BTS’s Historic Comeback: What to Expect from Their ARIRANG Concert in Gwanghwamun

Daniel Kim 2026.03.13 Views

BTS comeback live / Photo: Courtesy of Netflix

[Sports Today reporter Song O-jung] With just one week to go before K-pop powerhouse BTS reunites as a full group, an air of tension has settled over Gwanghwamun, where their comeback performance will take place. Agencies preparing for what could be a record turnout have been issuing daily bulletins covering crowd safety, counterterror measures, and potential transportation and communications disruptions.

BTS is set to release a new album, Arirang (ARIRANG), at 1 p.m. on the 20th, marking their official return. The reunion is notable: the members are reconvening as a full unit after completing mandatory military service. The group has also announced an unusually large open-air comeback show in Gwanghwamun on the evening of the 21st — the day after the release — attracting intense interest at home and abroad.

Authorities expect up to 260,000 people to gather at the site that day. In response, the government plans to issue a preemptive \”caution\” level crowd-disaster warning covering Seoul’s Jongno and Jung districts for one day. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the police will step up monitoring before and after the event through rapid-response teams. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will provide safety guidance and inspect stage infrastructure and seating, while the Ministry of Health and Welfare will deploy disaster medical support teams to handle potential emergencies.

Law enforcement has likewise heightened security measures. Against a backdrop of volatile international conditions, authorities have significantly increased counterterror preparedness. They plan to mobilize all available personnel — including special police units — to conduct pre-event sweeps and to prepare for the possibility of false alarms or hoaxes that could cause confusion on the day.

South Korea’s three major carriers — KT, LG Uplus and SK Telecom — have reportedly coordinated with relevant agencies on steps such as deploying additional mobile base stations and boosting the capacity of existing sites. Measures include pre-inspections of nearby key base stations, activating on-site emergency staffing, and implementing data-driven traffic-routing strategies to prevent outages from extreme surges in usage.

Traffic controls will be implemented to minimize disruption and ensure public safety. Trains will pass through Gwanghwamun, City Hall and Gyeongbokgung stations without stopping from daytime until 10 p.m., and nearby stations such as Euljiro 1-ga may also be subject to non-stop passage depending on conditions. After the event, 12 temporary trains will be added on subway lines 2, 3 and 5 beginning at 9 p.m. City buses may skip certain stops or follow temporary detours under the traffic-control plan.