In what is gearing up to be the biggest music event of the year, South Korean boy band BTS is all set to release their new album, Arirang, on Friday. For their legion of fans, also known as ARMY, across the world, the album marks their comeback after nearly three years, during which members of the septet- RM, Jin, SUGA, J-hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook worked on solo albums and completed their mandatory military service.
Trucks promoting a comeback concert of K-pop boy group pass by the statue of King Sejong at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, March 19, 2026.
| Photo Credit:
AP
Over the last few weeks, fans have been treated to teasers, music video glimpses, Instagram updates from the members and more. If Jungkook’s spinning kicks for Canadian rapper and singer BBNO$ ‘Two’ dance challenge went viral on social media, Jimmy Fallon too has added to the excitement, announcing that BTS will be on his show on March 25 and 26 to talk about Arirang and for a special performance as well.
With their album releasing on Friday, a packed schedule of promotions, performances, and events lies ahead. Here’s your guide to everything to watch out for.
Arirang album release
With 14 tracks, Arirang, an album that attempts to deeply reflect on the group’s identity and roots, will drop on Friday, March 20, 2026, at 9.30 am IST across music streaming platforms. Hybe, the entertainment company that manages BTS, had said that the album is driven by each member’s honest introspection, and they collectively shaped its direction by weaving individual perspectives into the music.
Fans of K-pop group BTS pose for photographs with an advertisement promoting “BTS The Comeback Live Arirang” concert in central Seoul, South Korea, March 19, 2026. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
| Photo Credit:
KIM HONG-JI
An animated video, released earlier this week, as a visual prologue for Arirang, traced the historical and cultural inspiration behind the new album. The video chronicles seven Korean men who cross the seas and head to Howard University in Washington DC, where they sing the popular Korean folk song ‘A-ra-rang’ in 1896, recorded on wax cylinders. This is widely believed to be a historic recording; the very first known recording of a Korean song. The video then chronicles BTS’ journey as well, from their debut in 2013 to the present, as they gear up for their next chapter.
A music video for the album’s title track ‘Swim’ will also be released online.
Live concert stream
On Saturday, March 21, at 4.30 pm IST, the septet’s comeback concert BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG will stream on Netflix live from Gwanghamun in Seoul. The event, anticipated to draw thousands of fans to the historic square to witness the concert, will be directed by British director Hamish Hamilton, who has previously worked on live events such as the Super Bowl Halftime shows and the Academy Awards.
Workers set up the stage (C) for the comeback concert of K-pop boy group BTS in front of Gwanghwamun Gate (centre R), the main gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace, in Seoul on March 19, 2026. BTS, the world’s biggest boy band, reunites on stage on March 21, in a K-pop extravaganza watched by hundreds of thousands of fans in downtown Seoul and by millions around the planet online. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP)
| Photo Credit:
JUNG YEON-JE
Posting on their fansite Weverse, BTS leader RM posted a message stating that he was excited to meet everyone at Gwanghamun, and also requested that they follow the guidance of field and safety personnel at the venue.
While this will be their first concert as part of their comeback chapter, BTS is scheduled to embark on the Arirang World Tour from April 9 onwards, spanning 34 regions and over 80 shows across Asia, North and Latin America, Europe, and more.
Documentary release
For fans, a peek into the musical journey, creative brainstorming, and more of the group await in BTS: THE RETURN , a BTS documentary film set to be released on Netflix on March 27.
The feature-length documentary, directed by Bao Nguyen (The Stringer, The Greatest Night in Pop) and producers, This Machine (Martha, Karol G) and HYBE, chronicles the group as they begin working on Arirang. Following their mandatory military enlistment, the group reunited in Los Angeles, and the documentary will delve into the work that went into their new music and more.
Published – March 19, 2026 06:02 pm IST
