BTS wrapped up the European leg of their 'BTS WORLD TOUR "ARIRANG"' with a spectacular finale at Stade de fяαи¢є in Paris on July 18 (local time). The group performed 10 concerts across five cities—Madrid, Brussels, London, Munich, and Paris—drawing a combined au∂ιєnce of more than 717,000 fans. They also successfully delivered a historic halftime performance at the FIFA World Cup™ 2026 Final at New York New Jersey Stadium, creating an unforgettable moment that will forever be cherished by football fans and ARMY around the world.
After achieving these remarkable milestones, BTS immediately headed back to South кσяєα. Five members—RM, Jin, SUGA, Jimin, and V—arrived at Incheon International Airport from New York on the morning of July 21. Dressed casually and wearing little to no makeup, the members warmly waved to reporters and fans who had gathered to welcome them home. Despite their bright smiles, signs of exhaustion were evident after days of nonstop performances and intercontinental travel. According to their schedule, the group will have approximately ten days off before returning to MetLife Stadium to resume the tour.
Meanwhile, regarding the absence of j-hope and Jungkook, local media reported that the two members would return to South кσяєα "separately" and "at a later time" due to individual schedules!
The news did not come as a complete surprise to many fans, who had already noticed soмєтнing unusual. A video that quickly went viral on social media captured the BTS members leaving their hotel in New Jersey following their FIFA World Cup Halftime Show performance. While the other five members were seen loading their luggage into several vans and departing together, j-hope and Jungkook were spotted walking toward a separate four-door sedan before leaving in a different direction.
Another fan who happened to see BTS at Newark Liberty International Airport also claimed that only five members were preparing to board the flight back to South кσяєα, with j-hope and Jungkook noticeably absent. Their decision not to return with the rest of the group immediately sparked discussions across social media. Many fans began wondering why the two members had remained overseas despite BTS having already completed both the European tour and their special performance at the FIFA World Cup.
As for j-hope, many ARMY believed he was heading to London to attend Samsung Galaxy Unpacked, scheduled for July 22. The speculation was fueled by the fact that j-hope had recently been unveiled as Samsung Galaxy's newest global ambαѕѕador through a series of promotional posters and campaign videos. Even more intriguingly, on July 20, he briefly posted—and then quickly deleted—an Instagram Story featuring the unreleased purple Galaxy Z Fold8 Wide, further convincing fans that he was involved in an upcoming Samsung event.
It now appears those fan theories may have been correct, as j-hope has seemingly revealed more about his whereabouts through his latest Instagram Stories. The BTS rapper shared a photo of the same pair of shoes and Louis Vuitton bag he had been carrying throughout the FIFA schedule. Based on the surroundings, many fans believe he had already arrived at a hotel in London. Judging by the local time, the Story was uploaded at around 6:30 a.m., accompanied by the caption "Zzzzz," suggesting that he was finally catching up on some much-needed sleep after traveling nonstop between multiple countries over the past several days.
Interestingly, a newly surfaced video captured by a local fan appears to have confirmed the speculation. In the clip, j-hope is seen being escorted through the airport by security while carrying his Louis Vuitton travel bag. With his arrival seemingly confirmed, fans are now eagerly awaiting his appearance at Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event, where he is widely expected to make his first official appearance as Samsung Galaxy's newest global ambassador.
Meanwhile, there has been very little news regarding Jungkook since the FIFA World Cup Halftime Show. Several reports claim that he has also returned to Europe for an individual schedule. In the absence of official confirmation, however, fans have turned their attention to another popular theory—one involving a possible collaboration with Balenciaga, the luxury fashion house that has maintained a close relationship with BTS's "Golden Maknae" for years.
Most notably, during BTS's two recent concerts in Paris, Balenciaga was reportedly responsible for creating Jungkook's custom opening performance outfit. Furthermore, from soundcheck to the main concert itself, he was dressed in Balenciaga almost head to toe—from his necklace and boots to his stage costume—highlighting what many fans believe is an increasingly close partnership between the luxury brand and the global superstar.
For ARMY, this has become one of the happiest periods in years. After nearly three years of BTS focusing primarily on individual activities, fans are once again being treated to a steady stream of group content and updates almost every day. While they couldn't be happier to see the members back together, many are also expressing concern for their health, hoping each of them can find time to rest, enjoy their personal lives, and fully recover before the next chapter of the tour begins!
