BTS's fifth studio album 'ARIRANG' has been consecutively selected as the 'Best Album of 2026' by major music outlets in the U.S. and UK. Starting with Complex on December 12, Rolling Stone on the 15th, and British NME on the 16th recognized the album as the year's best. Rolling Stone called BTS's comeback 'the biggest news in the global music market in 2026' and praised the album for excellently implementing Korean cultural elements in music. NME referred to BTS as 'the world's biggest boy band' and highlighted how the group skillfully blended their homeland's cultural heritage with global musical influence. The Telegraph and Salon also selected it as the best album of the year, recognizing BTS as mature artists and excellent storytellers beyond simple idols. B-side tracks including 'Hooligan,' 'Body to Body,' and 'SWIM' also received high praise. BTS will begin their European tour starting in Madrid, Spain on the 26th, embarking on the largest-scale world tour in K-pop history with 88 concerts across 34 regions worldwide.