26 May,2026 12:16 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
BTS Members (Pic via Instagram)
K-pop supergroup BTS made a thunderous return to the American Music Awards, sweeping multiple honours and once again proving why their global fandom, ARMY, remains unmatched. The group took home the coveted Artist of the Year award and also won Song of the Summer for their track Swim from the newly released album Arirang. The group was welcomed with loud cheers by their fans as they returned after four years at AMAs.
The seven-member group RM, Jin, SUGA, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook kicked off the evening with a grand pre-recorded performance of Hooligan, filmed during their ongoing world tour. Though not staged live inside the venue, the cinematic set featuring dramatic red lighting, dense fog and powerful choreography electrified fans and instantly dominated social media conversations.
Later in the ceremony, BTS appeared in person to present the Best Female R&B Artist award to SZA, who visibly reacted with excitement while accepting the honour from the global stars.
One of the biggest talking points of the night came during BTS' acceptance speeches. RM thanked fellow artists and ARMY for their continued support, while V delivered an emotional message saying, "To everyone out there who keeps swimming, we send our love." The heartfelt moment quickly spread online, with fans praising the group's sincerity and bond with their audience.
Social media was also flooded with memes after RM's playful "duck antics" and J-Hope's bewildered reaction to the deafening fan cheers went viral. Fans jokingly asked whether J-Hope realised "he is in BTS," as clips from the audience interaction spread rapidly across platforms.
The AMAs appearance comes amid BTS' massive world tour following their return from mandatory military service last year. Since launching the tour in April, the group has performed across several major cities including Tampa, Mexico and Stanford, revisiting fan-favourite hits like Dope, Black Swan and Pied Piper.
Their AMAs domination has also reignited speculation about a possible 2026 FIFA World Cup anthem or a deluxe edition of Arirang, theories that continue to excite fans worldwide.
