BigHit Music said Tuesday that an additional round of tickets for “BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG” will go on sale at 8 p.m. Thursday through the NOL ticket platform.
The newly added viewing zone will stretch from Sejong-daero Intersection toward Gwanghwamun Station on Line 5 and City Hall Station on Line 1, where fans will watch the performance on large LED screens installed along the boulevard.
The expansion will increase official capacity to about 22,000 spectators, according to the agency.
Authorities expect far larger crowds beyond the ticketed audience as fans gather across the Gwanghwamun district, one of Seoul’s busiest civic corridors.
Preparations are already altering daily operations across the area.
KT Corp. said it will close its Gwanghwamun headquarters on the day of the concert, citing safety concerns as massive crowds are expected to gather near the venue. Employee access will be restricted and commercial facilities inside the building will suspend operations.
Several cafés and bakery outlets inside the complex are also expected to close, while nearby businesses are reviewing operating hours ahead of the surge in visitors.
Cultural institutions surrounding Gwanghwamun Square are adjusting schedules as well.
The National Museum of Korean Contemporary History said it will temporarily close on March 21 for safety reasons.
The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts has cancelled or rescheduled several performances scheduled that day due to anticipated congestion around the square, though the art exhibition “The Fourth Wall” by actor and painter Park Shin-yang will remain open.
Historic landmarks nearby will also suspend operations.
Gyeongbokgung Palace and the National Palace Museum of Korea said they will temporarily close to prevent safety incidents and reduce inconvenience to visitors as crowds gather around the district.
Transportation across central Seoul will also be significantly adjusted.
City officials said subway stations near the venue — Gwanghwamun Station (Line 5), City Hall Station (Lines 1 and 2), and Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3) — may allow trains to pass through without stopping for several hours during the event to prevent dangerous crowd congestion.
Access to certain station exits may also be restricted depending on real-time conditions.
Seoul plans to deploy more than 3,400 personnel for on-site safety management, operating a dedicated civil safety headquarters coordinating crowd control, medical support and emergency response.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency will deploy about 4,800 officers, including riot police and counterterror units prepared to respond to potential threats.
Organizers are also tightening measures against ticket scalping and fraudulent entry. BigHit Music said it will monitor online resale postings and strengthen identity verification procedures for attendees.
Ahead of the concert, BTS will release its fifth studio album “ARIRANG” at 1 p.m. on March 20, one day before the performance. The comeback concert will also be streamed globally on Netflix.
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