Global sensation BTS made their long awaited return to the award show stage on Monday, making a special appearance at the 2026 American Music Awards.
The seven-member outfit kicked off the Memorial Day awards show, held in Las Vegas, with a pre-taped performance of “Hooligan” from their concert the night before. The Arirang tour sees the powerhouse group performing in the round.
Nearly 90 minutes after their performance aired at the top of the show, BTS took the stage at the MGM Grand Garden Arena to screaming fans in what marked the group’s first appearance at an awards show in four years.
“All of us are so happy to back together at the AMAs again,” RM said onstage.
BTS presented the award for best female R&B artist to SZA who expressed her excitement over meeting the K-pop superstars.
The group went into the night up for three AMAs including artist of the year, song of the summer and best male K-pop artist. They won song of the summer for “Swim,” taking the stage yet again.
The crowd continued to go wild for the K-pop group as they returned to their seats and then back to the stage for their song of the summer win.
BTS was already in town for a sold-out string of shows at the nearby Allegiant Stadium as part of their ongoing Arirang World Tour. The group, comprising members RM, Jin, Suga, J-hope, Jimin, V and Jungjook, played their first show in Vegas on Saturday (May 23) and another on Sunday (May 24). They’ll pick back up on May 27 and May 28 to end their Vegas engagement.
Sunday’s concert was a just over two-hour show of elaborate production and cool performances. The tour’s been highly anticipated as Arirang, the group’s album that the tour’s named after, is their first album in years.
BTS all but took over the entire city over the Memorial Day Weekend with the BTS The City activation. Fireworks kicked off the festivities Saturday night at the MGM Grand. The Las Vegas Strip, as part of a partnership with Visit Las Vegas, turned fully red at 11 p.m. local time, with the group’s picture and a message “Las Vegas Welcomes BTS” splashed across the marquees on the Strip. The nearby Sphere also featured Arirang displayed on its rotation.
The group continues on the Arirang World Tour for much of the year, however, they’re making some special stops along the way. In July, BTS will join Madonna and Shakira for the halftime show of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final. It marks the first-ever halftime show for the FIFA World Cup Final. They’ll co-headline alongside the pop stars on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The American Music Awards were created by Dick Clark Productions. DCP is owned by Penske Media Corporation, The Hollywood Reporter‘s parent company, in a subsidiary joint venture between Penske Media and Eldridge.
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