BTS completed their Gwanghwamun comeback live successfully.
On the 21st, BTS held "BTS comeback live: ARIRANG" at Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul. As it was their first full-group comeback stage in 3 years and 9 months, there was intense interest both on site and online even before the performance.
The audience seats set up at Gwanghwamun Square numbered 22,000, and some 40,000 viewers gathered, so about 15,000 police officers, firefighters and public officials were deployed to Gwanghwamun Square for security and safety.
The show opened with RM's greeting and the audience's cheers. Announcing an ankle injury, RM sat on a chair placed to the side of the stage and continued the performance by singing except for the choreography. RM greeted the audience saying, "It's been four years since I last greeted you like this. Hello, we are BTS."
Jin said, "The last time we gathered like this was several years ago. I vividly remember asking you to wait for us at our last Busan concert, and we are really grateful that you came. Honestly, there were many worries before standing on this stage. I am grateful and happy to be able to meet you again like this."
Jimin said, "ARMY, we finally met. I am choked up and grateful to be able to speak here in front of you. I'm so happy we can meet again as seven. I missed you. I really didn't expect you to fill Gwanghwamun Square today, but I'm happy. Thank you so much." Suga said, "I am honored to be able to perform at one of the most historic places in Korea. For this album, we especially wanted to include our identity, so we chose the title as Arirang, and with that feeling we performed at Gwanghwamun."
V said, "It feels new to be able to make a comeback at such a special place. ARMY who came all the way to Gwanghwamun, and people watching around the world via Netflix right now, we waited a long time, too. Wherever you are, I hope our feelings reach you."
J-Hope and Jungkook said, "It's unbelievable that the seven of us are on this stage together. Thank you for waiting," and "We prepared a lot of special things for today. We will pour everything we have out," and performed the stages for 'Butter' and 'MIC Drop'.
Afterward V said, "I still can't believe we have returned as a group," expressing his overwhelming feelings, and Jimin communicated, "Aren't you too cold? I thought the weather would be milder and came relieved, but it's still cold. Are you okay? We must do well. Being able to capture your happy faces with our eyes makes us perform happily as well."
Jungkook said, "I don't think I'll ever forget tonight. I guess there were pressures or fears about the comeback, but standing in front of you today feels purely good. It just feels good," expressing his emotion. RM said, "Today, first of all, we will play many new songs from the new album. We worked for two months in LA and did post-production in Korea to produce this album. We thought about it for a long time. We thought a lot about what we are like now and how we were able to come together. We had many conversations and tried a lot of new things on the album," and they performed the new songs 'Aliens' and 'FYA'.
After the stage, J-Hope said, "The atmosphere is so good and I'm so excited. Actually, this album contains a variety of songs. Among them are many of our concerns. While preparing this album, we worried a bit about whether we might be forgotten or whether you would remember us," he confessed.
Suga also said, "During the time we had to pause for a bit, we thought a lot about what needed to change. Because of that, we still can't be certain and are anxious, but I think these feelings are also ours," and RM added, "At this turning point I asked myself a lot what choices to make and what kind of creator I wanted to remain. The answer wasn't outside but inside. Listening more to my own voice and expressing myself. That seems to have been the goal we wanted to capture in this album."
Jimin said, "As you know well, we are not special people. Like you, we are afraid every time, and we were afraid while preparing this stage. But if we 'Keep swimming' with that feeling included, I believe we will find the answer someday," and V said, "What we can do is keep making music, keep performing, and show ARMY a beautiful appearance without stopping; that is moving forward. I hope our songs can be some comfort," and they performed the title track SWIM as well as 'Like Animals' and 'NORMAL'.
J-Hope said, "I'm really, really happy to be back. Every moment is thanks to you. BTS 2.0 has just begun," and V said, "It's regrettable but this is the last song now. We are just getting started. I think we imagined this moment countless times over the years. We wanted to keep doing it. Being here like this makes me so happy," greeting the audience.
Suga again expressed his thanks, saying, "I want to thank the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the many people who helped make it possible to perform at Gwanghwamun. I want to be sure to express my gratitude to the police officers and many others who worked hard on site," and Jimin bowed his head saying, "I'm grateful and sorry." Jungkook said, "You know that the seven of us always share the same heart, right? As long as you are with us, we will always do our best to bring you good music," and they ended the stage with 'Dynamite' and the encore song 'Mikrokosmos'.
[Photo] OSEN DB
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