SEOUL, March 21 (AJP) - Nearly 50,000 people departed orderly and safely from Gwanghwamun Square late Saturday night as the BTS comeback concert came to a close.
According to Seoul's real-time crowd management system, the assembly filled the central plaza to capacity before the performance began.
To manage the turnout, city officials and local police released the crowd in stages, opening audience sections one by one to prevent congestion at nearby transit hubs.
This phased dispersal followed a performance that marked the first time the group had appeared together in South Korea since 2022.
For the international fans, the coordinated exit was as surprsing as the surreal outdoor concert itself.
Eeti, a fan from London who moved her travel plans forward to witness the show, described the safety protocols as the most impressive she had seen.
"It was so great amd amazing," she said. She found the entire event "very well organized. very convenient, very surprised how smooth everything was" and was impressed how she felt "no danger. Pretty safe," despite the volume of people in the square.
Other attendees noted the specific atmosphere during the set.
Liana, a fan from Russia who has followed the group for a decade, traveled to Seoul specifically for the Saturday performance.
While she described the choreography for the new songs as 'so good,' she was struck by the relative silence of the crowd.
'Why is no one dancing?' she recalled thinking.
Liana observed that most people around her remained still and focused on filming the stage, which created a quiet environment. She said she had been waiting four years for the return and was interested in seeing the dance routines live since they were not featured in recent music videos.
The demographic in the square included families like Chloe Besner and her daughter from Montreal.
Besner, who is in her 50s, attended the show to support her daughter’s interest in the group.
"Really enjoyed it. It was great that the boys were really fantastic," she said.
Although she suggested the sound could have been "more balanced and stronger," she found the overall experience positive. Besner noted that the group's music is a regular part of her domestic life in Canada. '
"Everything was very smooth and great, came to see the show for my daughter," she said, adding, "I think we are going to still dance in the kitchen with BTS music."
Extra subway and bus services remained in operation past midnight to accommodate the dispersal.
And ARMY fans cleaned up and made sure they left no trace.
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