BTS SUCCESSFULLY HOSTED WORLD EXPO 2030 BUSAN KOREA CONCERT BTS <YET TO COME> IN BUSAN.

BUSAN - October 16, 2022 - 21st century pop icons BTS successfully hosted WORLD EXPO 2030 BUSAN KOREA CONCERT BTS in BUSAN (hereinafter ‘BTS in BUSAN’). Through in-person concert, in-person live broadcast, online live stream and TV broadcast, the concert was viewed from 229 countries/regions.

As ambassadors for World Expo 2030 Busan, Korea, BTS hosted ‘BTS in BUSAN’ to introduce Busan and Korean culture to a worldwide audience in an effort to boost interests in Busan’s bid for the World Expo 2030.

The in-person concert at Busan Asiad Main Stadium was attended by approximately 50,000 people. The estimated number of viewers at the in-person live broadcast WORLD EXPO 2030 BUSAN KOREA CONCERT BTS in BUSAN - LIVE PLAY (hereinafter LIVE PLAY) in Busan Port reached about 10,000. While there was an estimate of 2,000 people watching the LIVE PLAY in Haeundae, the area was further crowded as it was open to the public. Online livestream through Weverse generated approximately 49 million views alone. TV broadcast on Korea’s JTBC reached an exceptionally high rating of 3.3%.

BTS opened ‘BTS in BUSAN’ with “MIC DROP.” The septet boasted their top notch choreography with “Run BTS” for the first time. For the unit performances, Jin, Jimin, V and Jung Kook performed “00:00 (Zero O'Clock)” and “Butterfly” while RM, SUGA and j-hope staged “UGH!” and “BTS Cypher PT.3 : KILLER,” heightening the mood throughout the stadium. The septet continued the show with familiar hit songs such as “Dynamite,” “Butter,” “Burning Up (FIRE),” “IDOL,” and “Spring Day.” BTS performed 19 songs in total, all arranged for a live band. The setlist comprised songs that best represent the band and anyone—beyond ARMY—can easily sing along.

The concert was filled with symbolic elements that represent Busan and Korean culture. For instance, BTS performed “Ma City” showcasing graphic images of Busan’s beautiful landmarks and scenery. “IDOL” stage caught the eyes of the global audience with Korean traditional visuals and performances such as Bukcheong saja noreum (a Korean traditional game that involves dancing with lion masks).

BTS said, “We hope our concert tonight will help promote Busan and support the city’s bid to host World Expo 2030 in Busan.” They added later, “As the title ‘BTS in BUSAN’ suggests, we have no doubt that tonight was the best moment for everyone here and the seven of us. With our hopes to spend another brightest moment together again, we present to you our last song of the night.” BTS closed the show with “Yet To Come (The Most Beautiful Moment),” suggesting a brighter future for all.

■ BTS THE CITY in BUSAN

BTS THE CITY in BUSAN (hereinafter ‘THE CITY’), a project designed in parallel with ‘BTS in BUSAN,’ provided rich experience to many citizens of Busan and visitors through its various activations, further highlighting Busan’s unique charms.

‘2022 BTS EXHIBITION : Proof’ in both Seoul (September 28~) and Busan (October 5~), featuring interactive content, garnered approximately 20,000 visitors by October 15 and more than two-thirds of the visitors at the Busan site were foreigners. The pop-up stores ‘BTS in BUSAN - Official Merchandise Store’ in Seoul and Busan attracted 16,000 visitors, of which 10,000 visited the Busan site. ‘BTS THE CITY in BUSAN - THEMED PACKAGE’ also attracted a great number of people, in which two-thirds of the total reservations were made by foreigners. Not to mention, the BTS THE CITY in BUSAN - Pre-Gathering Event was packed with hundreds of people celebrating and enjoying the excitement before the concert. With people wishing to continue the enthusiasm of the concert through various BTS themed multimedia shows, nearly 4,000 tickets for ‘BTS THE CITY in BUSAN - AFTER PARTY’ were sold out.

Social media also proved the heat with more than 9.3 million keyword hashtag counts related to ‘BTS in BUSAN’ and ‘THE CITY’ on Twitter, and keywords related to World Expo 2030 Busan recorded more than 200,000 counts. Proving the festive atmosphere throughout Busan and the excitement towards World Expo 2030 Busan, the number of references saw 45 times bigger than that of last year.

The host country of World Expo 2030 will be elected by BIE (Bureau International des Expositions) Member States. If Busan succeeds in its bid, World Expo 2030 Busan, Korea will be held in Busan North Port Area from May 1 through October 31, 2030, under the theme, “Transforming Our World, Navigating toward a Better Future.”

In the hope of hosting the World Expo 2030 in Busan, the city celebrated ‘BTS in BUSAN’ on a grand scale with a drone show at Gwangalli Beach. Moreover, major landmarks such as Busan Metropolitan City Hall, Gwangan Bridge, etc. will continue to be lit up in purple, reenacting ‘BORAHAE BUSAN’ through October 17.