BTS Arirang comeback 2026: Album, Netflix concert, documentary and how to watch in Singapore - CNA Lifestyle
K-pop superstars BTS released their highly anticipated album, Arirang, on Mar 20. RM, Suga, J-Hope, Jin, Jungkook, V and Jimin then embarked on the Arirang world tour from Apr 9.
Korean group BTS appears at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards in Las Vegas on Apr 3, 2022. (Photo: AP/Jordan Strauss)
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Hazeeq Sukri 09 Mar 2026 01:07PM (Updated: 10 Apr 2026 12:23PM) Bookmark Bookmark Share WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Set CNA as your preferred source on Google Add CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results. Read a summary of this article on FAST. Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try. Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST FAST ARMYs, the Arirang era is officially here. Before you bring out your Army Bomb lightsticks and swim the purple wave with RM, Suga, J-Hope, Jin, Jungkook, V and Jimin, be sure to save this page and refer to it to get all the latest news about the Arirang album and world tour.
Back in January 2026, BTS' agency, BigHit Music, announced that the septet would release a new album called Arirang on Mar 20 β their first album in over three years.
On Mar 13, the group released an animated trailer for the album on their YouTube channel, as well as the first promotional group photo, featuring the seven members in suits.
Arirang has 14 songs, with its title track being Swim, described as an upbeat alternative pop song that captures the spirit of perseverance and moving through life even amid rough waters.
Many members of BTS contributed to the lyrics in the Arirang album.
The album also boasts many notable producers, including OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder, American DJ Diplo and longtime collaborator Pdogg.
1. Body To Body2. Hooligan3. Aliens4. FYA5. 2.06. No.297. Swim8. Merry Go Round9. Normal10. Like Animals11. They Donβt Know 'Bout Us12. One More Night13. Please14. Into The Sun
Ryan Tedder previously said that Arirang is "one of the most crazy things" he's ever worked on and even praised the members for their talent.
On Mar 18, BTS released the first teaser trailer for Swim's music video. The 16-second-long clip showed a woman running in an empty museum, through what seems like nautical exhibits. The museum appears to be Lisbonβs Maritime Museum, Museu de Marinha. BTS was reportedly in Portugal in February 2026.
The second music video teaser was released on Mar 19, around the same time US talk show host Jimmy Fallon revealed the band was set to appear in two back-to-back episodes on Mar 25 and 26.Β
On Wednesday (Apr 1), BTS dropped a surprise teaser for a music video for 2.0. Inspired by the classic South Korean movie Oldboy, the music video dropped later that night.
A music video for the song, Hooligan, was released on Apr 7.
It was a free performance by BTS, held at the historical Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea. The event happened on Mar 21 β a day after the release of the Arirang album.
With more than 260,000 visitors expected, the Seoul government announced it would deploy around 3,400 personnel for a large-scale safety plan, in coordination with local districts and fire authorities.
On Mar 17, authorities announced that they would ramp up security measures.
6,500 officers were deployed across the area, along with more than 70 mobile police units and 5,400 pieces of equipment, including aerial observation vehicles and safety barricades.
Precautions were also taken to prevent accidents from fans attempting to watch the concert from nearby buildings.
Authorities coordinated with building managers to restrict access to rooftops and upper floors at 25 buildings around the square. This was to prevent situations such as overcrowding on rooftops, falls or objects being thrown into the crowd.
Demand for BTS light sticks also shot up, with second-handΒ ones selling for up to six times the original price ahead of the show.
The show had one small hiccup: The group's leader RM sustained an ankle injury and limited his stage performance.
Netflix aired the performance on Mar 21, at 7pm (Singapore time).
On Mar 25, streaming giant Netflix announced that the comeback concert drew an estimated 18.4 million viewers worldwide.Β
The live broadcast from Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square reached Netflix's weekly Top 10 in 80 countries and secured the number one spot in 24 countries, the streaming service added.
Netflix also aired a documentary titled BTS: The Return on Mar 27, which offered a behindβtheβscenes look at the making of the Arirang album. The trailer of the documentary showed BTS talking about their journey back to the stage following their hiatus, as well as working on their music in Los Angeles.
The Arirang world tour commenced on Apr 9 with a three-night concert at South Korea's Goyang Stadium. Followng this, BTS will perform at Japan's Tokyo Dome for two nights. Thereafter, the group will have stops in the US, Mexico, Europe and Southeast Asia.
The first show of the Arirang concert saw heavy rain throughout the two-and-a-half-hour-long concert.
BTS will perform in Singapore for four nights: Dec 17, 19, 20 and 22. More details, including the shows' venue and ticket prices, will be announced at a later date.
All three nights of BTS' Arirang concert at Goyang Stadium (Apr 9, 11 and 12) will be livestreamed on fan platform Weverse. Ticket prices for the livestream start at 59,400 won (S$52).
Cinemas around the world will also have live viewings of two Arirang concerts: The Goyang Stadium show on Apr 11 and the Tokyo Dome show on Apr 18.
In Singapore, theatre chains Golden Village and Shaw Theatres will hold live screenings of these two concerts, as well as reruns, at certain outlets.
Tickets for all screenings, regardless of live broadcasts or reruns, will cost S$55, before booking fees.
BTS has launched a fan experience project called BTS City, transforming Seoul into their stage with pop-up events, exhibitions and themed activations across the city.
These include light shows at iconic landmarks, including Sungnyemun and Dongdaemun Design Plaza.
A stamp rally will also take place around Seoul from Mar 20 to Apr 19, where ARMYs with valid Weverse accounts can complete missions at various locations to collect stamps. Collect five and earn the Seoul Special badge. The first 10,000 fans who clear the ARMY Madang stage will get a trial version of the BTS digital membership.
There will also be a series of pop-up stores in Seoul, celebrating the release of the Arirang album. Titled BTS Pop-up: Arirang, the retail spaces will open on Mar 20 β the day the album is released β and run until Apr 12. The pop-ups will be held at Hybe's Yongsan headquarters and at Shinsegae Department Storeβs main branch.
The stores will feature official merchandise themed around the new album, including apparel such as T-shirts, hoodies and ball caps, as well as the latest version of the groupβs official light stick and related accessories. There are also items that capture the traditional Korean charm, such as folding fans and a traditional Korean dining table.
Selected merchandise will also go on sale on the Weverse Shop from Thursday (Mar 12) at 11am KST (10am in Singapore). Come Mar 20, all items will be available online from 2pm KST.
BTS also collaborated with streaming platform Spotify on a cruise event called Swimside, from Mar 27 to 29. There were three boarding sessions each day, between 5.30pm and 10.30pm.
The cruise took place around the Han River in Seoul, with attendees on board listening to BTS songs.
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