RM, the leader of BTS, shared a heartfelt message to the government and citizens after the group successfully concluded their ‘BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG’ performance. On March 21, 2026, the group marked their first full-group comeback in three years and nine months at Gwanghwamun Square. Shortly after the event, RM (also known as Kim Nam Joon) posted a lengthy letter on the fan communication platform Weverse, expressing his sincere appreciation for the immense support and cooperation that made the historic stage possible.
The scale of the event was unprecedented, with 40,000 fans gathering at the square, including 22,000 seated ticket holders. To ensure safety and public order, approximately 15,000 personnel from the National Police Agency, fire departments, and local government were deployed. Despite nursing an ankle injury, RM demonstrated remarkable dedication by participating in the performance. In his message, he thanked the authorities for their tireless efforts to prevent accidents and offered a sincere apology to local merchants, office workers, and citizens for the traffic restrictions and noise levels caused by the large-scale production.
RM emphasized that the performance was a collective achievement made possible by the “warm consideration” of the public and the unchanging love of ARMY. Following the successful comeback show, BTS is set to embark on the ‘BTS WORLD TOUR ARIRANG’, beginning with three shows at the Goyang Stadium on April 9, 11, and 12. The massive tour will span 79 performances across 34 cities globally, including Asia, North America, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East, marking the largest world tour in the history of K-pop artists.
Full Message from BTS (Translation)
I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who was with us for the Gwanghwamun performance.
Hello, this is BTS.
After a long wait of 4 years, our seven members have reunited to face you all in this meaningful space called Gwanghwamun. I would like to extend my thanks to everyone who sent their unsparing consideration and support so that our comeback stage could be completed safely.
First, I bow my head in gratitude to the officials from the police, fire departments, government, and local municipalities who embraced Gwanghwamun Square as our comeback stage and worked hard to ensure a safe performance without major accidents despite the massive crowd.
I also want to say that I am truly sorry and thankful to the citizens who endured inconveniences, both large and small, such as traffic control and noise, as well as the merchants and office workers in the Gwanghwamun area. We will never take for granted the warm consideration with which you embraced our performance with generous hearts, and we will keep it deep in our hearts for a long time.
And above all, our beloved ARMY, who are our everything and our pride!
Thank you so much for believing in us and waiting for us with unchanging hearts for such a long time. The moment we heard your cheers filling the square, our hearts were overwhelmed with the thought, ‘Ah, we have finally returned.’ We were deeply moved by how you enjoyed the performance in a mature and orderly fashion, showing consideration for one another even within such a massive crowd. As always, you are our greatest source of pride. We also send our sincere love and gratitude to the ARMY around the world who shared this same heart with us from across their screens.
This Gwanghwamun stage did not belong to the seven of us alone. It was a performance made possible by the hard work of those responsible for our safety, the warm understanding of the citizens, and the unchanging love of ARMY.
We will never forget the immense love and support you have shown us, and we will continue to create music with a deeper resonance throughout the future journey of BTS. We hope the passionate memories of today remain as a pleasant gift in your daily lives for a long time.
We were truly, beyond happy. Thank you.
March 21, 2026 From BTS
