BTS may not reunite before 2026 although mandatory military service of all seven members ends by 2025

HYBE hints at 2026 reunion of BTS

During the Q3 earnings call of HYBE on Tuesday, November 5, CFO Lee Kyung Joon stated, “We are currently in discussions with the members about activities in 2026. While a full group comeback would generate considerable revenue, we expect it will not account for as high a share of our earnings as in the past, as our other artists and new ventures are also contributing to growth.”

When BTS disbanded temporarily in 2022 thanks to its eldest member Jin’s imminent mandatory military enlistment in the South Korean army, HYBE claimed that the boy-band will reunite after all members finish their military service three years later in 2025. So far, only Jin and J-Hope have finished their military service successfully. While all members will indeed finish their military service next year, HYBE has hinted that they’ll reunite in full force only in 2026.

BTS’ military enlistment and hiatus

The seven members of the world’s most popular boy band have been on a self-described “hiatus” since 2022 due to their military service, which South Korea requires of all men under 30 due to tensions with the nuclear-armed North.

J-hope ended eighteen months of South Korean military service in October, and hailed the “sacrifice” of soldiers working to keep the country safe. Before J-Hope, Jin finished his service in June. The rest of the band will complete their service in June 2025. 

Another hurdle in BTS’ reunion is that its member SUGA was investigated over a drunk e-scooter incident in Seoul earlier this year, which led to HYBE’s share price dropping to a record low. Some BTS members, however, continue to release solo projects, with Jin set to release his first solo album in November.