentle reminder that they were not alone in their stillness, that BTS was walking beside them through it. Some fans noted how this version helped them grieve the year’s losses, whether of time, people, or experiences. Others said the lack of color helped them focus more on the members’ emotions, and in turn, their own.

Quotes like “This video made me cry, but it also made me feel seen” and “BTS gave us something soft to hold on to” filled comment sections. It was clear this wasn’t just another promotional release — it was a moment shared between artists and fans.

In a world that often values speed, noise, and brightness, BTS’s Life Goes On (Like an Arrow) gave us something rare: a quiet breath. A place to rest. A reminder that life doesn’t always need to be big to be beautiful. It can be small, soft, and still moving.

With every frame, BTS said what words sometimes cannot: You’re not alone. This, too, shall pass. And while it does — we’re here, with you.

In black and white, they gave us color. In stillness, they gave us movement. In silence, they gave us music. And in the midst of everything… they reminded us that life, indeed, goes on.