BTS’ 13th Anniversary Birthday Party with 110,000 ARMYs

‘Thank you for coming back.’

It was a miraculous moment when stifled longing turned into cheers. To mark their 13th debut anniversary, BTS held a meaningful birthday party in Busan with ARMY from around the world. The Busan concert, which drew 110,000 attendees over two days, delivered an unforgettable moment for both BTS and ARMY (the fandom name).

The opening of that day’s concert was carried by the audience. The more than 50,000 ARMY members filling the stadium put on a massive “wave” that circled the stands five full times, creating a spectacular scene worthy of a 13th anniversary celebration.

During the performance, while BTS briefly left the stage, slogans written in various languages such as “Congratulations on BTS’s 13th anniversary” and “Let’s stay together for 1,000 years” rippled across the seats, and ARMY lifted the atmosphere by singing “Happy Birthday” together in one voice.

The “13th debut anniversary special performance” continued with ARMY Time, one of the highlights of this world tour Arirang. “ARMY Time” refers to the “Surprise Song” stage that BTS presented “at random” by region as they carried out their world tour. It is a one-time-only stage that they have never repeated in another region, and the list of “Surprise Songs” is already circulating among ARMY.

On the first day of the Busan concert, BTS fully captured the spirit of a “homecoming exclusive” by performing the Korean version of “NORMAL,” “Ma City,” and “Paldogangsan,” which features dialect lyrics. On the 13th, their “birthday,” BTS performed unit stages of the vocal line’s “Dimple” and the rapper line’s “Tear,” sending the stadium’s cheers to a peak.

As requests for an encore from the fandom poured in, even though it had not been part of the original plan, leader RM said, “It’s our birthday, let’s do one more song,” and spontaneously gifted the self-composed fan song “Magic Shop,” leaving an unforgettable impression.

After the show, the members shared their overwhelming feelings about meeting domestic fans again after a long time.

Oldest member Jin reflected on the performance, saying, “It was a time that gave me peace of mind, a reassuring time.” He continued, “I think the reason we were able to spend 13 years together is thanks to ARMY, and I’m grateful to ARMY and the members,” promising to meet again.

J-Hope said, “When we go on overseas tours, countless global fans show us love,” and added, “Since all seven of us are Korean, performing ‘in my own country, on the very ground I’m standing on’ is the most enjoyable and happiest thing,” touching everyone at the venue.

According to BigHit Music, approximately 110,000 people attended the Busan concerts over the two days.

BTS is continuing an all-time-scale world tour. Through performances in Japan and North America, they have proven their immense ticket power. The world tour “Arirang” is scheduled to hold 85 shows in 34 cities around the world and meet more than 6 million attendees. Foreign media have analyzed that in every city they visit, they are generating regional economic effects worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Reporter Park Hyun-bin [email protected]