"I can feel the status of K-pop"..BTS Performance D-3, 'Purple' colored Gwanghwamun Square [★On-site sketch comprehensive]

*This content was translated by AI.

Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul has already been colored purple ahead of the group BTS's comeback performance.

BTS will hold a free performance "BTS Comeback Live: ARIRANG (BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG)" to commemorate the release of its fifth regular album in Gwanghwamun Square at 8 p.m. on the 21st.

Gwanghwamun is not just a concert hall, but a space that is considered the center of Korean history, culture, and politics. It is also a representative landmark of Seoul visited by domestic and foreign tourists and a symbolic place where national and large cultural events are held. The National Heritage Administration and the Seoul Metropolitan Government have allowed the use of Gwanghwamun Square for the BTS comeback performance. This is the first time that a K-pop solo performance will be held here.

In addition, this performance will be broadcast live to more than 190 countries through Netflix, a global OTT platform. It is also symbolic in that it is the first time for Netflix to transmit an artist's solo performance in real time.

On the afternoon of the 18th, three days before the performance, Gwanghwamun Square was lively with citizens and ARMY (fandom names) watching the stage installation process.

In the center of the square, the stage installation work, which will be the core of the performance, is in full swing. Workers are speeding up their final preparations by mobilizing various equipment to install stage lighting and sound facilities.

The main stage was located behind the statue of King Sejong. Beyond that, the panoramic view of Gwanghwamun, high-rise buildings, and performance facilities are combined. The exotic scenery where tradition and modernity coexist was enough to attract the attention of fans and tourists at home and abroad.

Police expect up to 260,000 people to attend the event. This is the largest since the 2002 World Cup street cheering. The police are fully prepared, judging that the possibility of terrorism cannot be ruled out in consideration of the unstable international situation such as the situation in the Middle East. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency plans to deploy about 6,500 police officers in all functions, including transportation, crime prevention, criminal, and commando units, including 70 task forces, and mobilize about 5,400 pieces of equipment.

Police focused on countering terrorism as well as managing crowds. In the core area of the venue, 31 access gates will be installed and a door-type metal detector (MD) will be arranged to conduct a check-up on visitor carry-on items from 7 a.m. on the day of the performance.

President Lee Jae-myung is also closely watching this performance. "Global attention is focused ahead of the BTS Gwanghwamun performance," President Lee said at a recent meeting of senior presidential aides. "First of all, we need to thoroughly establish and implement a preliminary site management plan." In particular, he asked for a close inspection of traffic management and emergency medical systems. President Lee ordered, "Please carefully check the transportation and emergency medical systems, and pay particular attention to safety measures and convenience facilities such as toilets."

As if to prove the scale of the performance, the roads around Gwanghwamun Square have already been partially controlled. Large banners and signs containing road control instructions along with the 'BTS' logo were installed throughout the site. The notice stated specific control sections and periods along with phrases such as "traffic of crosswalks in the square will be temporarily restricted due to the installation of stages and auditoriums in the square" and "We apologize for the inconvenience caused."

On the day of the event, traffic will be controlled around major roads around Gwanghwamun. Sejong-daero will be controlled from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. on the 20th from Gwanghwamun intersection to City Hall intersection, Sajik-ro and Yulgok-ro will be controlled from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on the day of the event from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on the day of the event, and from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. on the 21st in front of the Four Seasons Hotel in the case of Saemunan-ro and Jongno.

The business district around Gwanghwamun is also busy ahead of the performance. Nearby restaurants and shops are ready to welcome fans. At the entrance of the square, a purple banner with the phrase "BTS and Welcome to You" was hung. In addition, a purple signboard reading "Welcome ARMY" was set up at one restaurant, adding to the festive atmosphere.

At the site, domestic and foreign ARMYs watched the stage installation process and enjoyed the atmosphere of the performance in advance.

On this day, Star News met a female BTS fan from Argentina at Gwanghwamun Square. He visited Korea only for this performance and visited the site in advance to secure "performance." He said, "I came to see where the stage would be set up. I want to check which areas I can see as closely as possible," he said. "I'm here to look around where the best place to see them on Saturday would be. I also came to see how the zones were divided. I'm trying to make a plan in advance," he said.

As he entered the square and faced a huge stage, he could not hide his excitement. He said, "The stage looks really huge. I'm really excited. I can't even sleep well these days," he said. While waiting for this performance, he said, "There are a lot of emotions mixed with anxiety, happiness, depression, and nostalgia. There's a lot going on, he said. "I'm so happy to be here."

Fans from all over the world, regardless of age and nationality, visited the scene to see the BTS. A Japanese man, who said he was in his 60s, also visited Korea to see the BTS stage. Watching the stage being installed, he said, "It's really nice. I think it will be a great stage."

In Gwanghwamun Square, not only fans waiting for the performance but also Seoul citizens watching the scene were seen everywhere. Citizens positively evaluated the BTS performance and cheered their move.

A woman in her 50s from Mapo-gu said of the performance at Gwanghwamun Square, "I can feel the status of K-pop." "There will be other added value from this," he said. "I hope there will be more performances such as Black Pink as well as BTS performances."

Regarding the road control caused by this performance, A said, "Isn't it a square anyway. I don't think there's anything wrong with using the square for the stage, saying, "The square is a place where you perform and you're told to do that."

A couple in their 60s from Gwanak-gu also captured the BTS's stage installation process on camera. Among them, male B sent a message of support to the BTS. He thanked BTS, saying, "It seems to give joy and hope to the people of our country when it is meaningful and difficult."

Looking at the stage being installed, B said, "I can't come on the day of the performance, so I came here once." He said, "Let's go for it. How great are young people," he said, applauding the BTS with his wife.

Meanwhile, BTS will release its fifth full-length album "Arirang" at 1 p.m. on the 20th. The full album is the first in three years and nine months since the 2022 anthology album "Proof." Hive Chairman Bang Si-hyuk was in charge of the general production of Shinbo, and the members dealt with the team's identity and universal emotions in the new album.

BTS will hold a return performance at Gwanghwamun Square on the 21st, the day after the release of the new song, and attend the "Spotify x BTS: Swimside" event in New York on the 23rd (local time) to perform a new song.

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*This content was translated by AI.