BTS members SUGA, J-HOPE, and Jimin return to Korea after completing their North America tour, 'ARIRANG'. They won an award too!

Harper’s BAZAAR KOREA unveiled its December 2026 cover featuring BTS’s V in a daring shirtless photoshoot shot at a Beverly Hills mansion during the group’s Los Angeles tour. In an interview, V said he wants to preserve ordinary feelings and stay connected to people.

BTS’s V has been chosen as the face of Harper’s BAZAAR KOREA’s final issue of 2026. The magazine teased the reveal with a video shot in Los Angeles during his tour, showing V wearing Cartier pieces and displaying various expressions. BTS will continue their tour in Asia, starting in Kaohsiung.

BTS’s Jin visited a MapleStory-themed escape game cafe with TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s Beomgyu and posted commemorative photos the next day. He shared playful shots, including one with MapleStory’s director, highlighting his long-known love of the game and the pair’s unexpected chemistry.

HYBE reported record Q3 revenue and operating profit, led by BTS’s world tour and its multi-home, multi-genre strategy. Concerts, music releases, and MD/licensing all grew strongly, while KATSEYE and &TEAM expanded globally. HYBE says it will keep scaling this model worldwide.

BTS won a U.S. copyright lawsuit after a Virginia federal court dismissed claims brought by Melissa Mays against BTS, BIGHIT MUSIC, HYBE, and HYBE America. The court said she failed to prove a valid legal claim. BTS is also responding to separate plagiarism allegations over “SWIM.”

Snow Man’s Friday TBS show airs a special with two parts: BLACKPINK’s LISA makes her first appearance on a Japanese variety location shoot, touring specialty shops with Nakayama Kinnikun, and the studio reveals a top 10 ranking of the guests who most startled Snow Man, with rare footage and a surprise ending.

Justin and Hailey Bieber completed their schedule in Korea and returned home via Incheon International Airport. The text also mentions BTS member Jungkook’s impressive physique and visible abs on stage, which drew attention and even prompted a reaction from Justin Bieber, and notes that Korean fashion brand Dunst is making its first Japan debut with a pop-up in Shibuya starting February 6.

Some K-pop artists, including IVE, KiiiKiii, FIFTY FIFTY, and Park Hyo-shin, submitted songs for the Grammy’s new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, along with Japanese and other Asian acts. But BTS, Stray Kids, and other major-label artists declined, amid debate over whether the category helps or isolates Asian music.

BTS’s V proved his powerful influence in fashion by generating about 5.2 billion won in media value for CELINE during Paris Fashion Week, even though he did not attend. Lefty’s report said his impact accounted for about 23% of CELINE’s total EMV, the highest among related influencers.

According to Spotify, BTS’s 5th full album ARIRANG passed 5 billion cumulative streams as of the 14th, the most among 2026 releases. Every one of its 14 tracks topped 200 million streams, and the title track SWIM neared 1 billion. The album also set Billboard 200 records, including three straight weeks at No. 1.