BTS performed at Estadio San Marcos on October 7, 9, and 10 as the second stop on the South αмєяι¢αn leg of their “ARIRANG” world tour, following Bogotá. The Lima run was initially announced for two nights before a third date was added in response to overwhelming demand, with all three performances ultimately selling out.

For 151,500 fans, the shows marked the first opportunity to see BTS perform in Peru. The crowd filled the stadium and sang along throughout the setlist, while the members spoke to fans in Spanish between songs.

Although the concerts were an incredible experience for fans, several incidents offstage turned Peru into a controversial stop for the group. Notably, a remark j-hope made about the country during the final concert recently sparked heated discussion among the fan community.

Specifically, on October 10 KST, during BTS’s final performance in Peru, j-hope spoke in Spanish and offered the country a heartfelt compliment: “THIS IS THE COUNTRY THAT LOVES BTS THE MOST IN THE WORLD.” For many Peruvian ARMYs, the statement was an emotional moment, showing that the idol recognized the love they had given the group.

However, not everyone agreed with his remark. Some fans argued that although the pαѕѕionate support of Peruvian ARMYs, along with the efforts of local authorities and considerate residents to welcome BTS, could not be denied, the disrespectful behavior of some people had overshadowed the experience.

Throughout BTS’s stay in Lima, large crowds repeatedly gathered outside the hotel, livestreaming, shouting, and demanding to see the members. More concerningly, these invasions of privacy escalated into actions such as obstructing vehicles, shining lasers, and flying drones toward the hotel windows.

Even after RM spoke out on Weverse, asking people to respect the members’ privacy and allow both the artists and their staff to rest, the situation continued.

As a result, some ARMYs found it difficult to accept the claim that Peru was “the country that loves BTS the most in the world” in light of these incidents!

On the other hand, many fans believed that j-hope had carefully chosen his words to comfort genuine Peruvian ARMYs rather than focus solely on the unpleasant incidents that had taken place. They drew parallels between his remark and RM’s comments during the previous night’s concert, when the BTS leader carefully distinguished the harαѕѕment from the Peruvian fan community as a whole. At the time, RM also emphasized that there were still many amazing and lovely ARMYs, expressing his hope that people would not interpret his reminders as criticism directed at them.

An ARMY pointed out: "Please stop posting nonsense quotes... If you have ever followed hobi, you would know he always says kind things about every country they perform in. He was just showing appreciation for the genuine fans who waited live to see them, not the stalkers..."

The debate is still unfolding on social media, with mixed opinions including: "True Peruvian Army's deserve this", "When you're scared the bus crazy is gonna k1ll you", "The PR work/sugarcoating... do you even believe what you're saying?", "The peruvian armys are gagging like they didn't have a gvn to his back. He is just too kind yk", "Hobi knows how much local ARMYs worked to welcome them. Let him appreciate their efforts", "He was acknowledging the fans who truly love and support BTS. Not everything needs to be taken negatively",...