The concert called "BTS the comeback live: Arirang" will take place on March 21, at the historic Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, South Korea. Police and city authorities expect up to 260,000 fans to gather to watch BTS's performance.
To prepare for the large number of spectators flocking in, officials have designated 31 buildings near the square as priority surveillance points. Authorities also requested to close part of the entrances to the buildings and limit going to the roofs as well as the upper floors.
These measures aim to prevent the risk of falling from high positions and prevent the situation of "free viewers" watching concerts from nearby rooftops without tickets.
Security preparations are carried out very carefully with more than 6,500 police officers from various units - including riot police, traffic units, detectives, crime prevention teams and special forces - to be deployed. Metal detectors will also be installed at 31 official entrances to check attendees.
Traffic regulation measures will also significantly change the city center area. Sejong-daero Main Avenue, the section between Gwanghwamun and Seoul City Hall, will be closed to traffic from 9:00 PM on March 20th to 6:00 AM on March 22nd.
Subway operations will also be affected. In the afternoon of March 21, trains on nearby routes will not stop at Gwanghwamun, City Hall and Gyeongbokgung stations to reduce traffic congestion.
However, criticism began to spread online when details of the security plan for BTS's performance were made public.
Some people think that these measures are "excessive", "too much". One comment wrote: "If it's so complicated, then organize it in the theater. Why close crowded streets and shops just for a concert?".
Another department questioned the selection of locations, noting that Gwanghwamun Square - often used for public rallies and national celebrations - belongs to one of the busiest administrative and commercial areas of Seoul.
The organizers previously responded to another controversial point: the concert only lasted 1 hour, which some fans considered too short.
BTS's management company - HYBE - said that this decision was not requested by the city government. Instead, the company considered "the specific nature of outdoor public space, the safety of the audience, on-site crowd control, the convenience of public transport and concerns about late-night noise".
Some neighboring buildings are also taking preventive measures themselves. KT West building, located next to Gwanghwamun Square, is expected to be completely closed on the day of the concert for safety reasons. Restaurants and cafes inside the building will also temporarily stop operating.
Meanwhile, a wedding planned to be held at the Korean Press Center will still take place as planned, but attendees will have to undergo additional security checks with a handheld scanner.
Despite many complaints, a part of the audience still believes that strict safety measures are necessary for the scale of the event.
Many people recalled the horrific jostling and trampling tragedy during the Halloween festival in Seoul that killed more than 150 people as a reminder that crowd control must be valued.
Tickets to see BTS's performance at Gwanghwamun Square were sold out immediately after opening for sale, showing the group's continuous global popularity.
This event will also be broadcast live worldwide through Netflix.
