BTS Returns to Gwanghwamun Square with 'The King's Path' March at Gyeongbokgung

Group BTS is generating excitement for their comeback performance on the 21st of next month at Gwanghwamun Square and Gyeongbokgung, which is expected to be a global cultural festival harmonizing traditional Korean beauty and modern culture.

⬦ 'The King's Path' passing through three gates from Geunjeongjeon to Woldae

According to officials from the music industry and the Seoul city government on the 4th, BTS plans to present a historic stage utilizing all three gates of Gwanghwamun during the 'BTS Comeback Live: Arirang'(BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE｜ARIRANG) scheduled for 8 PM. The members are reportedly reviewing a march performance called 'The King's Path' starting from Geunjeongmun inside Gyeongbokgung, passing through Heungnyemun and Gwanghwamun towards the stage.

The organizers have completed the application to use not only Gwanghwamun but also Geunjeongmun, Heungnyemun, and Woldae inside Gyeongbokgung, and the members are expected to reveal themselves through the open gate of Gwanghwamun and march to the stage after passing Woldae. The stage will be set up facing south near the north side of Gwanghwamun Square's Yukjo Yard.

However, it is expected that a final decision will be made after discussions on whether the opening performance leading from inside Gyeongbokgung to Yulgok-ro will be conducted live or replaced with a pre-recorded video.

⬦ Expecting 200,000 crowd... Dual operation at Gwanghwamun and City Hall

Following a splendid opening, the seven members will perform in front of the fandom 'ARMY' gathered from around the world, along with 50 dancers and 13 members of the Arirang traditional music group. On the evening of the performance day, traditional Korean cultural content will be broadcast through a media facade on the walls of Gwanghwamun, and related content will be screened at Sungnyemun and the fortress on the album release date, the 20th.

BTS previously showcased a stage against the backdrop of Geunjeongjeon and Gyeonghoeru at Gyeongbokgung on NBC's 〈The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon〉 in 2020. This performance marks a historic moment occurring in downtown Seoul approximately five and a half years later, and it is expected to serve as an opportunity to promote South Korea to the world through the combination of national heritage and modern K-POP culture.

Meanwhile, with the release of their new album after 3 years and 9 months, a significant crowd is anticipated globally. The organizers are discussing plans to accommodate about 15,000 people at Gwanghwamun Square and 13,000 people at City Hall Plaza and Sejong-daero intersection. Audience members at City Hall Plaza will watch the live performance through a large LED screen. However, the final capacity may be adjusted during safety-related discussions.

This performance will be free of charge, and ticketing information will be announced through HYBE's fan platform Weverse within a few days. Following that, ticketing will be conducted on general ticketing platforms. Considering fans who wish to enjoy the performance atmosphere outside the viewing area, there is a possibility that up to 200,000 people may gather on-site that day.

⬦ Super Bowl director's direction X Netflix's first live broadcast... "Birth of a show on the level of the World Cup and Olympics"

The performance will be live-streamed to 300 million users in 190 countries worldwide through the global OTT platform Netflix. It is also the first live event that Netflix is broadcasting from Korea to the world. The organizers expect more than 50 million viewers to watch BTS's return, which they stated is a global live broadcast event on the scale of the World Cup or Olympics.

The overall direction of the comeback performance is being handled by director Hamish Hamilton, who directed the Super Bowl halftime show, drawing attention. A documentary film capturing the process of producing BTS's new album, 〈BTS: THE RETURN〉, will also be released on Netflix on the 27th of next month. The documentary is expected to depict the struggles the members faced while working on their fifth album and the journey of completing the current BTS.

The fifth studio album 'Arirang' will be released simultaneously worldwide at 1 PM on the 20th of next month. The album will include 14 new songs that deal with universal emotions such as the team's identity, longing, and deep love.