BTS returned as a full seven-member group for the first time in about 3 years and 5 months, since its October 2022 “Yet to Come in Busan” concert.
As the clock struck 8 p.m. on Saturday and the seven members appeared on a frame-shaped stage set up at Gwanghwamun Square, about 40,000 fans roared and chanted “BTS.”
The show opened with “Body to Body,” a track from the group’s new full-length album, “Arirang.” When five traditional vocalists and a Korean traditional music ensemble performed the folk song “Arirang” live, ARMY members answered with a mass singalong.
Attendance was estimated at 104,000 by organizers, while Seoul’s real-time city data put the figure at 42,000. That fell well short of the roughly 260,000 initially expected, but fans from around the world raised light sticks and turned the square purple, the group’s signature color.
Many fans also watched from outside fences surrounding the 22,000 official seats, following the concert on large screens. Others streamed the live broadcast on smartphones to share in the comeback.
Midway through the concert, the members shared how it felt to perform again and introduced the album’s title track, “Swim.” V said, “What we can do is not stop — to release music step by step and keep performing,” adding, “If we show ARMY a good side like this, I think we’ll move forward.” He said he hoped the song would offer listeners “even a little comfort and strength.”
The members also spoke about the hiatus, saying they worried, “Would we be forgotten? Would you remember us?” RM said he had thought hard about what kind of artists they wanted to be “at this turning point,” and described the album’s goal as listening to their own voices and openly capturing “worries, anxiety and wandering.”
Jimin said he feels fear every time, including for this show, but added he firmly believes that if they “Keep Swimming,” they will find answers someday.
The Gwanghwamun comeback concert ended with “Dynamite” and “Mikrokosmos.” Fans lingered afterward, taking photos with the stage behind them before leaving.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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