Bad timing for a big year
The legal noise arrives during one of the busiest stretches in BTS’s career. The seven members, RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook, came back as a full group on March 20, 2026, with Arirang. The 14-track album is their fifth studio record and their first together in three years and nine months. SWIM appears on it.
Their 2026-27 world tour opened in Goyang, South Korea, on April 9. It spans 85 shows in 34 regions across Asia, the Americas, Europe and Australia, and its final leg runs through March 2027.
BTS, short for Bangtan Sonyeondan, debuted in June 2013 under Big Hit Entertainment, now part of HYBE. They grew from a domestic K-pop act into one of the world’s biggest music groups and brought Korean pop to a global audience.
Lakshana is an entertainment and lifestyle journalist with over a decade of experience. She covers a wide range of stories—from community and health to mental health and inspiring people features.
A passionate K-pop enthusiast, she also enjoys exploring the cultural impact of music and fandoms through her writing.