BTS' comeback concert in Seoul to have 1 hour running time due to safety concerns
BTS' free comeback concert at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square this March has been shortened to around one hour only due to safety and operational concerns.
The South Korean boy group's agency, HYBE, said that they decided to adjust the highly anticipated event to ensure crowd control and public safety.
"The performance time has been set at an appropriate duration to ensure safe and smooth operations. The Gwanghwamun concert is being held in a unique setting at a public outdoor venue rather than a conventional concert hall," they said in a statement, per The Korea Times.
"Accordingly, we have set the performance time after taking various factors into consideration, including stage management, audience safety, and on-site control," they added.
In a report by Maeil Business Newspaper, HYBE addressed the false information about the concert and asserted that the Seoul Metropolitan Government wasn't the one that imposed the one-hour limit.
"The concert duration was decided by HYBE and Big Hit Music. We comprehensively considered the unique nature of an outdoor public venue, audience safety, on-site crowd control, the convenience of using public transportation, and noise during late-night hours," the agency said.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government also commented on the matter, saying that HYBE requested the one-hour running time since concert discussions began in December of last year.
"When Gwanghwamun Square is used, the Seoul Metropolitan Government is responsible for non-performance matters such as safety management and administrative support, while the structure and duration of the concert are entirely the authority and responsibility of the organizer, HYBE," they said.
BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG will take place on March 21 and feature live performances of the group's songs from their upcoming fifth studio album ARIRANG, which will be released on March 20.
As a bonus, Netflix will also release BTS: THE RETURN, a documentary film on the making of the album, on March 27.
ARIRANG will be BTS' first album release since the group—comprised of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook—took a hiatus in June 2022 so its members could complete mandatory military service. All members were reportedly involved in creating songs for the 14-track record.
Following the album launch, the K-pop boy group will hold their two-year global tour starting on April 9 in Goyang, South Korea. They will then head over to Tokyo, Japan, North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, performing 79 shows in 34 regions.
Their Manila leg is set on March 13 and 14, 2027.