All seven members of BTS will have completed their mandatory military service by next month, marking their long-awaited return to fans, known as ARMY. This milestone has sparked widespread anticipation not only in the K-pop industry but also across the global music market.
With Jin and J-Hope already discharged last year, RM and V are set to be discharged on June 10, followed by Jungkook and Jimin on June 11, and Suga on June 21. During their service hiatus, members continued to connect with fans through pre-recorded solo releases. Notably, Jimin’s single “Who” stayed on the Billboard Hot 100 for 33 weeks, setting a new K-pop record. RM’s “LOST!” also won several international awards.
BTS’s last group album was the 2022 anthology Proof, and their most recent group concert was Yet to Come in Busan in October 2022. HYBE has confirmed that BTS will resume group activities once all members return, and preparations are underway for their comeback.
However, experts agree that an immediate comeback is unlikely. The group needs time to produce music and performances that meet the high expectations of their global fans. HYBE CEO Park Jiwon said the process of writing, recording, and touring requires careful planning.
A full-group comeback is projected to happen no earlier than late 2024, possibly in the first half of 2025. Jin will also embark on a solo fan concert tour across South Korea, Japan, the U.S., the U.K., and the Netherlands starting next month, supporting this timeline.
Members have expressed their eagerness to return. RM said, “There’s a lot I want to share—through both music and words.” Jimin promised, “I will give you the best stage as a thank you for waiting.” Even before a formal comeback, the members may appear together occasionally, as they did when Jin was discharged.
Now in their 30s except for Jungkook, BTS is entering a new phase. Experts believe their solo experiences and military service will bring deeper emotional resonance and musical growth to their future work.
Lee Ji-young, a research professor, noted that the members’ reunion will likely produce music and storytelling that surpasses their previous work.
Many expect BTS’s return to revitalize the K-pop industry, which has seen declines in album sales and streaming recently. According to Choi Kwang-ho, secretary-general of the Korea Music Content Association, BTS’s comeback could be the catalyst K-pop needs to regain momentum after a challenging year marked by global economic issues.
