If you’ve been counting down the days, marking your calendar, and refreshing every social platform for updates, here’s the moment that makes it all real: BTS is officially returning to The Tonight

BTS returned Friday with its fifth full-length album, “ARIRANG,” ending a three-year, nine-month hiatus and ushering in what the group calls a

Arirang is BTS’ first album since Proof, released in June 2022. That album preceded a group hiatus during which members completed military service and released solo projects. The gap between Proof and Arirang spans nearly three years, making this return one of the most anticipated album cycles in recent pop music.

For me, BTS was almost like Odysseus going away to war and ARMY was like Penelope, having this longing for their heroes to return. And so, I approached the label then with that idea, but they were deep into military service and everyone had sort of separate lives.

In addition to the new album and the late-night appearances, a documentary chronicling the group’s creative process is also on the way. A film titled BTS: The Return is scheduled to premiere March 27 on Netflix, just two days after the first Tonight Show appearance.

Here are some moments we liked from BTS' first interview after returning from the military.

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