The group BTS will hold a comeback concert at Gwanghwamun Plaza in Seoul on the 21st. A crowd of about 260,000 people is expected to gather.
As the downtown area transforms into a "stadium-style" concert venue, there will be many changes from the usual. Entry gates will be installed throughout the site, and some public transportation will be restricted. We have summarized what spectators and citizens visiting the Gwanghwamun Plaza area need to know.
① Entry from 7 a.m.
To manage the crowd, police divided the Gwanghwamun Plaza area into four zones: a cold zone (free movement), a warm zone (staying allowed), a hot zone (avoid movement), and a core zone (intensive control). Among these, access to the hot zone inside the crowd control line (fence) will be allowed from 7 a.m. on the 21st. Entry is only possible through 31 gates.
Access to high-rise buildings in the warm zone around the fence will be restricted. Most rooftops are also closed. Those who do not comply with control measures and remain on rooftops or upper floors may be ordered to leave.
② Keep bags light
In the core zone, which only ticketed spectators can enter, only bottled water of 500 mL or less, smartphones, and light sticks may be brought in. All food and beverages except water are prohibited, as are flammable materials and any filming equipment including cameras. Because you must pass through a walk-through metal detector when entering and exiting the core zone, it is best to minimize what you carry.
Lockers at 17 subway stations near Gwanghwamun Plaza will not operate from the 20th until 1 a.m. on the 22nd. There is no separate baggage storage.
③ Check transportation in advance
Because not only cars but also public transportation will be restricted, it is necessary to check your transportation options in advance. At City Hall Station on Lines 1 and 2 and Gyeongbokgung Station on Line 3, trains will not stop from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the 21st. At Gwanghwamun Station on Line 5, trains will pass through without stopping from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Sixty-two bus routes that pass through the Gyeongbokgung–City Hall section will be detoured from 8 p.m. on the 20th to 6 a.m. on the 22nd. Public bicycles such as Ttareungyi and shared personal mobility (PM) devices will not operate.
It may be better to get off at Jonggak Station on Line 1, Euljiro 1-ga Station on Line 2, Anguk Station on Line 3, or Seodaemun Station on Line 5, which are close to the venue, and walk. However, if crowds become excessive, trains may pass through these stations without stopping as well.
④ Keep your distance if crowds build
The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the police and fire authorities recommended safety rules to prevent crowd accidents. The key is to avoid crowded places and always maintain an appropriate distance from others. If crowds are unavoidable, hold your bag in front of your chest to create breathing space. Also, if you fall and cannot get up, protect your head with your arms and tuck your legs in toward your body as much as possible to curl up like a ball.
If injured, go to an on-site clinic. They will be located next to the statue of King Sejong, next to the Seoul Hall of Urbanism & Architecture, next to the statue of Yi Sun-sin, and next to Sungnyemun, among other places. A mobile intensive care unit will also be deployed in front of the Seoul Museum of History.
There will also be 11 medical booths operated by HYBE. They are expected to be located nearby at Uijeongbu Department, the Jongno-gu Office site, the Kyobo Life Insurance building, the KT Gwanghwamun Building, the Four Seasons Hotel, Dongwha Duty Free, DONG-A ILBO, New Seoul Hotel, the Hall of Urbanism & Architecture, and the traffic information center of the Jongno Police Station.
⑤ Use "map apps"
When crowds build, it can be hard to check signposts, so it is better to use map applications such as Naver Map, Kakao Map, and T Map Mobility. They provide guidance to restrooms, convenience facilities, medical booths, and more.
If more stations are added to the pass-through list or if additional road closures are implemented, these map applications will be updated immediately.