In response to criticism that citizens and foreign tourists were inconvenienced by "excessive searches" during BTS's Gwanghwamun performance, HYBE apologized, saying that while the measures were unavoidable for safety, it is sincerely sorry to everyone who experienced inconvenience to important schedules and daily life.
On the 22nd, HYBE said in an official statement, We are deeply grateful for the support and consideration you have shown for the Gwanghwamun performance, and First, we express our deep thanks to the authorities who made Gyeongbokgung and Gwanghwamun, symbols of the Republic of Korea, available as performance venues.
HYBE went on to say, We express our deep gratitude to government and local officials, including police and fire authorities, who worked to ensure this performance could end safely.
About 6,500 police officers were deployed for crowd safety management and counterterrorism that day. The number is more than twice the roughly 3,000 officers assigned to the Yeouido Fireworks Festival, which attracts hundreds of thousands. Another 3,400 personnel were assigned from nearby district offices and the Seoul Metropolitan Fire and Disaster Headquarters.
On the 21st, when the BTS concert was held, checkpoints were set up around Gwanghwamun for citizens and tourists. After passing through a walk-through metal detector, police conducted a secondary body scan with handheld scanners. If the device beeped, officers visually inspected all items in coat pockets and bags.
Some complained this was an "excessive search." There were office workers who expressed displeasure at being stopped while visiting Gwanghwamun Square for non-concert reasons, such as commuting. An elderly person carrying a Swiss Army knife was asked to discard it and ended up confronting police. Online, reactions included, What crime did ordinary citizens who aren't fans commit? and Because of the concert, citizens ended up being subjected to pat-downs—does this make sense?
There were also cases of citizen inconvenience due to large-scale traffic controls. A citizen who held a wedding near the Korea Press Center in Seoul said the number of guests fell by about 50 to 100 because of traffic restrictions caused by the performance. In an unusual scene, guests traveled from Euljiro 3-ga Station to the Korea Press Center, where the wedding was held, on police buses. Even after arriving near the venue, guests underwent body searches before entering. The guest transport operation continued until 4 p.m.
HYBE said, We also offer our apologies and thanks to citizens around Gwanghwamun, as well as nearby merchants, office workers, and visitors, and Because the world was watching, we had to hold the performance safely, which made unavoidable measures necessary, including traffic and building controls and searches for dangerous items. It added, We are truly sorry to everyone who experienced inconvenience to their valuable schedules and daily lives, including those passing through Gwanghwamun Square.
BTS also posted words of thanks and an apology on the fan platform Weverse on the 22nd. BTS said, We express our gratitude to everyone who gave unstinting consideration and support so that our return stage could be completed safely, and We are truly sorry and also grateful to the citizens who endured various inconveniences, including traffic controls and noise, as well as to merchants and office workers around Gwanghwamun.