When BTS confirmed their long-awaited new album and world tour, the excitement wasn’t just felt, it literally crashed Weverse, the official fan platform where the news was first shared. Hours after the announcement dropped, fans around the world flooded Weverse all at once, overwhelming the servers and leaving countless ARMY members unable to access the update, stream the announcement, or even load the platform at all.

The announcement itself marked a monumental moment in K-pop history. BTS, the most influential music groups of the 21st century, revealed that they will release a brand-new full-group album in 2026, followed by an extensive global tour. This news brought joy and disbelief to fans who have been waiting through years of solo projects, military service obligations, and only scattered group activity.

Almost instantly after the official notice went live, Weverse struggled to cope with the influx of traffic. Users reported that their feeds froze, notifications wouldn’t load, and the announcement page simply refused to open, leading many to joke that the ARMY had “crushed” Weverse with sheer numbers. Fans’ reactions weren’t just about the technical difficulties, they were a burst of pure emotion. Tears, laughter, disbelief, and all-caps excitement poured from such comments like “OMG I KNEW IT! We’re back!!!”

While it’s easy to laugh at memes about fans “breaking the internet,” the situation underscored a real issue: Weverse appears unprepared for peak traffic surges. The platform, used by BTS and several other artists to connect with fans, has occasionally struggled with lag or freezes during major events and livestreams even before this recent announcement. Instances where Weverse crashed were during BTS’ “Yet to Come” Busan concert and during j-hopes Lollapalooza performance in Chicago.

But the scale this time was unprecedented. With ARMY’s numbers in the millions, spanning every continent. When a major announcement like a new album and world tour hits, especially from seven members reuniting after years apart, everyone wants the first look, and that suddenly becomes millions of people trying to access the same content at the same time. In the case of this announcement, the reaction was so immediate and massive that many fans were still refreshing their apps hours later trying to get inside. Messages of frustration were quickly mixed with excitement: although Weverse itself was frozen, fans had confirmed key details through screenshots shared elsewhere. Among these details were:

  • The album is said to contain 14 tracks.
  • Pre-orders are expected to open January 16, 2026 (KST).
  • The world tour schedule will be released January 14, 2026 at 00:00 (KST).

Even though many ARMY couldn’t load the announcement directly, community members who did manage to reach the Weverse notice began sharing essential details. This kind of fan-crowdsourced reporting is common when official platforms lag: as soon as someone gets through, screenshots and text are shared widely across social feeds. In this case, it allowed others to confirm key information even without direct access to the notice.

The crash wasn’t just a technical hiccup, it became a historic moment within the fandom. BTS already hold records for social media activity spikes, streaming numbers, and ticket sales for previous tours. Now, their announcement itself has generated its own kind of record: a platform literally buckling under fan excitement moments after a global release. For ARMYs, this was more than just entertainment news. BTS’s return has been deeply emotional, marking the end of a period where fans waited through military service schedules, solo careers, and gradual log-ins from different corners of the world.

Since the crash-inducing announcement, ARMY are looking forward to a sequence of next steps. Fans are already preparing for another likely surge when these announcements roll out, especially if ticket sales open around the world. After this first wave that overwhelmed Weverse, both fans and industry watchers will be curious to see how the platform handles the next round.

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