BTS’ three-day concert series ‘BTS Permission To Dance On Stage – Seoul’ was watched by 2.46 million fans.
The K-Pop icons returned to their home city of Seoul, South Korea for three in-person and virtual shows at Seoul Olympic Stadium on March 10, 12 and 13, with 45,000 gig-goers in attendance, with capacity limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The crowd also had to follow COVID-19 protocols that “prohibited any chanting, shouting or standing-up on-site through the concert. Fans were allowed to clap or use the clappers as well as the official lightsticks (ARMY BOMB) to cheer the band during the concert.”
Online, a whopping 1.02 million spectators from 191 countries/regions tuned in on March 10 and 13.
On March 12, a Live Viewing of their performance took place in 3,711 cinemas across the globe, adding 1.4 million viewers to the total.
Addressing fans during the last night, BTS – comprising V, J-Hope, Jimin, Jin, RM, Jungkook and Suga – said: “These three days have been like miracles. After a month, after a year and even in the far future, we will always be waiting for you.”
Before playing the final song ‘Permission to Dance’, they added: “Our last song will be complete with you. Wherever you are, dance with us with your body and in your hearts.”
Jungkook recently admitted singing without fans chanting and singing made it “difficult to perform”.
The 24-year-old singer admitted the protocols imposed because of COVID-19 made it hard to watch.
In a translated Instagram video, he said: “Finally, after two years, although it felt like 23 years, I got to perform in Korea. Like, wow, finally.
“Overall, I felt extremely happy today. Just extremely happy. And, to be honest, I felt at home.
“The thing is, especially in Korea, I usually get to hear the fans chant and sing with me.
“I didn’t get to hear that today though. And that made it really difficult for me today, to perform.”
He continued: “I mean, it was still incredible. But I found it difficult. [it was] just kind of hard on me.
“It was like, I’m looking at ARMYs right in front of my eyes but I wasn’t hearing anything [from the audience] and they can’t get up and dance or anything. They had to stay seated. Yeah, it was just difficult to watch.”
Jungkook admitted he was “concerned” about whether their ARMY – the name of their fanbase – were enjoying the show throughout the set.
He concluded: “I kept worrying, like, ‘Are they having fun? Are they enjoying the show?’ All throughout the show and even after, I was pretty concerned.
‘What we dealt with today? That entire situation was new for us too.
“I miss you all already. I miss the moments on stage. I miss your voices that I would hear from the audience in the past.”
The trio of performances makred their first performance in their homeland since 2019.