BTS Announces New Album for Spring 2026, Signaling First Full-Group Activities in Nearly Three Years

BTS officially revealed a new album set for release in spring 2026 alongside a return with a world tour during a live broadcast on their fan platform Weverse last Tuesday. This announcement marked the first time all seven members had appeared together in a live stream since September 2022. In a statement, BTS said, “We plan to release a new BTS album in spring 2026, and starting in July, all members will fully collaborate on new music.” They added, “Since it is a group album, each member’s thoughts and ideas will be reflected in it, and we are approaching the project with the same mindset we had when we first started.” Jimin announced the comeback with the words, “We’re back,” while the group stated, “We are also planning a world tour alongside the album. We will go to meet fans around the world, so we hope you look forward to it as much as we do.” This world tour will be their first in approximately four years since the “Permission to Dance on Stage” tour in 2022. The new album is set to be their first full studio album in about six years since the regular album “BE” released in 2020 (excluding the 2021 Japanese compilation “BTS, the Best” and the 2022 anthology “Proof”). BTS’s return as a full group coincides with the completion of their military service. Jung Kook also recently finished his military duty. Under South Korea’s military service law, all male citizens aged 18 to 28 must serve 18 to 21 months in the military. Six of the group’s seven members have completed their service, with SUGA fulfilling his obligation as a substitute service member. Jin was discharged in June 2024, and j-hope was discharged in October 2024. Recently, RM, V, Jimin, and Jung Kook have completed their military service, while SUGA finished his social service duty last month. BTS plans to stay in the United States this month to begin working on new music. This is expected to mark the start of full-group activities that the fandom “ARMY” has been waiting for throughout their military service periods.