BTS, one of the world’s most influential pop acts, has completed recording a new album and is preparing for a full-group return next spring, with members describing 2026 as a decisive reset after years of limited collective activity.
The group shared the update during a recent live broadcast on the fan platform Weverse, where all seven members appeared together and spoke about the timing and scope of their next release. RM said recording had been completed several months ago, followed by an extended period of revisions, indicating that the delay reflects the scale and expectations surrounding the project rather than inactivity. He framed 2026 as the year the group intends to move forward in earnest, signaling a comeback designed to reestablish BTS as a unified force on the global stage.
J-Hope echoed that message, calling 2026 an especially important year and remarking on how quickly time had passed, with 2025 already nearing its end. The comments suggested that the upcoming album is being positioned not as a routine release but as the start of a new cycle for the group.
The broadcast also offered a glimpse into the pressures accompanying the return of a franchise-level act. RM said he wished the company showed the members more care, a remark he later clarified as a desire for greater emotional support rather than a public rebuke. Jin responded that work was continuing behind the scenes, underscoring the heightened expectations surrounding the group’s next phase.
The members acknowledged that, despite months of work, there is little they can publicly release this year, noting that much of their effort has gone into refining material already recorded. They suggested that clearer updates would follow once plans are finalized.
The emphasis on 2026 reflects more than a release schedule. BTS’s group activities slowed in recent years as members fulfilled South Korea’s mandatory military service, a requirement that effectively paused full-scale promotions and touring.
With all members set to complete their service by next year, 2026 marks the first full calendar year in which BTS can operate without those constraints, giving context to the group’s description of it as “the year of BTS.” The planned album release and subsequent world tour are expected to signal the formal end of that hiatus and the beginning of a renewed period of global activity.
