Highlights
- BTS performed together for the first time since October 2022 at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul.
- New album Arirang sold 3.98 million copies on its first day of release on Friday.
- The concert was live-streamed on Netflix with 260,000 fans expected at the venue.
The concert coincided with the release of the band's new album Arirang named after Korea's most beloved folk song.
The album sold a staggering 3.98 million copies on its first day of release on Friday.
BTS had gone on hiatus in 2022 to complete mandatory military service with Jin enlisting first and Suga the last to finish in June last year paving the way for the full reunion.
Seoul on alert
South Korean authorities pulled out all the stops for the event deploying 7,000 police officers including SWAT units with anti-drone systems.
Three subway stations were closed access to dozens of buildings restricted and 31 entry points fitted with metal detectors set up around the square.
Fans had fought hard to secure the 20,000 free tickets which sold out within minutes of releaseGetty Images
Local businesses buzzed with excitement with hotels fully booked and restaurants preparing menus in multiple languages.
Before their hiatus a single BTS performance was estimated to generate up to $842 m including ticket sales merchandise tourism and related spending.
When their 82-date world tour wraps up in 2027 BTS are expected to have generated more than $1 bn in revenue.
Fans had fought hard to secure the 20,000 free tickets which sold out within minutes of release.
One fan Ami Ostrovskaia who moved from Russia to Seoul because of her love for BTS told BBC that she cried when she initially failed to get a ticket but was overjoyed when a friend came through.
"This means that I'll be joining their full-group performance after so many years. It's really meaningful for me," she said.
The band's 82-date world tour spanning more than 30 cities from Singapore and Tokyo to Munich and Los Angeles begins next month.
