LAS VEGAS: BTS made a grand return to the American Music Awards after four years, delighting fans with a special performance of their new track Hooligan at the 2026 ceremony, according to E! News.
The group members, Jimin, Jung Kook, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM and V, also walked the red carpet at the event held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Hosted by Queen Latifah, the ceremony marked BTS’s first award show appearance since 2022.
The group delivered a high-energy performance of Hooligan, first released in March this year. However, rather than performing live, BTS presented a pre-recorded set filmed during the May 24 Las Vegas stop of their ARIRANG World Tour.
Although the performance was not live, Queen Latifah had teased their appearance during the show, building anticipation among fans.
This year’s AMAs also marked a milestone for the global K-pop group. BTS made history at the 2017 AMAs when they became the first Korean group to perform at the event, marking their US television debut, according to E! News.
The appearance follows the members completing their mandatory military service in South Korea after the group’s extended hiatus announced in 2022.
Since reuniting, BTS have released their 10th studio album Arirang and announced a world tour in support of the project earlier this year.
In an April interview, Jin said the tour was initially planned on a smaller scale.
“When we first got our tour plans, it did not have many stops and was only going to last three to four months. I said: ‘Now that we are back, we promised so many people that we would come and meet them, and I feel like this is breaking our promise,’” Jin said.
BTS are nominated at this year’s AMAs in categories including Artist of the Year, Song of the Summer and Best Male K-pop Artist.
Reflecting on the group’s success, RM compared BTS to global music stars such as Taylor Swift.
“They are greater artists than us,” RM said. “We are just so small. We are just a boy band from Korea,” according to E! News.
(With inputs from ANI)