After 3 years and 9 months, BTS returned by transforming Seoul’s night sky into a vast canvas of light, opening an emotional prelude to their full-group comeback.
On the eve of the main event, large-scale media façades and drone shows simultaneously activated key areas across the city. Functioning as a “digital fireworks display,” the spectacle delivered a surge of exhilaration to ARMY worldwide.
The event was part of the “BTS The City ARIRANG Seoul” project, a collaboration between HYBE and the Seoul Metropolitan Government, serving as a prelude to the March 21 live performance.
From 1 p.m. until late evening, continuous visuals and lighting sequences eased the long wait for fans while igniting the festival atmosphere.
At Shinsegae Square in Myeong-dong, the title track “Swim” from BTS’s fifth full-length album “ARIRANG” was screened on a massive display, expanding the performance space into the urban landscape itself.
◇ Shinsegae Square opens the prelude, while Namsan and Sungnyemun embody tradition
As night fell, the relay of light moved toward symbolic landmarks of tradition.
At Namsan Seoul Tower, a fusion of hip-hop beats and traditional Korean instrumentation accompanied façade visuals that wrapped the tower, repeatedly displaying “BTS” and “ARIRANG” alongside the album’s logo.
At the national treasure Sungnyemun Gate, BTS’s logo appeared alongside the taepyeongso-led “Arirang” melody, intertwining with a 130-year narrative arc presented through animation. The moment evoked a powerful continuity between past and present.
◇ Gwanghwamun as prologue, Ttukseom drone show as the finale
Gwanghwamun served as the project’s central prologue.
Across ten building screens, panoramic visuals featured members carrying lanterns through Seoul landmarks, accompanied by multilingual welcome messages, visually expressing the album’s expanded musical spectrum.
The true highlight arrived over Ttukseom.
At 8:30 p.m., hundreds of drones rose in synchronized formation, rendering the faces of all seven members and the group’s logo across the night sky.
◇ A city woven with connection, anticipation peaks for the live stage
More than a visual spectacle, the event spatially realized the concept of “BTS 2.0.”
The message of moving forward together—after each member’s solo journey—was translated into a citywide language of light, reinforcing the bond between BTS and ARMY.
From tradition to modernity, from prologue to finale, the interconnected sequence of light amplified anticipation for the March 21 performance at Gwanghwamun.
BTS officially launched their return with the release of their fifth full-length album “ARIRANG,” and will hold “BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG” at 8 p.m. on March 21 at Gwanghwamun Square, drawing an audience of approximately 34,000.
Global promotions will follow, including a Spotify event in New York on March 23 and appearances on NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” on March 25–26.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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