BTS recently sold out three stadium dates at the National Stadium in Santiago scheduled for October 14, 16, and 17 as part of the K-pop group’s ARIRANG World Tour. But according to Chile’s National Sports Institute, Instituto Nacional de Deportes, those shows were not approved after a technical and operational review raised safety concerns over the planned 360-degree stage setup. Now, those shows face uncertainty.
Like other shows on the tour, the stage would be placed at the center of the field, requiring extensive installation and subsequent dismantling. The institute decided not to approve the use of the stadium’s central field based “exclusively on technical and continuity criteria” related to the condition of the hybrid-natural grass pitch.
The proposed setup would require prolonged coverage of the field, providing insufficient recovery time before a national soccer match in November and other previously scheduled events.
On Thursday, the institute reportedly offered BTS’ production team alternative locations “within the same radius of the stadium complex to explore options that would allow the concerts to proceed without affecting the central field.”
Importantly, the shows won’t necessarily be cancelled; the venue just didn’t formally confirm the dates with the official decree necessary to authorize the events.
Sports Minister Natalia Duco said the production company “was aware and knew that [they] hadn’t confirmed the decree, but the tickets were sold anyway.” However, the concerts “could still proceed if the stage design were modified” to avoid disrupting the stadium’s preexisting sports schedule.
But with less than four months until the scheduled shows, fans are concerned the dates will be rescheduled or cancelled altogether. The production company, DG Medios, has yet to announce its next steps or provide any guidance regarding tickets already sold. The upcoming concerts are expected to be BTS’ first in the South American country since their Wings Tour in March 2017.
