K-pop phenomenon BTS’ first concert in years sets record for largest-ever public concert in South Korea

By Kati Chitrakorn, Hanako Montgomery, CNN

Seoul (CNN) — The moment that BTS fans have been waiting for has arrived: Members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook performing on the stage together for the first time in almost four years.

At the heart of BTS’ comeback is a free, public concert in Seoul for their most dedicated fans. While only 22,000 received the “Golden Ticket” to attend, the event was expected to attract as many as 260,000 fans, making it the largest-ever public concert in South Korea.

The one-hour concert is part of a promotional tour for BTS’ new fifth full-length studio album, “Arirang.” Released the day prior and named after a Korean traditional folk song that serves as the country’s unofficial national anthem, it explores themes like personal identity and belonging. It also precedes their world tour – the band’s biggest yet, covering 34 regions between April 2026 and March 2027. A documentary on their long-awaited reunion, as well as the live comeback concert, will be streamed on Netflix.

Several BTS fans attending the concert were inspired by hanbok, a traditional Korean dress. In the weeks ahead, social media has been flooded with outfit inspirations that incorporate hanbok styling and accessories.

Vivienne Ferrier, wearing an ornate floor-skimming jacket and dress, along with traditional Korean hair clips and accessories, told CNN that she had traveled from the US for the concert. “I chose the colors red and white because the album is red and white, so I wanted to celebrate what they were showing to us. This is a Korean traditional hanbok. And I just wanted to to really honor that,” she said.

Others incorporated pops of purple, the symbolic color of BTS and their fanbase. BTS, themselves, have also leaned into highlighting Korean culture, by selling hair clips, pouches and other accessories in collaboration with MU:DS, the official merchandise brand of the National Museum of Korea.

The concert opened with BTS members walking toward the stage from the historic “King’s Road,” a ceremonial path through Gyeongbokgung Palace traditionally reserved for kings in the Joseon Dynasty. Each member opted for a monochromatic black-and-white look that consisted of flowy tops, structured outerwear and loose-fit trousers – designed by Songzio, one of South Korea’s first independent designer labels.

The show began with a performance of “Body to Body,” the first track of the group’s newly released album, with BTS joined on stage by dancers wearing traditional Korean attire. The group also sang energetic, older hits like “Butter” and “Dynamite” – with RM sitting down for parts of the performance, having sustained an ankle injury ahead of the show.

Notably, the concert was directed by Hamish Hamilton, the British director renowned for his work on huge entertainment events, including the annual Super Bowl halftime show and Oscars, which gives an indication of the magnitude of BTS’ return.

Speaking to CNN over email, Hamilton described the production as being “among the most challenging” in terms of “sheer logistical complexity.”

The stage design, built by renowned events and production specialists Guy Carrington and Florian Wieder, was inspired by the concept of a picture frame – “a structure that both grounds the show in the modern energy of BTS and simultaneously honors the historical and cultural significance of the venue,” he said. “We did not want to come in and build something that felt at odds with the location (and) just drop a concert into the middle of one of Seoul’s most sacred spaces.”

Still, despite the extensive preparations (5.90 miles of cable powered the production), a lot was riding on BTS to deliver a flawless performance. “This is a public space, which means there was no rehearsal with the band on the actual stage before the night – something I have not encountered before in my career,” Hamilton said.

Reflecting on his experience working with BTS, who have been practicing for their big return inside a studio, Hamilton was most struck by their camaraderie and the “thoughtfulness to their work,” he said. “They listen. They ask questions. They contribute ideas. They tease each other and laugh together. They are clearly seven friends who happen to be among the most famous people on Earth.”

BTS’ work ethic has also left an impression on Hamilton, who after working on this year’s Super Bowl, gathered all seven BTS members to rewatch it together. “They wanted to understand how these things come together. That level of engagement from an act of this stature is a real gift.”

A colossal turnout

Widely regarded as the biggest boy band in the world, BTS has been on hiatus since 2022 as its members completed their mandatory military service in South Korea, where almost all able-bodied men are required to serve in the army for 18 months.

BTS fans – known as ARMY (an acronym for “Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth”) – began lining up early in the morning and waited to gain access to a fenced off area within Gwanghwamun Square, the open-air public space in central Seoul that is also the site of the famous Gyeongbokgung Palace, where Saturday’s event was being held. Those without tickets also gathered around the venue, hoping to catch a glimpse of their idols.

“This is the comeback of the century,” said Hye Jin Lee, clinical associate professor of communication at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism in Los Angeles. “This is the first time (in a while) we have seen BTS as a group performing. Some of the members have focused on their solo careers, so it’ll be interesting to see how the BTS fandom itself has changed. Everybody’s waiting to see what this comeback will look like.”

“Pure joy” is what Hamilton hoped viewers would take away from this weekend’s concert. “Hundreds of thousands of people are going to be on the ground in Seoul, losing themselves in the positivity of music, and millions more will be watching from around the world. The people watching at home should feel every bit as present as those standing in Gwanghwamun Square, feeling the emotion of the band’s return, the pride of Korea on a world stage, and the love between BTS and the ARMY that has kept this alive through four years of waiting.”

While admission was free, attendees were required to book in advance, and tickets were snapped up immediately. Special police units and additional security measures (including designated sections for fans without tickets and the closure of nearby cultural sites and institutions, such as The National Palace Museum of Korea, the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History, and the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts) were deployed around the square to manage the anticipated large turnout. Sniffer dogs were also deployed to sweep the area on the day.

Police have been holding meetings since December aimed at ensuring crowd management and safety. Nearly 6,000 police officers and more than 4,000 security personnel from Hybe would be deployed, according to police.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting earlier this week, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung described the concert as “an important opportunity to demonstrate the excellence of K-culture and the high standing of South Korea to the world,” while emphasizing that safety must be the top priority. He noted that all relevant authorities “must remain highly vigilant and thoroughly prepare for all possible situations” including “potential terrorist threats” even if “the likelihood may not be high.”

A highly interactive relationship

BTS is no stranger to staging free, public-access performances. In 2022, some 50,000 attendees packed into the Asiad Stadium in Busan – South Korea’s second-most populous city after Seoul – for BTS’ free “Yet to Come in Busan” concert. The landmark event, aimed at supporting South Korea’s bid to host the 2030 World Expo, featured the group’s first live performance of “Run BTS” and was enjoyed by millions more tuning in online. Such initiatives are predominantly organized (and also financed) by their agency HYBE, with the support of corporate sponsors.

This weekend’s massive event marked BTS’ first full-member appearance in years and solidified the K-pop group’s exceptionally deep connection with their vast fanbase. Core to BTS’ success is the highly interactive and consistent communication they have with ARMY. Just a month prior, for Valentine’s Day, BTS launched rose wall installations in Seoul, Los Angeles and London. Those who visited the pop-ups received free roses containing QR codes linking to an interactive page that included a curated music playlist from its members. Meanwhile, they posed a cryptic question – “What Is Your Love Song?” – that appeared on billboards around the world.

“While Western pop artists and fans tend to maintain a conventional hierarchical relationship — celebrities as idols and fans as worshippers — K-pop idols and fans often build their relationship more as business partners,” said Stephanie Choi, assistant professor of ethnomusicology at the University of Colorado Boulder. She believes it’s a savvy move. “Fans function as the most effective promoters who know the idols best,” Choi said, noting that events like the free concert “would generate additional stories and shared histories that further strengthen the idol–fan relationship.”

Combined with the themes of BTS’ new album, Choi added that it would also help to “promote tourism among international fans.”

Kim Yu-hyuk, an analyst at Seoul-based investment bank IBK Investment & Securities, estimates BTS’ comeback would generate at least 2.9 trillion Korean won (about $1.93 billion) — a figure that, according to Bloomberg, could potentially rival Taylor Swift’s $2 billion ‘Eras Tour’ earnings. Already, Arirang has over 4 million pre-orders, and cumulative sales are expected to reach approximately 6 million copies, he wrote, describing the band’s momentum as “strong.” He added: “This comeback is expected to go beyond the performance of BTS and serve as an opportunity to expand the overall growth trajectory of the K-pop industry.”

BTS’ new album has sparked much discussion around the meanings behind its name, “Arirang.” The Korean song, which it is named after, is believed to have originated during at least the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910) and comes in hundreds of variations. Symbolizing cultural identity, resilience and unity, the tune came to signify Korean resistance during Japanese colonial rule (1910–1945) and today holds UNESCO recognition.

The Netflix trailer for the public concert, featuring BTS against the backdrop of the palace in both day and night settings, indicated something of a cultural homecoming for the members at a time when young Koreans are actively rediscovering their heritage and redefining their culture to fit their tastes.

For example, while the hanbok has typically been worn for more special occasions rather than casually, it has become trendy among locals, as well as internationally, as K-pop stars including BTS and Blackpink wear contemporized versions in their music videos. Many young visitors to ancient palaces and other tourist attractions in Seoul can also be seen borrowing hanbok from rental stores, while some fashion brands have reinterpreted it for a modern lifestyle.

A path forward for K-pop

BTS’ comeback is sure to be closely scrutinized, with observers hoping that the group will bring renewed energy to the K-pop industry, where a growing number of artists are not ethnically Korean. Many also sing in Korean as well as English and Japanese. (When Blackpink dropped their new mini album “Deadline” in February, it was unlike their past music in that the songs were almost entirely in English.) Newer groups, who are modeled on the traditional K-pop framework but sing in languages other than Korean, are also being formed: Katseye in the US, Santos Bravos from Latin America, and DearALICE in the UK.

“What I find to be interesting is that the title of BTS’ album is named after the spirit of Korea,” said Lee of the USC Annenberg School. “When it was revealed, a lot of people were excited. They were like, ‘Oh, BTS is going to show how K-pop can be done. But all 14 tracks (on the new album) have English titles and the names attached to these songs are like Ryan Tedder (a US songwriter and record producer) and Diplo (an American DJ and music producer), so there has been some confusion over whether it will be more Western music.”

On Friday, when BTS released the first music video for a track (“Swim”) from their new album, it was interpreted by some viewers as a strategic shift towards the Western pop market. Featuring BTS aboard a ship gliding across a shimmering ocean, the song is sung entirely in English. It also stars the American actor Lili Reinhart, best known for her role on the teen drama series “Riverdale,” and was directed by Tanu Muino, who has worked on Grammy-nominated videos for Lil Nas X and Harry Styles.

As BTS moves in this direction, does that put them at risk of losing favor with fans? After all, new talents are constantly emerging and during their hiatus have begun nipping at their heels. Stray Kids, for example, has overtaken BTS in breaking records on the Billboard 200 chart, securing the most consecutive No. 1 albums among K-pop acts as of September 2025.

In Lee’s view, it’s going to take a lot more than that. “If we’re just looking at the numbers, then it looks like these groups are catching up. But when it comes to brand power, I’m not sure if it’s the same. Stray Kids have been very successful, but they don’t have the same kind of name recognition in Korea” — particularly across a multi-generational fanbase, Lee said. “There’s national pride that’s attached to the success of BTS.”

So concrete is BTS’ foothold that even local politicians are attempting to piggyback on their success, according to Lee. “With the midterm elections coming out soon in Korea, some politicians see the concert as a good PR opportunity… and are using it to highlight their achievements, even though they haven’t done anything (to get BTS to perform),” she said. “K-pop has always been a big part of the government’s effort to increase its soft power. The fact that BTS can use the palace for their performance is because they’ve gotten approval from the city of Seoul… who see this as benefiting Korea and highlighting Korean culture and heritage.

“It’s only the caliber of BTS that can make this happen.”

The-CNN-Wire
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With contributions from CNN’s Yoonjung Seo and Gawon Bae.