[Herald Review] The wait is over: BTS returns as seven in historic Gwanghwamun comeback
2026.03.22 00:03
| BTS (Big Hit Music) |
The wait was finally over.
“BTS Comeback Live: Arirang,” the group's first full-group performance in three years, set a new record, making BTS the first K-pop group to host an exclusive live performance at the historic Gwanghwamun Square.
Lasting an hour, the performance was livestreamed worldwide on Netflix as the platform’s first-ever broadcast of a single act’s concert.
Throughout the day, fans were seen dressed in the fandom’s signature purple and traditional hanbok with Korean traditional accessories in homage to the historic venue.
Fans chanted "BTS! BTS!" minutes before the show, as well as the members' names, before the bell sound of the Bell of King Seongdeok — also featured as the interlude track "No. 29" from the group's latest album "Arirang" — rang across the square, signaling the start of the concert.
Finally, through the five-story-tall stage shaped like a giant gate, the members were seen entering the stage via the King’s Road, from Gyeongbokgung, past Geunjeongmun, Heungnyemun and along the woldae platform in front of Gwanghwamun Gate. Before the show, RM revealed that the stage was designed to highlight the symbolic features of Gwanghwamun to the international crowd.
"Hello, Seoul," RM said as BTS made their entrance to the show. "We're back."
BTS opened the concert with "Body to Body," followed by "Hooligan" and "2.0," all B-sides from their new album, drawing explosive cheers from the crowd.
As RM sang the verse, “I need the whole stadium to jump” during “Body to Body,” fans raised their Army Bombs — BTS’ official light sticks — and jumped in unison. When the Korean folk song "Arirang," woven into the track, echoed across the venue, the crowd sang along to the harmony, responding to RM’s request during a Weverse live the day before.
| BTS performs during the "BTS Comeback Live: Arirang," taking place at Gwanghwamun Square on Saturday. (Big Hit Music) |
"Army, we've finally met," said Jimin with a smile. "I'm so grateful to be able to stand here and speak to you, and I'm so happy that all seven of us could be together again. We missed you so much."
“It feels incredibly meaningful to perform at such a special place,” V added, thanking fans who traveled from afar as well as those tuning in live on Netflix, and expressing hope that their hearts would reach viewers wherever they were. Saturday's show was broadcast live on the streaming platform, reaching approximately 300 million subscribers across 190 regions.
BTS kept the momentum going with a medley of hits, including “Butter” and “Mic Drop.” Among them, “Mic Drop” sparked the loudest reaction, with fans chanting along and some mirroring the group’s choreography.
The septet also showcased a mix of new tracks from “Arirang," including its main track "Swim." Netflix teased the performance of “Swim” since its release on Friday, and the crowd expectantly erupted, marking one of the night’s highlights.
"Since this is our first time performing the songs (from our new album), I feel a bit nervous," said Jungkook. "But it's also really exciting and everything feels very new. It's been such a long time — it feels thrilling."
The members also shared their thoughts on "Arirang."
"The new album includes a wide range of tracks, and it also carries many of our concerns and thoughts," shared J-Hope, who added that the members wondered whether they were "forgotten" after not performing as a group for three years.
In response, the fans yelled "Never!" and "How could we?"
| BTS performs during the "BTS Comeback Live: Arirang," taking place at Gwanghwamun Square on Saturday. (Big Hit Music) |
Acknowledging that BTS was at a turning point, RM — who contributed to the composition and lyrics of 12 of the 14 tracks in the new album — shared that he kept asking himself what choices he should make and what kind of artist he wanted to be remembered as while working on the new album.
"The answer wasn't on the outside, but it was within," he said. "Listening more closely to our own voices and honestly expressing our concerns, anxiety, and even confusion was the goal behind this album."
Suga echoed RM's sentiments, adding that the members thought deeply about what they needed to protect and what to change during their hiatus.
"Because of that, we still feel uncertain and anxious, but we believe those emotions are also a part of who we are," he said.
As the concert approached its finale, BTS returned to some of its hits, closing the night with tracks that felt both celebratory and reflective: "Dynamite," the group's global hit from 2020, and "Mikrokosmos," a fan-favorite for its poetic and symbolic lyrics.
In place of an encore, the members lingered on stage to create a meaningful heart-to-heart moment with fans.
"Once again, thank you so much for being here," shared Jin. "We'll be back to share more moments and to be together with you more often from now on."
| BTS says goodbye to their fans during the "BTS Comeback Live: Arirang," taking place at Gwanghwamun Square on Saturday. (Joint Press Corps) |
The concert drew approximately 22,000 ticket holders inside the designated venue, while thousands more gathered in nearby streets and open areas to catch a glimpse of the show.
Organizers, incuding Hybe, estimated a total live crowd of up to 104,000, stretching beyond City Hall Station, located nearly 1 kilometer from the main venue. Though the crowd was large, everything ran smoothly with no reported accidents, thanks to weeks of strict policy measures.
The Gwanghwamun performance marked BTS’ return not only as a group but also as a cultural force, turning a historic space into a shared moment between the artists and their fans who had waited for the group's return. BTS showed that its military hiatus had not restricted the group, but instead sharpened it into stronger performers.
Following Saturday’s performance, BTS heads to New York, where they are scheduled to take part in a special fan event hosted in collaboration with Spotify on Monday, bringing together 1,000 fans to enjoy a live performance of their newest tracks from “Arirang.” The group will then appear on NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” on March 25 and 26, making it BTS’ first appearance on the program since July 2021.
Netflix is also releasing the “BTS: The Return” documentary on March 27, following the seven members’ journey as they reflect on their past and begin shaping the next chapter of their careers while recording “Arirang” in Los Angeles.
After two weeks of domestic and overseas promotions, BTS will officially kick off “BTS World Tour ‘Arirang,'” starting in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on April 9.
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