BTS made their highly anticipated return to The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday night, kicking off a two-night event in New York City to celebrate their new album, ARIRANG.
The reunion marked the first time in over four years that the seven members—RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook—sat down with host Jimmy Fallon. During Wednesday’s episode, Fallon playfully joked with his near-name twin, Jimin, as the group caught up with the late-night host and reflected on their time apart while completing South Korea’s mandatory military service.
The septet is set to appear on the show for two consecutive nights—March 25 and 26—with a pair of exclusive performances filmed inside the iconic Guggenheim Museum. Wednesday’s episode featured their current single “SWIM,” while Thursday’s installment will showcase “2.0.”
Known for their elaborate Tonight Show moments, including a stunning performance of “ON” in Grand Central Terminal and a subway sketch years ago, the group kept things slightly more grounded this time around. Still, Wednesday’s interview delivered plenty of lighthearted moments. The members appeared on set wearing house slippers—the customary footwear inside Korean homes—and introduced Fallon to the tradition. The practice even gets a nod in their song “Aliens,” off the new album, with Jung Kook singing, “If you wanna hit my house, shoes off at the door, yeah we aliens.”
Fallon also prompted some comedic moments by asking each member to share what they missed about the person to their right during their time apart. The conversation then turned more meaningful as the group opened up about ARIRANG, an album named after the beloved Korean folk song “Arirang,” a deeply significant cultural symbol. They discussed what it meant to reconnect with their roots while continuing to create music for a global audience.
True to form, the group also broke out some choreography, walked Fallon through their favorite tracks from the album, and surprised a few lucky fans in an unexpected way.
Fans can catch the second night of BTS’s Tonight Show takeover on Thursday, March 26, at 11:35 PM ET on NBC.
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