Tens of thousands of BTS fans packed into a South Korean stadium Thursday to see the K-pop supergroup kick off their long-awaited world tour after a nearly four-year hiatus.RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook were to perform a set drawing from both their catalog and new fifth album, “ARIRANG,” their first since band members completed South Korea’s mandatory military service.
BTS kick off ‘ARIRANG’ tour at Goyang stadium
Despite pouring rain, the band’s fans – including some hailing from Russia, the United States and Brazil – packed a stadium with a capacity for over 40,000 for the show, which marks the group’s first headline tour performance since their 2021-22 Permission to Dance on Stage tour. Over a hundred fans, including some who had failed to get tickets, stood outside the stadium with umbrellas to listen to the band perform.“Performing together as a group felt comfortable, and being in the same space with you all made it feel like home,” member Jin wrote on fan platform Weverse after Thursday’s show.
BTS put on 2.5 hour performance
BTS delivered a high-energy performance, powering through 23 songs over more than two and a half hours in pouring cold rain, with minimal breaks, while showcasing a series of powerful and breathtaking stages throughout the night.The concert drew over 7 million viewers worldwide across Weverse and other platforms, as a massive sold-out stadium crowd cheered, sang along, and amplified every moment of the show.
‘ARIRANG’ tour setlist revealed
The setlist included: HooliganAliensRun BTSThey Don’t Know ’Bout UsLike AnimalsFake LoveSWIMMerry Go Round2.0NORMALNot TodayMic DropFYAFireBody to BodyIDOLCome Over (Hidden Track)ButterDynamiteMikrokosmosI Need UPleaseInto the Sun
About ‘ARIRANG’ tour
The shows in South Korea through Sunday launch a tour spanning dozens of shows across the United States, Europe and Asia, which analysts say could generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue per quarter. The tour is set to be a major money-spinner for BTS, potentially outdoing Taylor Swift’s recent Eras Tour, according to analysts.The concert comes less than a month after BTS marked their comeback with a free concert at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square.“ARIRANG” – named after a centuries-old Korean folk song regarded as an unofficial anthem across the Korean peninsula – debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The single “Swim” also made it to the top of the charts.
BTS ARMY comment on concert
Kim Eunhee, a South Korean fan who came with her 30-year-old daughter, said the hope of attending a live BTS concert helped her power through her battle with cancer.“Even during my hardest times last year while fighting it, this was the one thing I kept waiting for,” she said. “Coming to an actual concert venue and seeing them in person for the first time – it was just so meaningful.”Kim Eunhee, a South Korean fan who came with her 30-year-old daughter, said the hope of attending a live BTS concert helped her power through her battle with cancer.“Even during my hardest times last year while fighting it, this was the one thing I kept waiting for,” she said. “Coming to an actual concert venue and seeing them in person for the first time — it was just so meaningful.”
BTS comeback after military service
All seven members of BTS completed their mandatory military service, with Suga being the last to be discharged in June 2025. He reportedly served at government-related facilities and organizations instead of military camps due to a shoulder injury.In South Korea, all able-bodied men between 18 and 28 years old are required by law to perform up to 21 months of military service under a conscription system meant to deter aggression from rival North Korea.
About BTS
BTS – short for Bangtan Sonyeondan, or ‘Bulletproof Boy Scouts’ in Korean – debuted in June 2013. The seven-member group launched in 2013 with the hip-hop heavy single album ‘2 Cool 4 Skool’, releasing three full-length projects before gaining momentum with their 2016 album ‘Wings’. Their global breakthrough came in 2017 when ‘DNA’ entered the Billboard Hot 100, making BTS the first Korean boy band to achieve such a feat. The tour is scheduled to bring the group to Australia in early 2027, with a final stop in Manila, Philippines, next March.
