K-pop juggernaut BTS is preparing to return as a full group with a large-scale free concert at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square next month, transforming one of the capital’s most symbolic public spaces into a rare open-air performance venue. As anticipation builds around the group’s first complete lineup concert since October 2022 — nearly three years and four months ago — official announcements and industry sources are offering a clearer picture of what fans can expect from the upcoming comeback event. Titled “BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE: ARIRANG,” the Gwanghwamun concert will take place March 21 at 8 p.m., a day after the release of the group's fifth studio album, “Arirang.” The concert will serve as the live launch for the new record. According to HYBE Labels, the group's agency, the show will run for roughly an hour, presenting a compact stage centered on the new work alongside several of the group’s well-known hits. Rooted in Korean heritage The staging concept of the show draws directly from Korea’s cultural legacy, combining historical symbolism with large-scale contempor

On the first day of the year, thousands of BTS fans around the world received a letter. It was a postcard with New Year’s messages from the seven members of K-pop's biggest band. Printed just behind the paper, in an eye-catching shade of red, were three dots and a date — “2026.03.20.” The delivery was enough to send an estimated 78 million of BTS’ most ardent followers into chaos. Thousands of posts circulated online, all speculating about the meaning behind the message. Even international news outlets like CNN joined in on the conversation. Joyce Wong, a 43-year-old marketer from Hong Kong, who has been part of the BTS fandom — known as ARMY —for seven years, was among the lucky ones who received the coveted letter, which first revealed the date of the group's highly anticipated comeback. The letter was sent to fans of the band who subscribed to a membership service within a set period of time. Upon hearing the news, Wong immediately got to work. She booked her flights to Seoul for March, chose a hotel in the tourist district of Myeong-dong and was set for the experience

Blackpink is expanding beyond music into cultural heritage to mark the Feb. 27 release of its third EP “Deadline,” becoming the first K-pop act to carry out an official large-scale collaboration with the National Museum of Korea. According to YG Entertainment on Thursday, “National Museum of Korea x Blackpink” rolls out from Feb. 26 to March. 8, in partnership with the museum and global audio streaming platform, Spotify. During the project, the museum’s exterior will be illuminated in pink as pa

Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young said Thursday that progress toward easing China’s so-called “Hallyu ban” remains uncertain, cautioning against overly optimistic expectations within the entertainment industry. Speaking at a press briefing in Seoul, Chae acknowledged that while parts of the industry anticipate a gradual lifting of restrictions on Korean cultural content in China, there has been little tangible advancement so far. China informally restricted Korean cultural imports in 2016 followin

SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- The culture minister Thursday pledged full government...