BTS BIOGRAPHY - MEMBERS, AGE, CAREER, SONGS & FACTS

BTS is the world's biggest K-pop group — seven members from South Korea who grew from a small-label debut into a genuine global phenomenon.

The group debuted in 2013 under Big Hit Entertainment and spent the next decade breaking records across Asia, the United States and beyond. Group activities were paused from 2022 to 2025 while all seven members completed South Korea's mandatory military service.

In 2026, BTS reunited for one of the most anticipated comebacks in pop history, returning with a brand-new studio album, "Arirang", and a world tour.

Photo: The White House (Official White House Photo), via Wikimedia Commons — AI-enhanced.

Key Facts

Full Name: Bangtan Sonyeondan ("Bulletproof Boy Scouts"; backronym "Beyond the Scene" added July 2017)
Formed: Seoul, South Korea, 2010
Debut: June 13, 2013 on M Countdown with "No More Dream" (debut single album 2 Cool 4 Skool, released June 12, 2013)
Label: Big Hit Entertainment (now Big Hit Music, a HYBE label)
Members: 7 — Jin (Kim Seok-jin, b. December 4, 1992, vocalist), Suga (Min Yoon-gi, b. March 9, 1993, rapper), j-hope (Jung Ho-seok, b. February 18, 1994, rapper/dancer), RM (Kim Nam-joon, b. September 12, 1994, leader/rapper), Jimin (Park Ji-min, b. October 13, 1995, vocalist/dancer), V (Kim Tae-hyung, b. December 30, 1995, vocalist), Jung Kook (Jeon Jung-kook, b. September 1, 1997, vocalist/dancer, youngest)
Fandom: ARMY (official colour: purple)
Biggest Songs: Dynamite, Butter, Boy With Luv (feat. Halsey), DNA, MIC Drop (Steve Aoki Remix), Fake Love, IDOL, Permission to Dance, My Universe, Life Goes On, Spring Day, Swim (2026)
Awards: first Korean act to win a Billboard Music Award (Top Social Artist, 2017); first Korean act to top the Billboard 200 (Love Yourself: Tear, 2018); youngest-ever recipients of South Korea's Order of Cultural Merit (2018); IFPI Global Recording Artist of the Year 2020 and 2021; five Grammy nominations (no wins); best-selling act in South Korean history (40M+ albums, Circle Chart 2023)
2026 Status: fifth studio album Arirang released March 20, 2026 (14 tracks incl. title track "Swim"), followed by the ARIRANG World Tour (all figures attributed — see below)

Formation & Debut

BTS was formed in 2010 in Seoul, South Korea, under Big Hit Entertainment, bringing together seven trainees: Jin, Suga, j-hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jung Kook. The group debuted on June 13, 2013, performing their debut single "No More Dream" on M Countdown; the debut single album, 2 Cool 4 Skool, had been released the previous day, on June 12, 2013.

Their first major breakthrough arrived with The Most Beautiful Moment in Life (HYYH) era in 2015–16, a series built around youth, growth and pressure that won the group a devoted international following. In 2016, Wings became the first BTS album to sell one million copies in South Korea — a milestone that confirmed them as the country's next great act.

Global Breakthrough

In 2017, BTS became the first Korean act to win a Billboard Music Award, taking Top Social Artist — a fan-voted prize they would go on to win repeatedly. A year later, Love Yourself: Tear debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making them the first Korean act to top the American albums chart. Alongside fellow K-pop giants BLACKPINK (including JENNIE), BTS turned Korean pop into a global mainstream force.

Beyond music, the group addressed the United Nations General Assembly across three sessions and launched the Love Myself anti-violence campaign with UNICEF in 2017. In 2019, they sold out London's Wembley Stadium and the Rose Bowl in California — the first non-English-speaking Asian act to do so.

Then came "Dynamite" (2020): the first single by an all-South-Korean act to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Global 200. BTS went on to land six US No. 1 singles within roughly two years — the fastest such run since the Beatles in 1966. Their 2020 album Map of the Soul: 7 sold more than four million copies in South Korea.

Military Service & Hiatus

On June 14, 2022, BTS announced a pause in group activities as the members began South Korea's mandatory military service. One by one, all seven enlisted — and by June 2025, every member had completed it: Jin in June 2024, j-hope in October 2024, RM and V on June 10, 2025, Jimin and Jung Kook on June 11, 2025, and Suga — who served as a social service agent — on June 21, 2025.

On July 1, 2025, the reunited group held its first full-group Weverse live, "BTS is Back", drawing more than 7.3 million real-time viewers. The members then headed to Los Angeles for a song camp to begin work on their next chapter.

2026 Reunion — Arirang

On January 1, 2026, BigHit Music confirmed what fans had been waiting for: BTS would return with new music. The group's fifth studio album, Arirang, was released on March 20, 2026, featuring 14 tracks including the title track "Swim" — reported as the group's seventh US No. 1 single. Producers on the record reportedly include Mike WiLL Made-It, Flume, Diplo, Ryan Tedder and Tame Impala's Kevin Parker, per the label.

The comeback was celebrated with a free concert, "BTS The Comeback Live: Arirang", held at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on March 21, 2026 and streamed live on Netflix to 190 countries. The ARIRANG World Tour followed, running from April 2026 to March 2027 — opening at Goyang Stadium on April 9, 11 and 12, 2026, with 88 shows across 34 regions per mid-2026 reports. On June 13, 2026, the group celebrated its 13th debut anniversary.

Biggest Songs

• No More Dream (2013)
• DNA (2017)
• Fake Love (2018)
• Boy With Luv (feat. Halsey, 2019)
• Dynamite (2020)
• Butter (2021)
• Permission to Dance (2021)
• My Universe (with Coldplay, 2021)
• Life Goes On (2020)
• Spring Day (2017)
• Swim (2026)

FAQs

Who are the members of BTS?
BTS has seven members: Jin (vocalist), Suga (rapper), j-hope (rapper/dancer), RM (leader/rapper), Jimin (vocalist/dancer), V (vocalist) and Jung Kook (vocalist/dancer, the youngest).

When did BTS debut?
BTS debuted on June 13, 2013, performing "No More Dream" on M Countdown. The song came from their debut single album 2 Cool 4 Skool, released on June 12, 2013.

Why did BTS go on hiatus?
Group activities were paused in June 2022 so the members could complete South Korea's mandatory military service. All seven were discharged by June 21, 2025, and the group reunited the following month.

What is BTS's latest album?
Their latest album is Arirang, released on March 20, 2026. The 14-track record includes the title track "Swim", and its release was followed by the ARIRANG World Tour.