By HYUNG-JIN KIM Associated Press
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — BTS will stage its long-awaited comeback concert on Saturday night at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square, one of South Korea’s most famous landmarks that represents its royal heritage and political and cultural life.
In a free concert expected to draw tens of thousands of fans, the K-pop juggernaut’s seven members, all South Koreans, will perform songs from their first album in nearly four years, “ARIRANG,” whose title is taken from the most beloved traditional folk tune on the Korean Peninsula.
“‘ARIRANG’ is an album that embodies the origin and identity of BTS and carries the message that they want to convey now,” Hybe Corp., the parent company of BTS’ management agency, said in response to questions by The Associated Press. “Considering the symbolic significance of the word ‘Arirang,’ we’ve decided to hold a performance at Gwanghwamun, a place that represents Korea.”
Gwanghwamun is a Seoul landmark
Gwanghwamun Square is named after the huge main gate of nearby Gyeongbokgung, a royal palace for Korea’s Joseon dynasty, which ruled the peninsula for more than 500 years until its collapse in 1910.
Located in the heart of Seoul, the sprawling square is home to cultural and art events. It hosts giant statues of two of Korea’s most respected figures — King Sejong, who invented the Korean script in 1443, and navy admiral Yi Sun-shin, who defeated the Japanese invasion in the 16th century.
The square is also a symbol of South Korea’s young, resilient democracy, the site of massive rallies in times of political upheavals in recent years.
When then- President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law imposition in late 2024 triggered the most severe crisis for the country’s democracy in decades, protesters gathered in the square, calling for his ouster. Rallies blended politics and pop culture, with demonstrators waving colorful light sticks used at K-pop concerts and signing K-pop tracks such as Girls’ Generation’s “Into the New World.”
Gwanghwamun concert will reaffirm BTS’ roots
Observers say the hourlong Gwanghwamun concert, which will be livestreamed on Netflix globally, will reaffirm BTS’ identity as a group that expanded from Korea to the world stage. BTS had been on hiatus because its members had to complete their mandatory military duties in South Korea.
Ha Jae-keun, a cultural critic, said that no matter where the BTS holds its comeback concert, it would be successful. But as the biggest stars of K-pop, BTS likely determined that appearing at a symbolic Korean site would be “most meaningful,” he said.
Jung Dukhyun, a pop culture commentator, said the selection of Gwanghwamun likely reflected a view that Korean traditional culture and local elements can resonate on a global scale, as seen in the success of the Netflix sensation “KPop Demon Hunters,” which won the Oscar for best animated feature and best song for “Golden” this week.
BTS concert to promote South Korea
Officials believe the concert will likely enhance South Korea’s international cultural influence.
They also plan to take extensive safety steps to prevent crowd-related incidents.
In a message posted on X on Wednesday, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called BTS “a proud artist of the Republic of Korea” and expressed hope that the concert will show “our beautiful cultural heritage and the charm of K-culture.”
Besides about 20,000 ticketed fans at the square, about 240,000 others are expected to fill nearby areas to watch the concert on temporary screens. Authorities plan to block roads, have subway trains pass through some stations and close the Gyeongbokgung place.
Some residents criticized what they saw as preferential treatment given to BTS and potential inconvenience to the public. But many experts say the concert has a big public aspect.
“BTS is the nation’s band. Now they intend to hold an open performance for the public free of charge. I think it would be very natural for the government to support it,” Ha said.
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Associated Press writer Kim Tong-hyung contributed to this report.