By Honorary Reporter Foteini Chatzoudi from Greece

Photos = Vanessa Rivera

K-pop juggernaut BTS on March 21 made its long-awaited return at the event "BTS: The Comeback Live | Arirang" at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, marking the group's first performance with all seven members in nearly four years following completion of their military service.

A large crowd assembled for the free concert while millions more viewed the livestream in 190 countries on Netflix. 

Vanessa Rivera on March 21 holds a light stick at the BTS concert held at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul's Jongno-gu District.

Three expats in Korea also attended the highly anticipated event.

Since 2018, Vanessa Rivera from Mexico has been a member of the group's fan community Army. She moved to Seoul last year to study Korean at Hanyang University, where five BTS members studied for an online MBA, to better understand the boy band's lyrics, message, livestreams and related content.

Shashini Karunasena from Sri Lanka graduated with a bachelor's in civil engineering from Yonsei University in Seoul. She has lived in Korea for almost six years.

Anastasia Voinalovich from Russia joined Army in April 2022, just a couple of months before BTS members announced a pause from group activity to fulfill their mandatory duty. She came all the way from Russia to Korea for the concert.

The following are excerpts from email interviews with the three fans from March 24-27.

How organized was the concert and what impressed you the most?

Vanessa Rivera: The concert was incredibly well organized. To access not just the venue but even the surrounding area, everyone had to pass through a security checkpoint, and the space was divided into lanes and cordoned off. As a winner of the raffle for tickets to the event, I was given a check-in time and then guided to Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, where people waited inside before the concert started. Later, we lined up according to our entrance numbers and escorted to our section at a very controlled pace.

A line of attendees proceeds in an orderly manner to their assigned seats for the concert.

The staff closely monitored everything to make sure no one was pushing or misbehaving. I remember that in the middle of the concert, a girl behind me yelled "Please stop pushing," and staff responded immediately. After the concert ended, we were asked to wait until all other sections exited. While it took a bit longer, it allowed everyone to exit safely and in an orderly way. I later watched the concert on Netflix, and everything looked perfectly organized from above despite the thousands who attended.

Shashini Karunasena: I believe that in concert organization, I could see that the organizers have made a bigger effort to manage the crowds, especially security. We went through two security checks of our bags. I was close to the stage and impressed that it was checked twice with police dogs.

Anastasia Voinalovich: From stepping out of the subway station to reaching my section near the stage, every step was clear and well-guided. A huge number of staff helped with any questions, with many wearing badges with the word "English" on them, so it was easy to see who international Armys could approach for help. I also want to mention the waiting area, the beautiful hall of Sejong Center, where all of us waited comfortably at our assigned seats.

Gwanghwamun Gate is decorated with special effects just before the concert.

How was your experience at the BTS event?

Rivera: My experience was truly one of a kind. We were assigned random entrance numbers on the spot, and I got number seven, which meant I was going to get the barricade. Since seven is also BTS' special number (number of its members) it made the moment feel even more meaningful.

At first, I was a bit worried because we had to wait for more than three hours standing, but time passed quickly. And as soon as BTS stepped on stage, I forgot about everything else. I was also fortunate to be filmed and appear twice in the program on Netflix.

Karunasena: I've attended concerts here in Seoul before, but this was the first time at a public open area like this. So it was like a new experience and I felt proud as an Army seeing how BTS has grown throughout the years. As it was the group's first concert after military service, I felt truly grateful to be there.

Voinalovich: While in our section near the stage waiting for the show to begin, we were all singing well-known BTS songs together and practicing the fan chant for their new single "Swim." I realized that this concert was an important step toward a new chapter not only for us Armys but also for BTS. After several years of waiting, both the fans and the group reunited.

What was your favorite moment?

Rivera: It was during the "Butter" performance, when RM was sitting down and the other members gathered around to hype him up as he tried to dance with his hands. He had an ankle injury during rehearsals two days before the concert, and you could tell he was eager to stand and dance. It was such a heartwarming moment to see the other members cheering him on.

Karunasena: Mine was when BTS performed "Mikrokosmos." It was very emotional and since the song is so special to fans, hearing all seven members perform it again after so long made me really happy.

Voinalovich: Without a doubt, I'd say the fan chant with all the members' names while they stood together on one stage right in front of us. This was the first time for me to attend a BTS concert since becoming an Army, and being part of that fan chant felt incredibly special. And hearing the group's new songs live the day after their release? Absolutely unforgettable.

jcy0531@korea.kr

*This article was written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.