Map of the Soul 7 [Limited Edition A] in Bloomington, MN

Five months after the release of their international chart-busting fourth album,
Map of the Soul: 7
, K-pop powerhouse
BTS
repackaged that set's biggest tracks for their Japanese fans -- alongside selections from
Map of the Soul: Persona
and
Love Yourself: Answer
-- on
Map of the Soul: 7 - The Journey
. The Japanese-language effort includes re-recorded versions of hit singles "Boy with Luv" (sans
Halsey
), "Make It Right," "Idol," "Fake Love," and "On." In addition to previously unreleased Japanese tracks "Intro: Calling," "Stay Gold," "Your Eyes Tell," and "Outro: The Journey,"
also features the 2019 single "Lights." While some of the fiery aggression of the Korean-language originals is subdued by their non-native tongue (especially on the usually raucous "Dionysus" and "Idol"), the boys' dedication to their Japanese audience and the songs' top-notch production value shine through, making this both an adequate pairing with the Korean predecessor and a pseudo-greatest-hits bounty of
' late-2010s era. ~ Neil Z. Yeung