BTS’ Jin shares heartfelt message ahead of Gwanghwamun showBTS’ Jin reached out to fans as the group’s Gwanghwamun concert, set to mark its first full-member comeback following military service, draws closer. “Before I knew it, our comeback is just one day away,” Jin wrote in a message posted Thursday on Weverse, the group’s official fan community platform. “Thanks to so many people helping us and cheering us on, we were able to hold the comeback show at Gwanghwamun,” he said, referring to BTS’ upcoming comeback concert in Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square area this Saturday. He added that it felt especially meaningful to greet fans together again in such a symbolic place. “It’s an honor to be able to say hello again all together in such a meaningful place,” Jin wrote, before thanking those who helped make the event possible and everyone who showed understanding. “We’ll also do our best to put on a great performance.” Jin also urged fans planning to attend in person to make safety a priority. “Those of you watching on site, I ask that you please be sure to stay safe,” he wrote. BTS is set to release its fifth full-lengthMar 20, 2026By Hankookilbo
‘I want everyone to know I'm an ARMY’: How this fan is preparing for BTS' Gwanghwamun concertWhen Marga Uy Baula planned her birthday trip to Seoul in January, all the information she had was one date — March 20. Baula was determined to be in Seoul when pop icons BTS dropped their highly anticipated comeback album, “ARIRANG.” “There were no announcements about the comeback yet, but I knew I had to be here,” Baula said. So when more details about the return of the world’s biggest boy band came to light, Baula had a simple plan: enjoy the sights of Seoul on her birthday, and secure a ticket to BTS’ free comeback concert at Gwanghwamun Square, scheduled for March 21. As everything fell into place, Baula found herself in Seoul on March 18, just a few days until RM, Jin, Suga, J-hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook were set to perform at the biggest stage of their careers. Baula is one of thousands of BTS fans, or ARMYs, who booked flights to Seoul, with or without a concert ticket, to witness BTS’ comeback. After a break of almost four years, K-pop’s biggest act is set to make music history with a large-scale show in the heart of Seoul, one that has filled headlines for montMar 20, 2026By Inna Christine Cabel
Gov't, Hybe establish cybersecurity hotline to prepare against BTS-related online threatsThe government has set up an emergency communication hotline with Hybe, the entertainment agency of global K-pop sensation BTS, ahead of the group's comeback concert this week to boost cybersecurity readiness, according to officials Friday. The Ministry of Science and ICT, the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) and Hybe have set up the three-way communication channel to jointly address potential cybersecurity attacks during the concert to be held at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul on Saturday, according to the authorities. Police expect around 260,000 people to gather in the area stretching from the square to Sungnyemun Gate, the largest number since the 2002 World Cup, when up to 250,000 people cheered in the streets. The event will be aired on the global streaming service Netflix. KISA will monitor 37 websites related to the event, including those of the agency, around the clock to inspect for security vulnerabilities and provide technical support to ensure stable operations and prevent threats, including distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. Officials from the scienceMar 20, 2026By Yonhap
BTS redefines 'Koreanness' in long-awaited full-group album 'Arirang'Global K-pop sensation BTS said it wanted to keep Korean sentiment alive in its own way as it prepared to release the new studio album "Arirang," its first full-group project in nearly four years. The seven-member group will drop the 14-track set at 1 p.m. Friday in Korean time, marking its first group release since the anthology album "Proof" in June 2022 and all members completed their mandatory military service. The album takes its name from "Arirang," a beloved Korean folk song often described as an unofficial national anthem, and is billed by its label, BigHit Music, as capturing BTS' identity as a group that began in Korea, along with "the longing and deep love that lie within their hearts." Speaking in a written interview with the label ahead of the release, the team's front man RM said Korean elements were a natural anchor for the band's first group comeback in three years and nine months. "'Koreanness' is an important keyword that can bind the seven of us together, because it's where we started and what connects us to our roots," he said. "Rather than bringing in traditional motMar 20, 2026By Yonhap
BTS chronology: From global breakthrough to Gwanghwamun comebackWhen K-pop powerhouse BTS takes the stage for its comeback performance at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square, Saturday, the moment is expected to carry significance beyond a typical return to the spotlight. More than a decade after debuting in small studios and modest concert venues, the seven members will perform in the symbolic center of the Korean capital — not only as returning superstars, but as artists whose rise has reshaped the scale and global reach of K-pop. The performance coincides with the release of "ARIRANG," BTS' first full-length studio album as a complete group in nearly four years and its first major collective activity following the completion of its members' mandatory military service. For fans and industry observers alike, the Gwanghwamun concert represents a key moment in BTS' trajectory, as well as a test of the group’s continued global drawing power. BTS — consisting of RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook — debuted in June 2013 with the single album "2 Cool 4 Skool." At a time when the K-pop industry was bombarded with rookie groups, the group distinMar 20, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
The Boyz members end contracts, but will go ahead with April concertNine members of K-pop group The Boyz have notified their agency, One Hundred Label, that they are terminating their exclusive contracts while still planning to move ahead with the group's concert in April. In a statement released Thursday, attorney Kim Moon-hee of Yulchon LLC, who represents nine members of the group, excluding New, said they have notified the group's agency on Feb. 10 that they were ending their exclusive contracts over what they described as “serious violations” of the agreement and an “irreparable breakdown” of trust. According to the statement, the contracts are therefore lawfully terminated and are no longer in effect. However, One Hundred Label later said it “cannot accept” the group’s notice of contract termination. Kim said the group decided to take action after the agency allegedly failed to pay members proper settlement amounts for all activities from July 2025 onwards despite having paid settlement funds through the second quarter of 2025. The attorney also claimed that although the artists repeatedly asked to review basic materials, including conMar 19, 2026By Hankookilbo
Police to set up triple-layer barrier around BTS concert to counter terror threatsPolice plan to set up three layers of barricades near the site of K-pop group BTS' comeback concert this weekend as part of preventative measures against potential terror threats, officials said Thursday. The barriers will be installed at 20 locations before the event kicks off Saturday at Gwanghwamun Square in downtown Seoul, where hundreds of thousands of fans and visitors are expected. Authorities have beefed up security around the area, with plans to deploy more than 6,700 police officers, including tactical units, on the day of the concert for crowd control and safety. Concertgoers will have to go through metal detectors at the site's 31 entrances, with police vowing zero tolerance for possession of dangerous items and acts of violence or terror. Acting National Police Agency chief Yoo Jae-seong inspected the site Thursday and called for preparations against possible terror threats, citing the recent Middle East conflict as a potential security factor.Mar 19, 2026By Yonhap
BTS marks comeback with drone light show over New York's Brooklyn BridgeK-pop supergroup BTS lit up the night sky over New York with a drone light show Wednesday (U.S. time) to mark its long-awaited comeback and the release of its fifth studio album, "ARIRANG." According to music industry sources, drones formed images, including "BTS" and the logo of its upcoming album "ARIRANG," the album's campaign phrase, "What is your love song?" and the number "7" for the group's members, in a 15-minute display over the Brooklyn Bridge. BTS is set to release the new album, its first as a full group in three years and nine months, on Friday and stage a free outdoor concert at Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square the next day to mark the release. The group is scheduled to travel to the United States next week to perform at "Spotify x BTS: Swimside" in New York on Monday, followed by appearances on NBC's "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" on March 25 and 26.Mar 19, 2026By Yonhap
The Boyz seek contract termination, agency refusesMost members of K-pop boy band The Boyz have demanded their exclusive contracts with their agency One Hundred be terminated, but on Thursday, it said it would not accept their request. Local law firm Yulchon, representing nine members, excluding New, said the same day that the group notified the agency on Feb. 10 of the desired termination, citing "serious breaches of contract" and an "irretrievable breakdown of trust." Attorney Kim Moon-hee said the agency has failed to pay the group's earnings for all activities since July 2025 and ignored repeated requests to provide settlement data, accusing it of neglecting basic management duties. Kim alleged One Hundred also withheld staff pay for months and failed to cover essential expenses for the group's activities, prompting the members to conclude they could "no longer continue under such conditions." One Hundred rejected the claims, saying the demand for contract termination was "unacceptable." The agency said it had signed the group on the condition that all 11 members would work together throughout the contract period. However, it noted tMar 19, 2026By Yonhap
Culture ministry launches events highlighting Korean culture to coincide with BTS concertThe culture ministry said Thursday it will launch events promoting Korean culture across five national museums and the national library in Seoul, timed to coincide with BTS' comeback concert at the city center this weekend. The events, which begin Friday, will include exhibitions, hands-on experiences and performances designed to connect Korean culture with the global K-pop sensation. The septet is scheduled to perform at Gwanghwamun Square at 8 p.m. Saturday to mark the release of its new album, "ARIRANG," and the concert is expected to draw some 260,000 people to the area, including 22,000 ticket holders. As part of the initiative, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) will run an English-language guided program for international visitors titled "MMCA: Meet the K-Art" until April 19. Its Seoul gallery will also feature "BTS Sound Cube," a large outdoor media installation playing the band's music through projection mapping. The National Folk Museum will run a special program titled "K-Culture Folk Experience with BTS" through April 30, featuring traditional Korean foMar 19, 2026By Yonhap
