BTS comeback concert sets record as South Korea’s largest-ever public show

The long-awaited reunion of BTS has finally taken place, with RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook sharing the stage together for the first time in nearly four years.

Central to the group’s comeback is a free public concert in Seoul dedicated to their loyal fanbase. Although only 22,000 fans secured the coveted “Golden Ticket” for entry, the event was expected to draw crowds of up to 260,000, making it the largest public concert ever held in South Korea, CNN reported.

The long-awaited reunion of BTS has finally taken place, with RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook sharing the stage together for the first time in nearly four years.

Central to the group’s comeback is a free public concert in Seoul dedicated to their loyal fanbase. Although only 22,000 fans secured the coveted “Golden Ticket” for entry, the event was expected to draw crowds of up to 260,000, making it the largest public concert ever held in South Korea.

Fans -- 260,000 were predicted earlier -- descended on Seoul from morning onwards in colourful costumers, taking selfies with their tickets and clutching BTS "ARMY" glowsticks.

Before they came on stage fans chanted "BTS! BTS!" with the main boulevard leading up to Gwanghwamun Square -- the symbolic heart of the Seoul -- ram-packed with people as far as the eye could see.

Gwanghwamun Gate was lit in rainbow colours, as a massive stage installation featuring three circular features -- symbolising BTS's new album -- glowed beneath towering lighting rigs.

Lee Yeon-seo, 36, a South Korean fan who travelled from the southern city of Jeonju, was one of those who arrived early.

"With the tour kicking off in April, this is the beginning of their new journey. In a way, it feels like an honour to experience it live like this, more vividly than most people," she told AFP.

Millions more people across the world were able to watch a Netflix live broadcast.

In a last-minute setback, the group's agency said Friday that RM hurt his ankle in rehearsals and that his "participation in certain performance elements, such as choreography on stage, will be restricted."

The latest album, "ARIRANG", which was released on Friday, is billed as a reflection of the maturing boy band's Korean identity.

It almost four million copies in the first day, BTS's record label said. Five million fans pre-saved it on Spotify, the most ever for a K-pop act.

"ARIRANG" takes its name from a folk song about longing and separation that is often dubbed South Korea's unofficial national anthem.

Featuring collaborations with multiple Western artists and producers, the 14 tracks on the album mix rap, heavy beats and experimentation.

"Compared to their earlier work, there's a wider range of genres, which gives it a more mature and expansive feel," Lee Ji-young, a university professor, told AFP.

"As always, their lyrics are honest, and through a diverse range of sounds, they give a clear sense of who they are and where they stand right now."

Another listener on Reddit was less impressed.

"I hope they sing some of their old stuff," they said.

- Taylor who? -

Saturday's show preceded a world tour set to be a major money-spinner for BTS, potentially outdoing Taylor Swift's recent Eras Tour, and for South Korea thanks to tourism and sales of merchandise from BTS dolls to toothbrushes and cans of tuna.

Starting in Goyang, South Korea on April 9 and ending in the Philippines 11 months later, BTS's tour encompasses 82 shows in 34 cities in 23 countries, including around 30 shows in North America.

Security was heavy for Saturday's concert, with some 15,000 police and security guards, barricades lining the roads and local venues shut. Wedding guests had to be transported by police.

The safety measures have drawn some criticism, particularly following reports that workers were forced to take annual leave and that civil servants were deployed on their day off to assist with the event.

Resilience

The concert is taking place in Seoul's sweeping Gwanghwamun Square beside Gyeongbokgung. Built in 1395, the former royal palace is often seen as a symbol of Korean resilience through dynastic collapse, colonial rule and pro-democracy protests.

BTS -- short for Bulletproof Boy Scouts in Korean -- have championed UNICEF campaigns, the Black Lives Matter movement and efforts to combat anti-Asian racism.

Members have also spoken candidly about the pressures of the music industry.

Their message "has always centred around self-reflection, resilience and courage to keep moving forward, even when life feels uncertain", Carmen Low, 32, a fan in Malaysia, told AFP.

"In many ways, those themes feel just as relevant -- if not more -- in 2026.

"Their return could be a reminder of those values, encouraging conversations about identity, dreams, mental health, and what it means to grow up in a complex world," she told AFP.

(With inputs from news agency AFP)