After BTS’s Gwanghwamun Performance, Gyeongbokgung Welcomes 50,000 Visitors…A K-Traditional Culture Windfall

BTS to Set Gwanghwamun Ablaze… A “BTS Special” Explosion

The comeback concert by the group “BTS”, which lit up the Gwanghwamun area in Seoul, sparked a surge of interest in K-traditional culture. Immediately after the show, visitors to Gyeongbokgung Palace jumped to more than double the usual figure, underscoring the overwhelming “BTS Special”. The free concert held on March 21, 2026 to celebrate the release of the fifth full-length album “ARIRANG” went beyond a mainstream music event, building momentum toward the globalization of Korea’s cultural heritage.

Breaking 50,000 Attendees… The Prologue to the “2026 Royal Court Cultural Festival”

According to statistics from the Cultural Heritage Administration on the 7th, the number of visitors to Gyeongbokgung Palace recorded 33,500 on the 22nd of last month, an increase of more than 10,000 compared with the same period last year. “Heo Min”, Commissioner of the Cultural Heritage Administration, said at the press conference for “2026 Royal Court Cultural Festival” held on the 7th, “The number of attendees, which was at the 20,000-person mark before the concert, rose to about 53,000 by the 29th,” sharing the vivid enthusiasm on site. This is an unprecedented synergy created by the combination of “K-Content” and “Traditional Culture”.

“Palaces” and “Joseon Royal Tombs” Taking Leap Toward Global Landmarks

In response to explosive global interest, the Cultural Heritage Administration will elevate “palaces” and “Joseon royal tombs” into world-class cultural destinations. On the 3rd of next month, “Jongmyo Daeje” will be streamed in real time both through a large-screen setup in the square and online, and later this month, when a nighttime performance of “Jongmyo Jeryeak” is held, it will take the form of an evening show at the main hall of Jongmyo. In addition, from May 16 onward, it will fully open nine trails around royal tombs in areas such as Salleung in Namyangju, and in October it will provide an outdoor wedding venue at the National Palace Museum—launching a large-scale “Cultural Heritage Opening Project”.