BTS Returns from Military Hiatus with Arirang
By James Moreau | 19 Mar, 2026

Transitioning from military duty back to the global stage, BTS looks to build on a decade of Billboard-topping success with their latest full-length album and upcoming tour.

Fans of BTS have been buzzing with anticipation for their tenth full-length album, Arirang, set to debut on March 20.  The project marks a monumental return for the group, serving as their first collective release in nearly four years following the completion of their mandatory military service.

BTS became a mainstay in America after their 2018 project, Love Yourself: Tear, became the first Korean album to top the Billboard 200, led by their song “Fake Love,” which sparked the Love Yourself World Tour, grossing over $100 million.  Two years later their track “Dynamite” earned them their first number-one single in the U.S., a Grammy nomination, and over 2.2 billion plays on Spotify.

The group has carved out a record-breaking upward trajectory since their June 2013 single album debut 2 Cool 4 Skool, led by “No More Dream.” 

In 2017, they first broke through in the U.S. market, performing at the American Music Awards in their American television debut following the explosive success of their single “DNA.”

BTS’s collaboration with Halsey “Boy With Luv” in 2019 became one of the group’s top 5 most popular songs.

At the end of 2020 they released their ninth studio album Be highlighted by the stand alone single “Life Goes On.”

The 2021 summer hit “Butter” continued their momentum before concluding their first decade with the 2022 anthology album Proof.

That same year Jin became the first BTS member to begin South Korea’s military service with the other six following suit by the end of 2023.  All member completed their service requirements by June 2025.  The hiatus allowed each member to pursuit individual projects, most notably Jungkook’s debut album GOLDEN and Jimin’s second studio album MUSE.

BTS has amassed a staggering social media presence with over 82 million subscribers on YouTube – the most for any male musical act globally.