After a four-year hiatus, K-pop megastars BTS reunited on Saturday in front of enormous crowds in Seoul for a free comeback concert livestreamed to millions more worldwide.
Widely lauded as the biggest boy band in the world, BTS went on hiatus in 2022 so the seven members could serve compulsory military service, some near the heavily fortified border with North Korea.
The comeback concert by the group at the crest of the Korean cultural wave was staged on the doorstep of the historic Gyeongbokgung royal palace, a fitting venue for the "Kings of K-pop".
"It's been a long journey but now we are finally here!" said BTS's leader RM to huge cheers as the group performed songs from their new album, as well as old hits "Dynamite" and "Mikrokosmos".
"We are finally here and seeing you again... All seven of us standing on the stage together makes me so happy," said fellow member Jimin.
"BTS 2.0 is just getting started," said J-Hope.
Fans, 260,000 were predicted earlier, descended on Seoul from morning onwards in colorful costumes, taking selfies with their tickets and clutching BTS "ARMY" glowsticks.
Before they came on stage fans chanted "BTS! BTS!" with the main boulevard leading up to Gwanghwamun Square, the symbolic heart of the Seoul, ram-packed with people as far as the eye could see.
Gwanghwamun Gate was lit in rainbow colors, as a massive stage installation featuring three circular features, symbolizing BTS's new album, glowed beneath towering lighting rigs.
Lee Yeon-seo, 36, a South Korean fan who travelled from the southern city of Jeonju, was one of those who arrived early.
"With the tour kicking off in April, this is the beginning of their new journey. In a way, it feels like an honor to experience it live like this, more vividly than most people," she told AFP.
Millions more people across the world were able to watch a Netflix live broadcast.
In a last-minute setback, the group's agency said Friday that RM hurt his ankle in rehearsals and that his "participation in certain performance elements, such as choreography on stage, will be restricted."
The latest album, "ARIRANG", which was released on Friday, is billed as a reflection of the maturing boy band's Korean identity.
It sold almost four million copies in the first day, BTS's record label said. Five million fans pre-saved it on Spotify, the most ever for a K-pop act.
"ARIRANG" takes its name from a folk song about longing and separation that is often dubbed South Korea's unofficial national anthem.
Featuring collaborations with multiple Western artists and producers, the 14 tracks on the album mix rap, heavy beats and experimentation.
"Compared to their earlier work, there's a wider range of genres, which gives it a more mature and expansive feel," Lee Ji-young, a university professor, told AFP.
"As always, their lyrics are honest, and through a diverse range of sounds, they give a clear sense of who they are and where they stand right now."
Another listener on Reddit was less impressed.
"I hope they sing some of their old stuff," they said.
Saturday's show preceded a world tour set to be a major money-spinner for BTS, potentially outdoing Taylor Swift's recent Eras Tour, and for South Korea thanks to tourism and sales of merchandise from BTS dolls to toothbrushes and cans of tuna.
Starting in Goyang, South Korea on April 9 and ending in the Philippines 11 months later, BTS's tour encompasses 82 shows in 34 cities in 23 countries, including around 30 shows in North America.
Security was heavy for Saturday's concert, with some 15,000 police and security guards, barricades lining the roads and local venues shut. Wedding guests had to be transported by police.
The safety measures have drawn some criticism, particularly following reports that workers were forced to take annual leave and that civil servants were deployed on their day off to assist with the event.
The concert is taking place in Seoul's sweeping Gwanghwamun Square beside Gyeongbokgung. Built in 1395, the former royal palace is often seen as a symbol of Korean resilience through dynastic collapse, colonial rule and pro-democracy protests.
BTS, short for Bulletproof Boy Scouts in Korean, have championed UNICEF campaigns, the Black Lives Matter movement and efforts to combat anti-Asian racism.
Members have also spoken candidly about the pressures of the music industry.
Their message "has always centered around self-reflection, resilience and courage to keep moving forward, even when life feels uncertain", Carmen Low, 32, a fan in Malaysia, told AFP.
"In many ways, those themes feel just as relevant, if not more, in 2026.
"Their return could be a reminder of those values, encouraging conversations about identity, dreams, mental health, and what it means to grow up in a complex world," she told AFP.
