After a hiatus of four years, the renowned K-pop group BTS made a grand return on Saturday with a massive free concert in Seoul. The event, exclusively available on Netflix, attracted tens of thousands of fans, with a central boulevard in Seoul locked down for the occasion by thousands of police officers.
RM, the band’s leader, greeted the crowd with “Annyeonghaseyo” as BTS kicked off the concert with their song “Body to Body,” eliciting ecstatic cheers from the fans. Following the completion of their mandatory military service, all seven members of the group are eager to regain their status as one of the world’s top pop acts.
The concert, held at Gwanghwamun Square, marks the beginning of a global tour that will encompass numerous shows across the United States, Europe, and Asia, with analysts predicting substantial revenue potential in the hundreds of millions of dollars per quarter.
Despite RM sustaining an ankle injury during rehearsal, the show went on as planned after modifications were made to the choreography. The concert, which was streamed live on Netflix, attracted a massive audience to the Gwanghwamun area, with 22,000 fans securing free seats and others watching on nearby screens.
The group’s latest album, “ARIRANG,” released just a day before the concert, sold close to four million copies on its debut day, according to HYBE, the band’s management company. Fans from around the world expressed excitement at the long-awaited return of BTS, with one fan calling it a once-in-a-century event.
BTS, with a loyal fan base known as the “Army,” achieved a significant milestone in 2020 by becoming the first K-pop act to top Billboard’s Hot 100 chart with their English song “Dynamite.” The group’s comeback as a full unit amid the growing global popularity of K-pop is expected to have a profound impact on the music industry.
The concert featured performances of songs from their latest album, such as “SWIM,” alongside popular hits like “Dynamite” and “Butter.” The event concluded with emotional moments as the members expressed gratitude to the fans and bid farewell.
Stringent crowd controls were in place during the concert, with heavy police presence and strict security measures ensuring the safety of attendees. The surrounding streets and transportation services were temporarily halted to accommodate the event, with police maintaining a tight perimeter around the venue.
BTS drew inspiration from Korean culture and heritage for their new album, “ARIRANG,” which draws its name from a traditional folk song revered as an unofficial anthem in both Koreas. The group’s choice to perform at Gwanghwamun, a significant historical site, and the album’s themes of identity and unity resonated deeply with the audience.
Overall, BTS’s triumphant return and the spectacular concert at Gwanghwamun Square underscore the group’s enduring popularity and cultural significance, setting the stage for their upcoming global tour.