This was a post on social media on the 16th. As BTS held a "full-member" concert at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul for the first time in 3 years and 9 months and nearby buildings were restricted, it became known that wedding guests at a venue in one of those buildings would also be subject to security screening, sparking controversy.
Online, people reacted by saying, "The bride and groom must feel sorry to their guests," and, "At the very least, the agency should compensate them."
There is no shortage of engaged couples worried about traffic congestion. Choi, a person surnamed Choi (35), who is holding a wedding near Gwanghwamun Square on the day of the concert, said, "I asked for guests' understanding in advance because it seems the roads will be jammed," and added, "I'm very worried because there will be road controls and even trains passing through stations without stopping."
◇31 buildings, access restricted… Stadium-style crowd flow management
BTS will hold a comeback concert for its fifth album "Arirang (ARIRANG)" at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on the 21st. With up to 260,000 people, including overseas fans, expected to flock to the area, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and police have prepared large-scale safety measures. But some residents voiced complaints as authorities decided to restrict access to nearby buildings and traffic on the day of the show.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government and police, access will be restricted at a total of 31 buildings around Gwanghwamun Square on the day of the concert. Of these, rooftop access will be completely blocked at seven buildings, and access to upper floors will be restricted at 24. The move is intended to stop fans who failed to get BTS concert tickets from climbing buildings to watch the show in a "backdoor viewing."
However, in the case of the Press Center, where a wedding is scheduled that day, a complete shutdown is difficult, so guests will undergo additional screening using hand scanners and other measures.
The problem is that the control zone set for crowd management is extensive, stretching about 1.1 square kilometers from Gwanghwamun to Deoksugung and Seoul Plaza. To enter the concert viewing area, the city set up a total of 31 entry points, and access will be allowed only through these gates. The idea is to manage crowd flow like a stadium and disperse the crowds.
Online communities and social media are also seeing reactions such as, "Even if Michael Jackson came back to life, they wouldn't go this far," "It's hard to understand restricting access all the way up to rooftops just for one concert," and, "Was holding a concert at Gwanghwamun Square really the best choice?"
◇"Excessive control" vs. "Inevitable for safety"
Traffic restrictions will also last a long time. The Sejong-daero section from Gwanghwamun to City Hall will be restricted for 33 hours, from 9 p.m. on the 20th, the day before the concert, to 6 a.m. on the 22nd, the day after. Sajik-ro, Yulgok-ro, Saemunan-ro and Jongno will also face phased, time-by-time controls from the afternoon of the concert day.
Subway operations will be adjusted as well. On the same day, the entrances to City Hall Station, Gwanghwamun Station and Gyeongbokgung Station on the Seoul Subway will be closed, and trains will not stop there. The pass-through without stopping could be expanded to nearby stations such as Euljiro 1-ga Station and Anguk Station.
Kim, a person surnamed Kim (34), an office worker, said, "It's a downtown area that's usually congested, and a long period of restrictions will likely be quite inconvenient." A man in his 50s, a person surnamed Park, said, "I understand it's a world-class concert, but since it's an event in the heart of downtown, I think there needs to be consideration for balancing it with residents' daily lives."
On the other hand, some say strong safety measures are inevitable given the nature of a large-scale event. Jang (44), a resident near Gwanghwamun, said, "A lot of overseas fans will come, so thorough safety measures are needed to make sure it ends as a festival without accidents." Song (30), an office worker, also said, "Since it's a large event held downtown, safety comes first."
Police have also prepared for the possibility of terrorism in light of the recent situation in the Middle East. More than 6,500 police officers, including the Special Operations Unit, will be deployed, and equipment such as high-altitude observation vehicles and broadcast lighting vehicles will also be stationed.