BTS in BUSAN: Happy Birthday! Unrepeatable 13th Day & 13th Anniversary Celebration [Comprehensive Report]

“On this unrepeatable June 13th, as we celebrate our 13th anniversary with all of you here, let’s sing and play hard so we never forget today.” (RM)

K-pop sensation BTS illuminated the night in Busan with spectacular flair, marking their 13th debut anniversary.

The global phenomenon BTS, comprising members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, captivated fans during their ‘BTS WORLD TOUR ‘ARIRANG’ IN BUSAN’. The highly anticipated concerts were held over two days, on the 12th and 13th, at the iconic Busan Asiad Main Stadium.

This grand event marked the group’s first full-group performance in Busan in approximately 3 years and 8 months. Their last full-group concert in the city was ‘Yet to Come’ in BUSAN in October 2022, held to support Busan’s bid for the 2030 World Expo, before the members began their military service. This particular concert carried even greater significance, not only falling on BTS’s debut date, June 13th, but also taking place in the beloved hometown of members Jungkook and Jimin.

Jungkook enthusiastically greeted the massive audience in the local Busan dialect, exclaiming, “Hello everyone! So many of you came today. Shouldn’t we outperform ARMY (the official fandom name) from yesterday? I hope you all have a blast today!” Jimin added, “It brings me immense joy to meet you all, sing, and dance in my hometown on such a meaningful day. You’re ready to have fun today, right? I’ll make sure we have an incredibly enjoyable time!”

The BTS concert was a festival in itself. To further elevate the energy, BTS incorporated spectacular special effects, including massive water jets erupting in all directions – a grand water effect perfectly suited for an outdoor stadium performance.

The stage design itself was a magnificent ode to Korean aesthetics. BTS captivated audiences with a pavilion-shaped structure, inspired by the historical Gyeonghoeru, placed at the heart of the 360-degree stage, reinterpreting it as a modern banquet hall. The stage also featured an impressive design symbolizing the Taegeukgi, the South Korean flag. The rotating circular stage at its center represented the iconic Taegeuk pattern, while the four extended thrust stages symbolized the Geon-gon-gam-ri trigrams.

Adding to the unique experience, the Busan concert featured a special, exclusive performance. BTS premiered the Korean version of “NORMAL,” a track from their ‘ARIRANG’ album. Through this powerful performance, the members confessed the hidden emptiness and fear behind the dazzling spotlights, expressing universal emotions felt both on and off stage.

The 13th debut anniversary celebration was truly unforgettable. Towards the emotional climax of the concert, BTS and ARMY united in singing “Happy Birthday,” collectively savoring the profound joy of this special milestone.

Suga shared, “Many ARMYs celebrated our 13th anniversary with us, and I sincerely hope that ARMY also had as happy and enjoyable a day as we did.” J-Hope enthusiastically added, “Personally, I really want all of you to jump and play even more today. Isn’t this a truly meaningful day? Let’s sing and dance even louder, enjoying today as much as we missed each other!”

V also expressed his boundless affection for ARMY, remarking, “Since today is the last concert, the weather is perfect, the food is delicious, and ARMY looks genuinely beautiful today. It’s our birthday, isn’t it? As it’s our birthday, let’s share happy eye contact with ARMY…”

Concluding their successful concert in Busan on their 13th debut anniversary, BTS shared their heartfelt sentiments.

Jin remarked, “When the members were performing overseas, I genuinely looked forward to coming to Busan. It was such a wonderful time. Having all of you here made us feel incredibly strong. We’ve spent 13 years together, and I believe it’s because of each and every one of you that we’ve been able to persevere for so long. I extend my sincere gratitude to ARMY, and also to my fellow members. We’ll surely meet again in another fantastic venue, right? You should all save up your energy until then!”

J-Hope expressed, “I can’t quite believe it’s already June 13th. It’s truly amazing that it has been 13 years since we started this journey with you all. First and foremost, I am so thankful. We are currently on tour, and as we travel overseas, I’m constantly surprised by how many people around the world love us. While performing, I profoundly feel that ‘we are receiving such passionate love.’ All seven BTS members are Korean, aren’t we? There’s nothing quite like performing in Korea. My home country, the land I stand on, my city – performing here is the most enjoyable. I hope you all cherish it just as much.”

Jimin emotionally shared, “My teachers who guided and supported me when I was young are here today. My elementary school teacher is here. Even the teacher who first introduced me to memories is present. Thanks to them, I believe I was able to grow up properly without straying off course. After that, I met all of you. Thanks to your kind words, unwavering encouragement, and love by our side for 13 years, I feel the members have truly grown well. Thank you for always being there. There’s so much more we’ll accomplish together, so please look forward to it and let’s continue this journey. I promise to repay you with even better stages and inspiring music in the future.”

RM reflected on their journey, stating, “Time has truly flown by. Things have changed so much from before; we’ve worked diligently in Korea, and now we spend more time overseas, incorporate more English lyrics into our songs, and have experienced many transformations. The K-Pop industry itself has grown into a colossal phenomenon, and junior artists often approach us, asking, ‘How do you manage to stay together as a team for so long?’ They asked before our military enlistment, and they ask now. Honestly, I don’t truly know the answer. I think I’ve consistently looked inward, reflecting on myself through our six members and through ARMY. Unlike in the past, I haven’t expressed my deepest feelings or sincerest thoughts much, but I’m saying this after a long time. So many things have happened, and these 13 years flash by like a revolving lantern. It’s an honor and a privilege to be able to be together like this. No matter where we are, no matter what form we take, we will always do our utmost to show you our true selves. I sincerely hope we can continue this journey together for a very long time in the future.”

V articulated, “Today is a truly exceptional day for us. When the concert in Busan was scheduled, we had incredibly high expectations. The last concert we presented to ARMY was also in Busan. Thinking about how many people would be looking forward to it, we prepared with utmost diligence, driven by the desire to meet those expectations. I’m not entirely sure if we fully met them, but we were genuinely overjoyed to see ARMY. I hope to greet ARMY in this way again next year. I’ve waited for this moment for so long and truly missed you all. I want to continue making music with ARMY for a very, very long time.”

Jungkook shared a personal touch, saying, “My mom came to see the show! I think she’d really like it if I mentioned her. Are you watching, Mom? Please enjoy and head home safely. I’m realizing again that time seems to pass much faster than I thought. I want to remember every single detail, but sometimes those memories don’t come to mind quickly. Even Busan, as time goes on, might not be remembered in intricate detail. Thinking this, I feel I need to make even more effort to imprint these precious moments with you all deeply in my mind. Thank you for spending such invaluable time with us. I also want to work even harder and be with you all for a very long time. I will strive for more in the future and will never forget today.” Suga added, “I genuinely love Busan. My parents and aunts came to see us. It brought back a lot of new emotions. Four years have passed since our last performance here, but I still believe it’s an incredibly cool and passionate place. I hope we can return to Busan again soon.”

BTS is currently embarking on a monumental world tour, encompassing 86 shows across 34 cities globally. Beginning in Goyang last April, the group has already thrilled approximately 1.08 million fans across 20 performances in 7 cities, including Tokyo, Japan, and various locations across North America.