Following the King's Path... The World's Eyes Turn to Korea's Cultural Heritage

 Original article: 국민일보

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[K-Culture, Act 2 on the Global Stage]
Complete BTS Proves Its Enduring Presence Worldwide
A Bold Opening from Gyeongbokgung to Gwanghwamun
Korean Identity Infused into the Comeback Stage
A Global Grand Festival Bridging Tradition and Modernity

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The return of the king. The K-pop icon group BTS is coming back. The event "BTS Comeback Live : Arirang," scheduled to be held on the 21st at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, will serve as a stage to demonstrate to to the world that the group remains stronger than ever after completing a three-year and nine month hiatus due to military service. 

The title "Arirang, used both for their newly released fifth full-length album and this concert, reflects the group's identity rooted in Korea. Choosing Gwanghwamun Square as the venue for for their long-awaited first comeback performance also carries the symbol of meaning of " representing Korea." It will the first time in history that a solo concert by a singer is held at Gwanghwamun Square. Set against the backdrop of Gyeongbokgung Palace and Gwanghwamun, the performance is expected to become a large-scale global festival that bridges tradition and modernity. 

The opening sequence itself is bold. The seven members of BTS will begin inside Gyeongbokgung at Geunjeongmun Gate, walking along the historic "King's Path" that leads through Heungnyemun Gate and onward to Gwanghwamun Gate. After exiting Gwanghwamun, they will pass the Woldae terrace and head toward a T-shaped stage that will be installed near the Yukjo Madang area on the northern side of Gwanghwamun Square. It is still under discussion whether the opening performance will take place live on-site that day or be pre-recorded. 

BTS will present a large-scale alongside 50 dancers and the 13-member Arirang Traditional Music Orchestra. They plan to deliver diverse performances featuring both new songs and their past hit tracks. The overall production will be directed by Hamish Hamilton, known for staging some of the world's prestigious events, including the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony in London and the Super Bowl Halftime Show in the United States. 

According to their agency HYBE, the concert will begin at 8 p.m. and last about an hour. The time was selected with audience safety and public transportation accessibility in mind. 




The total seating capacity will be about 22,000 seats, combining standing sections surrounding the extend stage and reserved seating stretching toward the statue of Admiral Yi Sun-sin. In addition to ticket holders, large numbers of ARMY members from around the world and local citizens who were unable to secure tickets are expected to gather in the area around Gwanghwamun on the day of the event. 

Police estimate that 230,000 people may gather as far as Deoksogung's Daehanmun Gate, and up to 260,000 people could fill the area extending to Sungnyemun Gate. As a result, the area is expected to be packed with crowds. 

The government is making extensive preparations for safety management. Police plan to divide the crowd control area unto four zones—Core, Hot, Warm, and Cold—and further subdivide them into 15 sectors to manage crowd density. Traffic near the venue will be restricted on the day of the event, and subway trains will pass through Gwanghwamun, City Hall, and Gyeongbokgung stations without stopping. Gyeongbokgung Palace and the National Palace Museum of Korea will be closed. Performances previously scheduled at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts—including the Seoul Ballet Theater production, the musical Anna Karenina, and the play Wasp—have also been canceled. 




BTS's performance will be broadcast live to more than 190 countries worldwide via Netflix. While Netflix has streamed over 200 live events, including popular sports matches, that will be the first time it broadcasts a concert by a single artist live. 

Forbes predicted that, considering the size of the ARMY fandom, the live broadcast of the BTS concert could potentially break Netflix viewership records. 

In a teaser video for the performance, leader RM said, "We promised our fans that we would return. I believe the seven of us can continue walking this path together and keep swimming forward." His comment is widely interpreted as referencing the message of the new album's title track "SWIM," which expresses the determination to keep moving forward through the waves of life without stopping. 

BigHit Music, the HYBE label that manages BTS, expressed confidence, stating, "Through this performance, we aim to set another milestone in the history of Korean culture."




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