'Waited for BTS to ride the K-pop wave?': Fans troll BLACKPINK after group moves album release close to BTS' 2026 comeback

June 2025 became a turning point for K-pop's biggest powerhouses. BTS reunited for the first time since 2022, closing the chapter that began when Kim Seok-jin enlisted and the remaining members followed one by one. Almost immediately, the group confirmed plans for a full-group comeback in Spring 2026, setting off global anticipation. Yet, as if on cue, BLACKPINK's long-delayed group return once again drifted into the same timeframe, with reports now placing their album release in the first half of 2026. For many fans, the overlap felt inevitable - and for others, provocative.





BTS' return is not being framed as a quiet re-entry. During a December 2025 Weverse live, the members revealed that recording for their new album is complete, confirming a Spring 2026 release that many expect to land around March.

Even bigger plans followed. The group also teased a massive world tour from May to December 2026, reportedly spanning around 65 shows and potentially reaching nearly four million fans worldwide. After years of individual activities and military service, BTS' comeback is being positioned as one of the most significant moments in modern K-pop history.





BLACKPINK's path has unfolded very differently. After stepping back from group activities, the four members focused on individual careers, leaving YG Entertainment for solo work while keeping their group identity intact.

The group reunited publicly for the DEADLINE World Tour in 2025 before announcing a long-awaited group album, initially expected in May 2025. That release would have marked their first collective project in nearly three years. Instead, the timeline continued to shift month after month, fueling speculation and frustration among fans.





Latest industry reports suggest BLACKPINK's album has now entered its final production stages, with the release scheduled for early 2026. The repeated delays, insiders claim, were now said to strategically align the project with BLACKPINK's 10th anniversary.

Rather than rushing the release, the group appears to be aiming for impact - turning the comeback into a landmark moment rather than a routine return.



With BTS and BLACKPINK now targeting overlapping comeback windows, long-standing tensions between ARMYs and BLINKs have resurfaced at full force. BTS fans, already emotionally invested in the group's post-military return, reacted sharply to news of BLACKPINK's shifting timeline on X (formerly known as Twitter).

Social media quickly filled with comparisons, sarcasm, and trolling, as frustrated ARMYs accused BLACKPINK and their fandom of aligning releases with BTS' biggest comeback in years.





Whether intentional or unavoidable, 2026 is shaping up to be a defining year for K-pop. BTS' comeback carries the weight of reunion, legacy, and global scale, while BLACKPINK's delayed album arrives wrapped in anniversary symbolism, and scrutiny.

As both groups prepare to return, one thing is clear: the entire K-pop world holds its breath - and the collision course has already begun.