Today in K-Pop

Fans from around the world, ranging from teenagers in Argentina to a housewife in Korea, gathered at Gwanghwamun Square, Saturday night, united by one sentiment: “It’s great to see BTS back together.” Tens of thousands of ARMY members screamed, chanted and waved purple light sticks throughout the 60-minute concert, “BTS COMEBACK LIVE: ARIRANG,” the group’s first live performance in three years and five months. “From the moment they said, ‘we’re back’ at the very beginning, I was already getting emotional. Seeing how well they prepared for their comeback show — it was really moving,” Bella Lai, 16, from Taiwan, told The Korea Times. Lai, who has followed the group for four years, also said: “All the ARMYs were chanting and singing together — the atmosphere was just amazing.” “The show was overwhelming. The scale, the energy, the music — everything made it unforgettable. We’re just happy to be here,” said Ann, a fan from the Philippines. For Park Jee-yoon, a 49-year-old housewife from Korea, the struggle to secure tickets and the sacrifices she made to

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The wait was finally over. “BTS Comeback Live: Arirang,” the group's first full-group performance in three years, set a new record, making BTS the first K-pop group to host an exclusive live performance at the historic Gwanghwamun Square. Lasting an hour, the performance was livestreamed worldwide on Netflix as the platform’s first-ever broadcast of a single act’s concert. Throughout the day, fans were seen dressed in the fandom’s signature purple and traditional hanbok with Korean traditional a

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BTS returned to the stage in front of Gwanghwamun, one of Seoul’s most historically significant sites, with a performance centered on their new album “Arirang.” While the setting and music highlighted Korean cultural heritage, its costumes, designed by Korean designer brand Songzio, also intended to connect past, present and future through form and structure. According to the brand, the collection, created under the concept of “Lyrical Armor,” envisions a new generation of heroes who carry the w

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Taemin, member of K-pop boy band SHINee and soloist, will take center stage at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles next month with a new exhibition — the first ever devoted to a K-pop solo artist. Running from April 1 to May 25, “TAEMIN: Performer. Artist. Icon” will trace the 32-year-old singer’s evolution as one of contemporary music’s most dynamic performers, featuring an intimate selection of his signature stage ensembles and personal keepsakes. “Each performance is a story I share with my fans. These outfits and artifacts hold memories of those moments on stage,” Taemin said in a statement. “I hope visitors can feel the passion and love for music that has guided my journey. I’m truly honored to have my stage outfits displayed at the Grammy Museum.” The display will feature two of Taemin’s distinctive costumes — a red and black outfit from his “Ephemeral Gaze” world tour in 2024-25 and a white look worn during his “Veil” arena tour and on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” in 2025 — along with his in-ear monitors, white stage-used microphone, official light

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SEOUL, March 22 (Yonhap) -- Hybe, the K-pop giant behind BTS, thanked the author...

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One day after “BTS Comeback Live: Arirang,” the group's first full-group performance in three years, BTS is on its way to the “Spotify x BTS: Swimside” event in New York, departing via Incheon Airport on Sunday.

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A purple-themed festival led by BTS concluded without incident in central Seoul, as fans maintained order and followed strict safety controls during a highly anticipated comeback performance. BTS' comeback concert on Saturday at Gwanghwamun Square drew fans from around the world. The group's fandom, known as ARMY, waved light sticks and warmly welcomed the members as they returned to the stage together for the first time in nearly four years. Some fans were visibly emotional, with many moved to tears. The one-hour performance opened with “Body to Body,” a new track from the album “ARIRANG” and closed with the encore song “Mikrokosmos.” Although the stage lights dimmed at the end, many fans lingered, reluctant to leave. According to real-time city data from the Seoul Metropolitan Government, approximately 46,000 to 48,000 people gathered at Gwanghwamun Square, with attendees estimated at 77,000 to 83,000, including those in nearby viewing areas such as those in front of the City Hall and the Seoul Metropolitan Council. While still a significant turnout, the figure fell well b

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HYBE, the K-pop giant behind BTS, thanked the authorities and citizens Sunday for helping ensure the group's comeback show in downtown Seoul was held safely. The company posted a letter on its website hours after BTS' concert wrapped up at Gwanghwamun Square, expressing gratitude for use of the venue and calling it a place "where the history and identity of the Republic of Korea, as well as today's culture, live and breathe together." "HYBE is extremely honored to have been able to stage a performance for the entire world at this place," it said. "We deeply thank the police, firefighting, and government and local government officials who worked to ensure this concert wrapped up safely." The company also extended its thanks and apologies to citizens who endured road closures, security searches and other inconveniences around the time of the concert, while promising to swiftly devise measures to protect and promote national heritage sites in close consultation with relevant organizations. Police had initially expected the concert to draw approximately 260,000 people, including 22,000 ticke

BTS

A massive crowd packed central Seoul for BTS’ long-awaited comeback show, but what should have been a straightforward celebration quickly turned into a numbers controversy, with estimates of attendance differing by more than double. The group held its comeback concert at Gwanghwamun Square Saturday evening, marking the release of their fifth full-length album “ARIRANG.” The event featured the first live performance of the title track “SWIM” and some of the group's older songs, such as “Butter” and “Dynamite,” delighting fans. While the square and surrounding streets were visibly packed, estimates of the actual turnout have varied sharply depending on the source. According to real-time city data released by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, around 40,000 to 42,000 people were present in the Gwanghwamun and Deoksugung area at 8 p.m. Unofficial estimates from the police were in a similar range at roughly 42,000. Given that the official seating capacity was about 22,000, authorities said the total crowd, including surrounding areas, likely remained in the 40,000 range. In

BTS

“BTS Comeback Live: Arirang,” the group's first full-group performance in three years, saw BTS become the first K-pop group to host an exclusive live performance at the historic Gwanghwamun Square. Lasting an hour, the performance livestreamed worldwide via Netflix as the platform’s first-ever broadcast of a single act’s concert.

BTS