A large gathering of avid supporters of the renowned K-pop group BTS congregated at a stadium close to Seoul, South Korea, on Thursday to witness the commencement of their highly anticipated global tour. After a hiatus of almost four years, RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook returned to the stage to deliver a performance featuring a mix of their previous hits and tracks from their latest album, “ARIRANG.” This album, their fifth release, is the first following the completion of mandatory military service by the band members in South Korea.
Despite the persistent rain, a capacity crowd exceeding 40,000 filled the stadium for the show on Thursday, marking the group’s initial headline tour event since their “Permission to Dance on Stage” tour for the 2021–22 season. The series of performances in South Korea, scheduled until April 12, kick off a worldwide tour encompassing multiple dates across the United States, Europe, and Asia, with financial projections indicating potential revenue in the hundreds of millions of dollars per quarter.
In a recent development, BTS staged a grand return with a massive free concert at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square, attended by over 20,000 fans in person and a substantial online audience via Netflix livestream. All seven BTS members fulfilled their mandatory military obligations, with Suga being the final member discharged in June 2025, having served at government-related entities due to a shoulder injury instead of traditional military camps.
In South Korea, males aged between 18 and 28 are mandated by law to serve up to 21 months of military duty under a conscription system aimed at safeguarding against potential aggression from North Korea. The album “ARIRANG,” named after a revered centuries-old Korean folk tune considered a quasi-national anthem in the Korean peninsula, debuted triumphantly at the top of the Billboard 200 chart, with the single “Swim” also securing a top chart position.
BTS, an acronym for Bangtan Sonyeondan or “Bulletproof Boy Scouts” in Korean, made their debut in June 2013 with the release of the album “2 Cool 4 Skool,” followed by three full-length projects before gaining significant traction with their 2016 album “Wings.” Their breakthrough into the global music scene occurred in 2017 when their song “DNA” entered the prestigious Billboard Hot 100 chart, marking them as the first Korean boy band to achieve such a milestone. Subsequent performances at the American Music Awards further solidified their international fan base.
The band’s tour itinerary includes upcoming shows in Tokyo before traversing North America, Europe, South America, and Asia. BTS is scheduled to perform in Australia early next year, culminating in a final stop in Manila, Philippines, in March 2027.