BTS shuts down central Seoul for comeback concert

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 official comeback for the group that helped make Korean pop music into a global phenomenon before going on hiatus in 2022 while members fulfilled mandatory military service.

They returned with a new ​album on Friday that 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 Kpop history.

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. A whole section of the ​city was shut 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 instead, where it was streamed live to 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.

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.

BTS' world tour will last into 2027, spanning 34 regions and 82 shows so far, according to the tour website., opens new tab

The comeback album "Arirang" sold 3.98 million copies ​on its first day of release.—Reuters