When seven young men from South Korea stepped onto the stage on June 13, 2013, few could have predicted the cultural wave they would create.
BTS, which stands for Bangtan Sonyeondan or "Bulletproof Boy Scouts," debuted under Big Hit Entertainment with their single album "2 Cool 4 Skool" and the lead track "No More Dream."
The group was formed around RM, an underground rapper who caught the attention of producer Bang Si-hyuk in 2010. What started as a hip-hop-focused group gradually evolved into a global phenomenon that would redefine how the world views Korean music and youth culture.
Suga (Min Yoongi) joined shortly after, recruited from the underground hip-hop scene where he had already established himself as both a talented rapper and skilled producer. Jin (Kim Seokjin), the eldest member, was brought into the group in 2011, followed by J-Hope (Jung Hoseok), who transitioned from his work with the underground dance team NEURON to become BTS's main dancer.
Jimin (Park Jimin) joined as the second-to-last member, bringing an exceptional contemporary dance background from Busan High School of Arts just months before debut. V (Kim Taehyung) was added to the group, completing the vocal line. Jungkook (Jeon Jungkook), the youngest, joined the trainee program at just 13 years old and became the final member added to the lineup before BTS's official debut on June 13, 2013.
Global Dominance
The breakthrough came in 2016 with the album "Wings," which sold over one million copies in South Korea and earned BTS the title of "million sellers." The album charted at number 26 on the Billboard 200, making it the highest-charting K-pop album at the time.
BTS's "Love Yourself" series, released between 2017 and 2018, became a defining moment in their career. The trilogy—consisting of "Love Yourself: Her," "Love Yourself: Tear," and "Love Yourself: Answer"—told a complete story about the journey to self-love. "Love Yourself: Her" achieved over one million pre-orders, making BTS the first K-pop group to cross this milestone.
In August 2020, BTS achieved what many thought impossible for a Korean act: their first number-one song on the Billboard Hot 100. "Dynamite," their first fully English-language single, debuted at the top spot, making them the first all-South Korean group to reach number one in the chart's history. The momentum continued with "Butter" in 2021, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for ten non-consecutive weeks, making it the longest-running number-one song of that year.
In October 2022, Big Hit announced that BTS would move forward with military service to complete their mandatory obligations, with plans to reconvene around 2025.
Beginning in December 2022, Jin became the first member to enlist, and he was discharged on June 12, 2024, after 18 months of duty. The remaining members followed suit between 2023 and 2025, completing their service by June 2025.
The Reunion
On Dec. 21, 2025, all seven BTS members reunited for a livestream on Weverse, their first appearance together since their military service completions. During the livestream session, the members teased their much-anticipated comeback.
RM, the group's leader, declared, "2026 will be the year of BTS," and promised that "something really big is coming."
J-Hope added, "Next year is a very important time for us," while other members expressed both excitement and frustration about the long wait.
RM also revealed that the group finished recording their new album several months ago and has been working on revisions in the United States and other locations. Suga offered a hint, promising, "There will be news soon."
The official plan calls for a full-group comeback in spring 2026, followed by a world tour. Jungkook recently hinted that "this spring will be more crucial than ever," while RM previously stated that fans should "look forward to late March" for their return.
