![[BTS Concert] Gwanghwamun bathed in purple light... Fans camp overnight to secure prime spots - Seoul Economic Daily Society News from South Korea](https://wimg.sedaily.com/news/cms/2026/03/21/news-p.v1.20260321.4028380d67eb4718bdda2eefc313e778_P1.jpg "BTS Fans Pack Gwanghwamun Square Ahead of Comeback Concert")
Gwanghwamun Square was filled with a festive atmosphere on the afternoon of June 21, ahead of BTS's comeback concert "BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG."
Fans dressed in purple held light sticks and banners with supportive messages, taking photos with the concert venue as their backdrop. Foreign tourists were also seen expressing amazement at the outdoor stage while busily snapping photos with their phones.
As BTS's fandom "ARMY" began gathering, more than 20,000 people had already crowded the areas near Gwanghwamun and Deoksugung Palace by noon. At subway stations near the venue—including Euljiro 1-ga, Gwanghwamun, Gyeongbokgung, Jongno 3-ga, and City Hall—guides in fluorescent vests hired by BTS's agency HYBE were directing concert-goers. Congestion was observed on staircases and some transfer passages as crowds built up.
Security screenings were conducted continuously at 31 gates set up by police in advance. Long lines formed in front of walk-through metal detectors installed to filter out dangerous items. Officers were seen thoroughly checking pedestrians' bags to prevent potential incidents.
Some fans had waited overnight before the crowds arrived. Since the "core zone" directly in front of the stage requires pre-purchased tickets, fans without tickets waited at cafes near Gwanghwamun Square from early morning to secure prime viewing spots. Some were seen sitting in front of barricades set up by police for safety management.
A 30-something office worker surnamed Park, who came from Daejeon the day before, said: "I've been a BTS fan for five years, and when I heard this comeback concert would be held on such a large scale with global attention, I knew I had to be here. I lost track of time listening to the new song released yesterday on repeat."
A BTS fan in their 20s from the Philippines said: "I waited at a 24-hour cafe, which is iconic to Korea, and came here early in the morning. I brought snacks and I'm waiting, but seeing the stage set up, I can't hide my excitement."
The BTS concert is scheduled to begin at around 8 p.m.