Expected 260,000, But Only 100,000 Showed Up: Discrepancy in Crowd Figures for BTS’s Gwanghwamun Concert

At BTS’s free concert “BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE｜ARIRANG” held on Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on the 21st, there was a significant gap between estimated crowd sizes and actual numbers. The police predicted that if crowds stretched from Gwanghwamun Square to the area near Sungnyemun Gate, the total could reach up to 260,000 people. The Seoul Metropolitan Government separately estimated that around 200,000 to 300,000 people would visit the Gwanghwamun–Sicheong Station area. However, according to Hive’s estimates, the actual crowd size was approximately 104,000 people, while the Ministry of Interior and Safety’s crowd management system estimated it at 62,000 people.

Excessive safety measures taken based on inaccurate predictions became an issue. A total of 15,500 security personnel were deployed in the Gwanghwamun area that day. Over 10,000 of them were government officials and employees from public agencies, including 6,700 police officers, 2,600 from the Seoul Metropolitan Government, 800 firefighters, 400 from the Seoul Metro, and 70 from the Ministry of Interior and Safety. The remaining approximately 4,800 were civilian personnel mobilized by Hive. More than two-thirds of all security personnel were government workers.

The deployment of over 10,000 government officials for a private concert on a weekend day itself sparked controversy. Additionally, concerns arose regarding overtime pay for these officials. Regular government employees (grades 9–6) receive approximately 11,000 to 13,000 won per hour for overtime work. Overtime pay is granted for up to 4 hours per day, excluding emergency deployments. Assuming each of the 10,000 officials worked up to 4 hours, the total payment would be at least 440 million won. Given that firefighters and some local governments allow up to 8 hours of overtime, the actual cost is likely much higher.

Concerns also arose about potential gaps in emergency response. Firefighters deployed ambulances not only from Seoul but also from Incheon, Gyeonggi, and Gangwon provinces to the Gwanghwamun concert site. This raised concerns that rapid response to other emergencies might be hindered. A representative from a government employees’ union criticized the deployment, stating, “It’s problematic to assign government officials even to concerts held by private companies. Excessive use of government workers makes it difficult to respond to public crises.”

Hive emphasized that the concert proceeded safely. The company said, “The Gwanghwamun concert ended successfully without a single safety incident,” attributing this to “the mature civic awareness of our citizens and the cooperation of ARMY fans from around the world.” It added, “We are fully aware that Gyeongbokgung Palace and Gwanghwamun are spaces where South Korea’s history, identity, and contemporary culture coexist. Hive feels extremely honored to have been able to hold a performance for the world here.”

Hive apologized, stating, “Since it was essential to hold this concert, which attracted global attention, safely, measures such as traffic and building controls as well as inspections for dangerous items were necessary. We sincerely apologize to those who were affected in their daily schedules and routines, including those traveling through Gwanghwamun Square.” As a result of these controversies, Hive’s stock price dropped by over 15% during trading hours.