SEOUL, South Korea — K-pop supergroup BTS made their long-awaited return to the stage Saturday with a performance at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square, marking the band’s first appearance together in nearly four years.
The seven-member boy group — Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jung Kook — reunited after completing mandatory South Korean military service and pursuing solo projects during their hiatus.
The comeback concert, staged at the historic plaza in central Seoul, comes ahead of an 80-plus-date global tour across the U.S., Europe and Asia.
The seven-member group performed together for the first time in nearly four years after completing mandatory South Korean military service.Kim Hong-Ji – Pool / Getty Images
BTS were granted special permission by the Korean Heritage Service to perform at Gwanghwamun Square, the main gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace, a landmark dating back to the Joseon Dynasty. Organizers described it as the first major live performance held at the site, with the show also livestreamed globally.
Fans, known as the “BTS Army,” traveled from around the world to attend, while others were already in South Korea.
Betty Filip, a 33-year-old from Minnesota, moved to South Korea in 2023 because of her love for BTS. Despite not getting a ticket for the concert itself, she arrived at the site at 5:30 a.m. to make sure she didn’t miss what she described as a historic moment.
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“BTS introduced me to Korean culture and I was just at a point in my life where I needed a change, so I just decided to quit my job and risk it all,” she told NBC News in an interview. “I’ve just learned to love Korea through them, so moving here was the only option. There was nowhere else I wanted to go.”
Filip said she had been part of the BTS Army since 2020, and that “the last few years felt so empty without them.” She was determined to be on the scene to welcome them back.
“It’s not only a monumental moment for the music industry, but also for Korea and Korean culture and history,” she said. “This performance is truly unprecedented. To be able to witness it live is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Fans, known as the “BTS Army,” traveled from around the world to attend the concert.Jung Yeon-je / AFP – Getty Images
The performance blended contemporary pop with traditional Korean elements. The group took the stage by walking along a historic pathway once used by Joseon Dynasty kings, while parts of the show incorporated hanbok, traditional Korean clothing.
The set list featured songs from their latest album, “Arirang,” released Friday and named after a traditional Korean folk song, alongside global hits including “Dynamite” and “Butter.”
Speaking to HYBE, the group’s management company, RM said, “To maximize the symbolic space of Gwanghwamun, we designed the stage with an open ‘cube’ structure that ensures an unobstructed view. The key point was to frame both Gwanghwamun and the stage in a single screen without either blocking the other.”
Despite an ankle injury, RM performed with limited movement, with other members joining him during parts of the choreography.