BTS Stages Successful Netflix Sponsored Comeback Concert at Gwanghwamun
I watched this concert with my family on Netflix and I have to say it was pretty well done. Seoul really showcased itself during the concert:
K-pop megastar BTS held its first full-group concert in Seoul on Saturday since all members completed their mandatory military service, drawing fans from around the world to the heart of the South Korean capital.
The seven members delivered the first live performance of key tracks of its fifth studio album, “Arirang,” released on Friday, at Gwanghwamun Square.
The record is the first group release from the band in three years and nine months, following “Proof” in June 2022. After the release, the members took a break from its group projects with a promise to reunite as a full group after all its member complete their mandatory military duty.
The one-hour show opened with approximately 50 traditional Korean dancers in black costumes lining the “woldae,” a ceremonial stage in front of Gyeongbok Palace’s main gate. As the performers split into two groups, the seven members revealed themselves on a stage at the northern end of the square, drawing enthusiastic cheers from thousands of fans who crowded the venue.
You can read more at the link, but one thing I noticed watching the concert was that the U.S. Embassy was totally dark. The other buildings around Gwanghwamun were lighted and decorated for the concert and the U.S. embassy stood out as the lone dark building I noticed. I wonder if anyone from Netflix even approached the U.S. embassy to see if they would be willing to at least turn their lights on for the concert?
Expected 260,000 people, but city estimates show 40,000 showed up. BigHit says 100,000. All this caused was taxpayer money, and local convenient stores says their inventory is still high..
@Joshua Lee, you are correct. Yonhap is reporting 40,000 people attended the concert. Judging by what I saw watching TV this sounds correct because the crowd were in different controlled boxes and did not fully fill the Gwanghwamun area. I have seen protests with far more people in Gwanghwamun than what BTS drew. Maybe it was the cold?
As far as taxpayer money, the only money spent would have been on police, firefighters, etc. to organize and secure the location. The massive free publicity Seoul received from the concert probably makes it a worthy investment.
@GIKorea, right that’s a lot of taxpayer money to mobilize all those police, firefighters, etc. for what? And I wouldn’t say it a massive free publicity. HYBE stocks dropped because of the low turnout. Plus, I don’t see much of this hype in the national and foreign media.