BTS近年未再推出完整體團體唱片，並非創作停滯或市場策略失誤，而是源於韓國法律所規定的兵役制度，以及團體對長期發展所做出的理性選擇。這段看似漫長的空白期，其實是一個「暫停而非結束」的過程，也為日後的全面回歸奠定基礎。

自2022年起，BTS七位成員依序入伍服兵役。依照韓國現行法律，只要符合條件的男性公民，原則上都必須履行兵役義務，即使是具備全球影響力的藝人也不例外。過去幾年，社會上曾多次討論是否應為BTS設立特例，但最終團體與經紀公司選擇遵循制度，讓成員以一般公民的身分完成服役。這樣的決定，使得團體無法在短時間內以「全員到齊」的狀態進行錄音、宣傳與舞台活動，也因此必須暫停完整體的音樂發行計畫。

在團體活動暫緩的同時，BTS並未全面消失於樂壇。成員們在入伍前後，陸續展開個人音樂、合作企劃、紀錄片與品牌活動，讓每個人都能在不同風格與領域中深化自我定位。這段時期某種程度上也被視為BTS的「個人篇章」，讓外界更清楚看到七位成員各自的音樂取向與創作能力，同時維持團體品牌的能見度與影響力。

事實上，經紀公司早在兵役期初期便已規劃完整體回歸藍圖。原本內部目標曾指向2025年完成合流並重啟團體活動，但隨著實際服役時程、退伍時間與後續準備期的調整，最終確定將回歸時間點延後至2026年春季，以確保所有成員在身心狀態、創作時間與整體企劃上都能達到最佳條件，而非倉促上陣。

2026年1月1日，BTS透過親筆信與Weverse直播正式向全球粉絲宣布，將於202年3月20日發行全新完整體專輯，象徵七人正式結束兵役空白期，全面回歸歌壇。這張新專輯，距離他們上一張以團體為核心的作品——2022年6月推出的精選輯《Proof》，已相隔三年九個月，不僅在時間上具有里程碑意義，也被外界普遍視為「第二階段BTS」的起點。

新專輯發行後，BTS也將隨即啟動世界巡迴演唱會。這不只是回應長年等待的全球粉絲，更是一場宣告式的回歸，象徵團體在完成公民義務後，以更成熟的姿態重新站上國際舞台。經歷兵役、個人探索與暫別舞台的沉澱期，外界普遍預期，這次回歸在音樂內容、舞台敘事與團體能量上，都將與過去有所不同。

總體而言，BTS暫停團體活動並非被動中斷，而是一項兼顧法律責任、長期規劃與藝術生命的選擇。他們選擇讓所有成員完整服役，換取未來不再被迫分離的團體活動空間，也讓粉絲能在等待之後，迎來真正「完整」的BTS——不只回到舞台，更以全新階段的音樂與故事，重新出發。

The reason BTS has not released a full group album in recent years is not due to a lack of creativity or strategic missteps, but rather a conscious decision shaped by South Korea’s mandatory military service system and the group’s long-term vision. What appears to be a long hiatus is, in fact, a deliberate pause rather than an ending—one designed to lay the groundwork for a stronger return.

Beginning in 2022, the seven members of BTS gradually enlisted for mandatory military service. Under South Korean law, eligible male citizens are required to serve, and even artists with global influence are no exception. Although public debate emerged over whether BTS should receive a special exemption, both the group and their agency ultimately chose to comply with the law, allowing each member to fulfill his duty as an ordinary citizen. As a result, it became impossible for the group to record, promote, and perform together as a full unit within a short time frame, making a temporary suspension of full-group activities unavoidable.

During this hiatus from group promotions, BTS did not disappear from the music scene. Instead, the members pursued individual projects before and between enlistments, including solo albums, collaborations, documentaries, and brand-related activities. This period has often been described as BTS’s “solo chapter,” offering audiences a clearer view of each member’s personal musical direction and artistic identity, while also maintaining the group’s global presence and cultural relevance.

In reality, plans for a full-group comeback were already in place early in the enlistment period. Initially, the internal goal was for BTS to reunite and resume full activities in 2025. However, as enlistment schedules, discharge timelines, and preparation requirements became clearer, the comeback was ultimately postponed to spring 2026. This adjustment was made to ensure that all members could return in optimal physical and mental condition, with sufficient time for creative preparation, rather than rushing a reunion for symbolic reasons alone.

On January 1, 2026, BTS officially announced through handwritten letters and a Weverse livestream that they would release a brand-new full-group album on March 20, 2026. This marks their first complete comeback in three years and nine months, following the release of the anthology album Proof in June 2022. Beyond its timing, the album is widely viewed as the starting point of a “second chapter” for BTS—signaling both continuity and transformation after a period of separation and reflection.

Following the album’s release, BTS will also launch a world tour. More than a standard promotional cycle, this tour represents a global declaration of return—one that reconnects the group with fans who have waited through years of absence. Having experienced military service, individual growth, and time away from the stage, expectations are high that this comeback will reflect greater maturity in musical themes, stage storytelling, and collective energy.

In summary, BTS’s pause in group activities was not a forced interruption but a strategic and principled choice that balanced legal responsibility, long-term planning, and artistic sustainability. By completing military service as a full group, they secured a future in which BTS can move forward without further compulsory separations. For fans, the long wait culminates not merely in a return to the stage, but in the reemergence of a complete BTS—entering a new era with renewed purpose, deeper stories, and a stronger bond than ever.