BTS' Gwanghwamun Performance, More Important Than 'Number'... [★FOCUS]

*This content was translated by AI.

Boy group BTS (BTS, RM Jin Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V Jungkook) announced the return of the "World Class" for the first time in three years and five months, but the reality offstage was a skit in the swamp of numbers.

Police predicted that up to 260,000 people would flock to BTS's fifth full-length album "ARIRANG" held at Gwanghwamun Square at 8 p.m. on the 21st. In response, more than 10,000 public officials, including 6,700 police officers, 2,600 in Seoul, 800 in fire fighting, 400 in Seoul Transportation Corporation, and 70 in the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, were deployed to the site.

However, when the lid was opened, the real-time crowd data of the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the unofficial estimate of the police were only about 40,000 to 48,000. It is a bitter report card that is less than one-fifth of the original estimate. As a result, criticism of excessive mobilization of public officials became inevitable, and even ordinary citizens passing through Gwanghwamun Square were searched, which became more controversial.

The cost of the wrong prediction was entirely up to the citizens. Related agencies, trapped in the imaginary number of 260,000, passed major subway stations such as Gwanghwamun Station and City Hall Station without stopping in the name of crowd management. In addition, even ordinary citizens passing through the square had to suffer from the wonderful inconvenience of being scoured deep in their bags through metal detectors installed at 31 gates. In fact, looking at the 74 112 reports received on the day of the performance, most of them complained of inconvenience and noise caused by traffic control rather than concerns about crowding. It is proof that excessive control has rather stifled the daily lives of citizens.

Eventually, the police spoke at a regular press conference held at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on the 23rd. Park In-formation, the head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, said, "What we said about 260,000 people was that if the crowd filled up to Sungnyemun Gate, it could reach 260,000. "Isn't it right to go too far rather than lack of safety response?" he said. "There was also a situation in the Middle East, so safety was the top priority for this event. The threat of terrorism was also something that had to be considered, and the citizens must have been very uncomfortable," he said.

Of course, it is a natural responsibility to put safety first. However, it sounds like an irresponsible excuse to waste enormous administrative power due to failure to predict demand beyond common sense and wrap it up as "thorough preparation."

The HYBE's inflated numbers also contributed. While the police pointed out that the crowd at the scene was in the 40,000 range, HYBE said, "According to our own estimates and the Seoul Metropolitan Government, a total of 104,000 people from inside and outside visited the scene. It is an estimate that combines the number of ticket reservation, three telecommunications companies, users of affordable phones, and the number of foreign visitors," he said, insisting on the number of 100,000 units. Even if it wasn't 100,000 people, the BTS performance was a sufficiently brilliant stage in itself, but you don't know why they are so obsessed with the estimated number of people.

Only officials do not know that the irreplaceable value of BTS is proved on stage, not "number" itself.

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*This content was translated by AI.