BTS has officially confirmed their long-awaited comeback, with a new album set to be released in March.
On January 1, BIGHIT Music announced that BTS will return as a full group with a new full-length album on March 20, 2026. This will be their first complete group album in about three years and nine months, following the release of their anthology album Proof in June 2022.
The comeback also marks the group’s full return after completing their mandatory military service, which concluded with Suga’s discharge on June 21, 2025.
The comeback date was first revealed in a very personal and unexpected way. Before the official announcement, BTS sent handwritten letters to ARMY, their official fandom, to celebrate the New Year. These letters were delivered directly to fans’ homes. Along with personal messages, the members wrote the date “2026.03.20” by hand.
In the letters, each member shared sincere messages filled with gratitude and excitement. RM wrote, “I waited more desperately than anyone else.” Jin also thanked fans deeply for waiting so patiently. Suga told fans, “Let’s enjoy this year together again. I love you.”
j-hope shared his excitement, *What I had been imagining has finally become reality!” Jimin wrote that the year they would meet again had finally arrived. V promised, “In 2026, we will create even more and even better memories, so please look forward to it!”
Jungkook said he misses ARMY and asked, “Please take good care of us this year as well.”
BIGHIT explained that the handwritten letters were prepared as a gift for fans who maintained their ARMY membership on the global fan platform Weverse over the past three years. Fans who did not receive a physical letter will be able to read the same messages on Weverse by the end of January.
On the last day of 2025, BTS also welcomed the New Year with fans through a live broadcast on Weverse. All seven members appeared together, reflected on the past year, and shared their hopes for the future.
During the broadcast, they said they hope to make a safe comeback in 2026 and release a successful album. They also expressed their wish for BTS to grow even bigger in the coming year.
The March 20 release date falls on a Friday, which is the standard global release day for music. The upcoming album will be BTS’s first new full album as a complete group since resuming activities after military service.
In addition to the album, BTS confirmed that they will embark on a large-scale world tour. This will be their first global tour in several years. BIGHIT MUSIC stated that more details about the album, including its concept, as well as concert dates and locations, will be announced later through BTS’s official channels.