BTS and BLACKPINK Set to Make Major Comebacks in 2025

The K-pop landscape is poised for a remarkable year in 2025 as both BTS (방탄소년단) and BLACKPINK gear up for their full-group activities, igniting excitement among fans. The return of these globally renowned groups is expected to reshape the K-pop market significantly.

BTS will resume group activities after completing military service, with members RM, Suga, V, Jimin, and Jungkook set to be discharged by June 2025. Meanwhile, Jin and J-Hope have focused on solo endeavors following their earlier discharge this year.

Fans anticipate that the members will reunite in some capacity post-service, with speculations about a world tour in 2026 and a special album to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their 'The Most Beautiful Moment in Life' series. Initially, they are expected to engage with their dedicated fanbase, ARMY, through live broadcasts and other content.

BTS last paused group activities after releasing their anthology album 'Proof' in 2022 and the 'Yet To Come in Busan' concert. Since then, the members have expanded their musical horizons through solo projects. Jimin made history as the first K-pop solo artist to top the Billboard Hot 100, while Suga achieved a remarkable second place on the Billboard 200 and sold over a million copies in his first week. J-Hope became the first K-pop artist to headline the major U.S. music festival Lollapalooza.

During their military service, the members worked on solo albums to fill the gap. Jungkook's single 'Seven' gained global popularity, and RM's documentary 'RM: Right People, Wrong Place' premiered in 90 countries worldwide.

The members have also made significant strides in the fashion industry, serving as ambassadors and models for global brands. As BTS prepares to reunite, their impact is expected to be substantial, with international music outlets recognizing their solo albums as some of the best of the year, heightening anticipation for their group comeback.

The members have expressed a strong desire to continue group activities after their military service. Following a re-signing with their agency Big Hit Music in September 2023, they hope to remain active as a group beyond 2025. Jimin recently shared his excitement on the fan community platform Weverse after receiving an award at the 2024 MAMA Awards, stating, "I’m already excited about what songs we should perform and what stages we should show after our discharge. We will come back even stronger, so please look forward to it!"

BLACKPINK has also confirmed their full-group activities for next year. The group re-signed with YG Entertainment for team activities while pursuing individual paths. Each member has made a name for themselves both domestically and internationally.

Excluding Jisoo, who is currently acting, Jennie, Lisa, and Rosé have all made significant strides as solo artists. Rosé's duet 'APT.' with pop star Bruno Mars created a global sensation, charting at 8th on the Billboard Hot 100 and 2nd on the UK Official Singles Chart. The song topped major streaming platforms like YouTube Music, Spotify, and Apple Music, as well as domestic charts like Melon, Genie, and Bugs. Jennie's solo track 'Mantra' reached 98th on the Billboard Hot 100 in October.

Lisa's 'ROCKSTAR' peaked at 70th on the Hot 100, and her collaboration with Rosalía, 'NEW WOMAN,' reached 97th. Lisa also won the 'Best K-Pop' award at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards.

BLACKPINK will reunite next year to meet their global fans, releasing a new album and embarking on a world tour. YG Entertainment's CEO Yang Hyun-suk announced that 2025 will be a significant year for the company, marking the return of BLACKPINK and the start of their world tour.

The anticipation for the full-group activities of BTS and BLACKPINK is not only high in the music industry but also in the stock market. Analyst Lim Soo-jin from Daishin Securities predicts that the full comebacks of both groups, along with the recovery of fandom competition and the monetization of younger IPs, will lead to increased album sales next year. He noted that last year, BTS and BLACKPINK accounted for 14% of the total album sales in the domestic market, and the expected audience for their world tours is projected to exceed that of all other artists under their agencies combined. With a combined YouTube subscriber count of 170 million, the interest in K-pop as a whole is expected to grow alongside their comeback albums.