On the evening of March 21, the event "BTS comeback live: Arirang" took place at Gwanghwamun Square (Korea), to celebrate the release of the 5th studio album "Arirang" of the famous Kpop group BTS.
The event included the first performances of new songs, including the title track "Swim".
About 22,000 spectators filled the official seating area, while tens of thousands of others gathered around the square to witness this special moment.
According to HYBE estimates based on mobile network data and the number of foreign visitors, the total number of participants in BTS's event, including inside and outside the event area, is about 104,000 people.
The show was also broadcast live globally via Netflix, helping fans around the world to watch in real time.
When all 7 BTS members appeared on stage in black and white costumes, the whole square exploded. Leader RM opened the program with the sentence: "Hello. We're back".
The group opened with the song "Body to body". Due to an ankle injury before that, RM mainly sat in chairs or stood separate from the lineup when performing dance, while the remaining 6 members performed the full dance part.
Next, the group performed other songs in the new album such as "Hooligan", "2. 0"; interspersed with old songs such as "Butter", "Mic drop".
BTS members showed solid live vocals and stage presence. Fans responded with enthusiastic cheers, constantly waving lightsticks to the music.
After the stages for the new song, V shared: "Until now, I still don't feel authentic when we can stand together as a group.
Jungkook added: "I think I will never forget tonight. I used to feel pressure and worry about this comeback, but standing here with everyone, it feels wonderful.
RM also shared about the creative process: "We have been thinking for a long time about how to make music. The answer is not outside, but inside us.
Suga emphasized: "With this album, we want to truthfully express the personality of all 7 members and bring a more mature BTS".
The group continued to perform new songs such as "Aliens" and "FYA", highlighted by their characteristic hip-hop energy and even dance moves along with a large cast of dancers.
Jin expressed his gratitude, recalled the previous full-form performance and thanked the fans for waiting.
Suga said that performing at Gwanghwamun - a historical site of Korea - is a great honor, and explained that the album name "Arirang" reflects the group's cultural identity.
The climax of the show was the theme song "Swim". When the performance began, the entire Gwanghwamun Square was dyed with blue light, harmonizing with the gentle, flowing emotions of the song. The choreography used many flexible movements like waves, creating an attractive visual experience.
This is the first time an artist has held a private concert in Gwanghwamun Square in South Korea. At the same time, this is also Netflix's first global live music broadcast in South Korea, directed by famous stage director Hamish Hamilton.
Closing the show, J-Hope declared: "BTS 2.0 has just started.
RM added: "Whatever happens, we promise to continue "swimming" together. This is just the beginning.
