Fans continue to pour into central Seoul as BTS comeback concert nears

SEOUL – The crowd in central Seoul, South Korea, continued to swell on March 21 as fans gathered at Gwanghwamun Square for BTS’ long-awaited comeback concert, prompting the authorities to maintain extensive safety inspections and traffic control throughout the district.

As at 4pm, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the police reported between 26,000 and 28,000 people on site – a 23.8 per cent increase from three hours earlier. Despite the rise, the authorities assessed overall congestion levels as “manageable”.

Despite early-morning temperatures dropping to 2 deg C, groups of fans waited outside convenience stores, inside 24-hour cafes and along nearby streets from late on March 20 to secure a spot as close as possible to the stage.

Some arrived after work, while others travelled from university campuses or other parts of the city in the early hours. Many stayed awake through the night, bundled in layers of clothing and carrying portable chargers, blankets and warm drinks as they shared their sense of anticipation with fellow fans from around the world.

The police reported that some pedestrians attempting to pass through the fenced areas were stopped after metal detectors flagged kitchen knives and small blades in their bags.

One individual was found carrying a chef’s knife, later confirmed to be a professional cook on the way to work.

In another case earlier in the morning, a group was stopped while attempting to walk through with a fruit knife in a backpack, leading to a brief dispute as they insisted it was for legitimate use. At multiple gates, scissors, lighters and other small metal items detected by the devices were confiscated at inspection tables.

The police noted that the metal detectors were calibrated to detect even small metallic objects.

Safety fences were installed along a 1.2km north-south stretch from the front of Gwanghwamun to City Hall Station, extending 200m east-west. Access was restricted to 31 controlled gates equipped with walk-through metal detectors, where the police conducted body checks and bag inspections. With most concertgoers being women, female officers were predominantly deployed.

Security was also heightened inside nearby buildings. Entry to 31 structures surrounding the plaza are restricted to block alternative access routes or entry to rooftops and to reduce risks of falls and other accidents.

Traffic restrictions were enforced across the district. Sejong-daero will remain fully closed until 6am on March 22. Sajik-ro and Yulgok-ro will be restricted from 4pm to 11pm, while Saemunan-ro and the Gwanghwamun underpass will be closed from 7pm to 11pm on March 21.

The government established an on-site situation room at the Seoul Government Complex to monitor crowd density in real time. The police, firefighters and civil servants deployed for the event totaled about 15,000. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK