The show opened with sweeping drone footage over Bugaksan and Gyeongbokgung Palace. As 50 dancers lined up on the stage platform, the seven members appeared in black outfits that reinterpreted traditional armor in a modern style.
Leader RM, seated due to an ankle injury and focusing on vocals, greeted the crowd: “It’s been four years. Hello, we are BTS.” He added, “We’ll pour everything into today. It’s been a long journey, but we finally made it here.”
BTS launched into new-album tracks “Body to Body,” “Hooligan” and “2.0,” quickly taking control of the square. “Body to Body” blended the melody of the folk song “Arirang” with a collaboration with the National Gugak Center, highlighting a distinctly Korean identity.
After the stage, Jin thanked fans for returning. “I vividly remember telling you to wait for us at our last Busan concert a few years ago,” he said. “I had a lot of worries about getting to this point. I’m grateful and happy to face you again.”
Jimin told fans, “ARMY, we finally met. I’m overwhelmed and grateful to be able to speak like this. I’m so happy the seven of us can be together again. I missed you. I didn’t expect you to fill Gwanghwamun Square like this — thank you.”
Suga called it an honor to perform “at the most historic place in Korea,” saying the album title “Arirang” reflected a desire to capture the group’s identity and that the decision led them to stage the comeback at Gwanghwamun.
V added, “It feels new to be able to come back in such a special place. Thank you to ARMY who came all the way here, and to those watching around the world through Netflix. We waited a long time, too. Wherever you are, I hope our feelings reach you.”
The group followed with global hits “Butter” and “MIC Drop.” J-Hope and Jung Kook told the crowd it still felt unreal to be onstage together as seven again, thanking fans for waiting and promising they had prepared “a lot of special things” and would give everything they had.
Jung Kook said, “I don’t think I’ll ever forget tonight. I think I had pressure and fear about the comeback, but standing in front of you today, it just feels good. Just good.”
RM said the album was worked on for two months in Los Angeles, with postproduction completed in Korea. He said the members held many conversations about who they are now and how they could come together, and that they took on new challenges, before performing new songs “Aliens” and “FYA.”
In remarks about their hiatus, J-Hope said the album contains “countless worries,” including concerns about whether the group might be forgotten or whether fans would still remember them. Suga said he spent a long time thinking about what needed to change during the pause, adding that he still felt uncertain and anxious but considered those feelings part of who they are.
RM said he repeatedly asked himself what choices to make at a turning point and what kind of creator he wanted to remain, concluding that the answer was not outside but within. He said the goal of the album was to listen more closely to their own voices and reflect themselves more fully.
Jimin said, “As you know well, we’re not special people. Like you, we’re afraid every time, and I was afraid preparing for this stage, too. But I believe if we ‘keep swimming,’ we’ll find an answer someday.” V said what they can do is keep making music, keep performing and show fans their best, adding he hoped their songs could offer some comfort. The group then performed the title track “SWIM,” along with “Like Animals” and “Normal.”
The production emphasized a blend of tradition and modern staging. Director Hamish Hamilton said he focused on building a balanced stage model that respected the historic setting of Gyeongbokgung. Netflix said it viewed the show as the biggest moment among its live events planned for the year and a landmark partnership, highlighting major investment to ensure technical stability.
J-Hope said, “I’m really, really happy to be back. Every moment is thanks to you. BTS 2.0 is just beginning.” V told fans it was time for the last song, saying he had imagined the moment for years and wanted to keep going.
Suga again thanked the Seoul Metropolitan Government and related officials, as well as police working on site. Jimin bowed and said, “Thank you, and I’m sorry.” Jung Kook told fans the seven members always share the same 마음, adding they would always do their best as long as fans stayed with them. BTS closed with “Dynamite” and the encore “Mikrokosmos.”
BTS, which set a new personal record with 3.98 million copies sold on the album’s first day of release, used the roughly hourlong show to reaffirm its presence. By the Seoul city government’s count, 40,000 people gathered near Gwanghwamun, with the crowd far larger when including the area around Sungnyemun, and the event proceeded safely in an orderly manner. The group is set to continue its global schedule with a world tour starting April 9 at Goyang Stadium.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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