I arrived at Gwanghwamun at around 6 p.m.
Just being there that day already felt very meaningful to me.
That was because BTS’s Gwanghwamun performance, after completing their military hiatus, was not simply a comeback stage.
It was a symbolic event that showed both Korea’s cultural influence and Seoul’s ability to operate a large-scale event, and as a Korean, it reminded me once again of my desire to let more people know about Korea and Korean culture.
What impressed me the most was that Gwanghwamun, one of Korea’s most iconic places, was delivered live through Netflix to ARMYs in 190 countries around the world.
That is why I believe this performance was one of the greatest stages that BTS and ARMY created together.
Gwanghwamun is a deeply important place that carries Korean history forward, together with the statue of Admiral Yi Sun-sin.
As the heart of Seoul and a historic center of the city, it truly felt as if all of Seoul had become one giant festival ground.
This performance went beyond music and became a stage that showed the charm of Seoul itself to the world, which made me personally very happy as well.
BTS concert crowd at Gwanghwamun. Source: Kukmin Ilbo
There was also a particularly heartwarming moment.
Nearby merchants opened their restrooms for free out of kindness, hoping that visiting guests could enjoy the day more comfortably.
I think that kind of small consideration made the atmosphere of the event even more special.
Another memorable scene was how ARMYs hurried to capture the moment every time the faces of BTS members appeared one by one on the billboards attached to buildings.
Watching that, I found myself smiling.
It truly felt as if the entire city had become part of the performance.
The on-site operation was also very impressive.
Police officers, emergency responders, temporary restrooms, safety staff, and guidance systems were all prepared in an incredibly detailed way.
It was actually my first time seeing that many temporary restrooms lined up around Gwanghwamun.
You could really feel how carefully Seoul had prepared for this event.
Of course, there were also a few things that felt slightly inconvenient on a personal level.
Because safety was the top priority, the walking routes were designed in a way that required people to go around quite a bit, so there was really a lot of walking involved.
I was somewhat aware of this in advance, but some visitors may have had to move simply by following the crowd without fully understanding the situation.
In those cases, I imagine some people may have felt a little lost.
At the same time, I could also understand why everything had to be so strict.
Since the Itaewon tragedy, Korea has naturally become far more sensitive about safety.
The grief of losing so many young lives became a painful reason why large public events must now place safety above all else.
Especially in a gathering like this, where so many domestic and international visitors came together, there absolutely could not be an accident.
Some people may have felt inconvenienced on site, but I also hoped they could understand the background behind those measures.
Even after the performance ended, I was quite surprised.
Despite the huge number of people who had gathered and then left in excitement, the streets were incredibly clean.
To be honest, I had assumed that with so many global visitors, it would be difficult for the area to remain that tidy.
But I heard that 400 ARMY volunteers took charge of the cleanup, and many areas had already been put back in order quite quickly.
I really want to say thank you to the ARMY volunteers for all their hard work.
I loved seeing that side of them.
They felt like more than fans who simply love BTS; they felt like a community capable of creating a positive influence across the world.
And the comeback title, Arirang, also felt deeply meaningful to me.
Arirang is not just a Korean folk song.
It is a very important cultural heritage that symbolizes Korean identity and emotion.
It carries messages of separation, sorrow, and hope, and it would not be an exaggeration to call it one of the songs that best represents Korea.
Its symbolism is especially powerful, as it has been recognized as an important cultural heritage of Korea and also acknowledged by UNESCO as part of humanity’s intangible cultural heritage.
That is why I felt BTS’s Arirang album was not simply a comeback album, but almost a declaration of identity.
To me, it felt like an album filled with the Korean emotions of han, heung, and jeong.
Han : is the feeling of deep sorrow and unresolved grief.
Heung : is the joy and hope rising from within.
Jeong : is the warm bond and empathy shared between people.
Perhaps during their long hiatus, BTS spent much time thinking about ARMY and reflecting on their own influence, while also wanting to draw once again that strong bond of joy and hope with their fans.
And perhaps they also hoped that this would not remain only for their fans, but would be delivered as a message of hope to people around the world who are carrying their own grief and burdens.
Korean music carries han, heung, and jeong.
And I believe those deeply Korean emotions are clearly flowing within BTS’s music and hearts as well.
I hope BTS’s wish—to love one’s own country, to share warmth with one another, to rejoice together, and to comfort each other—reaches even more people around the world.
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