BTS Confirms New Album Release on March 20…Initiating First World Tour in 4 Years

BTS will make an official Comeback with a new album on March 20. HYBE officially confirmed this on January 1, 2026, marking the first full-group new release in approximately 3 years and 9 months since their anthology album “Proof” was released in June 2022. The news of their comeback was first shared with fans. To welcome the new year, BTS sent handwritten letters to their fandom, ARMY, to their homes. The members expressed their gratitude in handwriting and included the date “2026.03.20” on the paper to hint at the comeback. RM wrote, “We’ve been waiting for this more eagerly than anyone,” while Jin said, “Thank you so much for waiting.” SUGA stated, “Let’s have fun together again this year. We love you,” and j-hope expressed excitement by saying, “What we imagined is finally becoming reality!” Jimin wrote, “The year when we’ll meet has arrived,” and V said, “In 2026, we’ll create even more wonderful memories—stay tuned!” Jung Kook left a message saying, “I miss you! Please take care this year too.” The new album will consist of 14 tracks, reflecting the members’ honest self-reflection and personal perspectives. HYBE explained, “This album is a culmination of BTS’s journey, defining the group from their own viewpoint.” The members added that “the album will reflect each member’s thoughts and ideas” and that “we’re approaching it with the same mindset we had when we first started.” BTS has been serving in military duty since December 2022. Jin was the first to enlist, followed by j-hope, with all members beginning their service by December 2023. The members completed their military service one after another, either in rows or pairs, with SUGA finishing his last term on June 21, 2025, paving the way for their full-group return. On June 12, 2024, when Jin was discharged, the group released a group photo to celebrate. Jin was discharged from a military base in Yeoncheon, where j-hope, Jimin, Jung Kook, V, and RM went to greet him. j-hope played a saxophone to celebrate his return, and Jin sent a message to fans saying, “I’m here!” BTS held a Weverse Live as a full group on December 31, 2024. The approximately 31-minute broadcast reached 8 million views within an hour as the members counted down to the new year together. At that time, they shared their New Year’s wishes by saying, “I hope we can come back safely this year and have a successful album. Let BTS achieve great success,” adding, “Let 2026 be BTS’s year. Something really big is coming.” They also mentioned that “the recording was finished a few months ago, but we’ve been making continuous revisions since then” regarding the album’s production status. Following the release of the new album, BTS will embark on a large-scale world tour. This will be their first world tour in approximately 4 years since the “BTS PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE” tour ended in 2022, and it is expected to be the largest in history. When the official announcement was made on July 1, 2025, all members appeared together on a live broadcast on the fan platform Weverse, the first time this had happened since September 2022. The broadcast recorded over 7.3 million live views. The financial industry predicts that BTS’s world tour will feature 60 performances and attract more than 3.08 million attendees. Both domestic media and foreign outlets are highlighting BTS’s comeback as the most anticipated event in the pop music scene in 2026. On social media, the hashtag #BTScomeback2026 is spreading rapidly, with messages such as “BTS IS COMING,” “THE KINGS ARE COMING BACK,” and “2026 YEAR OF BTS AND ARMY” reflecting global fans’ excitement.