5 Takeaways From Netflix’s ‘BTS: The Return’ Documentary

Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Supported by SKIP ADVERTISEMENT 5 Takeaways From ‘BTS: The Return’ Netflix’s documentary about the superstar K-pop group’s comeback after a four-year hiatus showcases its creative process, brotherhood and anxieties about fame. Share full article By Regina Kim March 27, 2026, 10:30 a.m. ET How does one of the biggest groups in pop figure out its next act? It’s the question explored in “BTS: The Return,” a Netflix documentary about the chart-topping K-pop boy band that was released on Friday. Directed by Bao Nguyen (“Be Water,” “The Greatest Night in Pop”), “BTS: The Return” follows RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook as they reunite in Los Angeles in the summer of 2025 to work on “Arirang,” their first album following a four-year hiatus while all seven members completed their mandatory military service and pursued solo projects. The film chronicles the group’s creative process as it hashes out song ideas and records (and rerecords) in the studio. It offers a surprisingly intimate look at the musicians, stripping away their larger-than-life image as they grapple with their legacy and attempt to chart the next phase of their careers. Here are five key takeaways. BTS’s members admit to feeling the pressure of fame. While many K-pop stars helped propel the Korean Wave during the 2000s and into the 2010s, BTS’s success turned K-pop into a global phenomenon and helped cement South Korea’s status as a cultural powerhouse. At times, that’s meant feeling like they’re shouldering the expectations of an entire country. “Being part of a team like BTS is like wearing a big, incredible crown,” RM says. “Sometimes, the weight of the crown can feel so heavy.” The members explain that their superstar status doesn’t align with how they see themselves. “When I look at myself, I’m not anyone that great,” Jung Kook says. “There’s a part of me that just wants to be seen as a singer.” ‘Arirang’ refers to a beloved Korean folk song that has paralle...