The Busan concerts, held as part of BTS' "ARIRANG" world tour, will take place at Busan Asiad Main Stadium over two days, from today through June 13. The concerts mark the group's first performance in Busan in approximately four years, since 2022. At the same time, the company and the Busan Metropolitan Government are organizing "BTS THE CITY ARIRANG – BUSAN" events throughout the city. As a result, these two nights of concerts have become even more vibrant and have attracted unprecedented attention.
Hours before the show began, ARMYs from all over the world had already gathered in Busan. The roads leading to the venue were packed with fans, creating an exceptionally lively atmosphere. Chants of "I love BTS!" echoed continuously outside the stadium, signaling the overwhelming excitement even before the stage lights came on.
According to кσяєαn media, approximately 100,000 fans are expected to attend BTS' two-night concerts in Busan, with South кσяєα's Ministry of Justice estimating that around 50,000 of them are international visitors who traveled to the country specifically for the event. According to Yonhap on June 12, a total of 3,043 security personnel were deployed at Busan Asiad Main Stadium, as well as at related locations including Busan Port Pier 1, Gwangalli Beach, and Haeundae Beach, to help ensure the event proceeded smoothly.
As showtime approached, the excitement at Busan Asiad continued to build. However, an υиєχρє¢тє∂ incident occurred that significantly affected the experience of both BTS and their fans!
The concert was originally scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. KST. However, it was delayed by more than 1 hours. Based on accounts shared by numerous fans who were present at the venue, the primary cause of the delay stemmed from problems with crowd management and the stadium's entrance procedures.
Even just minutes before the scheduled start time, hundreds of ARMYs were still standing in long lines outside, waiting to complete security checks and enter the stadium. Under normal circumstances, the entire admission process should have been completed before the concert began—typically at least 15 minutes prior to showtime. However, the organizers at Busan Asiad were unable to process attendees on schedule.
One fan shared their experience: "Many people were so anxious that they burst into tears because the concert was about to start, yet they were still trapped outside the stadium in complete chaos. They had several hours, and they still couldn't get everyone inside? How could the organization be this terrible?" Another attendee wrote in English, "The metal detector is broken, the lines are a mess, they're so unorganized."
Because so many ticket holders had yet to enter the venue, BTS reportedly decided to wait until the majority of attendees were seated before beginning the concert. The members also appeared frustrated with the organizers' handling of the situation, expressing their feelings through a series of comments on their Weverse Live broadcast while waiting backstage before going on stage: "Tomorrow, let's not have this [delay] happen again", "I really want to get up on the stage soon", "They'll probably adjust it well for us", "I think this was difficult for everyone here", "Everyone, please have strength for today's concert", "Everyone waiting, fιgнтing", "No one's allowed to get hurt"....
Meanwhile, despite having to wait for an extended period, fans already inside the stadium did their best to keep the energy alive by continuously chanting the names of each member and cheering loudly. Fans still outside the venue urged everyone to keep calm, prepare their tickets and security checks in advance to pαѕѕ through the gates as quickly as possible, and head directly to their seats once inside.
Notably, according to several ARMYs, signs of poor organization had already appeared during the soundcheck held a few hours earlier. They said stadium staff seemed confused and did not even know which entrance should be used for fans holding soundcheck tickets. Only after fans lined up and repeatedly asked staff members for directions did they begin setting up the security booths and designated entry lanes. The soundcheck itself was also delayed by several dozen minutes.
Beyond the inconvenience of the delay, many fans also expressed concerns about security. As time became increasingly tight while large crowds remained outside, there were fears that security screenings and bag inspections might have been conducted hastily and without sufficient thoroughness. This raised concerns about the safety of both the au∂ιєnce and the artists at such a large-scale event.
Although the concert ultimately went ahead successfully, the lengthy delay and the frustration caused by the organizers' apparent lack of effective management clearly had a significant impact on both the fans' experience and the artists' morale. Complaints and criticism directed at the Busan Asiad organizers have since spread widely across online communities, while many fans continue to hope that the remaining concerts in Busan will proceed smoothly!
