Busan Transforms Neighborhood Ahead BTS Concert to Attract Visitors

March 21, 2026 | 07:23 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - As the global K-Pop supergroup BTS is set to perform in Busan on June 12-13, 2026, the port city is gearing up to welcome fans by developing new BTS-related attractions. BTS is expecting a fresh world tour this year after a near four-year hiatus due to mandatory military service.

The Seo District in Busan is moving to welcome fans by transforming a neighborhood into a special destination named Ami-dong, which sounds similar to their fandom, ARMY.

The Ami-dong plan was initiated by district council member Kim Byeng-gune. He was inspired by the success of Daegok Station on Subway Line 3 in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. The place became popular with Japanese tourists who wanted to take photos because the Chinese characters in the station coincided with the characters in the name of baseball star Shohei Ohtani.

Various efforts have been made to welcome BTS fans since the group's massive comeback performance at Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul, on Saturday, March 21, 2026. This includes building photo zones and pop-up stores in Ami-dong.

"In hopes that BTS will continue to thrive after their return, we are preparing to develop various programs that will maintain the connection with our region," said Seo District Vice Head Kim Jae-hak, as quoted from Korea Times.

The district also plans to install purple landscape lights, the signature color of the group and its fans, at Mount Cheonma Observatory. Local officials even consulted with the National Institute of Korean Language to change the official English spelling of "Ami" to "Army."

Through these various efforts, it is hoped that fans will connect with local tourist attractions. These include Gamcheon Cultural Village, often referred to as Busan's Santorini, the historical Tombstone Cultural Village built on a former public cemetery, Mount Cheonma, and the local Ami Catholic Church.

Gwanghwamun Square as the Venue

BTS will showcase their comeback performance live at Gwanghwamun Square, and it will be broadcast on Netflix. The President of HYBE Music Group APAC stated that the selection of this location was the idea of HYBE's leader, Bang Si Hyuk.

"Our chairman Bang has said that if we are focused on the identity of BTS being this band that was created and originated from Korea, which gave so much joy to the world and to many fans around the world, then this historical moment and it has to be in Korea and it also has to take place in the most iconic space in Korea," as quoted from Korea Joongang Daily.

Gwanghwamun Square is right in front of Gwanghwamun Gate at the heart of Seoul. Gwanghwamun Gate has been destroyed and renovated several times but the open space in front of it has become a center where Korean people gather to exchange views on various social and political issues. It has even become a symbol of democracy and harmony for the Korean people during the most turbulent times in Korean history.

According to its official website, the restoration of Gwanghwamun Gate in 2009 restored the front space of the gate to a public square that fulfills historical functions and significance. The area was recently renovated on a large scale with the most advanced digital and multimedia facilities. Reopened in August 2022, the square is expected to be used extensively, not only for recreation but also for public events and festivals.

Read: BTS Release MV 'SWIM,' Marking First Group Comeback in 3 Years

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