Busan planned this free concert to promote itself as a potential city for the 2030 World Expo, which will take place after Osaka hosts the 2025 edition. BTS members serve as honorary public-relations ambassadors for the city’s bid to host the expo.
Such landmarks as the Gwangan Bridge and Busan Tower were lit up in purple – the boy band’s signature hue – for the occasion, as were department store and theme-park lights.
Around 1pm on concert day, groups of women exited the KTX high-speed rail line connecting to Seoul. Bright purple hoodies marked them as members of the BTS Army.
BTS fans wore purple masks and scarves as fashion statements. Also on their persons were goods designed with BTS’ official characters, collectively known as BT21. The ensembles included clothing and accessories designed by BTS members.
“Anyone who sees them will know right away,” a BTS Army member said.
One surprise was the diversity of the audience. Many came from Japan, Southeast Asia, Western countries, the Middle East, and India.
Fan groups included Southeast Asian women who covered their hair with purple hijabs. Other groups were formed by white women wearing matching purple skirts, or by Japanese students with purple braids.
BTS aficionados from different groups willingly mixed for photos. After taking pictures, they form new bonds by following one another’s Instagram accounts.
A woman who came with a friend from the US noted how she could talk about the same things with people she had never met before. Interacting with a real-life community unavailable online made the 32-year-old love BTS even more.
Busan held the free concert at the Asiad stadium, about half an hour by subway from Busan Station. Although the venue held 50,000 people, the event drew roughly 70,000 fans from South Korea and beyond.
A portion of those lucky enough to get the free tickets received them through an online portal operated by BTS agency Hybe. Others got their hands on passes through ticket vendors or by participating in promotional campaigns by corporate partners.
Demand for tickets far surpassed the supply, no matter the channel. Social media users furiously shared tips on snagging the free tickets.
Corporate sponsors including Hyundai Motor and Lotte covered the concert’s 7 billion won (RM23 million) cost. Japanese travel agency JTB arranged tours that cost as much as 300,000 yen for a three-night stay.
The tours were limited to 1,000 persons and proved so popular the company had to hold a lottery for tickets.
Fans were eager to attend the latest concert because BTS’s oldest member, Jin, is expected to begin his mandatory military service by year-end. Many expect not to see all seven members perform together again for a long time.
Piercing screams filled the stadium once Saturday’s concert began and band members appeared onstage. When the group performed in Seoul back in March, the audience was instructed not to cheer – a measure against Covid-19. The latest concert marked a return to form for fans.
Not all were able to see the concert in person. A 43-year-old fan from Tokyo tried and failed to secure a concert ticket through eight different channels, including the official BTS website and promotions by corporate sponsors.
She decided to visit Busan anyway, thinking it “could be my last chance” to see the group.
She watched the concert via big screen with 10,000-plus other ticketless fans at the Port of Busan and Haeundae Beach, a popular tourist destination. Thousands also gathered around the concert venue in hopes of at least hearing the performance live.
According to Hybe, 49.07 million hits from 229 countries and regions were received for its free livestream. Many K-pop groups stream their songs for free on YouTube and elsewhere to win fans across the world – a strategy also applied to the latest concert.
But increased access also led to technical issues like frozen screens, especially for those watching from abroad, highlighting the operational challenges. “I wish they had charged money to weed out people who are just on the bandwagon,” a fan said.
With legislative debate on exempting BTS from the draft losing steam, Hybe said on Monday that members will honour their military obligations. This means the concert in Busan marked the end of the group’s current journey, as many fans had feared.
But Hybe also said BTS would return in 2025. Whether the group can maintain its popularity over a multiyear hiatus will depend on the BTS Army – and its ability to communicate and mobilise across borders via social media.