Police transported guests over a 1-kilometre distance as an estimated 260,000 people gathered for BTS’s globally live-streamed concert in Gwanghwamun.
A remarkable scene took place when wedding guests from a nearby venue had to use police buses to get around due to traffic restrictions in the Gwanghwamun area, where a concert by BTS was being held.
According to police on the 21st, buses were deployed between Euljiro 3-ga Station and the Korean Press Center, where the wedding was held, to help transport guests.
Without police assistance, guests would have needed to walk more than 1 kilometre from Euljiro 3-ga Station to the Korean Press Center.
To board the police buses, guests showed their wedding invitations as if they were tickets. Upon arrival near the venue, they also underwent security checks before entering the wedding hall. The police continued this guest transport operation until around 4 p.m.
A day earlier, a police source explained, “We initially directed guests to use the underground passage connecting Euljiro 1-ga Station to City Hall Station. However, if trains skipped stops at Euljiro 1-ga and Euljiro Il-ga stations, guests would have had to walk more than 1 kilometre from Euljiro 3-ga Station.”
They added, “After receiving complaints about the inconvenience, we arranged a support plan to assist the guests.”
BTS is set to host “BTS Comeback Live: ARIRANG” at 8 p.m. in the Gwanghwamun Square area. The event will be streamed exclusively to more than 190 countries through online video platforms (OTT) in collaboration with Netflix—marking the first time the platform has live-streamed a solo artist’s performance.
Police estimated that as many as 260,000 people could gather along the route from Gwanghwamun Square, where the stage is located, to Sungnyemun Gate on the day of the event.
In response, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued a “performance disaster alert.” Based on the Disaster and Safety Management Basic Act, this marks the first time such a crisis warning has been declared for a performance venue.
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