The group BTS returned with a comeback performance at Gwanghwamun on the 21st, drawing attention from major foreign media.
The New York Times (NYT) created a separate "BTS return" section on its homepage. It went on to cover a variety of stories about the comeback performance, the new album, and K-pop overall.
Regarding the comeback performance that day, the NYT summed it up by saying, "Staged in the historic heart of Seoul, the show was the grand return of BTS, a core engine of Korea's soft power."
Noting that the comeback performance was broadcast live worldwide on Netflix, it called the event "evidence proving BTS' global stature and popularity."
It also projected that BTS' tour revenue could be similar to or surpass the $2 billion in ticket revenue from Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. It added, "The 82-date global tour likewise demonstrates its ripple effect and economic impact."
CNN noted that Hamish Hamilton, known for directing major entertainment events such as the Super Bowl halftime show, served as the overall director of the concert, calling it a measure of the scale of BTS' comeback performance.
The BBC reported, "The seven members gathered in one place for the first time since Oct. 2022," and "Fans flocked to the historic heart of Korea's capital to welcome the return of BTS, the most successful band in the world in recent years."
It continued, "Stepping into Gwanghwamun Square in the middle of Seoul, awash in the purple that symbolizes BTS, felt like entering a temple for this boy band," adding, "The stage was like a triumphal arch. A rare honor bestowed on seven idols who have become the face of Korea's cultural success."
AFP said, "The comeback performance, set against the historic backdrop of Gyeongbokgung, was worthy of BTS' nickname as the kings of K-pop."
The U.S. music magazine Rolling Stone evaluated, "In this blockbuster comeback, the world's biggest band, BTS, pushed its music into adventurous new territory while emphasizing the group's identity and Korean roots."