Chicago's Two Major Dailies Praise "BTS, a Machine That Endlessly Creates Joy" BTS Arirang Tour Review [K-EYES]

*This content was translated by AI.

'After Seven Years in Chicago, Thirst Quenched'... Chicago's Two Leading Daily Newspapers Review BTS Concert

Chicago's traditional flagship daily, the Chicago Sun-Times, provided a detailed review of BTS (BTS: Jung-kook, Jimin, V, Jin, J-Hope, RM, Suga)'s performances on the 27-28 (local time) in Chicago. The newspaper opened its review with the statement: "The seven-year itch has finally been scratched."

Chicago's other leading daily, the Chicago Tribune, also published a review titled "The Perpetual Joy Machine BTS Lands on Soldier Field," evaluating that much of the emotional impact of the day's concert stemmed not only from the stage performance but also from the massive turnout of their fandom, ARMY.

BTS returned to the Chicago stage for the first time since 2019, seven years later, performing at Soldier Field as part of their Arirang World Tour on the 27th (local time). In a concert review written by Selena Fragassi, the Chicago Sun-Times assessed that this reunion, made possible after all seven members completed their military service, has become "the biggest event in pop culture this year."

More than 60,000 fans attended the concert, resulting in a sold-out show. Governor JB Pritzker of Illinois officially declared the day as "BTS Day." The media reported that fans began lining up at 3 a.m. to purchase merchandise, with most items already marked as "sold out" by Thursday afternoon.

The fervor both inside and outside the venue was described in detail. The media noted that ahead of the official start time at 8 p.m., the audience chanted "BTS! BTS!" repeatedly. When the actual performance began 20 minutes later, the resulting cheers and exclamations were reminiscent of the Beatles mania of the 1960s. The stage design was praised for incorporating Korean identity, featuring a traditional Seoul-style pavilion structure and an extended runway modeled after the four trigrams of the South Korean flag.

The setlist opened with "Hooligan" and "Aliens," continuing for over two hours through tracks including "Normal," "Like Animals," "FYA," and "Fire." The Chicago Sun-Times specifically highlighted that the latest song "FYA" received even hotter reception than past pop hits like "Dynamite" or "Butter." The newspaper analyzed that the album "ARIRANG," created in collaboration with Diplo, Ryan Tedder, and JPEGMAFIA, symbolizes BTS's evolution into a "2.0 version" characterized by Western R&B and hip-hop influences and English lyrics.

The newspaper also mentioned BTS's recent decision to decline submission to the newly established Grammy Awards category "Asia Pop," noting that such actions reflect the group's ongoing contemplation regarding their identity and future.

Towards the end of the concert, an unplanned performance of "Tomorrow" and "Hip Hop Phili" was followed by a segment where all members sat comfortably on a rotating stage to share their thoughts. Jung-kook recalled memories of rain during their previous Chicago performances via translation and expressed gratitude to fans who would return the next day. Suga reflected on his 2023 solo tour "D-Day," which brought him to Chicago.

RM shared that his personal visit to the Art Institute of Chicago in 2018 had been a pivotal moment that opened up his deep interest in the art world, and he continued the conversation by mentioning his upcoming exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art this autumn.

Notably, J-Hope reminisced about his 2022 solo debut performance at Lollapalooza, stating, "Chicago is one of the places that played a major role in shaping me as an artist today." He added, "I feel like I have a special folder for Chicago in my mind. I will save this moment of performing with you all on the Arirang Tour into that folder. Thank you for giving me so many memories." The media reported that these words captivated the hearts of local audiences.

The setlist performed that day included "Hooligan," "Aliens," "Run BTS," "Dynamite Don't Know About Us," "Like Animals," "Fake Love," "Swimming," "Merigold," "2.0," "Normal," "Not Today," "Mic Drop," "FYA," "Fire," "Body to Body," "Idol," "Come Over," "Butter," "Dynamite," "Tomorrow," "Hip Hop Phili," "Please," and "Into the Sun."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.