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BTS Schedules March 21 Gwanghwamun Live Concert and Netflix Documentary Release

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  • K-pop boy group BTS is seen in this image provided by BigHit Music. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
    Image: Yonhap
    K-pop boy group BTS is seen in this image provided by BigHit Music. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) Source Full size
  • This image is provided by Netflix. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
    Image: Yonhap
    This image is provided by Netflix. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) Source Full size

Comeback Concert Set for March 21 at Gwanghwamun Square The septet will perform at 8 p.m. on March 21 in central Seoul’s historic Gwanghwamun Square, marking their first large‑scale standalone show at the site[1]. The event follows the release of their fifth studio album “Arirang” a day earlier, allowing fans to hear the new songs live immediately after the album drops[1]. BigHit Music emphasizes the concert’s national symbolism, aligning the venue with the album’s cultural theme[1].

Album “Arirang” Drops March 20, Previews New Material “Arirang,” a 14‑track record, is scheduled for release on March 20 at 1 p.m., capturing BTS’s origins, identity, and current emotions according to BigHit[1]. The timing ensures listeners can experience the lead track and additional songs both on the album and during the live performance the next day[1]. This marks the group’s first full‑length release in roughly three years and nine months[1].

Netflix Streams Concert Globally and Launches Documentary Netflix will broadcast the concert live to over 190 countries, branding the show “BTS The Comeback Live: Arirang” and expanding the group’s reach beyond traditional K‑pop channels[1]. The streaming partnership represents the first major Korea‑based event streamed live on the platform[1]. Netflix will also debut the documentary “BTS: The Return” on March 27, offering behind‑the‑scenes insight into the album’s creation and the band’s preparation for the comeback[1].

Venue Symbolism Ties to Korean Heritage and Album Theme Gwanghwamun Square was chosen for its national significance, echoing the folk song “Arirang,” which serves as Korea’s unofficial anthem and the album’s title[1]. BigHit notes the location underscores BTS’s intent to present a fresh start rooted in cultural heritage[1]. The group’s history of high‑profile international showcases includes a 2020 performance at Gyeongbok Palace for NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” highlighting their pattern of landmark venues[1].

Sources

Timeline

2020 – BTS films performances at Gyeongbok Palace’s Geunjeongjeon hall and Gyeonghoeru pavilion for NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, establishing a precedent for using royal sites in global promotions [1][4].

Dec 16, 2025 – Culture Minister Chae Hwi‑young announces a policy to boost K‑pop concerts, proposing a 50,000‑seat dome stadium and arena‑style halls in Seoul and Goyang, with construction targeted for completion by 2027‑2028 to expand concert infrastructure [7].

Dec 31, 2025 – Jan 4, 2026 – Seoul hosts a New Year countdown at Gwanghwamun Square as part of the Seoul Light festival, drawing nearly 2 million visitors, featuring nine major screens, a fashion show and live Korean performances, demonstrating the square’s capacity for large‑scale public events [6].

Jan 19, 2026 – Hybe applies to the Korea Heritage Service for a “K‑heritage and K‑pop fusion concert” at Gyeongbok Palace, Gwanghwamun, the Woldae area and Sungnyemun gate, linking BTS’s upcoming comeback with historic sites and stating the album “is an expression of the group’s Korean identity rooted in heritage” [4][5].

Jan 21, 2026 – The Cultural Heritage Committee grants conditional filming permission for BTS to use Gyeongbok Palace and Sungnyemun gate, allowing prerecording on a closed‑to‑public day, while live‑concert plans remain under city review; Hybe describes the event as a “global livestream to roughly 300 million subscribers in 190 countries” [3].

Jan 22, 2026 – Seoul’s metropolitan government conditionally approves BTS’s comeback show at Gwanghwamun Square, imposing safety rules on crowd flow and traffic and planning on‑site checks against inflated hotel prices; the approval covers an 18,000‑person concert on Mar 21 and a 30,000‑person event at Seoul Plaza, marking the first solo K‑pop act at the historic square [2].

Feb 3, 2026 – BTS announces that its fifth studio album Arirang will release on Mar 20 at 1 p.m., that the group will perform a comeback concert at Gwanghwamun Square on Mar 21 at 8 p.m., and that Netflix will livestream the show worldwide and debut the documentary BTS: The Return on Mar 27; BigHit says “Gwanghwamun Square represents the country and aligns with the album’s title, ‘Arirang’” [1].

Mar 20, 2026 – BTS releases the 14‑track album Arirang, which BigHit describes as “capturing BTS’s origins, identity and current emotions,” giving fans new material ahead of the live performance the next day [1].

Mar 21, 2026 – BTS holds its comeback concert “BTS The Comeback Live: Arirang” at Gwanghwamun Square, performing the lead track and other songs from Arirang before an estimated 18,000 attendees and a live Netflix audience in over 190 countries, marking the group’s first large‑scale standalone concert at the historic venue [1].

Mar 27, 2026 – Netflix premieres the documentary BTS: The Return, which follows BTS’s preparation for Arirang and their first full‑length release in nearly four years, offering behind‑the‑scenes insight into the creative process and the Seoul heritage‑site concert [1].

2027‑2028 (expected) – The new 50,000‑seat dome stadium and additional arena halls announced in 2025 are projected to be completed, further enhancing South Korea’s capacity to host mega‑scale K‑pop concerts and events [7].

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