BTS delivers a festival of joy with global online concert ahead of in-person US concerts

BTS will be holding its first in-person concerts since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Los Angeles on Nov. 27-28 and Dec. 1-2

Screen capture of BTS’ online concert (provided by BigHit Music)

When the curtain was lifted, the members of the K-pop band BTS were behind bars. After the backup dancers smashed the locks with hammers, the doors slowly swung open and BTS emerged from their confinement. The skit symbolized just how much the BTS members have longed to get back on stage.

BTS’ blockbuster concert “Permission to Dance on Stage,” which was broadcast online for audiences around the world at 6:30 pm on Sunday, helped slake the thirst for live concerts that has been mounting during the pandemic. This was the first online concert the group has put on in roughly a year, since October 2020.

The concert was conceived as a “festival of joy.” The message it conveyed was listeners don’t need permission to dance, whoever or wherever they may be, echoing the lyrics of their song “Permission to Dance.”

Screen capture of BTS’ online concert (provided by BigHit Music)

The concert was divided into segments according to song theme and mood, and the stage sets were switched out with each song. BTS blazed through its main hits with dazzling dance moves and live vocals spiced up with special effects, making for a standout performance, despite the online venue.

BTS selected “On” for their first song. Due to muscle pain, V sat out from dancing, but he still was present on stage, only seated. The other members moved alongside backup dancers in choreography that was just as splendid as any offline show.

The next song was “Fire,” which made the mood sizzle with eye-popping special effects simulating flames. The main members were joined by backup dancers holding flashlights. The members moved to the middle stage for their performance and even grabbed the camera during the set for the song “Dope,” showing how much fun they were having.

Screen capture of BTS’ online concert (provided by BigHit Music)

“Two years ago, we had our final concert in Seoul. [Our fans] aren’t here with us right now, though,” said Suga, evoking memories of in-person concerts.

Jin blew a kiss and smiled. “We really wanted [to put on a show] so badly,” he said.

“We’ve been looking forward to today so much, just as you have. We’re grateful and honored that we get to be with you like this. We’ll keep performing for those of you who couldn’t join us today,” said Jimin.

“I hope you’ll go wild and have a great time with us,” J-Hope said.

RM said, “We’re getting to see you again on stage. It’s when we’re dancing and singing on stage that we have the most fun and get to be ourselves. It’s a little hard to do this after such a long break. What do you say, Jungkook?”

Jungkook answered, saying, “I’m not worried about that because the good things are dozens or even hundreds of times stronger than the hard parts. The live show that I streamed on my own before was something I tried out because I wanted to do this concert today. It’s much more fun to be here at the official show with the rest of the group.”

Poster for BTS’ online concert Permission to Dance on Stage (provided by BigHit Music)

V, who came out for the concert despite suffering muscle pain, said: “I messed up during the rehearsal. I’m really OK, so there’s no need to worry about me.”

“Things are just getting started, so I hope you’ll stay with us,” V reassured his fans.

V’s muscle pain began during a rehearsal the previous evening. When he went in for a checkup, the doctor said he hadn’t broken any bones but advised him to hold off on dancing, performances, and other strenuous movements for the time being.

BTS clambered over a variety of moving set pieces, including a bed, and also put on a striking performance where they melded into the shape of a swan, with the backup dancers serving as its wings.

One of the BTS members got a big laugh when he imitated Oh Il-nam, Player 001 in the Netflix original series “Squid Game,” for the line, “All of you, stop this. We’re all going to die in here at this rate!”

The speech that BTS made at the UN this fall was also played during the concert.

“This has been a time that has reminded us again of the value of moments that we’d taken for granted. Don’t get too discouraged about the future. We are the main characters of our story, and there are plenty of pages left in the book. We thought the world was going to end, but things are gradually getting better. This isn’t the end, but the beginning of change,” they said.

Poster for BTS’ online concert Permission to Dance on Stage (provided by BigHit Music)

BTS performed around 23 songs during the concert, with “Permission to Dance” rounding out the lineup.

The concert took place on the main stage at Seoul Olympic Stadium. The last time that BTS held a major concert online was in October 2019, for “BTS World Tour Love Yourself: Speak Yourself.”

“I get the impression that the situation is gradually getting a little better. Before too long, we’ll be really going to see you — just like in the lyrics of ‘Spring Day,’” J-Hope said before the final song.

“We’ll be going out to see more of you starting with our US concerts, so bear with us a little longer,” Jin said.

BTS will be holding its first in-person concerts since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Los Angeles on Nov. 27-28 and Dec. 1-2. Tickets are sold out, with scalpers asking for as much as around US$15,300.

By Jung Hyuk-june, staff reporter

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