'World's Biggest Band' Readies a Spectacle

Those not plugged into K-Pop might care little about the initials BTS. But those who are plugged in care very much indeed—and they are prepped for a reunion of what the BBC succinctly describes as the "world's biggest band." On Saturday, some 250,000 people are expected to converge on Gwanghwamun Square in South Korea as BTS performs together for the first time since 2022. Only 22,000 fans will actually get inside the concert venue, with the rest watching on large screens in the square. The rest of the world, however, can see the show live-streamed on Netflix. For Americans, that translates to 7am ET Saturday, notes the AP.

The scale of the homecoming has split opinion in Seoul. Officials are deploying about 7,000 police, closing nearby subway stations, and tightening building access. Supporters point to an estimated economic windfall—one 2022 projection put the impact of a single BTS show at up to $842 million—and argue the group has boosted South Korea's global image with little state help. Critics question the strain on public resources, the disruption to residents (including a bride whose wedding venue now sits inside the restricted zone), and the precedent for future mega-concerts in the city center.