BTS fans scramble for tickets as K-pop stars launch first tour since military service

SEOUL – Chart-topping K-pop boy band BTS are set to embark on

a global concert tour in April

, marking their first new album release in more than three years. And on Jan 22, fans rushed to secure tickets for the tour’s opening shows.

The band had been on hiatus since 2022 while each of the seven members undertook South Korea’s mandatory military service.

“I flew all the way to Korea just to get the tickets, so it was all worth it,” said 34-year-old Joanna Marie in an internet cafe in Seoul. “I’ve been waiting for them. Now that we’re seeing them again, it’s like a big dream.”

Earlier in January, BTS announced they will

release a new album titled Arirang

in March, sparking intense anticipation among fans worldwide, known collectively as Army.

The accompanying world tour launches in Goyang, South Korea, on April 9 and will span 79 shows across Asia, the United States and Europe through July, the group’s agency has said.

Fans vying for seats at the first three concerts in Goyang Stadium braced themselves for ticket sales to go live at 8pm Seoul time (7pm Singapore time). Some even flew to Seoul to take advantage of its high-speed internet connection for the ticketing war.

“I think we’ve all waited really long and, now that it’s happening, let’s hope we all are satisfied,” said 20-year-old Valentina Le Pera in the cafe.

“They really are doing a lot of (tour) dates, so I think they know what the fans are expecting.”

The band’s most recent album, Proof, released in 2022, debuted at No. 1 in 18 countries and has amassed about 16.7 billion streams, according to industry data. REUTERS