Mar 22, 2026 1:35pm IST
BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE: K-Pop Stars Deliver A Performance Blending In Music, Tradition And Bonhomie
BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG was telecast on Netflix on March 21. The global live stage performance was held at the Gwanghwamun Square, one of the most iconic landmarks of Seoul, the capital of South Korea. The performance lasted for an hour where BTS members sang and danced on songs from their new album, “ARIRANG.” The band had said that “ARIRANG,” was a tribute to their Korean roots. Before they came on stage, we saw a traditional Korean performance on instrumental music infused with modern elements. Fans from all over the world had gathered in Seoul to see the boys who got discharged from the military in 2025.
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BTS greeted the crowd enthusiastically, saying, “Hello, Seoul! We’re back.” Around 50 dancers marched in a grid on the platform of the heritage site of Gyeongbokgung Palace to usher the Kpop boy band on stage. The began the performance with “Body to Body,” that has the traditional folk song, “Arirang,” blended into its powerful beats. Previously, visuals of how Gwanghwamun Square was being prepared for the live concert went viral all over social media platforms.
BTS’s members performed on eight tracks from the “ARIRANG” album. Fans grooved with them on “Body to Body,” “Hooligan,” “2.0,” “Aliens,” “FYA,” “SWIM,” “Like Animals,” and “NORMAL.” All these songs represented how BTS was now unafraid to explore bolder concepts in music and lyrics. BTS member Park Jimin with his blonde mullet hair was one of the stars of the show. The Korean element shone when black-and-white geongongamri graphics lit up the huge LED screen. They are the four black trigrams in the corners of the South Korean flag highlighting cosmic forces.
Overseas fans added to the vibe dressing up in purple or the red and white combination of the “ARIRANG” album. It was a huge surprise when they performed on global hits like “Butter”, “Dynamite,” and the robust “MIC Drop.” Unlike other concerts where we see a lot of heavy choreography, this one had more stylized moves. They performed on the title track, “SWIM,” produced by Tyler Spry and LeClair.
The popular track “Mikrokosmos” was the last song for the evening. RM, who is the leader of BTS told the crowd before exiting the stage, “No matter what happens, we promise to keep swimming together.” During “Mikrokosmos”, the LED cubes lit up with stars expanding into video projections across Gwanghwamun Square.
On March 27, Netflix will air “BTS: The Return,” an intimate documentary chronicling their lives in Los Angeles where they spent two months preparing for “ARIRANG.” It is directed by Bao Nguyen.
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