BTS is officially launching their comeback after taking several years off while the band’s members completed their mandatory military service.
The K-pop group announced on Sunday, January 4, that they will release a new album — their first in six years — on March 20. The project is still untitled but will consist of 14 tracks, per a press release.
“The upcoming album reflects the culmination of BTS’ journey to date and defines the group on their own terms,” the announcement continued. “The members devoted themselves to the album’s creation in the second half of 2025. Comprising a total of 14 tracks, the album is driven by each member’s honest introspection as they collectively shaped its direction by weaving their individual perspectives into the music.”
The seven-member group will also be touring in support of their new album, with dates and venues set to be announced on Wednesday, January 14. A new website, 2026bts.com, will reveal additional details about the band’s latest projects.
BTS’ most recent tour, Permission to Dance on Stage, concluded in Las Vegas in April 2022. They then went on a group hiatus as the band’s individual members — RM, Suga, Jimin, V, J-Hope, Jungkook and Jin — completed mandatory military service in their native South Korea.
Jin, 33, was the first member to enlist as the eldest singer in BTS. He completed his service in June 2024. Suga, 32, and J-Hope, 31, were the next two to enlist, while the remaining four members — RM, 31, V, 30, Jimin, 30, and Jungkook, 28 — entered the military in December 2023. Those four, along with Suga, completed their service in June of last year. (J-Hope was discharged in October 2024.)
While BTS was inactive as a group for the past several years, individual members stayed busy, releasing numerous solo projects and collaborating with other artists around the world. J-Hope, Jimin, Suga, V, RM and Jungkook all released solo albums, while Jin released two solo EPs. Their many collaborators have included Halsey, J. Cole, Megan Thee Stallion, Pharrell Williams, Coldplay, Anderson .Paak and Erykah Badu.
BTS previously hinted last year that they were planning a comeback in 2026.
“We’ll be releasing a new BTS album in the spring of next year,” they said in a statement in July 2025. “Starting in July, all seven of us will begin working closely together on new music. Since it will be a group album, it will reflect each member’s thoughts and ideas. We’re approaching the album with the same mindset we had when we first started.”
Several months later, RM hinted that he was pleased with the way things had been going in the studio.
“The music is coming out really well!!” he wrote in a November 2025 Weverse message. “Everyone’s trying. Please look forward to it.”
Jungkook, meanwhile, weighed in on the comeback in an Elle Korea interview published last month.
“I think this spring will be more important than ever,” he teased. “So I sincerely hope you all have a safe and enjoyable spring.”
