BTS Arirang World Tour Launch: Rain-Soaked Yet Electrifying Opening In Goyang Stadium
The global K-Pop superstars BTS launched their highly anticipated dancing Arirang World Tour at Goyang Stadium this past weekend, putting on another dazzling display of talent that showcased not only their incredible talent but also their endurance during the event. The overall series of shows have been heavily affected by the rain during each show of the tour; in fact, heavy precipitation fell for the majority of the open air venue, resulting in thousands of ecstatic fans thanking these global superstar entertainers for an energy-packed, action-filled concert as they endured through some very challenging weather conditions.
Concert conditions were exciting both for those performing and those attending. On stage, for example, Kim Taehyung pretended to swim through the rain. Likewise, Park Jimin expressed his feelings on the rain when he thanked all those in attendance for supporting him and the band. While all attendees were there to have a good time, the concert was intended as a fun event for the entire group. Leader Kim Namjoon performed at full throttle and without limit, determining to give 100%, despite recovering from a serious right ankle injury.
Having completed their two years of mandatory military service and returning to the stage for the first time in four years, BTS has come back stronger than ever before; The concert showcased a 23 song electrifying performance review with multiple songs from their latest album Arirang, a compilation of Traditional Korean Music combined with the pop and hip-hop musical styles of today. Some songs, such as Hooligan, Mic Drop, and Run BTS provided and set an intense vibe, while others, like Swim gave off a much more emotional and moody feel.
The production was exciting with pyrotech, an extensive use of various lighting and video to enhance the effects along with multiple extended walkway areas to create a unique performance space. The band used fewer choreographed routines in their performances than on previous tours but chose to build rapport with their fans by improvising and offering spontaneous entertainment for each performance. One highlight was when the band did an impromptu dance that demonstrated how long they have communicated while playing together, which was part of the song "I Need U" on this tour.
Fans were dedicated to supporting the performance by waiting in-line/for tickets starting early in the morning and then gathering outside the arena without having purchased tickets solely for the purpose of being able to hear the performance. All three major closing hits "Dynamite", "Butter" and "Mikrokosmos" created a celebratory atmosphere culminated by the emotional ending song "Into The Sun".
As a result of the over 4 million people having purchased a live-streaming ticket and the tremendous ticket sales; this Arirang World Tour will be one of the largest music events ever held internationally supporting the undeniable impact and power of BTS worldwide.v
