The 2026 music scene is expected to see a hotter-than-ever "war of the stars." The pioneers who laid the foundation of K-pop and led its globalization, Big Bang, EXO, and BTS, simultaneously announced full-group comebacks, declaring an unrivaled "return of the kings." The synergy these long-reunited artists will show is already raising the heart rates of fans worldwide.
The first to open fire is EXO. EXO will kick off 2026 with momentum by releasing their eighth studio album, REVERXE, on Jan. 19. This new release is a full-group album unveiled about two years and six months after their seventh studio album, EXIST, released in July 2023, and contains a total of nine tracks.
The title track, "Crown," is a hard dance song that breaks genre boundaries, with lyrics that compare a precious person to a crown and express a vow to protect them until the end. Through this album, EXO plans to show both the confidence of a group with numerous hit songs and their earnestness.
In March, the "21st-century pop icon" BTS will take the baton. Big Hit Music officially announced that BTS will release their fifth studio album and make a surprise comeback on March 20. Their return as a full group comes about three years and nine months after the anthology album Proof in June 2022, and it will be their first studio album in six years and one month.
BTS conveyed the comeback news directly to fans in a handwritten New Year's letter. The members expressed unique ambitions, saying "We have waited more desperately than anyone" (RM) and "In 2026 we'll make more and better memories, so look forward to it!" (V). In a live broadcast on the last day of 2025, they also showed their anticipation for the comeback, saying, "I hope we can safely comeback this year and that the album does well. Let's make BTS a big hit." Alongside the album release, BTS is also planning a large-scale world tour for the first time in about four years.
Big Bang, celebrating their 20th anniversary, also hinted at a legendary comeback. G-Dragon, Taeyang and Daesung have listed Big Bang on the lineup for the world's largest music festival, 2026 Coachella, to be held in the U.S. next April. This is expected to be the first signal announcing the group's 20th anniversary and a historic stage return.
In particular, G-Dragon recently showed strong determination for full-group activities, saying on his world tour stage, "The three of us will reunite at twenty next year. We're planning a very sexy, even disgustingly sexy coming-of-age ceremony." With Big Bang reuniting for their 20th anniversary, the world is focusing on the legendary performance they will present on the Coachella stage.
Adding to this, the project group Wanna One has reportedly agreed to produce a new reality program aiming for a release in the first half of 2026, further enriching the music scene.
From second-generation representatives Big Bang to BTS and EXO, who led the third generation, 2026 is a year in which boy groups that made a mark on K-pop history have widely announced their returns. Observers are watching to see what ripple effects the "royal dignity" these artists, who have taken up the mic again with their own narratives, will have on the global music market.
[Photo] Provided by each agency.
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