ED Purple power, BTS
Fans of BTS line up at a pop-up store set up at Shinsegae Department Store in downtown Seoul, Friday, a day before their slated comeback concert scheduled for Saturday. Korea TImes photo by Shim Hyun-chul
After a hiatus of nearly four years due to military service, the return of K-pop global sensation BTS is highly anticipated. Massive preparations — akin to gearing up for a national event — are underway for Saturday's comeback concert at Gwanghwamun Square near Gyeongbok Palace, with 22,000 tickets given away and 260,000 people expected in the vicinity of the concert.
The presence of foreign visitors has heightened in the past week, introducing a diverse and upbeat energy downtown. Purple lights beam out from various spots, recalling another "invasion of color." In 2002, Korean fans wore red jerseys to support the national team and express their love for soccer during the World Cup jointly hosted by South Korea and Japan.
The massive scale of preparation is fitting for the septet. Since its debut in 2013, the group has grown and expanded their influence to achieve unprecedented milestones, including performing at the Grammys and speaking at the United Nations. Through their songs, which feature all seven members either writing lyrics or composing music, they forge a connection with their loyal fan base, known as ARMY. Indeed, the band has helped elevate K-pop to another level on the global stage, and with their comeback concert, they are poised to do it again.
The fact that their new album is named "ARIRANG" and deals with "Koreanness" attests to their vision. The seven members feel more comfortable reaching out to global fans through use of Korean traditional song as album's title and parts of it incorporated in a track, perhaps similar to how the singers behind "Golden" from "KPop Demon Hunters" were able to feature pansori during their recent Oscars performance in Los Angeles.
The traditional Korean song, "Arirang," embodies diverse elements such as love and longing, but chief among them is the sentiment "han," which describes a feeling of regret that has defined Korea across its tumultuous history. In fact, the long, wide plaza that spans the Gwanghwamun area has borne witness to various historic vicissitudes, among them the 1987 June Democracy Movement, the 2002 World Cup and the recent protests over former President Yoon Suk Yeol's Dec. 3 martial law declaration.
What BTS brings with its new album and much-awaited return to the stage is perhaps a recalibration of "Koreanness." Their comeback will surely be a chance to take another cultural leap. Economically, Korea is projected to reap about 265 billion won ($176.9 million) from the concert, including related tourism, merchandise sales and streaming, according to a recent Bloomberg report. The Korea Culture and Tourism Institute, meanwhile, estimated the economic effect of a BTS concert in Korea at 1.2 trillion won.
Authorities must ensure that Saturday's concert is completed without accidents or mishaps. The police will deploy around 7,000 personnel, while fire authorities will deploy around 3,400. Cooperation with these authorities is crucial. It's time for the ultimate K-pop show.