A lot of fans have to wait lengthy periods of time for new music from their favorite artists. But only ARMY knows what it’s like to have to watch and wait as a group steps away for years — while at the height of historic success, no less — to fulfill military service requirements and pursue solo endeavors before finally, finally reuniting in the studio to create its first full-length in six years. Such has been the case for BTS.
In 2022, RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook announced that after taking K-pop to an unprecedented level with global crossover hits such as Billboard Hot 100-toppers “Dynamite,” “Butter” and “Permission to Dance,” they’d be stepping away to complete their government-mandated time in the South Korean military. After having the bounds of their patience tested for years, however, fans will finally reach the promised land when comeback LP ARIRANG drops, after which the boy band will embark on a sprawling world stadium tour in 2026 and 2027. It’s a moment that’s been an immeasurable amount time, work and life experience in the making, as the members have spent the past three years staggering their required enlistments and taking turns releasing solo music to tide listeners over, discovering new elements of their artistry as individuals in the process.
Fast forward to present day, and the Bangtan Boys have walked away from months spent recording and rehearsing — having gotten back in the studio almost immediately after the last few members were discharged in June 2025 — with a brand new album completed that ARMY will be able to hear at last very soon. And as the clock ticks down, Billboard is keeping track of all the details we know about ARIRANG leading up to its invitable culture-stopping drop.
From the tracklist to the release date, see everything we know about ARIRANG so far below.
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The Release Date
ARIRANG is due out March 20 via BigHit Music.
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The Tracklist
ARIRANG features 14 tracks, as listed in order below:
- “Body to Body”
- “Hooligan”
- “Aliens”
- “FYA”
- “2.0”
- “No. 29”
- “SWIM”
- “Merry Go Round”
- “NORMAL”
- “Like Animals”
- “they don’t know ’bout us”
- “One More Night”
- “Please”
- “Into the Sun”
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The Producers
As revealed when the tracklist first dropped, ARIRANG features production from Diplo, Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker, Mike WiLL Made-It, Ryan Tedder and more.
Plus, the credits show that members of BTS had a hand in writing every single one of the 14 songs.
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The Inspiration
The title of ARIRANG directly refers to the overall inspiration behind the album. Created with the concept of “Arirang” — a traditional Korean folk song renowned around the world — in mind, BigHit Music said in a statement that the 14-track set will be “a deeply reflective body of work” that explores the members’ “identity and roots.”
Drawing on “the emotional depth of ‘Arirang,’” the album is also described as conveying “yearning, longing and the ebb and flow of life.”
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The Songs Are ‘More Mature’
“We have a diversity of genres,” Suga said of ARIRANG in a Feb. 13, 2025, GQ cover story. “What I can tell you is that it’s going to be quite different from the BTS albums and sounds that you’ve been listening to. You’re going to see a more mature side of BTS this time around.”
“It’s truly the whole package,” RM added in the interview. “I can tell this next album is going to enlighten a little of that confusion.”
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It’ll ‘Shock’ People
Diplo, who worked on the tracks “Body to Body,” “FYA,” “One More Night,” “Like Animals” and “Into the Sun,” told TMZ that ARIRANG is the “craziest album ever,” and that it’ll “shock the world.”
“I just feel so lucky, because I’ve been working for three decades and to link up with a group like that, and have them trust me and do some awesome music,” he added at the time. “They’re so hands-on. They’re so creative. I can’t believe it.”
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