BTS Arirang tour began with an iconic concert. The K-pop group had intended for this to be a time of celebration, however it became a time of complete and utter disarray. BTS held a free concert in Seoul, with an estimated attendance of 250,000 in Gwanghwamun Square. This created a massive disruption to the city, causing disruption on the roadways and shutting down the public transit system in the city. As a result, people were greatly hindered from conducting their day-to-day functions.
BTS Arirang tour concert triggers citywide disruption
The magnitude of the BTS Arirang tour concert began in downtown Seoul caused overwhelming traffic congestion. City officials implemented extremely restrictive traffic management in and around the concert venue resulting in extreme congestion in the surrounding area. Due to the volume of people attending, public transportation was temporarily shut down making it very difficult for commuters to get to work. Road closures also made it impossible for many employees to access their offices and forcing them to take time off work.
Due to low pedestrian traffic and restricted ability to travel, local businesses have experienced business loss. There were multiple planned ceremonies that were cancelled or postponed in the area. Criticisms have also been directed at the Seoul Metropolitan Government for their approval of such a huge assembly at one of the city’s public squares. The city has come under scrutiny regarding whether or not they took into account all the factors related to the impact of the BTS Arirang tour.
Residents and business owners impacted by the BTS Arirang tour are having ongoing conversations regarding potential legal action. More voices are currently being heard regarding disruption caused by the concert in Seoul.
Despite being surrounded by scandals, BTS has made a successful return that has broken several records. Their new album Arirang achieved 110 million streams in 24 hours and became the largest debut in 2026 so far. It was also the number one-selling album worldwide after one day of release.
For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels.