The group held "BTS World Tour Arirang in Goyang" on April 9 and April 11-12 at the main stadium of Goyang Sports Complex in Goyang, south of Seoul. It marked BTS’ first standalone tour in about four years since "BTS Permission to Dance on Stage" ended in April 2022. About 132,000 people attended across the three shows.
BTS opened with "Hooligan," "Aliens" and "Run BTS," driving the pace from the start. A mega crew of dozens joined the group for synchronized choreography that filled the stadium and quickly lifted the crowd’s energy.
After the opening, Jung Kook told fans the weather was better than the day before and promised to "heat up" the venue even if it felt chilly. V said it had been a long time since BTS performed on a 360-degree stage and that being surrounded by ARMY, the group’s fan base, felt good.
Jimin said the audience response seemed even hotter and that ARMY’s voices were especially clear. He added that BTS released "Arirang" after four years and resumed a concert tour after six and a half years, saying the group tried many new approaches in both the album and the stage production. Suga said BTS also made new attempts in songs and staging and asked fans to stay with the show even if some elements felt unfamiliar.
The concert framed "BTS 2.0" as a step forward while revisiting the group’s roots. Fans saw new songs from the fifth full-length album, "Arirang," alongside established hits, arranged to trace BTS’ musical path and point to its next direction.
The setlist was organized into three themes. In the "BTS" section, the group performed "they don’t know ‘bout us" with large screens showing modernized images of traditional Korean masks, followed by "Like Animals," "FAKE LOVE," "Swim" and "Merry Go Round."
In the "2.0" section, BTS centered on "Normal," inspired by ink-wash painting, and ran through performance-heavy tracks including "Not Today," "MIC Drop," "FYA" and "FIRE." "Body To Body" featured choreography evoking the traditional circle dance ganggangsullae and was paired with fireworks. "IDOL" included a march along the stadium track.
The final "Arirang" section pushed the crowd into a festival mood with "Come Over," "Butter," "Dynamite," "Fleet" and "Into the Sun."
Korean aesthetics ran through the production, reflecting themes BTS said it explored on "Arirang" about origins, roots and identity. Traditional symbols were presented with a modern sensibility and tied closely to the music.
The stage design placed a pavilion-like structure inspired by Gyeonghoeru at the center of an open 360-degree stage, reimagining a shared banquet space. The floor was designed after the South Korean flag: the taegeuk circle anchored the center, while four protruding stages extended outward, drawing on the trigrams. The layout also brought the group closer to fans around the venue.
With the world tour resuming after six and a half years, the show emphasized the full seven-member lineup rather than individual stages, leaning on large-scale group choreography and a setlist packed with fan-favorite hits while presenting the message of cohesion and evolution tied to "BTS 2.0."
RM thanked fans for coming after what he called a long wait, saying, "You’re the best." He said many things were changing, but the most important points had not: that the seven members chose to do this work together and that they genuinely think of their fans. He added that BTS would not take filling the venue lightly and asked fans to trust the group and watch its changes with patience, noting he first met Jung Kook when he was 15 and that they are now all over 30.
Suga said the good weather seemed to match the crowd’s energy and asked fans to tell those attending the next day to come ready to shout and blow off stress. "Thanks to you, I’m taking home good memories. Thank you, and I love you," he said.
Jimin said it had been six and a half years since the group toured and four years since the album release, adding he missed fans and wanted to thank them for waiting. He said BTS would keep working to deliver strong stages and music and asked fans to stay by the group’s side.
V said he used his voice so much during the first show that the back of his neck hurt afterward, but that seeing ARMY made the pain "disappear like magic."
Jung Kook said he was relieved the show ended safely and said the weather and cheers made him feel good. He told fans he hoped they understood that his actions and feelings toward them were sincere in any situation, adding he would keep giving everything for them and would repay their waiting with strong performances.
J-Hope said he is always curious about fans’ thoughts and reactions and that the members talked extensively while preparing the concert, considering in detail how to deliver good feelings and create memories. He said the seven members’ commitment to the stage is genuine and that they want to keep showing their best performances.
BTS is set to continue the tour with shows April 17-18 at Tokyo Dome, followed by dates across North America, Europe, South America and Asia. The plan calls for 85 concerts in 34 cities, described as the highest number of shows for a single tour by a Korean artist, with additional dates in Japan and the Middle East also announced.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.