(LEAD) BTS stages concert in Seoul's Gwanghwamun to mark long-awaited return

▲ K-pop group BTS performs during a free comeback concert at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on March 21, 2026. (Yonhap)

▲ This photo provided by BigHit Music and Netflix shows K-pop supergroup BTS performing at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on March 21, 2026. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲ K-pop group BTS performs during a free comeback concert at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on March 21, 2026. (Pool Photo) (Yonhap)

▲ K-pop group BTS performs during a free comeback concert at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on March 21, 2026. (Pool Photo) (Yonhap)

(LEAD) BTS-comeback show

(LEAD) BTS stages concert in Seoul's Gwanghwamun to mark long-awaited return

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with concert; ADDS photos)

By Shim Sun-ah

SEOUL, March 21 (Yonhap) -- K-pop megastar BTS held its first full-group concert in Seoul on Saturday since all members completed their mandatory military service, drawing fans from around the world to the heart of the South Korean capital.

The seven members delivered the first live performance of key tracks of its fifth studio album, "Arirang," released on Friday, at Gwanghwamun Square.

The record is the first group release from the band in three years and nine months, following "Proof" in June 2022. After the release, the members took a break from its group projects with a promise to reunite as a full group after all its member complete their mandatory military duty.

The one-hour show opened with approximately 50 traditional Korean dancers in black costumes lining the "woldae," a ceremonial stage in front of Gyeongbok Palace's main gate. As the performers split into two groups, the seven members revealed themselves on a stage at the northern end of the square, drawing enthusiastic cheers from thousands of fans who crowded the venue.

According to the group's agency, BigHit Music, the members wore costumes inspired by the armor of Korean generals from the early Joseon era (1392-1910).

The performance, which the agency described as a fusion of Korean traditional heritage and contemporary music, used the Gwanghwamun gate as a centerpiece. The agency noted that the album "Arirang" is intended to capture the identity of BTS as a group that began in Korea.

The gate remained visible behind an open, cube-shaped stage designed to resemble a picture frame.

Drawing attention was the group's official light stick, the "ARMY Bomb," which synchronized in real time with the stage visuals. The device bathed the entire venue in unified waves of color as LED screens, a light projection show on the cube-shaped stage and the gate behind, and the lights from fans' sticks moved in unison.

Streamed live globally on Netflix, the concert featured a 12-song setlist. This included global hits "Butter" and "Dynamite," alongside eight tracks from the new album. The band performed another hit, "Mikrokosmos," as an encore song.

The return to the stage was an emotional milestone for the members.

"It still doesn't feel real that we're back together as a group," member V told the cheering crowd after a set that included "MIC Drop."

Jungkook admitted to feeling the weight of the comeback. "I definitely felt some pressure, but being here in front of you all, it feels great," he said.

Other members also spoke candidly about the hiatus.

J-Hope confessed to worries that the group "might be slightly forgotten" during its absence, while Suga noted the band spent significant time "thinking about what we should hold onto, and what we need to change."

"We are still not completely sure and still feel anxious at times, but I think even those emotions are a part of who we are right now," Suga said.

Group leader RM, who performed much of the show while seated due to an ankle injury sustained during rehearsal, looked out at the audience to mark the moment. "It's been a long journey, but we've finally made it here," he said.

Police initially expected the concert to draw approximately 260,000 people, including 22,000 ticket holders, but authorities later estimated that 48,000 fans attended the event. Hybe, the parent company of BigHit, estimated the crowd at 104,000 people.

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