BTS after hiatus: The best is yet to come

Here are their group and solo projects that ARMYs can revisit and look forward to after their military service.

“Promise that we’ll keep on coming back for more,” sings K-pop supergroup BTS in their hit 2022 track Yet To Come. And this promise is what millions of BTS fans around the globe, collectively known as “ARMY,” have been holding on to as they continue to wait persistently for their OT7 to return to the music scene as a group.

Now the wait is almost over as BTS, aka the biggest boy band in the world, is set to make their full-group comeback in March 2026, according to The Korea Herald. “BTS’ comeback date is set for March next year,” a HYBE official confirmed to the outlet’s sources. 

It’s definitely music to the ears of millions of ARMYs worldwide, as it has been over two years since BTS made their appearance as a group. Their last performance was at their “Yet To Come” concert in Busan on Oct. 15, 2022. Two days later, the group’s agency, HYBE, officially confirmed that the BTS members are enlisting in South Korea’s mandatory 18-month military service, starting with Jin.

Four months prior, on June 15, 2022, the septet—RM, Jin, Suga, J-hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook—announced that they are going on a hiatus to focus on solo activities. It happened at a time when the group was expected to stream their annual FESTA dinner to celebrate their ninth anniversary. BTS leader RM said that they needed to take some time off so they can mature both as artists and “as humans.”

The Bangtan Boys: Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook

Their much-anticipated March 2026 comeback aligns with HYBE CEO Lee Jae-sang’s statement to shareholders this year that the group would need “time for preparation and creative work” after military discharge. 

“We’re preparing alongside top-tier producers, but the artists also need time to reflect and prepare,” Lee added. As of writing, BTS members have already finished their military service, except for Suga, who was discharged on Saturday, June 21.

Korean entertainment news site Soompi, meanwhile, reported that BigHit Music briefly responded to the group’s rumored comeback, saying, “Nothing has yet been decided about their comeback schedule.”

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But any ARMY would know—BTS always had their way of connecting to our purple hearts, regardless of time or distance. So, whether the group’s reported March 2026 comeback pushes through or not, we all should better prepare for the coming months, as the group is sure to light them up like dynamite. 

Below, we’ve rounded up BTS’ group and solo projects for you to look back on and gear up for, showing our dear OT7 that despite all their time away, we are together, bulletproof.

Jin

Jin has been on a roll since he was discharged from the military on June 12, 2024. In just a year from his graduation, Sergeant Kim Seok-jin, or BTS’ “Worldwide Handsome,” has already released two solo albums. “Happy,” which dropped in November 2024, is a reflection of “his honest thoughts and feelings on what happiness means to him,” according to HYBE. Meanwhile, “Echo,” released last May 16, is “Jin’s perspective on universal life experiences, capturing everyday emotions with warmth and sincerity.”

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Outside music, the group’s oldest member has been expanding his entertainment portfolio with his appearance in Netflix’s Korean variety series Kian’s Bizarre B&B, where he co-managed an eccentric bed-and-breakfast in Ulluengdo. He also launched Run Jin, an online variety show which is a spin-off of BTS’ own Run BTS! online series. 

And as promised in his track I Will Come To You, the K-pop idol is set to reconnect and get much closer to ARMYs with his “Runseokin_EP.Tour” fan concert series. The tour is set to kick off on June 28-29 in Goyang, to be followed by 18 other shows across nine cities, including Osaka, Anaheim, Dallas, London, and Amsterdam through Aug. 10.

J-hope

J-hope’s solo triumphs certainly made him the “Sunshine” of ARMY during BTS’ hiatus. J-hope was the first BTS member to release a solo album, titled “Jack in the Box,” in July 2022 before starting his military service in April 2023. While serving in the military, Hobi released the EP “Hope on the Street Vol. 1” along with a six-part documentary series on Disney+. He completed his 18-month service on Oct. 17, 2024, as a sergeant.

Four months later, J-hope embarked on his first solo world tour, “Hope on the Stage,” in support of his solo album and EP. It began on Feb. 28, 2025 in Seoul and ended on June 14, 2025, in Goyang. The finale of his tour served as a mini-reunion for BTS, with the other six members joining him in the audience. Jin and Jungkook also joined J-hope on stage to perform their solo tracks and BTS songs, including Jamais Vu.

The day after, on June 15, J-hope guested on the Korean variety show Omniscient Interfering View, where the K-pop idol hinted at BTS’ plans as a group. “We’ll probably get together and talk about a new album. We’re trying to make a comeback as soon as possible, though,” he said, “BTS is known for its performances. We’ll be planning a world tour as well.”

 Keep your fingers crossed and mark your calendars, ARMYs!

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RM and V

Besides being the “best leader,” RM is loved by ARMYs for the emotional and powerful anthems he’s been writing for BTS since their debut on June 13, 2013. The rapper-songwriter continued creating heartfelt songs in the group’s “chapter 2,” but this time, with a focus on himself. He said in a Weverse livestream in August 2023 that prioritizing their personal growth at that time would help them create better versions of themselves for their fans. “What I’m thinking right now is, these days, when I’m doing solo projects, is this is just like a vacation to get back to where I was, which was BTS and ARMY,” RM said.

RM marked BTS “chapter 2” with the release of his debut solo album, “Indigo,” on Dec. 2, 2022, and another one titled “Right Place, Wrong Person” on May 24, 2024. Five months after, Hybe premiered his documentary, RM: Right People, Wrong Place, which speaks of the artist’s creative process behind his second album. The film premiered at the Busan International Film Festival in October 2024 and made its global theatrical debut in December that year.

RM, or Sergeant Kim Nam-joon in the military, was officially discharged on June 10 along with fellow BTS member V, or Sergeant Kim Tae-hyung. Speaking to reporters during their welcome ceremony, RM said that he believed he and V have the same thing in mind—to get back to the stage. “We’ll hurry and make an album and return to the stage,” RM remarked. V chimed in, saying, “real soon.”

Speaking of V, the group’s sub-vocalist and visuals meanwhile released his solo debut album, “Layover,” in September 2023 and his digital single FRI(END)S in March 2024. Beyond music, V appeared in several reality shows including Seojin’s, where he works in a restaurant with his friends, as well as IN THE SOOP: Friendcation along with his close friends, the “Wooga Squad.”

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Jimin and Jungkook

Like RM and V, Jimin and Jungkook both enlisted in the military on Dec. 12, 2023 and were discharged on June 11, 2025. Prior to their enlistment, BTS “Angel” Jimin shone in his solo era, with the release of his albums “FACE” and “MUSE” on March 24, 2023 and July 19, 2024, respectively. He also collaborated with fellow K-pop idol Taeyang on his comeback single Vibe.

Not only that, Jiminie showcased his versatility as a solo artist in other activities like brand ambassadorship for Dior, attending fashion events, and landing on the covers of magazines. In the military, Jimin was selected as Special Class Warrior for his outstanding performance and was discharged as a sergeant.

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Meanwhile, Jungkook entered his golden era, firing up the internet with his sexy visuals, smooth dance moves, and perfect vocals like never before. The BTS “Golden Maknae” released his single Seven in July 2023 and his debut album “Golden,” featuring an all-English tracklist, in November of the same year. He also participated in the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, performing the games’ official soundtrack, Dreamers.

Beyond his music projects, the multi-talented idol became the global ambassador of Calvin Klein underwear in 2023. His captivating visuals and enticing charms left fans awestruck, with the campaign generating significant buzz online. Like the rest of his band brothers, Jungkook was promoted to the position of sergeant during his military service.

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While Hybe hasn’t made any official announcement yet, the word on the street is that Jungkook is planning a solo world tour in 2025. Reports suggest that it could start in October 2025 and end in January 2026, so stay tuned!

Suga

Suga is BTS’ “Savage King” not without reason. Besides his straightforward personality that amuses many ARMYs, the rapper-producer sure knows how to maximize his potential as a solo artist. Suga, or Min Yoon-gi, debuted his solo album “D-Day” on April 21, 2023 under his Agust D alias. It was released at the same time his documentary, “Suga: Road to D-Day,” premiered on Disney+. The film chronicles how the BTS member created his album and follows him on music road trip across different countries. The rapper also hosted a five-episode radio show, called Agust D Radio, to promote “D-Day” on Apple Music.

On top of all that, Suga is the first member to go on a solo world tour, with his “Suga | Agust D Tour ‘D-Day,” which ran for four and a half months across 10 cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Yokohama, Bangkok, Singapore, and Seoul. Like his fellow BTS members, Suga participated in activities beyond music. He became the face of Valentino in 2022 and an ambassador of NBA in 2023. 

Suga is the final BTS member discharged from the military. He quietly wrapped his 21 months of service as a social service agent on Wednesday, June 18, but was discharged on June 21. This marks the end of the military service for all seven members of BTS and signifies the start of the countdown to their much-awaited comeback.

All photos from BTS/Instagram

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