Kpop group BTS pose for photographs upon their arrival for ‘BTS The Comeback Live Arirang’ concert in central Seoul, South Korea, on March 21, 2026.
Handout | Via Reuters
Kpop supergroup BTS performed to tens of thousands of fans in Seoul on Saturday in their first concert in more than three years, which saw authorities shut down the city’s historic downtown, though turnout was far smaller than expected.
The hour-long outdoor concert in Gwanghwamun Square was the group’s official comeback, after it helped make Korean pop music a global phenomenon before going on hiatus in 2022 while members fulfilled mandatory military service.
They returned on Friday with a new album, which their record label said sold nearly 4 million copies in its first day, ahead of a global tour that starts next month, billed as the biggest in K-pop history.
Fans watch the concert of K-pop boy group BTS on a screen in Seoul on March 21, 2026. South Korean megastars BTS reunite on March 21, for their first show in nearly four years, with an expected 260,000 fans taking over central Seoul for a K-pop extravaganza livestreamed to millions more worldwide.
Kim Min-hee | Afp | Getty Images
While there were only 22,000 tickets to the inner area to see Saturday’s concert live, Seoul authorities had anticipated as many as 260,000 people would turn out to be part of the crowd outside. An entire section of the city was sealed off with barricades.
In the end, most fans decided to stay away for now. The Yonhap News Agency, citing city government estimates, said 40,000-42,000 showed up. Fans, who call themselves the BTS ARMY, could watch the concert on Netflix, where it was streamed live in 190 countries.
“It’s been a long journey but now we’re finally here,” said RM, the leader of BTS, who performed much of the concert from a chair after hurting his ankle during rehearsals.
“While preparing this album, we did have some concerns that we might be forgotten, or whether you would still remember us,” said another member, J-Hope.
22,000 free tickets, 2,551 toilets
The municipal authorities in Seoul are extremely cautious about crowds since a crush killed scores of Halloween revellers in the Itaewon nightlife district four years ago. The Seoul government, the group’s management agency HYBE and other organisations deployed a combined 8,200 personnel and set up medical stations.
Jimena Pinilla, 31, had flown in from Spain and arrived at the square on Saturday morning to get a choice spot.
“I joined the ARMY in 2023, just as they began their service. I’m so excited to be part of this,” she said, sporting purple sneakers and a collection of BTS toys from Shein. “I spent my entire two weeks annual leave for this trip.”
But some South Koreans ridiculed the draconian security measures for a crowd that mostly failed to materialise.
“Authorities claimed 260,000 would show up — that’s basically a lie — and it ended up disrupting local businesses and even weddings,” wrote a user on the Naver Cafe online forum.
A ‘trillions of won’ comeback
BTS’ world tour will last into 2027, spanning 34 regions and 82 shows so far, according to the tour website.
K-pop boy band BTS perform onstage during comeback concert at Gwanghwamun Square on March 21, 2026 in Seoul, South Korea. The free concert is the band’s first performance in nearly four years.
Pool | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images
The comeback album “Arirang” sold 3.98 million copies on its first day of release, according to Big Hit Music, the music label run by HYBE.
Analysts project blockbuster revenues, with some estimates pointing to total tour earnings of as much as 2.7 trillion won ($1.8 billion), rivaling top-grossing tours such as Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres World Tour.
“The number of shows could reach 100 once dates to be added next year are included,” said Hwang Ji-won, analyst at iM Securities. “Assuming only 50,000 attendees per show, that comes to 5 million,” he said, adding that the group’s use of a 360-degree stage for its shows meant crowds could be even bigger.
Roughly half the shows are expected to be in North America and Europe, where ticket prices are generally higher, Hwang said.
