K-pop group BTS revealed plans for their fifth full-length studio album, set for release on March 20, after completing mandatory military service. The 14-track project marks their first original studio album in six years and includes a forthcoming world tour. Details of the tour will be unveiled on January 14.
On January 4, 2026, BigHit Music announced via the global fan platform Weverse that BTS will release their fifth full-length studio album on March 20, featuring 14 brand-new tracks. This marks the group's first full-group comeback since the anthology album Proof in June 2022 and their first full-length release since Map of the Soul: 7 in February 2020. The timing aligns with the first day of spring and falls on a Friday, the standard for new music releases, evoking connections to BTS's song Spring Day.
The members—RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook—were deeply involved in the album's creation, infusing their personal thoughts and colors while expressing the emotions and struggles from their journey. BigHit Music stated, "The album is packed with honest stories that BTS wants to share with ARMY, who have been waiting for their comeback as a whole group. Filled with the music that's most true to BTS, the album is their heartfelt way of saying thank you to ARMY, who have been there this whole time."
This release follows the completion of all seven members' mandatory South Korean military service, with Suga discharged last in June 2025, reuniting the group by the end of summer 2025. The album holds special significance as it indicates the direction BTS will take going forward after years of solo projects and personal growth.
In tandem, BTS announced a 2026 world tour, their first major outing since Permission to Dance on Stage concluded in Las Vegas in April 2022. Tour dates and cities will be revealed at midnight KST on January 14 (10 a.m. ET on January 13). Pre-orders for the album begin January 16 at 11 a.m. KST (9 p.m. ET on January 15), with the album dropping at 1 p.m. KST on March 20 (11 p.m. ET on March 19). A new official website, www.2026bts.com, has launched for updates, alongside symbolic elements like three red circles and an installation at Seoul's Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.
