Editor’s Note: This article was republished on Feb. 19, 2026 following a website transfer that removed it. The article was originally published on Feb. 2, 2025.
The beginning of 2026 has brought some of the most exciting news yet for ARMYs around the world.
After a nearly four-year hiatus due to Korea’s mandatory military service, BTS officially announced their long-awaited return with a massive 2026-2027 world tour. On January 14, the group confirmed 79 shows across five continents in 11 months, with additional shows expected to be revealed in 2027. The global pop stars will conclude their North America run in Los Angeles with a four-day finale on Sep. 1, 2, 5 and 6 at SoFi Stadium.
The upcoming “ARIRANG” world tour marks the band’s first headline event since their “Permission to Dance on Stage” concert series in 2021. The seven members — RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook — are finally back to continue the legacy they built.
During the hiatus, the members remained creative by launching solo careers and pursuing individual success. Now reunited, BTS is ready to rekindle the magic that has connected millions of fans worldwide through their emotionally charged, dream-like performances.
Their fifth album “ARIRANG” will be released on Mar. 20. The title of the full-length album is inspired by the culturally sentimental and timeless folk song “Arirang”, signifying a transition from disparity to hope that resonates across generations. The cultural weight carried by the approximately 600-year-old Korean folksong alludes to BTS’s commitment to composing introspective lyrics and evoking cultural discharge.
BTS’s return to the global stage will begin in South Korea’s Goyang Stadium on Apr. 9 before the group embarks on their extensive journey to Asia, Europe, North America and South America. Industry projections estimate the tour to generate over $1 billion in revenue from concerts, merchandise, licensing, streaming and album sales — an extraordinary leap from the $246 million earned during their previous tour.
The seven-member South Korean Boy Band debuted in 2013 under BigHit Entertainment and have reached global stardom, rising from humble beginnings to become the most internationally recognized K-pop group in history. Their resilience, passion and artistic vision for music carried them from small practice rooms to world-renowned stages, paving the way for K-pop’s expansion into the global mainstream.
Their success marks several major milestones in the music industry. BTS’ 2018 album “Love Yourself: Tear” became the first K-pop band and foreign-language album in over 12 years to debut at No.1 on the Billboard 200. They were also the first K-pop group to dominate U.S. album charts and the first Korean act to perform at the Billboard Music Awards.
In 2020, their influence reached an unprecedented peak following the release of the chart-topping single “Dynamite,” which earned BTS their first K-pop Grammy nomination in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category. The song also became the first song to surpass 2 billion streams on Spotify by a South Korean group. The following year, BTS returned to the U.S. to deliver their iconic performance of “Butter” at the Grammy Awards, further cementing their global impact.
Plans for a world tour in 2020 were abruptly halted by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, preceded by the members’ military enlistment. Nearly six years later, BTS is finally able to rewrite that chapter and reunite with the ARMY’s who have waited patiently for their return.
Eva Jia is an Arts & Entertainment Staff Writer for the winter 2026 quarter. She can be reached at jiae1@uci.edu.
Edited by Rhea Sigur and Annabelle Aguirre
