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| Photo: Joint press corps, Korea Online Photojournalists Association |
The group staged BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE ARIRANG around Gwanghwamun Square at 8 p.m. on the 21st, marking the release of their fifth studio album, ARIRANG, which arrived on the 20th. HYBE estimated the crowd at roughly 104,000 people.
Observers framed the event as more than a concert — calling it a global cultural moment. Major outlets in the U.S., Europe and Japan gave the return prominent coverage and welcomed BTS's comeback.
CNN wrote that BTS, which helped reshape the global pop market beyond K-pop, returned as a complete group and described the Gwanghwamun show as a cultural event rather than a standard concert. The network praised the reunion with fans as a highly symbolic moment.
The Associated Press noted that the group's influence, built on a worldwide fandom, remains potent. It added that staging a large, free concert in the heart of Seoul is unusual and that scenes of tens of thousands gathering underscore BTS's global stature.
The Wall Street Journal predicted the comeback will spur positive effects across related industries — from record sales to live events and tourism — and emphasized BTS's renewed value as a Korean cultural flagship.
European media also gave wide coverage. France's Le Monde called the group's return a significant event in global popular culture, while Britain's The Guardian said the Gwanghwamun performance reaffirmed why BTS is a global pop icon, likening its symbolism to a U.S. Super Bowl halftime show or a major world tour.
The event was also noted as a savvy marketing move that leveraged foreign capital to showcase Gwanghwamun and nearby Gyeongbokgung Palace to an international audience.
Industry sources say Netflix covered all production costs for the show. Neither side disclosed the exact figure, but estimates put spending at least in the 100 billion KRW range (roughly $75 million). In effect, Netflix's backing helped transmit the scenes around Gwanghwamun and Gyeongbokgung to about 190 countries.
The economic ripple effects of BTSnomics are starting to materialize.
Following the Gwanghwamun event, the citywide project celebrating ARIRANG, BTS THE CITY ARIRANG SEOUL, runs through April 19. BTS will begin the first dates of their world tour at Goyang Sports Complex from April 9–12, and analysts expect international tourist numbers to climb further.
Overseas fans are already arriving in Korea. According to the Ministry of Justice's Immigration and Foreigners Policy Headquarters, 1,099,700 foreign visitors entered Korea from March 1–18, a 32.7% increase from the same period a year earlier.
Lodging, retail and tourism sectors are among those poised to benefit. Hotels near Gwanghwamun sold out well before the show, and major domestic hotels rolled out packages tied to BTS THE CITY ARIRANG SEOUL — booking rates exceeded expectations.
HYBE and the Hyundai Research Institute estimate that, when combining direct revenues from the comeback and world tour with indirect spillovers and gains in national brand value, the total economic impact could reach about 92.7 trillion KRW (roughly $69.5 billion).
[Sports Today reporter Yoon Hye-young ent@stoo.com]
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