K-Pop Sensations BTS, Wanna One, and More Announce Exciting Comebacks for 2026

K-pop fans have much to celebrate as top artists like BTS, Wanna One, and KATSEYE announce thrilling comebacks and reunions at the start of the new year. BTS is set to make their first full-group comeback since their military hiatus, while Wanna One is reuniting after three years, heightening anticipation for the K-pop scene in 2026.

BTS has confirmed their comeback for March 20. This marks their first full-group return since the release of their anthology album 'Proof' in June 2022, a gap of nearly four years. The hiatus was due to the members' mandatory military service, with Jin enlisting in December 2022, followed by j-hope, RM, V, Jimin, Jungkook, and finally Suga, who completed his service last June. The comeback news comes approximately six months after all members returned to civilian life.

The comeback date was first revealed in a handwritten letter to their fans, known as ARMY. Following the album release in March, BTS plans to embark on a large-scale world tour.

KATSEYE released their new song 'Internet Girl' at midnight on January 2. The track is a vibrant pop song with a dance genre flair. The members boldly address online trolls with the phrase "Eat your zucchini," a Western expression meaning "mind your own business." The song was previewed during their North American tour 'BEAUTIFUL CHAOS,' drawing attention for its empowering lyrics encouraging people to focus on their own well-being.

The group KiiiKiii announced their comeback through their agency, Starship Entertainment, aiming for the end of January. The agency stated, "We are preparing for a comeback at the end of January, and we ask for your support and anticipation as KiiiKiii embarks on new stories in 2026 with diverse music and content."

The band CNBLUE released a new song on January 1 at 6 PM to kick off the new year. The track 'Still, a Flower' is a pre-release from their upcoming third studio album '3LOGY,' set to drop on January 7. The album features ten tracks, all written and composed by the members, with Jung Yong-hwa contributing to 'Still, a Flower.'

Wanna One, the project group formed through Mnet's audition program 'Produce 101 Season 2' in 2017, has also shared exciting news. Mnet announced, "We are preparing a reality program featuring the full group of Wanna One, aiming for a release in the first half of 2026. Further details will be provided later."

The public's interest in their reunion is intense. A video titled '2026 Coming Soon, We Meet Again' was uploaded to Wanna One's official YouTube channel on January 1, causing the hashtag '#WannaOneReunion' to trend on South Korea's real-time trends on the platform 'X.' This marks their first full-group activity since their reunion stage at the 2021 MAMA AWARDS, drawing even more attention.

Min-Kyung Lee, TENASIA Reporter 2min_ror@tenasia.co.kr