BTS' triumphant return is here with 'ARIRANG' album following hiatus
"ARIRANG," named after the traditional Korean folk song, infuses hip-hop and Korean folk music in BTS' most experimental project to date. The album includes the new single "Swim."
Anthony RobledoSix years and an entire military service later, BTS has returned to its Army fanbase with new music.
The global K-pop juggernaut dropped its 14-track album titled "ARIRANG" Friday, March 20, ahead of a world tour across 34 regions, including 10 cities in the United States. The new project explores themes of connection, distance, and reunion. "ARIRANG," named after the traditional Korean folk song, infuses hip-hop and Korean folk music in BTS' most experimental project to date. The album's release was accompanied by the new single "Swim."
The supergroup has yet to release a full-length studio album since "Be" in 2020, though they shared an anthology project called "Proof" in 2022.
They're set to perform "ARIRANG'" tracks in their first live performance in years at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square on Saturday, March 21, and the performance will stream live on Netflix. A feature-length documentary titled "BTS: The Return" will join Netflix's catalog on March 27, chronicling the "Dynamite" artist's long-awaited return.
Devoted fans had to survive a BTS drought when several members of the band were enlisted in mandatory military service. Jin, the group's oldest member, began his service in December 2022 and was discharged in 2024. By June 2025, J‑hope, RM, V, Jimin and Jung Kook had also completed their service.
In South Korea, all able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 28 must serve between 18 to 21 months in the military or social service, though the law was adjusted in 2020, allowing the K-pop stars to delay their service until age 30.
In 2022, Suga said the group was going into a hiatus, though Hybe, the South Korean entertainment company behind the group, later rejected the statement, saying "BTS are not taking a hiatus" but clarified that "members will be focusing more on solo projects at this time." All seven members have since released music as solo artists, but "ARIRANG" is their first joint venture since.
Where in the US are BTS touring?
The Korean boy band will return to the United States for two shows in Tampa, Florida, in late April, before heading to Texas, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Maryland.
They have two nights in Chicago in August and four nights in Los Angeles in September. Outside the U.S., the BTS army can see their idols in Mexico City, Toronto, as well as cities in Asia, Latin America, Europe and Australia.
BTS world tour 2026 dates
- April 9, Apr 11-12 — Goyang, South Korea
- April 17-18 — Tokyo
- April 25-26 — Tampa, Florida
- May 2-3 — El Paso, Texas
- May 7, May 9-10 — Mexico City
- May 16-17 — Stanford, California
- May 23-24, May 27 — Las Vegas
- June 12-13 — Busan, South Korea
- June 26-27 — Madrid
- July 1-2 — Brussels
- July 6-7 — London
- July 11-12 — Munich
- July 17-18 — Paris
- Aug. 1-2 — East Rutherford, New Jersey
- Aug. 5-6 — Foxborough, Massachusetts
- Aug. 10-11 — Baltimore, Maryland
- Aug. 15-16 — Arlington, Texas
- Aug. 22-23 — Toronto
- Aug. 27-28 — Chicago
- Sept. 1-2, Sep 5-6 — Los Angeles
- Oct. 2-3 — Bogotá, Colombia
- Oct. 9-10 — Lima, Peru
- Oct. 16-17 — Santiago, Chile
- Oct. 23-24 — Buenos Aires
- Oct. 28, Oct 30-31 — São Paulo
- Nov. 19, Nov 21-22 — Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Dec. 3, Dec 5-6 — Bangkok
- Dec. 12-13 — Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Dec. 17, Dec. 19-20, Dec. 22 — Singapore
- Dec. 26-27 — Jakarta, Indonesia
Contributing: Greta Cross and Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY