BTS HOLDS CONCERT IN SEOUL

[Anchor Lead]

BTS has held a live concert in Seoul for the first time in two and a half years since 2019. Held amid the omicron wave, fans’ singing and shouting were not allowed under quarantine rules but their enthusiasm still heated up the stadium.

[Pkg]

[Soundbite] "We have finally met again at the main stadium!"

K-pop superstars BTS reunite with Korean fans for the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic. The seven members were emotional just to be face to face with fans at a physical concert.

[Soundbite] RM(BTS) : "It feels so different by the mere fact that you are here in the audience."

[Soundbite] V(BTS) : "We have been filming with just cameras and an empty audience. But, now to see the ARMY actually here...It's so emotional."

The first song to fill the stage was “ON.” Released in 2020, it’s the first time “ON” was performed live at a concert. Fans used to sing along with the singers but this could not take place to ensure a safe environment amid the pandemic.

[Soundbite] RM(BTS) : "When will we ever have a concert only filled with the sound of clapping? It’s a historic moment, don’t you agree?"

Fans maturely responded to the new rules, and instead of screaming and shouting, they waved their cheering tools and gave a thunderous applause, as loud as their voices. The 15-thousand audience seats for the latest concert is one third of the over 40-thousand allowed at the 2019 concert. A concert gathering of over ten-thousand people in the audience... It's a first in Korea since the start of the pandemic. The fans who had eagerly waited for this moment for two and a half years showed up early at the concert site.

[Soundbite] Kim Seo-hyeon(Spectator) : "I’ve been a fan since high school and I turned 22 during the pandemic. I was so sad at the absence of a concert for 2 years and so I’m excited at the thought of seeing their live show."

[Soundbite] Bae Su-mi(Spectator) : "Though we can’t use our voices, BTS will know where our heart is just by seeing us cheering them on with an applause."

Two more concerts are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. Online streaming and theater screening are also available for those who couldn’t get the tickets. BTS will then head to the US next month to perform in Las Vegas and attend the Grammy Awards.