A massive gathering of BTS enthusiasts filled a stadium close to Seoul, South Korea, on Thursday to witness the start of the K-pop sensation’s highly anticipated global tour. After a break of nearly four years, RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook took the stage to deliver a performance featuring a mix of their previous hits and tracks from their latest album, “ARIRANG,” the group’s fifth album, released following the completion of their mandatory military duties in South Korea.
Despite heavy rain, the stadium, with a capacity exceeding 40,000 seats, was packed with fans for the show, which marks their first headline tour performance since the 2021–22 Permission to Dance on Stage tour. The South Korea leg of the tour, scheduled until April 12, serves as the launch for a global tour encompassing numerous dates across the United States, Europe, and Asia, with projections indicating substantial revenue potential running into hundreds of millions of dollars per quarter.
The event on Thursday follows closely on the heels of BTS’s recent return with a massive free concert at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square, attended by over 20,000 fans in person and numerous others who watched the livestream on Netflix. All seven BTS members have now completed their mandatory military service, with Suga being the last to be discharged in June 2025, reportedly serving at government-related facilities and organizations due to a shoulder injury.
In South Korea, men aged between 18 and 28 are legally required to undergo up to 21 months of military service under a conscription system aimed at deterring threats from North Korea. The album “ARIRANG,” named after a traditional Korean folk song revered as an unofficial anthem throughout the Korean peninsula, debuted at the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart, with the single “Swim” also achieving chart-topping success.
BTS, originally known as Bangtan Sonyeondan or “Bulletproof Boy Scouts” in Korean, made their debut in June 2013 with the album “2 Cool 4 Skool” and gained significant traction with the release of their 2016 album, “Wings,” after releasing three full-length projects. Their breakthrough on the global stage came in 2017 when their song “DNA” entered the Billboard Hot 100, making them the first Korean boy band to achieve this milestone, leading to a performance at the American Music Awards and expanding their international fan base.
The band’s world tour is now set to proceed to Tokyo before traversing North America, Europe, South America, and Asia. BTS is scheduled to perform in Australia early in 2027, with the final leg of the tour planned for Manila, Philippines, next March.