“K-Pop’s Kings Reunite,” “KINGS ARE COMING,” “Kings return,” “BTS rules…,” “Music's Billion-Dollar Boy Band”…It’s no coincidence that these phrases have been splashed across domestic and international media outlets — even featured on front pages — to describe BTS’s return in the spring of 2026, following their live broadcast announcement in early July, just days after the group completed their military service.

BTS’s comeback carries significance not only for the group or their fandom, ARMY, but also symbolizes a “revival” for K-pop itself and the кσяєαn entertainment industry, which has been in a period of stagnation.

Herald Corp recently pointed out that entertainment and financial analysts in South кσяєα predict a strong rebound in the K-pop market. This recovery is expected to be largely driven by BTS’s long-awaited full album release and their world tour featuring all seven members. Analysts described October as a turning point for the industry, as BTS’s reappearance has restored investor confidence.

Lee Hyun-ji, a researcher at Yuanta Securities, stated: "Sales in the third quarter are expected to increase by more than 150% compared to the same period last year, and operating profit is expected to turn to a surplus. The second half of this year may be somewhat disappointing, but as BTS’s activities begin in earnest next year, the growth in performance will expand significantly".

Hyundai Motor Securities also named HYBE as the top stock in the кσяєαn content sector, raising its target price to ₩380,000 — the highest level in recent years and significantly above rival companies. The key investment driver lies in BTS’s upcoming activities, with the highlight being their album and world tour.

The report further explained that as the seven-member group prepares to resume activities with a new album and international tour, related sectors such as album sales, merchandise, concerts, and online engagement are expected to experience a domino recovery effect.

In addition to these reports, other details further emphasize BTS’s role in “reviving” K-pop — such as Google’s Global Interest in K-pop trend chart.

The chart shows that from 2017 to 2022, K-pop experienced its golden era, with global interest steadily increasing and showing no signs of slowing down. In 2022, global interest in K-pop peaked, and since then, the numbers have gradually declined.

This is not a coincidence — it reflects the clear correlation between BTS and the popularity of K-pop!

Specifically, 2017–2022 was the period when BTS exploded globally with their music and achievements, boosting public interest in K-pop. However, by the end of 2022, when BTS began their military service, their musical activity decreased, leading to a noticeable drop in interest from the general public, especially Western au∂ιєnces.

But with just a bit of news about their return, public interest reignited almost instantly. For instance, BTS’s brand reputation index in July 2025 — the month they announced their comeback — surged by approximately 89.35%, with a positive sentiment ratio of 91.49%, indicating that public perception of BTS remains overwhelmingly favorable.

Meanwhile, physical album sales over the past two years have sharply declined — in 2024, fewer albums surpαѕѕed the one-million mark compared to previous years — reflecting how the absence of K-pop’s flagship group led to substantial losses across the industry.

Moreover, the number of international K-pop nominations or awards in recent years without BTS’s participation also highlights the genre’s decline. For example, since BTS members enlisted, K-pop has not received a single Grammy nomination. Major international awards have also been few and far between.

Previously, BTS were nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance three consecutive years (2020–2022). Notably, in 2022, they earned three nominations, including Best Music Video and Album of the Year.

Therefore, BTS’s comeback signifies the return of both the prestige and the economic value of the “BTS industry.” That is why many call it “The Return of the Kings.”

Netizens expressed their amazement at the group’s unmatched influence, though few were surprised — their dominance has been evident over the past decade. While fans are understandably proud, many also noted the immense pressure and expectations now resting on the shoulders of the seven members:

- I can feel the burden they totally put on BTS. Everyone is just depending on the BTS Comeback!

- bts' full group promotions are not simply the resumption of a single group's activities; they are a major event that will shake up the entire global fandom business structure

- this will by far be one of the biggest tours in history. the whole industry is about to be shaken. the way the industry tried to get rid of them every chance they could while they were in the military but failed miserably. bts is about to show everyone who really runs the show

- BTS is the only comeback that's important for real

- It’s expected gain momentum with BTS COMEBACK which will lead to large scale earnings and stock price shooting up!!! BTS THE WHOLE WORLD IS WAITING FOR YOU

- No BTS, no party, see how many Kpop idols there? but no one can get at least 1 nomination at GRAMMY

-  It’s thee bts that’s been carrying kpop on their backs

- The kings went on hiatus and the rest is history.... Just like kpop wave and reputation!

- When we say BTS are bigger than kpop, this is what I mean.

- bts took all the hype with them and bring it back in 2025

- Can we all just admit the popularity of “kpop” was really just the popularity of BTS?