BTS, BLACKPINK, BIGBANG, and EXO All Set to Return in 2026, signaling an unprecedented K-pop comeback season

2026 is expected to be a special year in K-pop history, as the industry’s top groups, which have focused on solo projects over the past few years, are all planning simultaneous group returns. BIGBANG is scheduled to perform at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California in April. This stage appearance, featuring all three members—G-Dragon, Taeyang, and Daesung—will mark their first major group activity since releasing the single “Still Life” in 2022. G-Dragon mentioned during his recent solo concert “Urbanism” that the group will turn 2026 into a “growth year,” hinting at possible performances beyond Coachella. BTS, with all seven members having completed their military service this year, is planning to announce new music and embark on a large-scale world tour in the spring of 2026. This will be their first group comeback since the album “Proof” in 2022. During a recent live broadcast on the fan communication platform Weverse, the group hinted at their return, saying, “Let’s make 2026 BTS’s year. Something big is in preparation. Recording finished months ago, and we’re still making adjustments.” Jin’s “Run BTS Episode 2 Tour” ranked seventh on Billboard’s Top 10 Highest-Earning K-pop Tours of the Year, J-Hope’s “Hope on the Stage Tour” ranked fourth, and “Angelfman” topped Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales chart that same month. BLACKPINK is in the final stages of producing a new full-length album, aiming to release it in the first half of 2026. This will be their first album with all members together since the “Born Pink” album in 2022 and the single “Jump” in July 2025. Each member’s solo activities have achieved great success. Rosé’s solo song “APT.” made history by becoming the first K-pop female artist to receive Grammy nominations, entering the race in three categories: Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. EXO is set to release its new album “REVERXE” on January 19 with a lineup of six members. This will be the group’s first full-length album release since they have primarily focused on solo and partial group activities. Music industry experts note that simultaneous returns by top groups representing different generations is a very rare occurrence. They explain that in the past, high-level artists would spread out their group returns to avoid overlapping schedules. These upcoming comebacks are expected to drive a reorganization of fan bases worldwide and a revival of commercial activity in the music industry.