Video: watson/Hanna Dedial
K-pop superstars BTS have made their long-awaited comeback at Seoul’s historic Gwanghwamun Square. The approximately one-hour concert was shown live around the world on Netflix.
March 21, 2026, 3:37 p.mMarch 21, 2026, 3:37 p.m
Against the backdrop of the historic Gyeongbokgung Palace, RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook also presented songs from their new album “Arirang”, named after a well-known folk song, for the first time.
There was a state of emergency in Seoul throughout Saturday.Image: keystone
“It was a long journey”
From the stage, the band let their “Army,” as the BTS fan base is called, know: “It’s been a long journey, but now we’re finally here.” The police had expected around 260,000 visitors around the square in advance.
At the same time, the musicians thanked the fans who watched the concert worldwide on Netflix. “We have worked hard to show a more mature and developed version of BTS,” it said.
Video: watson/Hanna Dedial
Almost four million albums sold on the first day
The new 14-track album was released the day before and sold almost four million copies on the first day, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported, citing BTS agency Big Hit Music. It also reached the top of the iTunes album charts in numerous countries.
Fans around the world waited almost four years for the comeback. Since the end of 2022, the members had one after the other completed their mandatory military service in South Korea. Rapper Suga served in a social institution instead of in the army – in exceptional cases this is permitted in South Korea. The hype surrounding the return of the “Bangtan Sonyeondan” (or “bulletproof scouts”) was enormous.
The K-pop band BTS has seven members.Image: keystone
Concerts planned in Germany in July
After the concert, things continue for BTS: The Netflix documentary “BTS: The Return” about the creation of the album will be released on March 27th. The group will start their world tour in April, which will also take them to the Allianz Arena in Munich in July. There will be no concerts in Switzerland on this tour.
The seven BTS members have helped South Korean pop music achieve a global breakthrough since their debut in 2013. Her hit single “Dynamite,” released in 2020, reached more than 100 million views within 24 hours on YouTube alone. (sda/dpa)