At 9:40 p.m. on the 21st around Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul. Even after BTS' comeback concert ended, there were ARMY (BTS fandom) members who did not leave. They stayed to pick up trash left around the venue.
They said they gathered voluntarily through social media (SNS). A person surnamed Kim, 36, who was picking up trash near City Hall Station, noted that "there are 400 people just in the open KakaoTalk chat room for volunteering."
Some had prepared not only trash bags but also grabbers in advance. Hong Su-min, 28, combed through the area near Gwanghwamun Station, picking up trash. Hong said, "I came because I am a BTS fan, and I joined the volunteer effort thinking there might be some way to help."
The nationalities of the ARMY members who volunteered ranged from the United States and France to Thailand. Asked why they were picking up trash, A, a 10-year ARMY from Japan, 44, said, "I wanted to help, even a little, Seoul, which gave the stage, and BTS, who returned." Giving a thumbs-up, A added, "It was truly the best concert."
Despite the crowds, there were no major safety incidents as people headed home after the concert. While the organizers and authorities deployed about 15,000 safety personnel throughout the area, it largely helped that ARMY closely followed BTS' final request of the night to "head home safely."
During the concert, BTS members thanked the Seoul Metropolitan Government and police for their help. Suga said, "I am grateful to the Seoul Metropolitan Government for permitting us to perform at Gwanghwamun and to the police officers who worked hard on site," and Jimin added, "And I'm also sorry." Jungkook also said, "I am grateful to the officials who helped us finish the concert safely."