BTS to tear through North America and head to South America... "No one can replicate BTS's impact"

*This content was translated by AI.

The boy group BTS has successfully concluded its North American tour.

BTS ended its North American tour with the 'BTS WORLD TOUR 'ARIRANG' IN LOS ANGELES' held on the 1st–2 and 5–6 (local time) at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California. The 31 performances across 12 regions were sold out well in advance, drawing approximately 1.92 million fans solely in North America.

◆ Wrote new history at SoFi Stadium

The Los Angeles concert drew over 282,000 attendees and set numerous new records. The group previously held four performances at the same venue in 2021 for 'BTS PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE - LA'. With this tour, they have now performed a total of eight times at SoFi Stadium, making them the act with the most concerts held there. The cumulative attendance across all eight shows reached approximately 496,000 fans. BTS is now recognized as the group that has drawn the largest audience since the stadium opened.

Two special moments unfolded during the Los Angeles concert. The first performance on September 1 coincided with Jung-kook's birthday, while the final show on the 6th offered an early celebration for RM, whose birthday falls on the 12th. Tens of thousands of fans sang together in celebration, and the stands were illuminated with golden flashes symbolizing Jung-kook's solo album 'GOLDEN' and blue lights representing RM's solo album 'Indigo'.

A surprise event was arranged during the performance of 'Body to Body', a track from their fifth full-length album 'ARIRANG'. As the Korean folk song 'Arirang' embedded in the track echoed through the stadium, fans simultaneously raised South Korean flags. The scene of tens of thousands of fans in Los Angeles, thousands of kilometers away from Korea, holding flags and enjoying 'Arirang' together left a profound impression.

At the end of the concert, the members shared: "It feels like just yesterday we started in Tampa, yet here we are saying goodbye in Los Angeles, our final destination. Because it was so joyful, every moment seemed to pass in an instant. We will cherish these memories." They added, "We feel you are always guiding us forward, and for that, we perform with gratitude. No matter where we are, we hope to remain connected forever," looking ahead to their next meeting. On the final day, Jung-kook brought postcards he had drawn himself to show the audience, sincerely saying, "I want to tell you all that you are perfect."

◆ "World-class pop artists"... International media also shine a spotlight

Local media praised the group enthusiastically. Major international outlets such as AP News and Billboard quickly reported on the Los Angeles concert. In addition, approximately 40 media organizations covered the event live, maintaining intense interest in BTS until the final moments of the North American tour.

The Los Angeles Times, a leading U.S. daily newspaper, described BTS as "world-class pop artists." While noting that K-pop's influence has expanded significantly during BTS's absence, the publication highlighted their unique presence, emphasizing that no one has yet been able to replicate the impact they have achieved.

Forbes focused its coverage on the enthusiasm spreading beyond the concert venue throughout Los Angeles. It detailed how people from diverse cultural backgrounds sang along to 'Arirang' and enjoyed the performance using Korean elements such as hanbok, taegukgi (South Korean flag), and traditional accessories like norigae. The report also covered various promotions held at restaurants and shops in Koreatown and other areas, praising BTS's widespread influence across society.

◆ Official city-wide hospitality including designation of 'BTS Week' and 'BTS Day'

The City of Los Angeles declared September 1–8 as 'BTS Week'. A proclamation ceremony was held at City Hall on the 31st, attended by members of the City Council, the Los Angeles Tourism Board, and representatives from Big Hit Music. On September 1, the city hall was bathed in red—the key color of their new album 'ARIRANG'—to extend a grand welcome.

Such hospitality extended across North America. Toronto, Canada designated the 22nd–23, when BTS performed there, as 'BTS Weekend', and temporarily named part of Yonge Street as 'BTS Boulevard'. The state of Illinois in the U.S. proclaimed the 27th–28, during their Chicago performances, as 'BTS Day in Illinois'. Previously, El Paso County, Texas designated the performance period as 'El Paso BTS Weekend' and presented BTS with an 'Estimado Amigo' (Esteemed Friend) award.

In Maryland, Governor Wes Moore personally posted a welcome video greeting all seven members. He described them as seven individuals who connect the world across barriers of culture, region, and language. In Mexico, the group received official invitations from President Claudia Sheinbaum, among other state-level welcomes.

Having successfully concluded their North American tour, BTS's next destination is South America. They will continue 'BTS WORLD TOUR 'ARIRANG'' on October 2 in Bogotá, Colombia. The group will visit Lima, Santiago, Buenos Aires, and São Paulo to meet local fans. Notably, Colombia, Peru, and Argentina will see their first full-group visits, generating high expectations for an enthusiastic reception.

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*This content was translated by AI.