BTS to Return in March With First Album in Nearly Four Years

BTS fans are dreaming of spring, and not just because of the current winter weather. The turning of the new year brought an announcement to Korean media that the group will be releasing a new album on March 20, which will be their first in nearly four years.

The long-awaited album will be BTS’ first since “Proof,” a June 2022 release that was followed by a long group hiatus. The gap saw the individual members fulfilling mandatory military service in South Korea and recording a multitude of solo projects.

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The news was reported in newspapers in the group’s home country. BigHit confirmed the reports with a post on its Korean-language X account.

Prior to the official announcement, group members had already gone direct to fans with the release date, sending letters with handwritten messages to some ARMY members’ homes with the telltale dateline of “2026.3.20.”

Among the messages, RM wrote that he’d been “waiting for this moment more desperately than anyone.” Said Jin, “I greeted you all as a soloist in 2023 and 2024, but I can finally greet you as part of a team again.” J-Hope wrote, “Finally, it’s the year that we will all be together with you!!” Said Jungkook: “Please take good care of us this year as well.”

BTS also got together to participate in a countdown to the New Year on Weverse.

A world tour is expected to be announced soon as well.