With BTS members returning for their first-ever full-fledged reunion in four years, fan excitement was all over the board ahead of March 21, 2026. However, the K-pop sensation’s “BTS The Comeback Live Arirang” concert at Gwanghwamun Square, which is located in front of Gyeongbokgung Palace, the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty, was overshadowed by security concerns, some even as grave as potential terror threats.

Returning for their first album together since completing their respective mandatory South Korean military stints, RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook ended up bearing the brunt of potential boycott calls even before their latest studio album “Arirang” dropped on Friday. But that’s not all. The comeback season prompted even more tension for the group’s fandom, dubbed “ARMY,” as South Korea raised its terror alert level in the capital, Seoul, ahead of a concert expected to draw 260,000 fans.

On D-Day, a massive security system consisting of thousands of personnel was deployed at the iconic Gwanghwamun Square as the venue braced for a record gathering of hundreds of thousands of fans. Unlike other concert venues, Gwanghwamun Square is not only a historical landmark but also an open plaza.

ALSO READ

Here’s how fear-inspiring scenes took centre stage ahead of the BTS comeback concert.

Potential bomb threats overshadow BTS comeback concert on March 21

According to The Korea Times, South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min Seok’s office raised the alert level for Seoul districts Jongno and Jung from the lowest level, “attention,” to “caution,” a second-tier warning in a four-level system. The new level will remain effective from Thursday through Saturday night.

The PM office said in a statement, “Given the uncertainties driven by international affairs, the government concluded that it is hard to rule out the possibility of a potential terror threat to the event like a BTS concert, where a large crowd would flock and will take a pre-emptive move to ensure the people’s safety as a priority.”

Meanwhile, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on X that authorities had employed various safety measures while keeping in mind “traffic and crowd management before and after the performance, as well as responses to emergencies.”

During a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Lee even raised the “possibility of terrorism” as a major concern, urging authorities to stay prepared.

Authorities particularly went into overdrive over safety concerns after a reported bomb threat at Gyeongbokgung Palace a day before the BTS concert. K-media reports indicated that the National Heritage Administration and fire officials received a report at approximately 2:10 pm KST on March 20 about a suspicious letter claiming that an explosive device had been planted at the scene.

Grave concerns were raised as a palace official was quoted saying, “There were 2 shopping bags placed near an unmanned ticketing kiosk at Gyeongbokgung Palace with words such as ‘container’ and ‘destruction’ listed on it, so it was reported to the police,” as per Koreaboo.

Subsequently, officials responded to the reported development swiftly. The venue’s thorough inspection led them to confirm that there were no explosives on the premises. The letter’s content was also ultimately red-flagged as false, as the development was linked to a woman in her 60s who reportedly has a history of exhibiting similar behaviour due to alleged mental health concerns.

ALSO READ

Seoul on high alert: Security protocol in place for BTS concert

A security system of 15,000 people will be activated across the Gwanghwamun Square area on March 21, in addition to approximately 80 metal detectors deployed across 31 entry gates, as per K-media reports. Hours before the concert, Chosun Biz reported that authorities planned to deploy 72 riot police units (6,759 officers) and 35 detective teams (162 officers) to respond to any potential terror threats.

Additionally, seven mobile patrol foreign affairs teams (43 officers) will be deployed to curb any crimes targeting foreign nationals. On top of that, 8,200 personnel will be assigned for safety management, including more than 3,400 from the city, district and fire authorities, and over 4,800 from the organiser.

102 fire trucks will also be deployed to the scene. Moreover, the police special operations unit’s “anti-drone vehicle” will also be in place to respond to any unlicensed drone flying in the area without permission.

As another precautionary measure, police also restricted the release of firearms to licensed owners on Saturday. According to the Korea JoongAng Daily, the country mandates that all gun owners store their weapons at local police stations. Subway locker services across 17 Seoul stations have also been shut down for the day over terror concerns.

BTS were threatened with boycott calls ahead of the Gwanghwamun concert

As part of Seoul city’s bid to expand safety measures for the BTS comeback season, authorities also restricted access to rooftops and upper floors in 31 nearby buildings. This has been done to prevent the so-called “loophole viewing,” which many people resort to as a means to watch the concert without tickets.

Officials also noted the decision was implemented to curb accidents involving falls or objects being thrown at the crowds below. Many Korean netizens opposed the scale of the restrictions, questioning the use of public resources. According to Koreaboo, some netizens even threatened not to attend the highly anticipated BTS concert. The extent of the heightened checks even reportedly impacted wedding guests.

“They’ve basically become a group with state-level power. I’m not watching. These people are insane,” a Korean social media user said on X. Another, according to Koreaboo’s English translation, said, “Even free tickets won’t get me to see them.  Their arrogance is crazy.”

Another added, “If they’re going to go this over the top and cause inconvenience to completely unrelated people, they should just book a proper venue and hold it behind closed doors.”

All measures backed by authorities have been put in place to avoid any potential tragedy like the one tied to the 2022 Itaewon crowd rush, when 153 people died in Seoul’s most popular nightlife districts while celebrating Halloween after more than two years of Covid-19 restrictions.

Despite the never-ending criticism from “BTS haters,” the septet’s huge comeback concert is slated to proceed as scheduled. While 260,000 fans are expected to attend the show in person in Seoul, millions are counting down the hours to the big show at their homes worldwide, waiting to catch their favourite group’s years-in-the-making reunion on Netflix.