BTS have revealed that their highly anticipated new album will be called ‘ARIRANG’.
The announcement comes after the K-Pop giants recently welcomed in the new year by revealing plans for a new album and a global run of dates.
It was confirmed that the long-awaited follow-up to 2020’s ‘Be’ is due for release on March 20, but further details around the record were not disclosed.
Now, the band have revealed that it will be called ‘ARIRANG’. The name is the same as a traditional Korean folk song renowned both in Korea and worldwide. In the same way that the song is deeply connected with themes of connection, distance, and reunion, the BTS album is set to have a similar approach, using the tracklist to look back at their identity and roots.
The album will draw on a similar emotional depth of the folk song, and take a dive into the sense of yearning that rises up at different points in life, as well as the ebb and flow journeys we all take.
A new press release also shared that while the record will span a wide range of emotions, including love and longing, it is also expected to strike a balance between deeply personal and universally relatable.
Earlier this week, BTS announced the cities, venues and dates for their huge world tour in 2026 and 2027. With the trek set to cover 34 regions and 79 live shows, it will be their biggest tour yet.
Dates kick off this April with multiple concerts in Goyang, South Korea, and Tokyo, Japan, before following with dates in North America and Europe. Only two UK shows are lined-up, taking place in London on July 6 and 7 2026.
From there, the band head back to North America, before embarking on more shows in South America, Asia, and Australia.
Tickets go on sale on January 24, and you can find all ticket information here and here.
The upcoming BTS record was recently listed as one of NME‘s most anticipated album releases of 2026. “Expect this comeback to be massive,” the entry read.
In July, the K-pop icons reunited for the first time since 2022, with all seven members having completed their mandatory military service in South Korea. During a special livestream, BTS confirmed rumours that they were preparing to release new music.
They went on hiatus in 2022, so that their members could also “explore some solo projects”, while juggling the aforementioned mandatory military service.
