On a Saturday evening in Busan, the port city at South Korea's southern edge, all seven members of BTS stood together again, performing for a free concert that drew about 52,000 people into a stadium and many more into the streets beyond it. The night was a bid for the future of a city hoping to host the World Expo 2030, but it also carried the quieter weight of a band pausing its shared life, with its members turning toward solo work and the mandatory military service that waits on the oldest of them. Like many moments when a beloved collective faces its own uncertain season, the gathering as
BTS Reunite for Free Busan Concert in Support of South Korea's World Expo 2030 Bid
"Please have faith in us," RM told fans, without saying more
Mark
Why did a concert end up tied to a world's fair bid?
Mimi
BTS were named official ambassadors for the Busan Expo 2030 bid in July. The free concert was staged to support that bid, with fans in the stadium and others watching on screens around the city.
Mark
How big was it, really?
Luke
About 52,000 in the stadium, and that figure comes from Yonhap. The 100,000 is what Busan authorities expected across the stadium and other areas, so it's a projection, not a confirmed count.
Mark
And the band had announced a break in June?
Mimi
Yes, a pause in group activities so the members could pursue solo projects. That's why a reunion on stage drew so much attention.
Mark
What did RM say about what comes next?
Mimi
He asked fans to have faith, said that if all seven members feel the same way they'd perform and make music together. He didn't elaborate.
Luke
Worth noting that's conditional. It isn't an announcement of a comeback or a date.
Mark
What about military service?
Mimi
Jin turns 30 next year, and the 2019 law lets top K-pop stars defer until then. The defense minister said in August that BTS might still perform overseas while serving.
Luke
"Might" is the key word. That was a minister's remark, not a policy or a decision about the band.
Mark
And the expo itself?
Mimi
Four candidates: South Korea, Italy, Ukraine and Saudi Arabia. The host is expected to be elected next year.
O Pulso
- About 52,000 fans packed a Busan stadium while tens of thousands more crowded the city's large outdoor screens, all drawn to a single free show.
- The concert arrived just months after BTS announced a break from group activities, leaving fans uncertain whether the seven members would share a stage again.
- Jin, the eldest member, faces mandatory military service, and the 2019 deferment law that protected K-pop stars expires as he turns 30 next year.
- Busan is racing Italy, Ukraine and Saudi Arabia for the World Expo 2030, with the host city to be chosen next year.
- RM told the crowd only that the members must share the same feeling and that fans must keep faith, leaving the group's future unresolved.
On a Saturday evening in Busan, the port city at South Korea's southern edge, all seven members of BTS stood together again, performing for a free concert that drew about 52,000 people into a stadium and many more into the streets beyond it. The night was a bid for the future of a city hoping to host the World Expo 2030, but it also carried the quieter weight of a band pausing its shared life, with its members turning toward solo work and the mandatory military service that waits on the oldest of them. Like many moments when a beloved collective faces its own uncertain season, the gathering asked less for an answer than for faith, and the question of what comes next remains open.
On Saturday, the seven members of BTS stood together on a stage in Busan, South Korea's southern port city, for a free concert called "BTS Yet To Come in Busan." According to Yonhap News Agency, about 52,000 people filled the stadium, and fans had queued outside long before the gates opened.
The night spilled beyond the stadium walls. City authorities had expected as many as 100,000 visitors across Busan, and large screens were set up so that those without seats could still follow the show live. The concert was meant to support South Korea's bid to host the World Expo 2030, a campaign in which BTS were named official ambassadors in July. Italy, Ukraine and Saudi Arabia are also competing, and the host will be chosen next year.
The evening carried extra weight. In June, the band announced a pause in group activities so its members could pursue solo projects, and that decision left the group's future in doubt. Military service looms over that uncertainty. South Korean men must serve, and while a 2019 law let K-pop stars defer until 30, Jin turns 30 next year. During the show, leader RM addressed the question briefly, telling fans that if all seven members feel the same way and fans keep their faith, they will overcome what lies ahead and keep making music together. He did not elaborate.
BTS, who debuted in 2013, rose to global fame with upbeat music and campaigns empowering young people. Two questions now hang over them: where the Expo bid lands, and what shape the band takes as its members walk their separate paths.
On Saturday, the seven members of BTS stood together on a stage in Busan, South Korea's southern port city, for a free concert called "BTS Yet To Come in Busan." According to the Yonhap News Agency, about 52,000 people filled the stadium. Fans had queued outside Busan Asiada stadium to get in.
The stadium was not the only place to watch. Busan Metropolitan City authorities had expected as many as 100,000 people to visit the stadium and other parts of the city, and large screens were set up at several locations so that fans without seats could follow the show live.
The concert was staged to back South Korea's bid to host the World Expo 2030 in Busan, which lies more than 300 kilometers (190 miles) southeast of Seoul. BTS were named official ambassadors for the Busan expo bid in July. Four countries have submitted candidatures to the Bureau International des Expositions, the body that organizes the expo: South Korea, Italy, Ukraine and Saudi Arabia. The host is expected to be chosen next year.
The evening carried added weight because of what had come before it. In June, the band announced a break from group musical activities so that its members could pursue solo projects, a decision that raised questions about the group's future. Saturday's show brought all seven back together at a moment when that future was unclear.
Military service is part of that uncertainty. All able-bodied men in South Korea between 18 and 28 must serve, a duty tied to the country's defense against nuclear-armed North Korea, and the obligation is hugely controversial. A 2019 revision of the law allowed globally recognized K-pop stars to put off their service until age 30. Jin, the band's oldest member, turns 30 next year. In August, the country's defense minister said BTS might still be able to perform overseas while serving in the military.
During the concert, the band's leader, RM, addressed the question directly but briefly. He told fans that if all seven members feel the same way, and if fans have faith in them, they will overcome whatever happens in the future, perform with their fans and make music. He asked them to have faith in the group, and did not elaborate.
BTS made their debut in June 2013 and grew into a worldwide phenomenon through upbeat hits and social campaigns aimed at empowering young people. Last year they became the first Asian band to win artist of the year at the American Music Awards. In May, they met US President Joe Biden at the White House to discuss hate crimes targeting Asians.
Two questions now hang over the group: where the Expo 2030 contest lands when the host is chosen next year, and what form BTS takes as its members pursue solo work and face military service.
Citações Notáveis
If the seven BTS members feel the same way and if you guys have faith in us, we will overcome whatever happens to us in the future and we will perform with you guys and make music.— RM, BTS leader, to fans at the concert
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