BTS switch concert venue due to safety concerns

A BTS concert planned as part of Busan’s World 2030 Expo bid in their native South Korea has switched venues due to safety concerns.

The South China Morning Post reports the free BTS Yet to Come in Busan show on 15 October was set to attract up to 100,000 people to a special stage on the site of a former glass factory near Ilgwang Beach.

However, following complaints the venue was ill-equipped for an event of such scale, the group’s management company Hybe has now announced the show will instead take place at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium.

“In order to prioritise the safety and comfort of attendees and ensure a smooth and transparent concert environment, while still protecting the purpose of this concert, the company has come to the decision to change the concert location,” says a statement.

“This will be a great opportunity to contribute to further development of K-Culture as well as its local pop cultures in Busan”

The new venue is expected to be able to accommodate 100,000 fans, which would make it BTS’ biggest ever one-day concert in South Korea. It will also be livestreamed online and a real-life “Live Play” broadcast – where fans can watch the concert in real-time on a big screen – will take place at the Busan Port International Passenger Terminal.

BTS were confirmed as ambassadors for Busan’s bid to host the 2030 World Expo in Busan Metropolitan City earlier this summer.

“Given the importance of its bid as a nation to host the World Expo 2030 in Busan, BTS and Hybe will do our best to successfully bring the World Expo to Busan,” says Hybe’s chairman Bang Si-Hyuk. “This will be a great opportunity to contribute to further development of K-Culture as well as its local pop cultures in Busan.”

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