[Report] Listening to Music at Haeundae, Watching a Drone Show at Gwangalli... Busan Transformed into a BTS Festival Ground

BTS World Tour 'ARIRANG'

Busan Station Flooded with Suitcase-Carrying Fans

3,000 Drones Light Up the Night Sky

Over 110,000 Fans Gather on June 12 and 13

Increased Safety Personnel and Expanded Transportation Services

Sculpture installed on the sandy beach of Haeundae, Busan. Provided by HYBE.

"I flew 14 hours from Paris to celebrate the 13th anniversary of BTS's debut. From small shops to large department stores, thank you for welcoming ARMY (the fandom)," she said.

On June 13 in Busan, Emma, a 25-year-old ARMY from France, was visibly excited. The entire city had transformed into a massive festival venue for “The City ARIRANG–Busan,” a citywide celebration marking BTS’s 13th debut anniversary and the release of their new album “ARIRANG.” With more than 110,000 fans from Korea and abroad flocking to Busan, the local economy was experiencing a rare boost in activity.

On the second day of BTS’s concert in Busan, the Eurasia Platform at Busan Station was packed with fans pulling suitcases from the morning. At the welcome center, which helps visitors with luggage storage and delivery, a steady stream of fans checked their schedules.

On the white sand of Haeundae Beach, a large sand sculpture symbolizing the message of the new song “KEEP SWIMMING” was installed. At the “Love Song Lounge,” a music rest space set up on the beach, more than 3,000 people visited within just two hours of opening. Slogans commemorating BTS’s debut, prepared for the event, ran out early in the day.

The “ARMY Madang” fan community space at the multi-cultural complex The Bay 101 and the temporary pop-up store at Shinsegae Department Store Centum City were also crowded with visitors. Fans decorated t-shirts and light sticks and used artificial intelligence (AI) to receive recommendations for Busan travel courses. Local food and beverage (F&B) brands in Busan offered limited-edition menus themed around BTS. A large pixel art sculpture floated in the waters off Busan Port.

Foreign fans at the scene expressed their satisfaction with the festival. Camille, 28, from France, said, “Listening to BTS’s music with the sea of Busan as the backdrop is twice as moving,” adding, “I felt the whole city was welcoming us.” Satomi, 32, from Tokyo, Japan, commented, “Every corner of the city has spaces meticulously arranged for fans, so there’s no time to get bored throughout the trip,” and laughed, “My schedule was packed until the concert started.”

The festival continues into the night. The previous night, 1,000 drones filled the skies above Gwangalli Beach. To the tunes of BTS’s new song “SWIM” and the hit “Mikrokosmos,” the drones depicted the fan greeting “HELLO ARMY” and the faces of all seven members in pixel art across the night sky.

HYBE emphasized that this event contributed to the local economy. A representative from HYBE said, “By connecting infrastructure such as accommodations and transportation to the festival, we maximized the economic ripple effect.” They continued, “Through K-beauty experience booths and more, we confirmed global interest in Korean culture overall. We created a new festival model where not only concert viewing but also interaction between fans worldwide and citizens of Busan takes place.”

BTS 'The City Busan' panorama. Provided by HYBE

BTS 'The City Busan' cityscape. Provided by HYBE

The “Big Roof” atop the Busan Cinema Center becomes a media art stage using lighting effects. Major bridges such as Gwangandaegyo, Busan Harbor Bridge, and Suyeonggang Human Bridge all turned on red landscape lighting, symbolizing the new album. At Grand Josun Busan and the Gwangbok-ro electronic billboards, BTS music videos played, illuminating the city at night. The Gwangalli drone show and landmark lighting events were scheduled to continue throughout the night.

This large-scale urban festival was planned to coincide with BTS’s solo concert. On June 12 and 13, BTS held their “ARIRANG” world tour concerts at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium. It was the first such performance in about four years since 2022, and more than 110,000 people were expected to attend. The Ministry of Justice estimated that around 50,000 foreign visitors would come to Korea specifically for this event. As a result, Incheon International Airport, Gimhae International Airport, and Busan Port were bustling with overseas fans. The Ministry of Justice implemented special immigration measures through June 14, and Incheon Airport increased the number of immigration officers by up to 88% compared to usual levels to ease congestion.

With the large crowds, both the government and local authorities were wholly focused on preventing safety incidents and managing traffic. A total of 3,043 safety personnel were deployed to the Busan Asiad Main Stadium, Busan Port Pier 1, Gwangalli Beach, and Haeundae Beach, where related events were held. Civil servants from Busan City and 16 district and county offices, police officers, firefighters, and public institution employees were on site to manage the crowds. The government concentrated safety personnel and installed safety fences in bottleneck areas and high-density zones prone to accidents. Drinking water and shade structures were provided at various locations throughout the city to prevent midday heat-related illnesses.

Public transportation services were also significantly expanded. Busan City increased metro train operations by 116 runs and light rail operations by 28 runs from 9:30 p.m. on June 12 through the last trains on June 13. City buses were intensively dispatched from 10:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., after the concerts ended. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport added a total of 36 late-night temporary bus trips from June 12 to 14 after 10 p.m. KTX and ITX train services connecting Busan with Seoul, Daegu, and Ulsan were increased, and Gyeongsangnam-do expanded intercity bus operations between Busan and nearby regions.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.