“The unreturning 13th anniversary of June 13th. We’re here with all of you, and we hope we can sing and dance together so that today remains an unforgettable memory forever.”
BTS held their ‘BTS WORLD TOUR ‘ARIRANG’ IN BUSAN’ concerts on June 12th and 13th at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium, meeting approximately 110,000 fans. The events were also streamed live globally via the Weverse super fan platform, connecting with viewers from 191 countries/regions. On June 13th, BTS’s debut anniversary, a ‘Live Viewing’ event allowed fans in over 80 countries/regions to watch the concert together in cinemas.
Appearing amidst a torrent of cheers, BTS greeted the audience with spirited enthusiasm, saying, “This is our first concert in Busan in three years and eight months since ‘BTS ‘Yet To Come’ in BUSAN’. Are you ready to really get going?” Jimin and Jungkook expressed their aspirations, stating, “It’s a dream come true to hold a concert in our hometown. We promise to deliver a fantastic performance that will create unforgettable memories for you on BTS’s birthday.”
Notably, the concert saw the world premiere of the Korean version of ‘NORMAL’, a track from their 5th full-length album ‘ARIRANG’, which garnered an explosive reaction. The members shared their unique sentiments, calling it a “stage prepared exclusively for Busan.” Another new track, ‘One More Night’, was also performed for the first time. During the performance of the new song ‘Come Over’, released as a digital single on the 12th, the audience lit up the venue with their phone flashlights, adding a profound and lasting impression.
The spontaneous random song corner showcased the members’ excellent selection skills. On the first day, ‘Paldogangsan’ from their 1st mini-album ‘O!RUL8,2?’ and ‘Ma City’ from their 4th mini-album ‘The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt. 2’ resonated through the stadium. ‘Paldogangsan’ ignited excitement with its rap incorporating regional dialects, while ‘Ma City’ received immense applause for its lyrics cleverly adapted to reference Busan. The second day featured engaging unit stages. The vocal line (Jin, Jimin, V, Jungkook) performed ‘Dimple’ from ‘LOVE YOURSELF 承 ‘Her”, while the rapper line (RM, Suga, J-Hope) heightened the atmosphere with ‘Ddaeng’, originally released to commemorate ‘2018 BTS FESTA’. Driven by the audience’s fervent response, ‘Magic Shop’ from their 3rd full-length album ‘LOVE YOURSELF 轉 ‘Tear” was added, completing an unforgettable experience.
The concert also featured spectacular stage effects designed to cool down the massive stadium. Water cannons erupted refreshingly during ‘Body to Body’ and ‘Butter’. A particularly special moment during ‘Body to Body’ saw the entire audience united in a powerful singalong of the folk song ‘Arirang’. For ‘IDOL’, the members, accompanied by approximately 50 dancers, presented a grand parade along the stadium track, effectively expanding the stage to encompass the entire venue.
Towards the end of the concert, BTS shared their heartfelt feelings about Busan. They expressed, “Celebrating our birthday in our hometown and singing with all of you at this moment is truly meaningful and beautiful. We’ve spent 13 years together. We believe it’s because of all of you, ARMY, that we’ve been able to persevere for such a long time. We want to continue making music with ARMY for many more years. We will never forget today. We hope you fully feel and enjoy these precious emotions that only exist here.” The audience further enhanced the festive atmosphere by singing a birthday song to celebrate BTS’s 13th debut anniversary. The grand finale of the festival was marked by spectacular fireworks during the final song, ‘Into the Sun’.
As the concert coincided with their debut anniversary, BTS provided special gifts to their audience. Thoughtful presents including handwritten letters, parasols, solid perfumes, and face towels were given to attendees, showing their meticulous care for the fans who came to the outdoor stadium. The concert concluded safely, thanks to the comprehensive support from government agencies including the Ministry of Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, as well as the Busan Metropolitan City, Yeonje District Office, police, and fire authorities.
Meanwhile, BTS is set to kick off their European tour on June 26th-27th (local time) in Madrid, Spain. They are scheduled to perform a total of 10 shows across 5 cities, including Spain, Belgium, and the UK, with all tickets having sold out well in advance.
