BTS made their highly anticipated return to the live stage Saturday at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, marking the group's first full performance together in nearly four years. The event, titled BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG, aired live on Netflix at 8 p.m. Korean Standard Time, or 7 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, and drew an estimated 260,000 attendees.

The septet—RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook—delivered a one-hour set blending tracks from their newly released fifth studio album, ARIRANG, with fan favorites. The performance opened with new songs including "Body to Body," "Hooligan," "2.0," "Aliens," "FYA," "SWIM," "Like Animals" and "NORMAL." They also revived hits such as "Butter," "MIC Drop," "Dynamite" and "Mikrokosmos." The lead single "SWIM" received its live debut, highlighting the reflective themes of identity and roots in the 14-track album, which dropped Friday at 1 p.m. KST.

Produced by Done+Dusted and directed by Hamish Hamilton, the show featured an innovative LED stage framed like a picture cube against the backdrop of Gyeongbokgung Palace. The outdoor production emphasized the group's journey, choreography and personal dynamics without on-site rehearsals, relying on prior workshops.

BTS's hiatus stemmed from South Korea's mandatory military service requirements. Jin and j-hope completed service in 2024, followed by RM, V, Jimin and Jung Kook in June 2025, with SUGA discharged last on June 21, 2025. During this period, members pursued solo projects while the group prepared ARIRANG in Los Angeles.

The comeback follows official announcements from HYBE and BigHit Music, confirming the album release and world tour. Pre-orders opened January 16, 2026. The full stream is now available on Netflix on demand, with a documentary, BTS: THE RETURN, set to premiere March 27, chronicling the album's creation.

BTS WORLD TOUR 'ARIRANG' launches April 9 in Goyang, South Korea, spanning Asia, North America, Europe, Latin America and more through 2027, with many dates already sold out. Stops include Tampa (April 25-28), Mexico City (May 7-10), London (July 6-7) and Los Angeles (September 1-6). This marks their first group tour since Permission to Dance on Stage in 2022.