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ARMYs finally uncover the meaning behind the "King" symbol BTS has teased multiple times

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  The boy group BTS has officially confirmed the schedule for their first full-group comeback performance after completing their mandatory military service. On the 3rd, through their agency BigHit Music, BTS announced, "At 8 p.m. on the 21st of next month, the group will hold a commemorative performance for the release of their fifth studio album at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul." The performance is titled "BTS Comeback Live: Arirang."  BigHit Music stated, "Since the word 'Arirang' carries symbolic meaning, we prepared the first stage in a space that represents Korea."  According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, BTS is currently discussing placing the stage at the northern starting point of Gwanghwamun Square, facing Woldae (the stone platform in front of the palace gate). A total of 34,000 seats are expected to be arranged, including 17,000 main seats at the front and 17,000 seats on both sides. Audience members in certain areas may be able to...

Oh See-hoon: "BTS's 'Return of the King'... We will turn it into a nationwide celebration"

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Original article:  The Fact "An opportunity that Seoul must seize" On the morning of the 4th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government held an "Inspection Meeting on Current Issues Related to BTS's Comeback Event," chaired by Mayor Oh Se-hoon, to review lreparsriobs and safety measures for the upcoming full-group BTS comeback event scheduled to take place at Gwanghwamun Square.  In his opening remarks, Mayor Oh said, "It seems the entire nation has been waiting for this. The return of the king is approaching," adding, "The comeback event of BTS, who are returning as a complete group after fulfilling their military duties, is something Seoul truly needs and should be grateful for." He emphasized that the event would be held at Gwanghwamun, one of Seoul's most symbolic locations, stating, "An event taking place at Gwanghwamun, the heart of the capital Seoul, is truly an opportunity that the city must make the most of." He then cited a pa...

[AJP Desk Column] It Started with Just One Line. That's Why Netflix Became BTS's Natural Choice

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  At midnight on January 14, a single line appeared on HYBE's fan platform Weverse and on X (formerly Twitter). "BTS to begin a world tour in 34 cities across North America, Europe, and South America on April 9."  That's was all. There was no press release. No press conference. Just a short notice posted in a fan platform. The response came faster than expected. Within half a day, 280,000 comments in various languages poured in from around the world, and the post on X recorded 25.32 million views. BBC, Billboard, The New York Times, and Forbes all cited this "one-time announcement" in real time. This scene clearly shows the stage that BTS's global influence has reached. Now, BTS's "official announcements" no longer begin with the media, but in fan platforms. Global media simply follow and translate them. Seen in this context, it is not surprising at all—rather, it is natural—that BTS's comeback concert at Gwanghwamun on March 21 will be...

Suga Reflects on the Darkness Period of His Life When BTS Nearly Disbanded, Bringing ARMYs to Tears

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  Every profession comes with risks, but being an idol seems to be one of the careers with the highest level of uncertainty. Before debut, trainees live with constant anxiety—never knowing when they will debut or whether they will ever debut at all. Even after debut, many groups still spend years chasing success before eventually disbanding. There is never any guarantee that an idol who is famous today will remain famous tomorrow. BTS themselves have experienced many days of fear throughout their career—so much so that they even considered the possibility of disbanding. One such moment was when "Danger" underperformed on the music charts, a time Jin once described with the heartbreaking words, "It felt like it was the end for us." Suga also recalled that the members felt frustrated and got into "a lot of argument."  However, that was not the moment that haunted Suga the most. Even earlier than that, he went through an experience he will likely never forget...

South Korea's National Assembly officially enacts toughest-ever law cracking down on ticket scalping ahead of BTS's World Tour

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  The ticket sales performance of BTS's ARIRANG World Tour once again stunned fans worldwide, much like the group's previous tours. Both pre-sale and general-sale tickets sold out rapidly, reaffirming BTS's enduring global appeal. As part of the ARIRANG tour, BTS sold out multiple concert at 44 stadiums worldwide within just three days of ticket sales opening. At several venues, tickets were reportedly sold out within minutes, promoting fans to compare the experience to "not even having time to see where their seats were."  Among these, the three concerts scheduled for April 9, 11, and 12 at the main stadium of the Goyang Sports Complex in Gyeonggi Province reportedly sold out during the early pre-sale on the 22nd, which was exclusive to official fan club members. Notably, more than 100,000 fans were said to have rushed to join the online queue within just a few minutes. However, the issue of scalping and ticket speculation continues to persist. Astonishingly, onl...

Debate over foreign idols in K-pop resurfaces as BTS shares evolving perspective

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  As K-pop continues its rapid global expansion, long-standing debates over what defines the genre have once again come into focus. With increasing foreign participation and a growing number of English-language releases, questions about the boundaries of K-pop—and who belongs within it—are becoming harder to answer.  In recent years, many K-pop idol groups have released songs heavily influenced by U.S. and European production styles, with some tracks written entirely by Western songwriters. At the same time, the industry has seen a rise in multinational groups, including those in which more than half—or even all—of the members are non-Korean. Groups such as BLACKSWAN and Katseye have often been cited as examples.  These development have sparked mixed reactions among fans. Some critics argue that multinational lineups and non-Korean members dilute the essence of K-pop, questioning whether such groups should be classified as K-pop idols at all—even when their music, languag...

BigHit Producer Shares Objective Insight on the BTS Member with the Most Unique Voice After Years of Working Together

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  Western music often places the song at the center, with performance treated as a "bonus," whereas K-pop is designed as an all encompassing entertainment package. Rather than prioritizing a single element, K-pop emphasizes the harmonious  combination of multiple components—melody, choreography, visuals, vocals, concept, and more. However, at the core of pop music in general, the primary focus still lies in sound. Therefore, for K-pop idols, vocal ability remains an important standard. This is no exception for global superstar BTS—more especially, the group's vocal line, consisting of Jin, Jimin, Jungkook, and Taehyung. Most fans know that not all four members had a singing background form an early age. While Jimin had an advantage in contemporary dance, Jin began his career in acting. As a result, the BTS members—especially the vocal line—have worked extremely hard on vocal training for many years, from their trainee days to long after their debut. Even at the peak of th...