BTS are taking over Seoul and this is what fans can expect

BTS are set to take over Seoul next month as their long-awaited comeback expands into a citywide series of events, installations and live performances.

The group has announced ‘BTS The City ARIRANG Seoul’, a large-scale cultural project that will run across the South Korean capital from March 20 to April 12, timed around the release of their new album ARIRANG.

Album release and global comeback live confirmed

BTS will release their fifth full-length album ARIRANG worldwide on March 20.

The following day, the group will stage a comeback live performance at Gwanghwamun Square titled BTS Comeback Live: ARIRANG. The event will be streamed globally on Netflix, giving fans around the world access to the launch in real time.

Seoul landmarks to light up for BTS

On the day of the album’s release, major Seoul landmarks including Sungnyemun and N Seoul Tower will be illuminated with large-scale media façades.

Organisers said the installations will combine modern media art with historic sites, creating visuals designed to reflect BTS’s music while blending tradition with contemporary pop culture.

Citywide installations and fan spaces planned

As part of BTS The City ARIRANG Seoul, installations will appear throughout the city, transforming stone walls, stairways and tree-lined streets into exhibition-style spaces.

Lyrics from BTS songs will be brought to life through light and video displays, while Yeouido Hangang Park will host a lounge-style fan space from March 20 to March 22, offering visitors and locals a place to gather and experience the group’s music.

Concerts scheduled for April

BTS will also hold three concerts at Goyang Stadium on April 9, 11 and 12, extending the comeback celebrations beyond the album’s initial release.

In a statement, BIGHIT MUSIC said the project was developed in collaboration with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and includes partnerships across multiple sectors, including food, beverage and mobility.

Global rollout teased beyond Seoul

‘BTS The City’ has previously taken place in Las Vegas in 2022 and Busan later that year. Organisers confirmed the Seoul edition marks the first of several planned events, with the project set to roll out sequentially across major cities worldwide.

Further schedules and programming details will be announced via BTS’s Weverse channel.

With a new album, a Netflix-streamed comeback live and landmarks lighting up across the capital, BTS’s return is shaping up to turn Seoul into the centre of global K-pop attention next month.