AceShowbiz - BTS is officially making their return to award shows after more than three years away from the stage.

The K-pop superstars will be making a special appearance at the American Music Awards on May 25, the show announced Wednesday morning. The event is being held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Memorial Day. The seven-member group will already be in town for their four sold-out shows at the nearby Allegiant Stadium.

BTS is up for three awards including artist of the year, song of the summer and best male K-pop artist.

A historic trailblazer in the globalization of K-pop, BTS took over the entire heart of their home city of Seoul earlier this year to celebrate their return to the scene after all seven members completed their military service. The group held a large scale live stream show with Netflix, setting it in a historic location in the city, Gwanghwamun.

The choice to stage the comeback performance in front of Gwanghwamun, the main gate and historic entryway to Seoul's Gyeongbokgung Palace, was no coincidence — as the new album is in many ways a meditation on the group's cultural identity. The album's name, Arirang, pays tribute to a treasured Korean folk ballad of the same name, which was famously the country's first song, sung by Korean men, ever recorded (it was preserved for posterity by American ethnologist Alice Fletcher in 1896).

Motifs from the original Arirang feature prominently in the closing minutes of the new album's opening track, Body to Body. One of the most striking tracks on the album is No. 29, a song made up only of the sound of a bell being tolled once, with the resonant ringing lasting a minute and 38 seconds. The bell used for the recording is Korea's original, 1,255-year-old Divine Bell of King Seongdeok. The song's title is a reference to the historic object's official designation as South Korea's National Treasure No. 29.

In March, the group released a documentary on Netflix, which chronicled their balancing act during the making of Arirang as the band looked to honor its roots in Korea even as their audience has expanded to encompass the entire world.

They made their return to U.S. late night television later in March, appearing on two nights of The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. The first night found the group as the guest and musical host, staging a performance of their single Swim at the Guggenheim Museum in New York. The second episode featured a performance of the group's song 2.0, also filmed at the museum.

BTS is in the midst of their first full-scale, all-group tour in years. The tour, spanning 2026 and 2027, hits Asia, North America, Europe, Latin America and Australia, making it one of the most expansive tours of the group's career.

The tour kicked off three nights in Goyang, South Korea, before heading to Tokyo for two nights. BTS held their first U.S. stop in Tampa. Beginning May 23, BTS will play four shows in Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium. They'll perform the two days leading up to the AMAs before picking the shows back up on Wednesday, May 27.

The American Music Awards appearance marks a major milestone for the group, signaling their full return to the global stage after their military hiatus. Fans have eagerly anticipated seeing all seven members perform together at a major awards ceremony, and the Las Vegas setting adds an extra layer of spectacle to the proceedings.

With three nominations in major categories, BTS could potentially add to their already impressive collection of AMA trophies. The group has historically performed well at the American Music Awards, winning multiple fan-voted categories in previous years. Their return to the ceremony is expected to draw significant viewership and attention from both domestic and international audiences.

The AMAs will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena, and BTS's performance is anticipated to be one of the most talked-about moments of the evening. Given their track record for elaborate stage productions and choreography, the group is likely to deliver a memorable set that showcases their latest music from the Arirang album.

Beyond the awards show, BTS continues to solidify their position as global ambassadors for Korean culture. Their use of traditional elements like the Divine Bell of King Seongdeok and the Arirang folk song demonstrates a deliberate effort to weave Korean heritage into their contemporary pop sound. This cultural fusion has resonated deeply with fans worldwide, who have embraced the group's unique blend of modernity and tradition.

The documentary released on Netflix further explores this dynamic, offering an intimate look at the pressures and triumphs of creating an album that carries such significant cultural weight. It shows the members grappling with their responsibilities as representatives of Korean culture while also pushing creative boundaries to appeal to a global audience.

As BTS prepares to take the AMA stage, the group stands at a pivotal moment in their career. Their return to award shows after a three-year absence represents not just a personal milestone but also a testament to their enduring popularity and influence in the music industry. With sold-out stadium shows and multiple award nominations, BTS shows no signs of slowing down as they continue their historic journey through 2026 and beyond.