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BTS Returns to Gwanghwamun with 'Arirang': Korea's Cultural Moment Goes Global

Published 2026.03.24

By Cely Editor

BTS Returns to Gwanghwamun with 'Arirang': Korea's Cultural Moment Goes Global

BTS held a historic comeback concert 'BTS Comeback Live: Arirang' at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on the 21st, reuniting all members for the first time in approximately 3 years and 9 months. The approximately one-hour evening performance featured 12 songs, including 8 tracks from their new regular album 'Arirang' and 4 hit songs including 'Butter' and 'Dynamite,' both of which topped the Billboard Hot 100. The concert took place at this symbolically significant location where tradition and modernity coexist, with BTS members wearing stage outfits that reinterpreted traditional Korean clothing in contemporary style. The performance was broadcast live on Netflix to over 190 countries, achieving number 1 global viewership rankings in 77 countries and top-3 positions in all measured regions. Despite tens of thousands of attendees, the concert proceeded without a single safety incident, and international media outlets including The New York Times and BBC praised the 'remarkably orderly' conduct. Notably, fans voluntarily cleaned up trash after the performance. The concert is evaluated as a 'Korea marketing' moment that promoted Korean cultural heritage including Gwanghwamun and Gyeongbokgung Palace globally, generating an estimated economic impact of up to 1.45 trillion won.