First Full-Group Performance in 4 Years – BTS to Hold Comeback Show at Gwanghwamun on March 21

BTS will hold a full-group comeback concert at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on March 21, marking their first such performance in four years. With up to 260,000 people expected to attend on the day of the concert, BTS will begin their official comeback activities by releasing their fifth studio album, “ARIRANG,” at 1 p.m. on March 20.

The concert scheduled for 8 p.m. on March 21 at Gwanghwamun Square will be streamed live to 190 countries via Netflix. A total of 22,000 tickets were prepared for the event at Gwanghwamun Square and sold out immediately upon release. Prior to the concert, the members are conducting rehearsals in a separate venue.

In preparation for this performance, which takes place four years after their military service, the Seoul Metropolitan Government is launching the “BTS THE CITY ARIRANG SEOUL” project. Running from March 20 to April 19, this project features special lighting events at 15 major landmarks in Seoul, including Seoribit Island on the Han River. A nighttime walking exhibition area called the “Arirang Light Walk” will be set up along about 500 meters of Cheonggyecheon Stream. The Han River Park in Yeouido will host music listening sessions, busking performances, and fan events.

The shopping districts of Myeongdong and Gwanghwamun are making preparations to welcome foreign fans. Stores are decorating their interiors in purple, the symbolic color of BTS and their fandom ARMY, and are bringing in additional merchandise. The Myeongdong branch of Shinsegae Duty Free has filled one section of its K-Wave Zone with BTS photos and goods, while merchandise shops along Myeongdong Street have seen fans lining up even before opening. Muunssah Standard’s Myeongdong store plans to assign 14 employees who speak Japanese and Chinese at all its branches nationwide. LF HUGO BOSS Flagship Store will illuminate its exterior in purple from the 20th to the 22nd. Starbucks will start selling two Seoul-themed beverages at 100 of its stores located in tourist areas such as Myeongdong and Gwanghwamun starting from the 16th. K-food stores are also increasing orders of popular items in anticipation of an influx of foreign tourists.

The government is mobilizing relevant agencies to prevent safety incidents during the concert held in the Gwanghwamun area on March 21. Lotte Department Store’s main branch has been holding safety management meetings for a month ahead of the event and has continued to conduct training for facility inspections, crowd control, and emergency patient response. The number of security personnel on event day is set to increase by 150%. Kakao will provide highly accurate bus location information for over 420 Seoul city bus routes on KakaoMap starting from the 16th. Thirty-one buildings in the Gwanghwamun area will also be under control on the day of the concert.

BTS’s comeback concert at Gwanghwamun Square will take place at 8 p.m. on March 21.