“Better Not Be A Collab” — BTS’s Comeback Posters Trigger Backlash

BTS is gearing up to make their comeback with ARIRANG after nearly 4 years of absence from the industry as a full group.

BTS | GQ Magazine

Ahead of the album’s release, BIGHIT MUSIC has launched a global promotion campaign featuring posters asking, “What is your love song?” These posters have been spotted in cities like Seoul, New York, and London.

Recently, some of these posters were seen to include names of other artists, including Charlie Puth and Benny Blanco. Both artists shared pictures of these posters on their social media, tagging BTS.

[INFO] Benny Blanco via IG account posted a poster of “What is Your Love Song?” and tagged #BTS pic.twitter.com/7Sd8qZ9BGG

— BTS Charts Daily (@btschartsdailyc) February 21, 2026

Since these photos surfaced, fans were left guessing if these posters meant that BTS had collaborated with the mentioned artists for ARIRANG.

OKEYY REMEMBER WHEN HOBI POSTED THIS VIDEO WITH JUNGKOOK AND CHARLIE PUTH AND TAEHYUNGIE POSTED THIS PICTURE FROM CHARLIE ON HIS INSTAGRAM STORY AND NOW BTS OFFICIAL INSTAGRAM POSTED THIS STORY. ! WE GONNA GET A COLLABORATION ! pic.twitter.com/B05YyQDAI7

— Do you know BTS ? 💜 IS SEEING BTS (@BTS_7soulmates) February 21, 2026

Benny Blanco & Charlie Puth both worked on ARIRANG pic.twitter.com/xECAzrcWIp

— ⁷Black Swan🤍✨⊙⊝⊜ (@Jeon_RM_2013) February 21, 2026

Are Benny blanco, Diplo and Charlie Puth featuring on next album?? 🥹 #BTS_ARIRANG pic.twitter.com/aDpEN5xvfE

— 시발🐝 • Justin Jay debut 가자 (@Lessgogetem) February 21, 2026

i think the artists posting what is your love song stories are actally artist appearing on arirang 🙏🙏 like yeah charlie puth is featured on a track,benny blanco made a track and i feel like both txt and cortis appear on same track (i believe it will be 3 of them doing arirang)

— kamal ki kinza | reposting era (@jinieeminee) February 22, 2026

However, not everyone appears to be happy about this possibility. Many fans raised concerns regarding both Puth and Blanco’s pro-Zionism views and serious past controversies.

i’m am so pissed off. pissed that i was naive enough to expect better. pissed they haven’t learned anything. pissed they’re letting an evil person ride their coat tails.

SO MANY talented producers with a moral compass and they choose him AGAIN. https://t.co/HXksxAL3sB

— anna∞ ᯓ★ˎˊ˗ (@stayhearts) February 21, 2026

Ew. A Zionist SA apologist associating with BTS AGAIN? Hybe really just setting up their own artists still. https://t.co/9UkDdyvWsX

— Mackenzie (@TheGirlUnsure) February 22, 2026

it was honestly a matter of time until this israel loving rat collabed with a group under that evil zionist company. yall can have him https://t.co/lXZnAQNZPz

— Britt🍉𝜗ৎ (@ileenoot) February 21, 2026

literally what the fans don't want to see https://t.co/SHh8TnTLML pic.twitter.com/CLITlYhl2O

— abi (@godardpilled) February 21, 2026

not this zionist AGAIN. https://t.co/Rdoj8OqGfS pic.twitter.com/3R6kC2kVmz

— bumper to bumper ??? (@yvesdrought) February 21, 2026

this better not be a collab or im kms infront of hybe and changing the trajectory or their lives forever https://t.co/BXbElHOThb

— aish (@lAAAyover) February 21, 2026

It is, however, not confirmed yet what the artists mentioned in the posters truly signify in this BTS comeback. Aside from Puth and Blanco, Becky G was also featured in these posters, leading ARMYs to speculate if it was just a marketing tactic involving BTS’s previous collaborators. However, the group’s junior artists, TXT and CORTIS were also spotted on the posters, triggering confusion and further backlash.

HYBE Using TXT And CORTIS To Promote BTS Triggers Heated Debate

BTS