What Happened to BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan)?
BTS, the globally renowned K-pop sensation, embarked on a temporary hiatus starting in 2022 to allow members to fulfill mandatory South Korean military service and pursue individual solo careers. Following the completion of all members' military duties by June 2025, the group officially reunited and launched a highly anticipated comeback in early 2026 with a new album, "ARIRANG," and a global world tour that commenced in April 2026.
Quick Answer
BTS, after a period of individual activities and mandatory military service for all members, has officially reunited. The final member completed service in June 2025, paving the way for their comeback. They released their fifth album, "ARIRANG," on March 20, 2026, and kicked off a global world tour on April 9, 2026, marking their full return to group activities.
📊Key Facts
📅Complete Timeline15 events
Jin Enlists for Military Service
Jin, the oldest member of BTS, became the first to begin his mandatory 18-month military service in South Korea.
J-Hope Enlists for Military Service
J-Hope became the second BTS member to commence his mandatory military service.
Jungkook Releases Solo Single 'Seven'
Jungkook released his debut solo single 'Seven' featuring Latto, which topped the US Billboard Hot 100.
V Releases Solo Album 'Layover'
V (Kim Taehyung) released his debut solo album, 'Layover,' featuring six tracks and accompanying music videos.
Suga Begins Military Service
Suga began his mandatory military service as a social service agent due to a past shoulder injury.
Jungkook Releases Solo Album 'Golden'
Jungkook released his debut solo album, 'Golden,' which became a massive commercial success, topping K-pop solo album sales in the US for two consecutive years.
RM, V, Jimin, and Jungkook Enlist
The remaining four members – RM, V, Jimin, and Jungkook – all began their mandatory military service, completing the group's temporary hiatus for enlistment.
Jin Discharged from Military Service
Jin became the first BTS member to complete his military service and was officially discharged.
Jimin Releases Solo Album 'Muse'
Jimin released his second solo album, 'Muse,' which debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 and later won 'International Album of the Year' at the 2025 SEC Awards.
J-Hope Discharged from Military Service
J-Hope completed his mandatory military service, becoming the second member to be discharged.
V Releases Solo Project 'Rêve'
V released his new solo project titled 'Rêve,' following his debut album 'Layover.'
Suga Completes Military Service; All Members Discharged
Suga was the last member to complete his military service, marking the official discharge of all seven BTS members, paving the way for their full group reunion.
BTS Announces 2026 Comeback Album and World Tour
All seven members appeared together in a Weverse livestream, announcing their official return as a group, a new album for spring 2026, and a subsequent world tour.
BTS Releases Fifth Album 'ARIRANG'
BTS released their highly anticipated fifth studio album, 'ARIRANG,' marking their first group album since their hiatus.
BTS Kicks Off 'ARIRANG' World Tour
BTS commenced their global 'ARIRANG' world tour in Goyang, South Korea, their first major tour as a reunited group in nearly four years.
🔍Deep Dive Analysis
The journey of BTS, or Bangtan Sonyeondan, took a significant turn in mid-2022 when the group announced a temporary hiatus from full group activities, allowing its seven members to focus on solo projects and fulfill South Korea's mandatory military service. This period, while marking a pause for the collective, saw an explosion of individual creativity and success from each member.
Jin, the oldest member, was the first to enlist on December 13, 2022, followed by J-Hope in April 2023, and Suga in September 2023, who served as a social service agent due to a shoulder injury. The remaining four members – RM, V, Jimin, and Jungkook – all commenced their service in December 2023. During this time, the members continued to release highly successful solo music. Jungkook's debut solo album, "Golden," released in November 2023, became the bestselling K-pop solo artist album in the US for two consecutive years (2023 and 2024). Jimin released his second solo album, "Muse," in July 2024, which debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 and won 'International Album of the Year' at the 2025 SEC Awards. RM dropped his second solo album, "Right Place, Wrong Person," in May 2024, and V released his debut solo album, "Layover," in September 2023, followed by a new project, "Rêve," in February 2025.
The highly anticipated reunion began to materialize as members completed their military duties. Jin was discharged on June 12, 2024, and J-Hope followed on October 17, 2024. By June 2025, all remaining members—RM, V, Jimin, Jungkook, and Suga—were discharged, with Suga being the last on June 21, 2025. This marked the first time all seven members were out of active service since late 2022.
On July 1, 2025, all seven members appeared together for the first time since 2022 in a livestream on Weverse, officially announcing their return as a group, a new album, and a world tour for spring 2026. The group's fifth album, "ARIRANG," was released on March 20, 2026. This was followed by a special Netflix documentary, "BTS: THE RETURN," chronicling the album's creation, and a live performance at Seoul's historic Gwanghwamun Square on March 21, 2026, streamed worldwide. As of April 15, 2026, BTS has officially kicked off their "ARIRANG" world tour in Goyang, South Korea, with plans for dozens of shows across the United States, Europe, and Asia, signaling their full-fledged return to the global music scene.
What If...?
Explore alternate histories. What if BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan) made different choices?