Before we get all giddy about the most notable comeback in history, let’s reflect on how the entertainment industry narrative has evolved over the years. I’m not the only one here who grew up watching the MTV US Top 20 Video Countdown; this was a weekend staple for my brothers and me. It was our ceremonial weekend starter before we spent time on our PlayStation or my ever-favourite Nintendo Game Boy Colour (Pokémon gamer here!).
Music consumption has changed: from a Western-dominated roster of top artists to a diverse mix of artists and chart-toppers from around the world. It is fascinating to see how globalization has transformed the trillion-dollar music market, welcoming new languages and artistic styles into this generation. Platforms like Spotify and Apple Music have been instrumental in this shift, helping us discover music that truly speaks to us, regardless of where it originates. BTS is the most stunning example of this shift, as this comeback tour is predicted to rival the impact of Taylor Swift’s mighty Eras Tour.
After what felt like an eternity, BTS have ended their 3+ year hiatus and are ready to light up the stage once again. To catch you up: the members took turns serving their mandatory 18-month military service. It was a staggered journey that began with Jin in December 2022, followed by the high-energy enlistments of J-Hope, Suga, RM, V, Jimin, and Jung Kook throughout 2023.
The Kings of Big Hits (Pun Intended)
History has a way of repeating itself for royalty. In March 1958, the “King of Rock and Roll,” Elvis Presley, was inducted into the U.S. Army and served for exactly two years. On the day of his induction, he received his famous Army haircut and famously quipped, “Hair today, gone tomorrow”—a statement that echoed worldwide.
In a modern parallel, BTS took a strategic approach to staying connected with their fans during their service; each member dropped “absolute fire” solo projects that kept the charts phenomenal and the ARMY hyped—proving that this ride-or-die fandom is fully committed to keeping the purple flame ablaze. To the uninitiated, the ARMY is the official name of BTS’s fan base.
Let’s begin the roll call of their solo milestones: * Jung Kook: His most-streamed song, “Seven” (feat. Latto), has surpassed a whopping 2.8 billion streams on Spotify alone. Later that year, his album GOLDEN earned over 6.8 billion cumulative streams, making it the first and only album by an Asian soloist to reach such a record.
- Jimin: “Who” (2024) is the first Asian solo hit to reach 2.3 billion streams without a featured artist. The track spent 33 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, the longest run for a K-Pop male solo track.
- Jin: With his album Happy (2024), he became the final member to land a Top 10 album on the Billboard 200 (debuting at #4). Additionally, Happy was the only K-Pop solo album to rank #1 on Japan’s Oricon Year-End Album Chart for 2025.
- V: Layover (2023) surpassed 2.5 billion streams on Spotify in February 2026 and was named one of the “30 Best Albums of 2023” by Time Out and NME.
- RM: The winner of Best K-Pop Artist at the 2025 American Music Awards! His hit Indigo (2022) remains the highest-charting album for a Korean artist on the Billboard 200, peaking at #3.
- Suga: The D-DAY tour set the record for the highest-grossing tour by a K-Pop soloist, garnering $57.2 million. Additionally, D-DAY THE MOVIE was one of the highest-grossing concert films in the USA in 2024.
- J-Hope: Last but certainly not least, J-Hope was the first BTS member to enter the Billboard 200 Top 10 as a solo artist with Jack In The Box. His project Hope On The Street (2024) currently has 470 million streams on Spotify and was named one of the most-watched music docuseries on Prime Video in 2024.
Collectively, BTS reigns as the ultimate K-Pop group, fueled by astronomical support. Chu Torres, a dedicated fan for over 7 years, explains: “We may have our own ‘bias’—mine are Jimin & J-Hope—but collectively, we love and support BTS as one. #OT7.” (In K-Pop fandom, the term “bias” refers to a fan’s favorite member of a group.)
She added, “The ARMY will always be here for them because we are family. We have seen all seven of them grow in their careers as they humbly pursue their love for music.”
The Arirang World Tour 2026
The ARMY predicted a strong comeback the moment BTS announced their hiatus in June 2022. Torres recalled that as early as 2023, fans were already preparing for the “ticket war” that eventually took place in January 2026. Torres recalled having to use multiple devices and working with friends to score tickets for various tours in Canada, the US, and the UK.
BTS kicked off the comeback season via a livestream concert on Netflix on March 21 (KST), which easily hit 18.4 million views. The performance felt like a retrospective of who BTS has been throughout the years, now portraying an evolved, stronger, and deeply passionate character.
The Arirang World Tour will be a year-long journey running through March 2027, spanning 82 shows across 34 cities—with major stops in Tokyo, Las Vegas, London, and Paris, as well as a two-night return to Toronto. The tour is projected to generate $1.8+ billion in revenue, nearly matching the record set by Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. However, fans believe it could potentially exceed the record, as BTS is adding more stops to the roster. Stay tuned.
