BTS

BTS is a seven-member South Korean pop group: Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jung Kook.[1] The group formed in Seoul in 2010 and debuted on 13 June 2013 under Big Hit Music, now part of HYBE.[1] All seven completed South Korea's mandatory military service by June 2025, after which the group announced a full reunion and new music.[2]

## 2026 comeback

BTS returned as a complete group on 20 March 2026 with the album 'Arirang' and its lead single, 'Swim'.[2] 'Swim' debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.[4] 'Arirang' debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and held the position for three consecutive weeks, opening with 641,000 equivalent album units, the biggest first week by units for any group since Billboard began that method of counting in December 2014.[3][4]

## Awards

'Swim' won Song of the Year at the MTV Video Music Awards on 27 September 2026, the show's top overall prize.[5] It is only the second K-pop song ever nominated in that category; the first was BTS's own 'Dynamite' in 2021, which lost to Olivia Rodrigo's 'Drivers License'.[9] The same night, the VMAs' K-pop-specific award, Best K-Pop, went to Lisa's 'Dream' featuring Kentaro Sakaguchi, beating 'Swim' along with entries from Blackpink, Cortis, Katseye and Le Sserafim.[6][7]

## Lawsuit and Grammy dispute

On 8 July 2026, three American songwriters filed a US copyright lawsuit against HYBE, HYBE America and Big Hit Music, alleging 'Swim' reproduces an unreleased demo of the same name they wrote and recorded in early 2025.[10] The suit does not name any of the seven BTS members as defendants; HYBE and Big Hit Music have denied the claims.[10] Separately, on 29 July 2026 BTS said they would not submit music for the Recording Academy's new Best Asian Pop Music category, one of five categories introduced for the 2027 Grammy Awards, arguing music should not be divided by region or language.[11] On 19 August 2026, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said he had spent two weeks in discussions with people in the industry about the category; no change to it has been confirmed since.[11]

## Tour

The Arirang World Tour began on 9 April 2026 in Goyang, South Korea, and is booked for 88 shows across 34 cities in 23 countries into March 2027.[13] Two sold-out nights at London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in July 2026 drew about 130,000 fans, the highest per-show attendance recorded at the stadium since it opened in 2019.[12] The tour's North American leg closed on 6 September 2026 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.[13]

## Beyond music

Member RM opened 'RM x SFMOMA' on 3 October 2026 at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the first museum exhibition of his personal art collection, showing about 200 works of Korean and international art and running through 7 February 2027.[14]