On a Saturday night in Busan, the port city on South Korea's southeast coast, seven men who have carried a nation's music across the world stepped onto a stage and gave a free concert to the place they were partly born from. The performance lent their fame to a civic dream, the city's bid to host the 2030 World Expo, while their own futures hung in the air, bound to the mandatory military service every able Korean man must eventually fulfill. It is a familiar human tension: the pull of home and public duty against the restless pace of a career that cannot pause forever.
BTS Performs Emotional Busan Concert as Future Uncertainty Looms Over the Group
Part reunion, part delayed homecoming, part civil service
Mark
Why does this concert matter beyond being a big show?
Mimi
Because it served two purposes at once. It was the group's first performance since the June break, and it was also a pitch for Busan's 2030 World Expo bid.
Mark
And the crowd size?
Mimi
City officials expected about 100,000 people. The stadium holds 50,000, and another 12,000 spots were set up at Busan Port and Haeundae Beach for the live stream.
Luke
Careful with that 100,000. It's what officials expected, not a count of who showed up. The reporting doesn't give an attendance figure.
Mark
Fair. What about the military service?
Mimi
BigHit Music said all seven will serve and won't seek more delays or exemptions. Jin turns 30 in December, and the group already got a two-year extension.
Luke
Worth noting the statement doesn't give enlistment dates, and it doesn't say whether they'll serve together or when the group would perform again. Those are unknown.
Mark
Some fans wanted an exemption, though.
Mimi
They did, but the Military Manpower Administration's commissioner, Lee Ki Sik, said service is "desirable." Exemptions go to figures like Olympic medalists and top-prize classical or traditional musicians.
Luke
And whether the concert helps Busan win is open. Italy, Ukraine, and Saudi Arabia are competing, and the decision isn't due until 2023.
O Pulso
- A nation's most famous band stepped back from the spotlight in June, leaving fans who had expected a world tour suddenly without a timeline.
- Roughly 100,000 visitors poured into Busan, and the city turned purple from bridges to subway turnstiles.
- BigHit Music has ruled out further delays or special exemptions, so each member must now face enlistment on its own schedule.
- Busan's bid to host the 2030 Expo must now beat Italy, Ukraine, and Saudi Arabia, with a decision expected in 2023.
On a Saturday night in Busan, the port city on South Korea's southeast coast, seven men who have carried a nation's music across the world stepped onto a stage and gave a free concert to the place they were partly born from. The performance lent their fame to a civic dream, the city's bid to host the 2030 World Expo, while their own futures hung in the air, bound to the mandatory military service every able Korean man must eventually fulfill. It is a familiar human tension: the pull of home and public duty against the restless pace of a career that cannot pause forever.
On Saturday night, the seven members of BTS stood on the stage of the Asiad Main Stadium in Busan and performed a free concert titled "Yet to Come in Busan." It was a gift to the city, a way of lending the group's enormous star power to Busan's bid to host the 2030 World Expo. Officials had prepared for around 100,000 visitors, and thousands more watched a live stream on screens at Busan Port and Haeundae Beach.
For Jimin, one of two members from Busan, the evening carried a particular feeling. "It feels a little strange to be in my hometown," he told the crowd. Before singing "Ma City," a song honoring the city's seaside, he called out, "Welcome to my city, let's go!" The city had already been decorated with his face for his birthday, a common K-pop custom in which fans buy public tributes to their idols.
The concert was BTS's first performance since June, when the group announced a break to focus on solo work. Fans had hoped for a tour, so the news had come as a shock. The night felt like a reunion and a long-awaited homecoming, but also something closer to public service.
Beneath it all lay the question of military service. The group's representatives confirmed that all seven members will serve in South Korea, and BigHit Music said no more delays or special exemptions will be sought. Jin, the eldest, turns 30 in December and has already received a two-year extension. Some fans had hoped for a last-minute exemption, but the head of the Military Manpower Administration said last week that it is "desirable" for the members to serve.
As the concert approached, Busan wore the group's signature purple, from Busan Tower to Gwangan Bridge. The show marked a moment when South Korea used its cultural power at a peak of global interest in its music, film, and food. Busan still faces competition from Italy, Ukraine, and Saudi Arabia, and the decision on the 2030 Expo will not come until 2023.
On Saturday night in Busan, South Korea's port city on the southeast coast, the seven members of BTS took the stage at the Asiad Main Stadium for a free concert called "Yet to Come in Busan." The show was a public favor to the city: the group was lending its star power to Busan's bid to host the World Expo in 2030.
City officials had expected around 100,000 fans from around the world to make the trip for the concert and the events around it. The stadium was billed as sold out at a capacity of 50,000. Another 12,000 places were set aside for people to watch a live stream on large screens at Busan Port and Haeundae Beach.
Two members of the group come from Busan, and one of them, Jimin, spoke to the crowd about it. "It feels a little strange to be in my hometown," he said. This week the city's streets were decorated with his face for his birthday, part of the K-pop tradition in which fans buy ads to celebrate their favorite stars. Before performing "Ma City," a song that pays tribute to Busan's seaside, he shouted, "Welcome to my city, let's go!"
The concert was the first BTS performance since June, when the group announced a break to concentrate on solo projects. That announcement caught off guard fans who had been expecting a world tour. The show carried the feel of a reunion and a delayed homecoming, and also of something closer to civil service, given its purpose.
Hanging over the evening was the question of military service. On Monday, the group's representatives said all seven members will complete their mandatory service in South Korea. BigHit Music said in a statement that the group will not seek any more delays or special exemptions. Jin, the oldest member, turns 30 in December, and the group has already received a two-year extension. South Korea does grant exemptions to some athletes, classical and traditional musicians, and ballet and other dancers who have won top prizes such as Olympic medals. Some fans had hoped for a last-minute exemption for BTS, but Lee Ki Sik, commissioner of the Military Manpower Administration, said last week that it is "desirable" for the members to serve.
In the days before the show, Busan turned purple, the group's signature color. Landmarks including Busan Tower and Gwangan Bridge were lit in the shade, as were the roads leading to the stadium. Photos of all seven members appeared on merchandise, on billboards, and even on subway turnstiles.
The enlistment of BTS in the Expo effort shows South Korea using its soft power at a moment of unprecedented global popularity for Korean culture. The group's dominance of international charts, awards shows, and social media has been central to the Korean wave, known as hallyu, which also takes in film, television, beauty products, and food.
Busan, the country's second-largest city, is not the only candidate. Italy, Ukraine, and Saudi Arabia are also competing to host the 2030 Expo, and a decision is expected in 2023.
Citações Notáveis
It feels a little strange to be in my hometown.— Jimin, BTS member from Busan
It is "desirable" for BTS members to serve.— Lee Ki Sik, commissioner of the Military Manpower Administration
Quer a matéria completa?
Leia o original em NBC News ↗
War & Conflict