BTS announces March comeback date, putting an end to a nearly four-year hiatus

The global music landscape is set for a seismic shift as K-pop phenomenon BTS officially confirms their long-awaited group comeback scheduled for March 20, 2026. This announcement marks the end of an unprecedented nearly four-year hiatus during which all seven members—RM, Jin, Jimin, V, Suga, Jung Kook, and j-hope—fulfilled South Korea’s mandatory military service requirements.

The confirmation came through an official social media communiqué from BigHit Music, the group’s entertainment company, posted on platform X (formerly Twitter). The completion of military obligations concluded with rapper Suga’s discharge in June 2025 from his role as a social service agent, an alternative military service option he reportedly pursued due to a shoulder injury. The remaining six members completed their service through conventional military channels.

The strategic staggering of enlistments enabled BTS members to pursue individual creative endeavors while maintaining the group’s structural integrity. This carefully orchestrated approach has now culminated in preparations for their first collective project since the hiatus began.

Initial plans for the comeback emerged during summer 2025 when the group hinted at both a new album and accompanying world tour. The forthcoming spring 2026 release will represent their first studio album since 2020’s ‘Be,’ following the 2021 Japanese compilation ‘BTS, the Best’ and 2022’s anthology project ‘Proof.’ In official statements, the group emphasized their collaborative approach to the new material, noting the album will incorporate each member’s artistic perspectives while reconnecting with their original creative ethos.