Major museums around Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square will temporarily close on March 21, when “BTS Comeback Live: ARIRANG” is set to be held at 8 p.m. at the square, as officials brace for heavy crowds.
Industry officials said on the 27th that the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History decided to close that day, and the National Folk Museum of Korea has joined the shutdown.
The museums said the closures are necessary to protect visitors as large crowds are expected. Up to 260,000 people are projected to gather in the Gwanghwamun area on the day of the BTS event.
Other nearby museums are also considering temporary closures, officials said.
The Korea Heritage Service is discussing with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and police whether to temporarily close the National Palace Museum of Korea and suspend operations at Gyeongbokgung Palace and Deoksugung Palace. “We plan to make a final decision on closures and palace shutdowns sometime next week,” a Korea Heritage Service official said, adding that the agency will hold a final meeting with related institutions to confirm details, including the scope.
The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts is also adjusting its schedule. The musical “Anna Karenina,” the play “Wasp,” and the dance performance “Double Bill Bliss and Jackie,” which had been scheduled for that day, will not be staged. The center said it is in talks about rescheduling “Park Shin-yang’s Exhibition Show: The Fourth Wall.” Opening some Sejong Center spaces to BTS fans is also under discussion. “We are reviewing multiple options, and nothing has been finalized,” a Sejong Center official said.
Police are also preparing safety measures. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has asked Seoul Metro to consider having trains pass through three subway stations — Gwanghwamun, Gyeongbokgung and City Hall — without stopping as a precaution against overcrowding.
Traffic controls will also be imposed on Sejong-daero, which will be used as the performance venue, and on nearby roads including Saemunan-ro, Jongno, Sajik-ro and Yulgok-ro. The police agency said it will provide advance notice through electronic road signs once control hours are set.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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