Dressed in purple, thousands of BTS fans marked the K-pop supergroup's 12th anniversary Friday, with all but one member now finished with their military service and a return to performance likely imminent.
The septuplet BTS, South Korea's most lucrative musical act, has been on a self-described hiatus since 2022 while its members separately completed their military service, which is mandatory in the South for all men under 30.
This week, four members of the band wrapped up their army duties and reentered civilian life, with the final member SUGA, who was doing alternative service for health reasons, due to be released next week. Thousands of fans, many wearing purple outfits and carrying light sticks, started gathering Friday for the group's annual FESTA celebration which marks the anniversary of their debut.
The main event is being held in a massive event space in Goyang, just outside of Seoul, with local authorities saying they had set up "photo spots" across the entire city, "turning the whole city into an extended festival stage".
"We warmly welcome ARMY fans from around the world who will be visiting the city," said mayor Lee Dong-hwan.
Last year's FESTA, held outdoors in scorching heat with midday temperatures reaching 32 degrees Celsius, drew criticism from fans after dozens reportedly suffered from heat-related illnesses.
"I'm so glad this time the FESTA is held indoors," Maria Wojcik, a 28-year-old fan from Poland, told AFP.
Fans have also been gathering in Seoul outside the group's agency HYBE's headquarters, which has been wrapped with the slogan "WE ARE BACK".
"Considering the scale of the tour that was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19 and the pent-up demand, the group (BTS) is expected to draw at least 3 million concertgoers," added Hwang.
