Big Hit Music(HYBE)
“Because it is a festival we share together. We are preparing in good spirits”
BTS will open ‘BTS WORLD TOUR ‘ARIRANG’’ at the main stadium of Goyang Sports Complex on the 9th and 11-12.
Starting in Goyang, the world tour will span 85 shows across 34 cities including Tokyo, North America, Europe, South America, and Asia. It is the highest number of dates for a single tour by a Korean artist. In addition, extra concerts are planned in Japan and the Middle East, so the tour is expected to expand further in scale.
At the concerts, audiences can enjoy tracks from the new album ‘Arirang’(ARIRANG) as well as hit songs that have been loved for a long time. Anticipation is soaring for the overwhelming performances that will unfold on a 360-degree stage. Through their label Big Hit Music, they shared their thoughts ahead of the world tour and key points to watch in the show.
Q. How do you feel about starting a tour after a long time?
RM: It still does not feel real. When I come to my senses, I will already be on stage. Preparing for a 360-degree show was not easy, but once it starts, it will be really fun. Above all, I am very excited at the thought of meeting ARMY (the fandom name) all around the world again with a mic in hand.
Jin: We have always said with one voice that concerts are the most important thing for a singer. I want to meet audiences around the world as soon as possible, and since this is our first world tour in a while, I want to directly feel each region's culture and concert atmosphere.
Suga: Since childhood, I have thought concerts are the most important thing for a singer, and I still feel the same. All the members are really looking forward to this world tour. We ask for much interest and anticipation.
J-Hope: World tours are always joyful and happy. Because it is a festival with ARMY around the world, we are again preparing with a joyful heart.
Jimin: We have done countless shows so far, but this time we plan to present a stage completely different from before. It is a big challenge, of course, but I hope you will look forward to it.
V: Because it is our first tour in a long time, I worried that I might have lost my touch, so I prepared several times harder. Please look forward to it, and we want to show you everything we have prepared.
Jungkook: I want to get on stage quickly. I am really excited, and the thought of meeting audiences in person after a long time makes my heart race. As hard as we have prepared, I want to enjoy it together at the venue soon.
Q. What are the key points to watch on this tour?
RM: I most look forward to the moments when we can all jump freely on stage. I hope the entire venue feels like one gigantic club. There is a song we made with that feeling in mind, and if that scene unfolds in reality, I will be truly happy.
Jin: With a 360-degree stage, we use every direction as if it were the front. It feels like the first time trying this in a while since our 2019 fan meeting. With the stage rotating and we rotating too, you will feel a different kind of fun(laughs)
Suga: I most look forward to the first moment we face the audience. The show includes many theatrical elements, so I think there will be plenty to enjoy visually.
J-Hope: Because it is a 360-degree stage, the mood that each song conveys will all feel different. I think that is the biggest point to watch on this world tour. The production also feels like watching a show, and the aesthetics that express Korea are intriguing as well.
Jimin: What I most look forward to is the moment we meet ARMY, who have waited so long. Until now, many of our stages placed a large emphasis on performance, which made it hard to try varied production ideas. This time, however, we put more effort into the staging so that audiences can also enjoy it with their eyes.
V: I think the songs, setlist, production, and the structure itself are really solid. We are that confident, and it is a show we can present proudly.
Jungkook: Because it is a 360-degree show, I am also quite worried. I do wonder whether we might make mistakes, but being able to be together with audiences on all sides will make it more joyful and special. It will be a show with a lot to see, so please look forward to it.
BTS world tour, including the three Goyang shows, has sold out all 46 dates up through the Tokyo Dome and the North America and Europe legs. In North America, they will, for the first time as a Korean act, hold solo concerts at El Paso Sun Bowl Stadium, Stanford Stadium, Foxborough Gillette Stadium, Baltimore M&T Bank Stadium, and Arlington AT&T Stadium.
They will continue setting new records in South America as well. They will be the first Korean act to set foot in Estadio El Campín in Bogotá, Colombia, and Estadio Único de La Plata in Buenos Aires, Argentina. They will also hold the first solo concert by a Korean artist at Estadio Nacional in Santiago, Chile.
Starting on the 9th, the Special Judicial Police for Trademarks at the Korean Intellectual Property Office will conduct a public campaign near the concert site to crack down on K-pop counterfeit goods and spread a culture of respect for intellectual property. This initiative aims to preemptively block the distribution of counterfeit products that illegally appropriate artist trademarks and to share the importance of consuming genuine goods.
