Gyeongbok Palace will close for one day next month, as BTS prepares to hold its comeback concert in the Gwanghwamun area of Seoul on March 21.
Under the Korea Heritage Service, the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center announced the closure via its website and social media on Saturday.
Gyeongbok Palace is normally closed on Tuesdays but remains open on weekends.
The temporary closure comes as the boy band is set to release its fifth full-length album “Arirang” on March 20 and hold a live comeback performance the following evening in Gwanghwamun Square. The police estimate that up to 260,000 people may gather for the event.
The show will also be broadcast live worldwide through the online streaming service Netflix and in select movie theaters.
The K-pop sensation is reportedly discussing a plan to appear against the backdrop of Gyeongbok Palace, passing through Gwanghwamun and Woldae, a raised stone platform in front of the main gate that was historically used for royal ceremonies, before taking the stage, which will be installed on the northern side of the square.
According to minutes from a Cultural Heritage Committee meeting released by the Korea Heritage Service, BigHit Music, the boy band’s agency, had earlier applied for a filming permit for the opening sequence of the show, during which the members will reportedly walk through all three arched gates of Gwanghwamun — opened for the event — in groups toward the square.
In response, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said that it will activate comprehensive safety measures. The city plans to guide crowds in and out of major bottleneck areas before and after the concert and deploy a large number of personnel to prevent overcrowding. Firefighters, emergency medical staff and related equipment will be stationed on site, and emergency routes will be secured in preparation for unexpected situations.
