SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — K-pop giants BTS are back.
A free concert on Saturday night in Seoul is expected to draw tens of thousands of fans from around the world.
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Japanese fans of K-pop band BTS before a drone light show to celebrate the comeback of the K-pop band BTS at a park along the Han River in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Drones light up the night sky during a drone light show to celebrate the comeback of the K-pop band BTS at a park along the Han River in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
K-pop band BTS is displayed on big screens on a building in downtown Seoul, South Korea, Monday, March 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
People pass by a banner for BTS ahead of a comeback concert of the K-pop band near Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
People gather ahead of a comeback concert of K-pop band BTS at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Fans of K-pop band BTS hang banners for BTS on the wall at a fan zone promoting the news album of BTS near the Han River in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
A man walks past a cafe in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Workers prepare for a concert by K-pop group BTS at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, March 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
A fan of K-pop band BTS films billboard showing of BTS in downtown Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, March 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Photos of K-pop band BTS members are displayed at a cafe in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Messages welcoming BTS fans are displayed on screens ahead of a comeback concert of K-pop group BTS at a shopping street in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, March 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
A fan of K-pop band BTS takes a selfie in downtown Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, March 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
South Korean police officers stand near a billboard showing K-pop band BTS in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Fan of K-pop band BTS in front of a logo of BTS in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, March 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Fans of K-pop band BTS stand look at photos of BTS members at a cafe in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
A screen promoting a comeback concert of K-pop boy group BTS is seen near Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, March 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Yumika Ueno, a Japanese fan of K-pop band BTS, poses for a photo with her painted nails showing the names of BTS members at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, March 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Fans of K-pop band BTS, South Korean Chaemin Shin, left, and Vietnamese Tam Tamie, right, and sing at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, March 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Workers adjust a banner promoting a comeback concert of K-pop boy group BTS on the government complex building near Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
The city’s skyscrapers are glowing with BTS advertisements as the city washes itself in purple, welcoming the ‘ARMY’. Fans are already clutching tickets and singing in anticipation, turning Seoul into a kind of open-air prelude to the show.
The group’s comeback follows a nearly four-year hiatus due to South Korea’s mandatory military service, which requires most men to serve 18 to 21 months. Members began enlisting in 2022, with Suga the last to complete his service in June 2025.
Japanese fans of K-pop band BTS before a drone light show to celebrate the comeback of the K-pop band BTS at a park along the Han River in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Drones light up the night sky during a drone light show to celebrate the comeback of the K-pop band BTS at a park along the Han River in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
K-pop band BTS is displayed on big screens on a building in downtown Seoul, South Korea, Monday, March 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
People pass by a banner for BTS ahead of a comeback concert of the K-pop band near Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
People gather ahead of a comeback concert of K-pop band BTS at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Fans of K-pop band BTS hang banners for BTS on the wall at a fan zone promoting the news album of BTS near the Han River in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
A man walks past a cafe in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Workers prepare for a concert by K-pop group BTS at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, March 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
A fan of K-pop band BTS films billboard showing of BTS in downtown Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, March 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Photos of K-pop band BTS members are displayed at a cafe in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Messages welcoming BTS fans are displayed on screens ahead of a comeback concert of K-pop group BTS at a shopping street in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, March 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
A fan of K-pop band BTS takes a selfie in downtown Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, March 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
South Korean police officers stand near a billboard showing K-pop band BTS in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Fan of K-pop band BTS in front of a logo of BTS in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, March 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Fans of K-pop band BTS stand look at photos of BTS members at a cafe in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
A screen promoting a comeback concert of K-pop boy group BTS is seen near Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, March 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Yumika Ueno, a Japanese fan of K-pop band BTS, poses for a photo with her painted nails showing the names of BTS members at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, March 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Fans of K-pop band BTS, South Korean Chaemin Shin, left, and Vietnamese Tam Tamie, right, and sing at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, March 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Workers adjust a banner promoting a comeback concert of K-pop boy group BTS on the government complex building near Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
