BTS Arirang Tour: Everything We Know About The $1 Billion Comeback

Yes, purple-blooded friends, the wait is finally over. After what feels like an eternity of re-watching old content, we are on the verge of seeing the seven members together again. We have missed Suga mumbling ‘Mianhae, omma’, RM asking the iconic ‘Is this your first time to Bangtan?’, and getting chills from Jin’s vocals on Epiphany. We have been waiting for Jimin to bring the magic of Blood Sweat & Tears back to life, for V to deliver that long-missed Jump chorus, and for Jungkook to belt out the soulful bridge of ON. The hiatus is ending, and the BTS Arirang 2026 World Tour is poised to be the event of the decade.

According to reports from industry giants like Billboard and the BBC, the BTS Arirang 2026 World Tour is projected to rake in over $1 billion. To put that into perspective, that figure is four times the revenue of their record-breaking "Love Yourself" world tour. This ten-figure sum isn't coming from ticket sales alone; it includes a massive ecosystem of merchandise, licensing deals, and the inevitable streaming spikes. 

With the "ARMY" hungry for content, spending is expected to hit all-time highs. Before the boys take over the world again, let’s look back at how they built this legacy, because $1 billion doesn’t seem that far-fetched when you look at their history.

Early BTS Concert Tours: The Red Bullet And Wake Up

To understand the scale of 2026, we have to look back at where it all started"While they were reaching new peaks, the group was quietly enduring their hardest struggles behind the scenes." Their journey began with "The Red Bullet Tour," running from October 2014 to August 2015. This marked their shift from K-pop rookies to global contenders. Starting in Asia and expanding to Australia and the Americas, they drew about 80,000 spectators across 22 shows, showcasing early hits from albums like 2 Cool 4 Skool and Dark & Wild.

Momentum continued to build with their "Wake Up: Open Your Eyes" tour in Japan, which also took place in early 2015. With over six shows, 25,000 fans witnessed their growing appeal at the time. But the real emotional connection solidified during "The Most Beautiful Moment in Life On Stage Tour" from 2015 to 2016. While it was a painful growth period for the members, tracks like I Need U sealed the deal. They sold 182,500 tickets across Asia, proving they could headline multiple shows and define their stage presence, as reported by Gulf News. 

By 2017, BTS was ready for global domination. "The Wings Tour" saw them stepping onto the international stage in a major way, hitting 17 cities across 10 countries. They pulled in 550,000 attendees and grossed over $6.6 million from just a few key shows, cementing their position as a worldwide act.

The monster run of the "Love Yourself World Tour" spanning from 2018 to 2019 further solidified their international presence. While fans later realized this was one of the hardest years for the boys personally—with the pressure of fame nearly causing them to disband—professionally, they were unstoppable. Spanning four continents, the tour brought in over 2 million fans and $187.5 million in revenue from mere 38 shows. It became the top-grossing tour by a non-English act at the time, setting a new standard for what K-pop could achieve, as per Yonhap News. 

Permission To Dance On Stage

Even when the world stopped, BTS found a way to adapt. The 2020 "Map of the Soul Tour" was poised to be their biggest yet. With plans for shows in 18 cities, it faced a setback due to COVID-19 cancellations. However, the group pivoted brilliantly with "Permission to Dance on Stage" in 2021 and 2022.

They moved to hybrid concerts, starting with online events and eventually returning to stadiums. The live return was lucrative, with SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles grossing $33.3 million from 214,000 tickets, and four nights at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium selling 200,000 seats. These events also made BTS the first non-English acts to top $20-30 million per venue, proving that even a pandemic couldn't cool down their demand.

We cannot talk about their massive touring revenue without mentioning the intimate events that built the foundation. The "Musters" and fan meetings are where the bonds were forged with ARMY. It started small with the 1st Muster in Seoul in 2014, attended by just 3,000 fans. By the time they held their 5th Muster, "Magic Shop," in 2019, they were drawing around 69,000 attendees in Busan and Seoul alone. Similarly, their Japanese fan meetings grew from 5,000 to 150,000 attendees over the years. These events strengthened the BTS-ARMY relationship, creating a loyal fanbase. 

Now, the stage is set for the biggest run yet. The "Arirang" tour is scheduled to kick off on April 9, 2026, at the Goyang Stadium in South Korea. The tour will span 70+ shows, travelling through Asia, North America, Europe, South America, and Australia, with more dates for the Middle East planned for 2027.

This return is also a lifesaver for their agency, HYBE, which saw profits drop during the hiatus. But for the fans, it is simply about seeing RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook together again. With $1 billion in sight and a global tour that promises to be legendary, BTS is proving once again why they remain the kings of the industry.