[Photo &] 60,000-Strong Army Takes Over Brussels—Heat Rises at BTS’s First Concert in Belgium Even as the Subway Grinds to a Halt, Fans Chant “Arirang” Together

A violet wave of thrills rippling through Europe’s core—Brussels grinds to a halt

On the 1st (local time), Brussels, the capital of the European Union, transformed into a giant melting pot. At King Baudouin Stadium, the area that hosted the first visit by the group BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan) to Belgium since its debut, the scene was covered by a massive tidal wave of global fandom that had flocked in from around the world.

The Brussels Metro Line 6 heading to the stadium ran special service with more than double the capacity compared with an ordinary day, but it still fell short of handling the crush of people. Officials at the Brussels public transportation company (STIB) looked visibly stunned by the unprecedented surge in passengers.

A pilgrimage route that transcends borders and languages—Fans belt out singalongs in packed cars

Even amid suffocating extreme heat and trains packed beyond capacity, only joy filled the faces of the official fandom ARMY. Their nationalities were diverse, spanning the European continent—Britain, Finland, Italy, and more—as well as people who crossed the Atlantic to fly in, but their destination was only one place.

The Efyryl couple, who came from Manchester, England for an away-day viewing, said, "After striking out in the London concert ticket rush, we turned our trip toward Brussels," and shared their overwhelming sense of emotion. In particular, even in an unprecedented situation where entry into the ticket gates was delayed due to safety control, fans did not vent complaints—instead, they sang Korea’s traditional folk song Arirang together, instantly transforming the scene into a massive festival.

A young man with blue eyes wearing a cap and rubber clogs proves the fusion of K-culture

Around the concert venue, the heat was already surging long before the curtain rose on the main stage. In particular, Belgian youth Benoit (26), dressed in hanbok, wearing a gat (traditional Korean cap) on his head and matching rubber clogs on his feet, stood out as simply overwhelming. He said, "During my visit to Korea last year, I fell deeply for the charm of hanbok, a traditional costume," adding, "Meeting the artist I have long admired over an eight-year period in my hometown is something close to a miracle."

A cultural gravity center that binds a divided continent together

Veronica (53) from Florence, Italy, offered a sharp insight: "They’re not just music; they serve as a powerful medium that binds the sentiments of a diversified Europe together." Cedric, who is Swedish, also shared an unusual backstory about how she joined the fandom due to her wife’s influence, drawing attention by voluntarily distributing 40,000 flyers at the site to encourage other audience members to sing along.

Violence-free frenzy—Mature concertgoing etiquette even locals’ police found irresistible

Brussels police authorities, who oversaw on-site public safety and maintaining order, also offered high praise for the group’s mature crowd culture. Officer Kenny, who was in charge of crowd control, testified, "It’s a different dimension from soccer matches where rough hooligans are everywhere. Their fandom puts out orderly, peaceful energy, as if it’s nothing short of astonishing."

Meanwhile, at the pop-up booths surrounding the concert hall, endless lines formed as people waited to taste popular Korean street foods such as kimbap, tteokbokki, and seasoned fried chicken—making it clear how explosively prominent K-food has become, expanding beyond music into food. The massive aftershocks of this Brussels show, which completely seized the heart of the European continent, are expected to keep going until the 2nd.