SEOUL, June 13 (AJP) - The agency behind K-pop sensation BTS issued an official apology after the first day of the group's concert in Busan was delayed by more than an hour due to severe operational disruptions affecting nearly 50,000 attendees.
The "BTS WORLD TOUR 'ARIRANG' IN BUSAN" was scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. on Friday but did not start until 8:15 p.m.. Fans faced long waiting times in early summer temperatures reaching up to 28 degrees Celsius, as admission routes overlapped with lines for fan gifts, prompting complaints online.
HYBE released a statement on Saturday morning through the fan platform Weverse and official social media channels, apologizing for the inconvenience.
"The start of the main concert was delayed due to a combination of confusion in on-site guidance, bottlenecks in the fan gift distribution process, and delays in merchandise collection," the company said. HYBE promised to thoroughly inspect and improve its on-site operations to prevent similar congestion during the second show.
Saturday's performance marks the second day of the concert at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium and coincides with the 13th anniversary of the group's debut. The stadium previously hosted the group's last concert before the members began their mandatory military service, which was held to support Busan's bid for the 2030 World Expo.
Alongside the concerts, the city is hosting a comprehensive "BTS THE CITY ARIRANG - BUSAN" project, which includes a drone show at Gwangalli Beach and various media facades.
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