Gyeongbok Palace to shut on BTS Gwanghwamun concert day

Visitors crowd Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul, Feb. 17. Yonhap

Gyeongbok Palace will close March 21 when K-pop group BTS stages a concert at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, marking a rare weekend shutdown of the main royal palace of the 1392–1910 Joseon Dynasty.

According to the Korea Heritage Service’s Palace and Tombs Center, the palace — located about 230 meters from Gwanghwamun Square — will remain shut for the duration of the Saturday concert, despite its usual schedule of being open on weekends and closed Tuesdays.

On March 20, BTS will release its fifth full-length album, “Arirang,” marking its first full-group comeback in three years and nine months. The following evening, the band will hold a live concert at Gwanghwamun Square, streaming worldwide on Netflix in about 190 countries.

Several facilities near Gwanghwamun Square have decided to close or are reviewing closures as police estimate up to 260,000 people could gather for the concert.

The National Museum of Korean Contemporary History will close March 21, while the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts has canceled or rescheduled several shows, including musicals, plays and ballets. The National Palace Museum of Korea is also reviewing whether to close that day.

The concert is expected to run about an hour, HYBE said, citing Gwanghwamun Square’s location in one of Seoul’s busiest areas.

“The company set the concert length to ensure safety and smooth operations,” HYBE said, adding that it considered stage operations, crowd safety, and on-site control for an outdoor show in a public space rather than a conventional venue.

“Given the large crowds expected at the event, we also considered post-concert public transportation and minimizing late-night noise for the surrounding community,” it added.