[비즈한국] Analyzing the BTS effect solely through the lens of concerts is a one-sided approach. In terms of providing the best content services to fans, BTS represents an evolutionary and expansive model of K-pop. Its origins can be traced back to November 2021.
At the time, a unique event during their offline concert in Los Angeles—the first in two years—drew significant attention. Large LED screens were set up outside the venue so that fans who could not secure tickets could still experience the concert atmosphere. A spectacular sight unfolded as light sticks waved in unison both inside and outside the arena. Of course, there were principles to this; priority was given to those who pre-ordered tickets. Through this event, the fandom experienced the concert indirectly. Fans without tickets stayed in the vicinity of the venue, enjoying food, shopping, and sightseeing.
The following year, it took a step further. The 'BTS in BUSAN' concert, held on October 15, 2022, to support the bid for the 2030 Busan World Expo, was a free event. While 50,000 people were invited, approximately another 50,000 fans who couldn't get tickets surrounded the venue, eager to soak in the atmosphere and enjoy the music drifting from the stage. This format continued with the Gwanghwamun Square performance on March 21, 2026, where roughly 100,000 fans gathered to feel the现场 (on-site) energy while watching the Netflix live broadcast.
The expansion of physical space to satisfy fandom was particularly prominent in the 2022 World Tour. The so-called 'The City' project linked the entire city with the performance, allowing fans to enjoy BTS content and feel satisfied even without entering the concert hall. Ahead of the 'Permission to Dance on Stage - Las Vegas' concert, major landmarks in Las Vegas were illuminated in purple. The Bellagio fountain show, one of the world's top three shows, featured BTS music like 'Dynamite' and 'Butter'. By arranging various things to see, eat, and enjoy, they introduced the concept of a 'City-type Concert Play Park' that expands the fan experience. It was a format that turned the entire city into an amusement park centered around the concert.
Eleven hotels featured BTS-themed rooms, complete with welcome message cards handwritten by the members, door hangers, and photo cards. An exhibition featuring photos of the tour preparation process was also held. Pop-up stores showcasing clothing, accessories, fancy goods, and city-exclusive signature merchandise were opened. These were not mere retail spaces; theme rooms from music videos were brought to life, such as the basketball court from 'Dynamite', the elevator from 'Butter', and the laundromat from 'Permission to Dance'. Fans happily took and shared photos. A Korean food pop-up restaurant was also set up in the hotels, serving dishes enjoyed by BTS, including kimchi fried rice, jajangmyeon, galbi-jjim, Korean fried chicken, bibim-guksu, kimchi pancakes, gimbap, assorted fried foods, bingsu, and bungeoppang ice cream.
In March 2026, BTS returned with their 5th full-length album, 'Arirang', and expanded the City Project for a full month. The urban project 'BTS The City Arirang Seoul' highlighted the 'scarcity of experience'—the idea of providing something that can only be experienced at specific times and places. Along with the album release, media facade performances were held at N Seoul Tower and Sungnyemun Gate at 7 p.m. on the 20th. A drone show took place in Ttukseom, and outdoor screen advertisements were broadcast on buildings near Gwanghwamun Square, creating a massive exhibition atmosphere. Along the Cheonggyecheon Stream, the title track 'SWIM' message, 'KEEP SWIMMING', flowed as if it were in motion, and the stairs leading to Yongsan Station gave the feeling of walking underwater, offering a sense of liberation in the midst of daily urban life.
Multiplex cinemas held 'listening parties' to enjoy BTS's music, and a 'Love Song Lounge' was set up at the outdoor Yeouido Hangang Park. Through music, the project encouraged busking and allowed anyone to participate in experiential content. In the courtyard of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, a cube-shaped structure was installed, allowing visitors to experience the title track 'Swim'. These experiential events were introduced sequentially. An 'ARMY Madang' was set up at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), expanding on the sentiment of the traditional Korean communication space, the 'Madang'. In 'CUSTOMIZE YOUR Arirang', fans could create t-shirts and light sticks in their own way, and in the 'FILL YOUR LOVE SONG' zone, fans wrote their favorite songs and lyrics on red balls, which were then collected to complete a massive album logo, creating a real-time exhibition. Booths like 'KEEP YOUR LOVE SONG', where fans could find song lyrics to keep as postcards, and 'CAPTURE YOUR MOMENT', which created photos and photo cards with a 'The City Seoul' exclusive frame, also drew attention.
Such projects were possible because concerts at the Goyang Sports Complex were scheduled for April 9, 11, and 12, following the Gwanghwamun Square performance. This allowed for planning a so-called 'experiential tour'. Even if fans don't watch the concert itself, the various offerings allow them to stay in Seoul for an extended period. It enabled overseas fans visiting Korea to enjoy a full two to three weeks. The 'Enter-tour-ment' (entertainment + tourism) effect is something other K-pop groups might want to consider. However, the 'The Seoul City' project focused solely on Seoul, which could be seen as both an advantage and a disadvantage.
This City Project is a collaboration between performances and cities. Because it uses various facets of a city as content, it generates tourism effects and serves as a win-win strategy that enhances fan satisfaction beyond just watching a concert. It is an adventurous and innovative model in that it requires close cooperation. How it evolves in the future will be important.
The author, Kim Heon-sik, has spent his life since his 20s exploring the landscape of pop culture phenomena, driven by the hope that there is a way to make the world a better place through culture. He continues on this same path in the 21st century, where artificial intelligence and quantum computers are active, with the same belief.