Gwanghwamun Square, the symbolic centre of the South Korean capital Seoul, is home to two statues – King Sejong, architect of the Korean alphabet Hangul, and Admiral Yi Sun-shin, the naval hero who repelled Japanese invasions – with the gates of the historical Gyeongbokgung Palace rising behind them.
On March 21, this open-air plaza will play host to a different kind of national icon: BTS.
The seven-member group – made up of members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook – will stage a free comeback performance in front of 22,000 fans, marking their first full show as a collective in nearly three and a half years, after the septet completed their mandatory military service.
This week, what many consider as K-pop’s global standard-bearer will begin the next chapter of an already illustrious career defined by Billboard No 1 hits, sold-out stadium tours and a fan base measured in the tens of millions.
