Thousands of BTS fans packed a stadium in South Korea on Thursday to see the K-pop supergroup begin their long-awaited world tour after a nearly four-year hiatus.RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook were to perform a set piece from their catalog and new fifth album, “ARIRANG,” since the band members completed their mandatory military service in South Korea.
BTS will start their ‘ARIRANG’ tour at Goyang Stadium
Despite the pouring rain, the band’s fans – including some from Russia, the United States and Brazil – packed a 40,000-plus capacity stadium for the show, the band’s first tour since the 2021-22 Permission to Dance on Stage tour. More than a hundred fans, including some who didn’t get tickets, lined up outside the stadium with umbrellas to hear the band perform.“Performing together as a group felt comfortable and being in the same space with you guys made me feel at home,” member Jin wrote on fan platform Weverse after Thursday’s performance.
BTS performed for 2.5 hours
BTS put on a high-energy performance, performing 23 songs in over two and a half hours in the pouring rain with minimal intermission, while showcasing some powerful and stunning stages throughout the night.The concert attracted more than 7 million viewers worldwide on Weverse and other platforms, as the sold-out stadium crowd cheered, sang and pumped up every moment of the show.
The setlist for the ‘ARIRANG’ tour has been revealed
The set list included: HooliganforeignersRun BTSThey don’t know uslike animalsFalse loveSWIMMerry Go Round2.0NORMALnot todayMic DropFYIthe fireBody BodyIDOLCome (hidden clue)butterdynamitemicrocosmi need youpleasesun set
About the ‘ARIRANG’ tour
Until Sunday, the South Korean acts embarked on a tour that includes dozens of shows in the United States, Europe and Asia, and analysts say it could generate hundreds of millions of dollars in quarterly revenue. The tour will be a major money-maker for BTS, possibly even surpassing Taylor Swift’s recent Eras Tour, according to analysts.The concert comes barely a month after BTS made a comeback with a free concert at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square.“ARIRANG” — named after a turn-of-the-century Korean folk song that’s considered an unofficial anthem across the Korean mainland — debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The single “Swim” also topped the charts.
Comment on BTS ARMY concert
Kim Eunhee, a fan from South Korea who came with her 30-year-old daughter, said the prospect of attending a BTS live concert helped strengthen her fight against cancer.“Last year when I was struggling even in my hardest times, this was the only thing I looked forward to,” he said. “To come to a real concert hall and see it in person for the first time – it was very meaningful.”Kim Eunhee, a fan from South Korea who came with her 30-year-old daughter, said the prospect of attending a BTS live concert helped strengthen her fight against cancer.“Last year when I was struggling even in my hardest times, this was the only thing I looked forward to,” he said. “To come to a real concert venue and see it in person for the first time – it was very meaningful.”
BTS return after military service
All seven members of BTS completed their mandatory military service, with Suga being the last to be discharged in June 2025. He reportedly served in government-related facilities and organizations instead of military camps due to a shoulder injury.In South Korea, all able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 28 are required by law to do 21 months of military service under a conscription system to prevent attacks from rival North Korea.
About BTS
BTS – short for Bangtan Sonyeondan, or ‘Bulletproof Boy Scouts’ in Korean – debuted in June 2013. The seven-piece group launched in 2013 with the hip-hop heavy single ‘2 Cool 4 Skool’ and released three full-length projects before gaining momentum with 2016’s ‘Wings’. Their global breakthrough came in 2017 when ‘DNA’ entered the Billboard Hot 100, making BTS the first Korean boy group to achieve such a feat. The tour is expected to bring the band to Australia in early 2027, with the final stop in Manila, Philippines next March.
