After nearly four years away from the stage as a full group, BTS are preparing a homecoming on a scale few artists have ever attempted. In March 2026, the group plans to stage a large-scale free concert at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square, a symbolic return that doubles as the opening statement of a global comeback — and a sharp contrast to the ticketing turmoil currently engulfing their world tour rollout.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government confirmed on Thursday, January 22, that it has granted conditional approval for the event following a review by the Gwanghwamun Square advisory committee. While the exact concert date has yet to be locked in, local reports suggest March 20, 21, or 22, aligning with the release of the group’s fifth studio album ARIRANG on March 20.
BTS’s agency HYBE said an official announcement will follow once final venue and scheduling details are confirmed.
Approval for the concert hinges on HYBE passing a comprehensive safety management review. City officials have requested additional crowd-control measures, particularly around staggered exit times for performers and audiences, as well as traffic mitigation plans for the surrounding area.
Read more: BTS Announce Monumental $1 Billion 2026–2027 World Tour With 79 Shows Across Five Continents
A city government official said in a statement that they will thoroughly review and implement safety management plans to ensure the protection of everyone gathering at Gwanghwamun Square. The official added that the city will prepare events and experiences that allow visitors to fully enjoy Seoul’s appeal, using this opportunity to help Gwanghwamun Square establish itself as a global hub for K-pop.
According to HYBE’s application, the concert will be free admission, with 15,000 to 20,000 attendees selected through advance registration. The Korea Times reported that the agency also applied for pre-filming and large-scale media façade production. A separate event at Seoul Plaza is reportedly under consideration that same weekend, with up to 30,000 attendees expected.
The choice of venue is deliberate. Gwanghwamun Square occupies a central place in Korea’s civic and cultural identity, having hosted historic demonstrations, national celebrations, and mass street gatherings — from World Cup cheering to Olympic festivities. If approved in full, this will mark the first time a solo artist or group has held a concert at the square.
Earlier this week, the Cultural Heritage Committee under the Korea Heritage Service granted conditional approval for BTS to film at some of Seoul’s most iconic landmarks, including Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gwanghwamun Gate, the Woldae platform, and the vicinity of Sungnyemun Gate.
The approval allows for pre-recorded videos and media façade projections during the comeback show, under the working title K-Heritage and K-POP fusion performance. A subcommittee will further assess the project’s impact on protected cultural assets.
HYBE officials told Seoul Economic Daily that the concert will be broadcast live to 300 million viewers across 190 countries via global OTT platforms. A HYBE official said this could be a live broadcast event on a scale similar to the World Cup or the Olympics.
BTS’s upcoming album ARIRANG arrives on March 20, 2026, marking their first full-group studio release in three years and nine months, following 2022’s anthology album Proof. The project reportedly features 14 tracks and will be released across multiple formats, including 10 exclusive vinyl editions and two special CD versions with unique photocards.
The album is being positioned as a reflection on the group’s hiatus, military service, and return — with its title referencing Korean folk culture, immediately sparking curiosity among fans worldwide.
The celebratory tone of BTS’s comeback has been tempered by mounting frustration around ticketing for their upcoming world tour, which begins April 9 at Goyang Sports Complex and spans 79 shows across 34 cities on five continents through 2027.
While ticket prices for South Korea were disclosed — ranging from $135 to $180 USD — international pricing has remained opaque. Ticketmaster Fan Support confirmed on X that “ticket prices and venue layouts will be disclosed once tickets are available for purchase.”
Thanks to @TicketmasterDE the munich presale was a disaster. No seat for me, at all. Can’t wait to be disappointed by Paris 🫠🙃 @TicketmasterFR @bts_bighit @BTS_twt pic.twitter.com/maJ6yigtWW
— Emeraldia⁷ 丰 (@Emeraldia) January 22, 2026
Luck has finally been on my side😍 I killed the BTS presale!!! Brussels here we come #BTS_WORLDTOUR_GOYANG #BTS_WORLDTOUR pic.twitter.com/Fu7majOQ3e
— Nien (@mintyseonghwa) January 22, 2026
london presale is sold out??? pic.twitter.com/3pZeVkbANf
— kai SEEING BTS (@glskooo) January 22, 2026
MY FIRST PRESALE AHHHHH IVE NEVER BEEN THIS STRESSED🫣🙏🏽#ARIRANG #BTS_WORLDTOUR pic.twitter.com/eLL8ZbCFru
— ᴮᴱRi⁷🍓👩🏾🚀🚀 (@riri2985) January 22, 2026
The response ignited backlash from fans, who argue that last-minute pricing disclosures make it impossible to plan for travel, accommodation, and time off work — especially under high-pressure sales conditions where tickets sell out within minutes. Fans also raised concerns about Ticketmaster’s dynamic pricing system, which allows prices to fluctuate based on demand.
The controversy has drawn regulatory attention. Profeco — Mexico’s federal consumer protection agency — has formally urged Ticketmaster and promoter OCESA (owned by Live Nation Entertainment) to publish pricing tables, fees, seating maps, and full terms in advance, including clarity around dynamic pricing and presale allocations.
Amid the chaos, fans also reported that the BTS ARMY Global Virtual Membership on Weverse briefly appeared as “sold out” — an unusual move for a digital-only product — further fueling anxiety ahead of presales scheduled for January 22–23, with general sales following on January 24.
Early speculative resale listings paint a stark picture. According to Ticket Club, the lowest asking price currently sits at $613, with many listings ranging from $1,706 to $6,959 — despite official face-value prices not yet being released.
“The BTS tour will be the event of the year,” Timothy Calkins, a marketing professor at Northwestern University, said. “Every stop is going to see a boost in tourism, hotel occupancy, and economic activity to an extraordinary degree that might be even bigger than Taylor Swift.”
Read more: BTS 2026 Comeback Tour Triggers Mic Drop Spike in Hotel Prices Amid Dynamite Demand
Fans are already committing. Leslie Huynh, 28, has booked flights and hotels for multiple US stops ahead of ticket sales.
“It’s a meme at this point that once BTS announces a tour, you just book hotels and flights first and tickets will somehow appear whether that is resale or not,” she said. “I consider BTS to be a very expensive hobby of mine – like, they are what I spend my money on.”
Economists agree that BTS’s impact extends far beyond music. From tourism and hospitality to small businesses, pop-ups, and Korean consumer goods, the tour is expected to generate ripple effects that surpass even their previous record-breaking runs.
“With BTS, it’s not just a concert,” Cailey Merulla said. “Traveling for BTS is always a no-brainer for me.”
As BTS prepare to reclaim the stage — from the historic heart of Seoul to stadiums across the globe — their comeback underscores a familiar truth: when BTS return, the world doesn’t just watch. It mobilises.
