BTS will complete their military service from October 2023 to June 2024 and hold the 'BTS The Comeback Live: Arirang' concert at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on March 21, 2026. This concert will serve as a symbolic event showcasing their 'second act,' reflecting their growth through military service and solo activities beyond a typical new album showcase.

BTS's fifth studio album, ARIRANG, is their first new release since the anthology album Proof, which was released in June 2022, and will be unveiled on March 20, 2026. Shortly after the release of Proof, BTS announced a halt to group activities, and the '2030 World Expo Busan Bid Concert' held in October of the same year was the last performance of all seven members together.

Starting with the eldest member Jin, the members enlisted sequentially, and after Suga's discharge in June last year, all members have completed their military service. This has set the conditions for BTS to return as a complete group. During the hiatus, the members demonstrated their musical capabilities through solo activities. Jimin became the first Korean solo artist to top the Billboard Hot 100 main singles chart with 'Like Crazy' in 2023, and Jungkook reached number one on the Hot 100 in 2024 with 'Seven.' All seven members have released full-length or mini albums (EPs), establishing their unique musical styles, and all have entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

While fulfilling military service is generally considered a risk for Korean male artists, for BTS, it has laid the foundation for even stronger synergy upon their full-group comeback. Since their debut in June 2013, BTS has rewritten numerous K-pop records. In May 2017, they became the first K-pop artist to win at the American Billboard Music Awards, and the same year, they first appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 with 'DNA.' Subsequently, in September 2020, they became the first Korean artist to top the Hot 100 with 'Dynamite,' and a total of six songs, including 'Butter' and 'Permission to Dance,' have reached number one. Among these, 'Life Goes On' was the first Korean-language song to top the Hot 100.

The comeback album Arirang is symbolic from its title. Featuring Korea's representative folk song 'Arirang' prominently, this project is interpreted as an attempt to root BTS's established global pop artist identity in cultural heritage. Pre-orders reached 4.06 million copies, setting a new record for BTS.

The hiatus due to military service, musical expansion through solo activities, and the full-group return are rewriting the possibilities of K-pop idols beyond a simple team comeback. Through this comeback, BTS plans to solidify their position as global artists with a new musical direction.