[KC-News from SEOUL] BTS Festa turns Seoul into a festival town

Editor's note
 
Hangang-daero in Seoul, South Korea is now recognized as a mecca for K-pop as it is home to BIGHIT Entertainment and its HYBE. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of BTS’s debut on June 13, 2013 with “No More Dream,” The Segye Times is launching [K-News from Hangang-daero]. Located just 300 meters from the HYBE and a 3-minute walk away, The Segye Times will continue to deliver fast and diverse K-culture news to the world.

The landmark Dongdaemun Design Plaza is illuminated in purple as fans take a selfie in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, June 12, 2023. AP

Seoul is buzzing with festivities as BTS FESTA 2023, an event to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the group's debut, kicks off today. 

BTS has held special events every year on their debut date (June 13), but this year's celebration is different as it is the 10th anniversary of their debut, and not only their agency, but also the Seoul Metropolitan Government and other government agencies have joined in the celebration. Celebrations are also taking place overseas in the U.S. and Japan. Many overseas fans have even traveled to Korea to celebrate the 10th anniversary of BTS's debut. 

On the morning of the 10th anniversary of BTS's debut, the HYBE office building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, was decorated with the slogan "BTS PRESENTS EVERYWHERE," which has a complex meaning of "BTS's gifts are everywhere" and "BTS is everywhere. BTS portrait graffiti drawings will be displayed on the walls of the HYBE building from the 17th to the 30th.

A screen shows an image of K-pop band BTS to celebrate its 10th debut anniversary in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, June 13, 2023. AP

In addition, major Seoul landmarks such as Gwanghwamun Book Market, Namsan Seoul Tower, Dongdaemun DDP, Lotte World Tower, Seoul City Hall, Seoul Plaza, Sejong Cultural Center, Sevit Island, and Banpo, Yanghwa, Yeongdong, and World Cup Bridges will be bathed in BTS's iconic purple color from December 12 to 25.

Outdoor advertisements celebrating BTS's 10th anniversary will be displayed in Seoul's Samsung Station, Teheran Road, Euljiro Entrance Area, and Myeongdong for 15 days. Overseas, such as New York-Los Angeles and Tokyo-Osaka, Japan, outdoor advertisements celebrating the 10th anniversary will also be installed until the 18th.

The main event, "BTS 10th Anniversary FESTA @ Yeouido," will be held on the 17th around Yeouinaru Station in Yeouido, Seoul. Events include "5pm, This is Kim Namjoon," where leader RM meets with fans, and the BTS 10th Anniversary Fireworks Show (8:30pm).

The solo documentaries of J-Hope and Sugar, who are serving in the military, will be released exclusively at Lotte Cinemas on the 16th, followed by a global release in the U.S., U.K., and Japan. On the 13th, a commemorative stamp will be issued commemorating BTS' 10-year history. The HYBE Insights photo exhibition "The Daydream Believers: The Dream, Finally," will run through Aug. 27 at a temporary exhibition venue in Bongunsaro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. 

The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Tourism Organization have also created a "Seoul Bangtan Tour" map that includes 13 BTS-related Seoul attractions. The map includes Hakdong Neighborhood Park, which the members frequented as trainees; Gyeongheeru and Geunjeongjeon at Gyeongbokgung Palace, where they filmed the Jimmy Fallon Show; Mount Achasan and the Cultural Reserve, where they filmed their self-produced content "Run Bulletproof"; and Sungnyemun, where they filmed the 2021 Global Citizen Live. Each location is accompanied by a relevant BTS song. Scanning the QR code on the map will take you to YouTube.

In anticipation of large crowds at the event on the 17th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has taken steps to prepare for the event. Starting at 2 p.m., Yeoui-dong-ro (from the southern end of Mapo Bridge to the front of 63 Building) will be completely closed, and all 23 bus routes that pass through Yeoui-dong-ro will be diverted. The number of subway lines 5-9 and Shinlim Line will also be increased to accommodate the end of the event. 

by Lee Bokjin, Song Eunah=bok@segye.com

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