BTS’ ‘ARIRANG’ to Bathe Singapore in Red for 31 Days in December

‘THE CITY SINGAPORE’: The whole city, from the airport waterfall to Sentosa Island, becomes a stage

The group BTS will transform Singapore into one giant festival ground throughout December. In conjunction with its ARIRANG world tour, the group will roll out BTS THE CITY ARIRANG - SINGAPORE, a large-scale urban concert play park that turns the entire city into a sprawling, integrated theme park.

According to the group’s agency, BIGHIT MUSIC, on the 10th, BTS THE CITY SINGAPORE is a large-scale project that will fill iconic tourist attractions across Singapore with BTS’ musical universe and the themes of its fifth full-length album, ARIRANG, from Dec. 1 to 31. The project was made possible through comprehensive public-private collaboration with the Singapore Tourism Board and will be the longest-running and largest-scale program in the history of THE CITY projects.

BIGHIT MUSIC described the event as “an unprecedented large-scale project that will transform Singapore’s year-end landscape in its entirety,” adding, “A special journey will take shape, allowing visitors to experience BTS with all five senses throughout Singapore—from the Changi Airport arrivals hall and public transportation to hotels and major performance venues.”

The festivities will kick off at Jewel Changi, a landmark connected to Singapore’s gateway, Changi Airport. At the Jewel Rain Vortex, the world’s largest indoor waterfall, a LIGHT & MUSIC SHOWCASE will take place twice daily, at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m., from Dec. 1 to 26. The majestic cascade, signature red lighting and BTS’ music will combine to create a spectacular scene, while related visual artwork will be displayed on major media façades throughout the complex.

1,500-drone show and four stadium concerts bring global fans together

A series of distinctive, immersive experiences designed to captivate fans from around the world will be concentrated across Sentosa Island, a popular resort destination. A large sculpture of a swimming character will be installed at Palawan Beach, inspired by “KEEP SWIMMING,” the key slogan of SWIM, the title track from the group’s fifth full-length album. For three nights, from Dec. 18 to 20, 1,500 drones will take to the night sky for a 10-minute light show depicting BTS and Singaporean symbols in three dimensions.

A wide range of programs combining sports and lifestyle is also planned. They include ARIRANG RUN, a running event where 5,000 participants will wear official commemorative apparel, and Sensoryscape, an outdoor promenade featuring red ambient lighting and hammocks as a place to relax. Resorts World Sentosa will be illuminated as part of the RESORT-WIDE LIGHT-UP, while Universal Studios Singapore will extend its hours for a special late-night opening on Dec. 21 only. Themed fireworks set to BTS’ music will also run for a total of 16 days.

Singapore’s night skyline will also get a complete makeover. Every day during the event, from 7 p.m. until 1 a.m. the following day, 15 of Singapore’s signature landmarks—including the Merlion, Singapore Flyer and The Fullerton Hotel—will light up simultaneously in BTS’ signature red.

The festival’s centerpiece will be the live shows at the Singapore National Stadium. BTS will hold four concerts on its ARIRANG world tour on Dec. 17, 19, 20 and 22. That will be the most tour dates in Asia for a single location. By seamlessly combining the concerts with the city’s infrastructure, the project is expected to be remembered as a cultural tourism festival on a national scale, not merely a series of concerts.