The Chilean government has reversed its decision to block BTS’s upcoming concert in Santiago after thousands of ARMY fans staged peaceful protests across the country.
Following a public outcry over the decision, Chile’s National Sports Institute (Instituto Nacional de Deportes – IND) announced on July 2 that it would not permit BTS to use Santiago’s National Stadium for three scheduled ARIRANG World Tour concerts on October 14, 16, and 17. However, after nationwide demonstrations on July 5, the government changed its stance on July 6, saying it would consider granting conditional approval.
The IND had initially denied the use of the stadium based on a technical report stating that the installation of BTS’s planned 360-degree stage could damage the stadium’s grass field and require an extended setup and dismantling period.
The South American concerts were set to mark BTS’s first performance in Chile since the group’s 2017 WINGS Tour. Each show was expected to accommodate approximately 48,000 attendees, with nearly 150,000 fans expected across the three dates. Tickets sold out immediately when sales opened in April as fans eagerly awaited the group’s return after nine years. However, authorities rejected the venue application, stating that concert organizer DG Medios had failed to submit a technical protection plan that met the required standards.
Chile’s Minister of Sports, Natalia Duco, insisted that the concerts had not been canceled but were instead being considered for relocation. She suggested alternative venues, including the outdoor plaza inside National Stadium Park and Cerrillos Park. Fans and industry observers, however, argued that no alternative venue in Chile could realistically accommodate more than 48,000 spectators, effectively making the concerts impossible.
In response, ARMY organized peaceful demonstrations on July 5. Fans carrying purple balloons marched to Chile’s presidential palace, La Moneda, while singing BTS songs. Protest signs included messages such as “For God, Bring BTS to the National Stadium,” “No BTS No Life,” and “Today We Fight.” Demonstrations were held simultaneously in 11 cities across Chile.
According to Spain’s EFE news agency, one protester accused the Chilean government of making a “political decision” to distract from domestic issues, calling the move “extremely unfair and disrespectful.”
The controversy also drew criticism from Chilean lawmakers. Liberal Party congressman Alejandro Bernales argued that rejecting BTS’s concerts would harm both Chile’s economy and its international reputation, calling the government’s decision contradictory.
Local newspaper El Ciudadano further reported that the Chilean government’s handling of the situation had become an international embarrassment after receiving coverage from Korean media outlets.
Amid mounting public pressure, the government ultimately reversed course on July 6, announcing it would review the conditional approval if the concert organizers installed a protective system that met all technical requirements to preserve the stadium.
Meanwhile, BTS’s ‘ARIRANG’ World Tour is scheduled to span 88 concerts across 34 cities worldwide.
On June 29, Billboard announced that BTS World Tour ARIRANG topped its Top Tours chart for May, marking its second consecutive month at No. 1 after also leading the rankings in April. The tour’s May revenue increased 68% from the previous month, while attendance rose 54%.
During May, BTS performed in four cities—El Paso, Stanford, Las Vegas, and Mexico City—earning 127.8 million USD from 12 concerts held between May 2 and May 28. Billboard reported that this was the highest monthly tour revenue ever recorded by a group since the chart was introduced in 2019, surpassing The Rolling Stones’ previous record of $95 million set in August 2019 by 35%.
This marked BTS’s fourth time topping Billboard’s Top Tours chart, following previous No. 1 rankings in May 2019, April 2022, and April 2026. According to Billboard, only six artists have achieved at least four No. 1 finishes on the chart: BTS, Bad Bunny, Beyoncé, Coldplay, Elton John, and Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
BTS’ four-night Las Vegas engagement ranked No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Boxscores, generating 49.5 million USD in ticket sales. Concerts at Stanford Stadium, Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City, and Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso ranked second through fourth, respectively.
Since launching on April 9, the ‘ARIRANG’ World Tour has accumulated 204 million USD in total revenue. The tour is scheduled to run from April 2026 through March 2027, featuring 85 concerts across 34 cities in 23 countries, with more than 60 shows still remaining.
Billboard projected that the tour is on pace to surpass BTS’s previous highest-grossing tour, BTS World Tour LOVE YOURSELF, which earned 213.9 million USD.
BTS recently kicked off the European leg of the tour in Madrid on June 26 and 27 before performing in Brussels on July 1 and 2. The group also held a concert in London on July 6.
