BTS Busan Concert Delayed by 1 Hour as HYBE Apologizes, New Song Surges to No. 1

The King of Global Pop and the Painful Growing Pains Behind a Glorious Return

Is It an Art of Waiting, or a Predictable Operational Fumble?

Busan Asiad Main Stadium, where fans from around the world have gathered. Before the dazzling curtain rose, the scene had to endure the painful growing pains of extreme gridlock and confusion.

On the night of the 12th, at Busan Asiad Main Stadium, a rare incident occurred: the first-day performance of the world tour 'Arirang'('ARIRANG') by 'BTS'('방탄소년단')('BTS') finally began at 8:15 p.m., well past the originally scheduled 7:00 p.m. During the long delay of 1 hour and 15 minutes, on-site viewers and online communities erupted with complaints accusing the organizers of poor operations. The lack of on-site control that failed to meet global standards left a deep sense of regret.

Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, the agency 'HYBE'('BigHit Music') launched an immediate course correction late that night through the official fan platform Weverse. They explained the specific causes, saying they resulted from a complex mix of confusion in on-site guidance, a bottleneck in the waiting line that occurred during the distribution process for fan gifts, and delays in receiving merchandise. They then bowed and said, "We sincerely apologize for the disappointment and inconvenience we caused the audience that waited for so long."

An Unshakable Fandom and a Red Heat Celebrating 13 Years

Even the shortcomings in operations could not break their yearning for them. In a historic moment marking their 13th debut anniversary, Busan transformed into a vast melting pot that kept cheering 'BTS'.

On the 13th, as 'BTS' marked a milestone day with their 13th debut anniversary, they pushed ahead with the second-day show at the same venue, proving their unshakable staying power. The 'HYBE' side vowed that, taking the chaos of the previous day as a lesson, it would thoroughly recheck the entire on-site operating system—including entry and fan-gift distribution—and throw everything into ensuring that the same incident does not happen again.

Despite the noise on the ground, their status, proven by global charts, remains absolute. As part of '2026 BTS Festa'('2026 BTS FESTA'), the newly released single 'Come Over'('Come Over') shot straight to No. 1 on the iTunes 'Top Songs' charts in 79 countries worldwide, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Japan, as of 6 a.m. on the 13th. In addition, the full-length fifth album 'Arirang' took the No. 1 spot for a second straight week on Spotify's 'Weekly Top Albums Global' chart, setting an unprecedented record—its ninth No. 1 overall—and is adding a new chapter to the history of popular music.