BTS to Make Full-Group Comeback After 3 Years and 9 Months... 'ARIRANG' to Be Released in March with Start of 82-Concert World Tour

BTS is returning as a full group, ending a hiatus of approximately 3 years and 9 months. The group officially announced on January 4 that their fifth studio album, "ARIRANG," will be released worldwide simultaneously on March 20. This marks their first studio album in 6 years and 1 month, following the release of "MAP OF THE SOUL: 7" in February 2020. The new album consists of 14 tracks, titled after a famous Korean folk song to reflect the group’s roots and identity, as well as their longing and love during the hiatus. It is said that all members dedicated themselves to its production starting in the second half of 2025, resulting in the most authentic portrayal of the current BTS. According to the official announcement, "This album summarizes BTS’s journey, contains honest self-reflections from each member, and weaves individual perspectives into music to shape a collective direction." Fan reactions have been explosive. Pre-orders exceeded 4.06 million copies within just one week of availability, breaking the group’s previous record. The Spotify Presave count surpassed 2 million in only 4 days, even threatening Taylor Swift’s record. The scale of the comeback promotion is also unprecedented. On March 21 at 8 p.m., BTS will hold a comeback stage event titled "BTS Comeback Live: ARIRANG" in Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul, the day after the album release. BTS is the first artist to hold a solo concert in Gwanghwamun Square. This performance will be streamed live globally to over 190 countries and regions through a partnership with Netflix. It is the first time a live event held in Korea has been broadcast worldwide via Netflix, demonstrating BTS’s global influence. Additionally, on March 27, the documentary film "BTS: The Return," which provides an in-depth look at the album’s production process, will be released exclusively on Netflix. The excitement from these performances will extend to stadiums around the world. Starting with the Goyang Stadium on April 9, BTS will begin their massive "BTS WORLD TOUR ARIRANG," featuring a total of 82 concerts in 34 cities worldwide. This is the most numerous concert runs for a single K-pop tour. Tickets for the North American and European tours sold out immediately upon release, with BTS becoming the first Korean artist to perform solo at multiple stadiums such as the El Paso Sun Bowl Stadium and the Foxborough Gillette Stadium in the United States, setting another milestone. BTS suspended group activities in 2022 due to their members’ mandatory military service. The oldest member, Jin (33), was discharged in June 2024, followed by SUGA (32) and j-hope (31). RM (31), V (30), Jimin (30), and Jung Kook (28) enlisted in December 2023 and were discharged in June 2024 alongside SUGA. j-hope was discharged in October 2024. During the hiatus, the members focused on individual activities. j-hope, Jimin, SUGA, V, RM, and Jung Kook all released solo albums, while Jin released two solo EPs. They also collaborated with world-renowned artists such as Halsey, J. Cole, Megan Thee Stallion, Pharrell Williams, Coldplay, Anderson .Paak, and Erika Badu. The group’s Leader, RM (real name Kim Nam-jun), was born on September 12, 1994, in Ilsan. He began rapping at a young age and was discovered by Big Hit Entertainment while active in the underground rap scene, eventually becoming one of BTS’s official members in 2010. He is also highly praised for his English skills, having revealed in an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that "my English teacher was the TV show Friends" when discussing his path to learning English. Since their debut in 2013, BTS has dominated charts with songs like "Butter" and "Dynamite" and is a global supergroup with Grammy nomination experience. They are also known for their various social activities, including charity work, and have built a massive fanbase called ARMY. After a 3-year and 9-month break, the world is watching to see how this "ARIRANG" project, prepared with the determination to "restart operations," will impact the global music market.