BTS fans have finally witnessed a long-awaited reunion as the group’s seven members performed together on stage for the first time in nearly four years. The event, a free public concert in Seoul, marked the beginning of their comeback and was part of a promotional tour for their new album, Arirang. Named after a traditional Korean folk song and the country’s unofficial national anthem, the album explores themes of identity and belonging. The concert also served as a prelude to their global tour, which will span 34 regions from April 2026 to March 2027. A documentary capturing the reunion and the concert will be released on Netflix. The concert, held in Gwanghwamun Square near Gyeongbokgung Palace, drew thousands of fans, with 22,000 securing “Golden Tickets” to attend. Despite the limited number of tickets, the event was expected to attract up to 260,000 people, making it the largest public concert in South Korean history. Fans dressed in traditional hanbok attire, inspired by the album’s themes, flooded social media with photos of their outfits. Some, like Vivienne Ferrier from the U.S., wore hanbok-inspired designs in red and white to align with the album’s color scheme, while others incorporated purple, the symbolic color of BTS and their fanbase, ARMY. The concert’s stage design, created by Guy Carrington and Florian Wieder, was inspired by a picture frame, blending modern energy with historical significance. The venue, a sacred space in Seoul, required meticulous planning to ensure the performance honored its cultural context without disrupting its heritage. The event was directed by Hamish Hamilton, a renowned director known for productions like the Super Bowl halftime show and the Oscars. He described the logistical challenges as “among the most complex” of his career, noting the absence of rehearsals on the actual stage.#netflix #seoul #bts #hybe #gyeongbokgung
BTS Arirang review: K-pop idols rekindle their fire The return of BTS is a big deal. In case you were in any doubt, just look at the frenzy surrounding the South Koreans' comeback. On Saturday, the band will kick off a sold-out, 82-date world tour with a free concert in Seoul, expected to draw more than 250,000 in-person fans and be live-streamed on Netflix to over 190 countries. When the tour wraps up in 2027, BTS are projected to generate more than $1 billion in revenue. Some estimates suggest they could surpass Taylor Swift’s Eras tour earnings of $2 billion. Despite this, demand remains so high that Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, has written to the South Korean government requesting more BTS shows in her country. Eager fans have pre-saved the band’s tenth album, Arirang, more than five million times on Spotify—the highest number ever achieved by a K-pop group. Shares in their record company, HYBE, have surged in anticipation of the release. During their four-year hiatus, during which all seven members completed South Korea’s mandatory 18-month military service, HYBE’s operating profit dropped by nearly 37.5%. This underscores the immense expectations for Arirang. Fans are desperate to see the group reunited, but the K-pop industry faces challenges, including scandals and declining album sales. BTS’s return is seen as a litmus test for the genre’s global appeal. The band could have played it safe, sticking to their earlier sleek, retro-disco sound—tracks like Dynamite and Butter—which appealed to listeners who found Bruno Mars too abrasive. These songs solidified BTS as the biggest K-pop act worldwide, especially in English-speaking markets.#bts #arirang #hybe #claudia_sheinbaum #el_guincho
