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. Fans and industry insiders alike are eager to learn when the group will resume full-group activities and what new music and messages will define the next chapter of BTS.
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—released during his enlistment—remained on the Billboard Hot 100 for 33 weeks, setting a new record for K-pop. RM’s LOST!, also released during his service, won several awards at international festivals including the Shark Music Video Awards and Sislope Festival.
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 repeatedly stated that BTS will resume group activities and performances once all members return from service, and that preparations are underway for their comeback.
However, most analysts agree that an immediate comeback upon discharge is unlikely. Time is needed to produce music and performances that meet the high expectations of fans worldwide.
HYBE CEO Park Jiwon stated at the March shareholders’ meeting that the company is working with top-tier composers and that the group is discussing their vision and direction for the future. He emphasized that the process—writing, recording, and then touring—requires thoughtful planning, especially for a group at BTS’s global level.
Considering the time needed for post-discharge preparation, a full-group comeback is projected to happen no earlier than late this year, and potentially as late as the first half of 2025. Jin, for instance, will embark on a solo fan concert tour across South Korea, Japan, the U.S., the U.K., and the Netherlands starting next month, further supporting this timeline.
RM recently told fans on Weverse, “There’s a lot I want to share—through both music and words.” Jimin echoed this, saying, “I will give you the best stage as a thank you for waiting.” Even if a formal comeback takes time, it’s possible the members may appear together before then, just as they did when Jin was discharged in 2023.
With all but the youngest member, Jungkook, now in their 30s, BTS is entering a new phase of their careers, and fans are looking forward to the evolved messages they’ll deliver.
Back in 2017–2018, BTS made a global impact with their Love Yourself series, which promoted the message of self-love. Experts believe their solo careers have helped each member grow musically, setting the stage for a more mature and powerful return as a group.
Lee Ji-young, a research professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies’ Semiosis Research Center, commented, “Having trained and achieved success individually, the members’ reunion will likely result in music and storytelling that far surpasses their previous work. Their experiences, including military service, will bring a deeper emotional resonance.”
Many believe BTS’s return could inject new life into the K-pop industry, which has shown signs of stagnation following its explosive growth during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to music data journalist Kim Jin-woo of Circle Chart, K-pop album sales dropped 17.7% and digital streaming declined 7.6% last year compared to the year prior.
Choi Kwang-ho, secretary-general of the Korea Music Content Association, said, “BTS is unrivaled in performance, and even their solo projects have been hugely successful. Their return is highly anticipated and could be the catalyst the K-pop industry needs to regain momentum, especially after a difficult year marked by global economic challenges.”
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