When the Chilean government refused to authorize BTS to use the venue for their concerts scheduled for October, thousands of local fans took to the streets in protest. According to the Associated Press (AP), on July 5 (local time), BTS fans held a rally and marched through downtown Santiago, Chile. Participants dressed in purple—the signature color αѕѕociated with BTS—and carried banners reading, "Bring BTS to the National Stadium" and "Music and art do not destroy stadiums."
Earlier, Chile's Ministry of Sports had denied authorization for BTS to use the National Stadium, arguing that the event organizer had begun selling tickets before obtaining official venue approval and that the original stage installation plan could potentially damage the stadium's grαѕѕ surface. However, according to EFE, the decision quickly sparked widespread controversy. Not only fans but also several Chilean politicians questioned the real motive behind the decision, arguing that it appeared to be politically motivated at a time when the government was facing mounting domestic pressure.
After facing days of intense backlash from fans—and amid renewed pressure following a protest attended by more than 5,000 people—the Chilean government issued a new official statement on July 5 (local time), opening the door to reconsidering authorization for BTS's concerts at the National Stadium, provided that the event organizer fully complies with all technical requirements.
The statement was published on the official social media account of Chile's Ministry of Sports (Ministerio del Deporte) under the headline: "Government Opens the Door to BTS Concerts at the National Stadium Following DG Medios' New Technical Proposal."
According to the statement, the Ministry of Sports explained that the initial proposal had been rejected because the original mitigation plan submitted by event promoter DG Medios did not guarantee the continued operational capacity of the venue and failed to comply with the applicable technical regulations. However, after receiving additional technical documentation from the promoter regarding a revised stage installation configuration for the concerts, the government stated that the new proposal now appears capable of meeting the requirements of the current regulations.
Specifically, the revised proposal includes modifications concerning the weight, load distribution, grαѕѕ protection measures, and the structural construction solution. According to the Ministry of Sports, these changes substantially alter the basis of the previous technical αѕѕessment and therefore warrant a new review of the authorization process.
Nevertheless, the government emphasized that this does not constitute official approval for the concerts. Through the National Sports Institute (IND), the Ministry of Sports has only expressed its willingness to reconsider the authorization, on the condition that DG Medios submits comprehensive technical documentation supporting the revised proposal. Only if DG Medios fully complies with these technical requirements and formally commits to them will the concerts at the National Stadium be authorized.
In the statement, the Ministry also reaffirmed the government's dual commitment: to protect the country's most important sports venue while ensuring that Chile can continue hosting world-clαѕѕ events, provided that all legal requirements are met and adequate measures are taken to safeguard the stadium's infrastructure.
Beyond the BTS concerts, the Ministry of Sports also announced that it will introduce amendments to the regulations governing large-scale events in the coming days. The changes will explicitly incorporate the Presidential Delegation (Delegación Presidencial) into the event approval process and establish penalties for event promoters that sell tickets without first obtaining the required authorizations.
While the Chilean government's latest statement may, to some extent, be viewed as a positive development, it has done little to calm fans' anger. Under the ministry's latest announcement, fan reactions remained overwhelmingly critical, including:
- An open door is not a solution. ARMY will remain vigilant until we have a concrete answer. We need certainty, not more uncertainty
- Sign the authorization; until that happens, we will keep protesting
- The only country that is putting up obstacles is Chile; the only country that has 'PROBLEMS' with the stage is Chile, when the stage actually meets all the requirements you are asking for
- If you truly cared, you wouldn't have made such a media circus when the stage ALWAYS met all the requirements. You just wanted to put on a show and you succeeded, making us look like a country that is incapable of hosting mαѕѕive events. Embarrαѕѕing until the very en
- Sign the authorization; so far this guarantees us nothing, so we will keep raising our voices
- You are supposed to be a serious government organization, but you act like absolute crap by creating an unnecessary circus. But what else can we expect from a fascist government? You never cared about the stadium
- The show brings its own protections, regardless of what the production company offers. As a ministry, it is a shame that you don't inform yourselves and end up harming thousands of people with your ignorance!
