BTS’s Upcoming Performance Causes Several Closures, Sparks Intense Backlash

BTS is facing controversy after the announcement that Gyeongbokgung Palace will close for one day on March 21 — the date of their Gwanghwamun comeback performance.

The Korea Heritage Service confirmed the closure after a meeting on February 25 led by Administrator Heo Min. Officials said the BTS concert “is expected to serve as an opportunity to promote K-Heritage worldwide,” so they planned “step-by-step safety management plans to ensure the safety of both visitors and national heritage sites.”

Along with Gyeongbokgung Palace closing entirely, its parking lot will also shut down. Nearby, the National Palace Museum of Korea will close. Scheduled performances at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts — including Anna Karenina (musical), Bliss & Jackie (Seoul Metropolitan Ballet), and The Wasp (play) — will be suspended for the day.

All staff will be on emergency duty during the event, with strict access control. Crowd flow will be managed to prevent overcrowding at spots like Sungnyemun Gate. An Emergency Response Team for Palace and Royal Tomb Heritage will inspect key points such as Yeongchumun Gate, Gwanghwamun Gate, and Geonchunmun Gate. Vehicle restrictions and CCTV monitoring will also be stepped up.

Police expect about 230,000 attendees between the concert stage and Deoksugung’s Daehanmun Gate, with up to 260,000 near Sungnyemun where a media façade LED projection mapping event is planned.

Despite the official explanations, netizens are furious. Comments blew up questioning why BTS deserves such special treatment.

“Why are they even holding a concert there?”
“Seriously, why are they going this far?”
“LOL, do we really have to go this far?”
“The whole ‘national boy group’ push is next level. It’s so damn old-fashioned. Guess we can’t even say K-pop isn’t government-backed anymore LOL. And they can’t even sing that well.”
“Why do they have to take it that far? This is ridiculous.” —from theqoo netizens

More backlash focused on the effect of the closure:

“Does it really have to go this far???? Why close Gyeongbokgung, and what about the people who already booked performances in advance???”
“What about tourists who came to visit? This really needs more careful consideration going forward.”
“Is this really necessary? It’s such a huge nuisance. Other tourists are tourists too. Where does this idea come from that everyone is here to see BTS? So over-the-top, seriously ridiculous.”
“BTS isn’t the center of the world… Just go to a concert venue. This is such a nuisance.”
“Seriously, why?”
“What the hell is this? This makes the country look so cheap, for real LOL. Is this even a country?”
“From a non-fan’s perspective, this is just excessive, excessive, ridiculously excessive.”
“This is too much. There are tons of tourists who want to visit Gyeongbokgung, and this isn’t even a national event.”
“This is way over the line for a private company event.”
“This is the kind of thing that should warrant a parliamentary investigation, but HYBE has too many connections, so they probably won’t.” —from theqoo

Authorities are treating this as a major security and heritage protection matter while fans prepare for the huge BTS event. The controversy over using such a historic site for a private concert continues to heat up online.

Read More Source from Kookmin Ilbo and theqoo

Stay tuned for updates on the BTS Gwanghwamun comeback show and the fallout from the Gyeongbokgung closure.