Fans waited four hours to enter, but ‘2025 BTS Festa’ delivered like never before

The world tunes in as two-day offline event welcomes fans around the world

Fans wait in line to enter the "2025 BTS Festa" event at Kintex in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on Friday. (Big Hit Music)

The highly anticipated “2025 BTS Festa” kicked off Friday at Kintex in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, drawing BTS fans from around the world to celebrate the group’s debut on June 13, 2013. The two-day event runs through Saturday as part of the annual “BTS Festa,” which this year marks the band’s 12th anniversary.

"2025 BTS Festa" opened its doors at 10 a.m. in Halls 9 and 10 of Kintex Exhibition Center II. From the start, crowds stretched nearly a kilometer outside the venue, with the line showing no signs of shrinking -- even as the 7 p.m. closing time neared. Most BTS fans, known as Army, waited anywhere from two to five hours just to get in.

Shaina, a Canadian fan who traveled from Canada, said she waited more than four hours to enter.

“It was tough to get in and rough standing in line. But the Festa itself is great. I’m a BTS fan and came a long way — I’m really enjoying it,” she said.

Over the years, the event has evolved into a global tradition for both BTS and Army, with fans traveling to South Korea each June to take part in the festivities.

This year’s offline event opened to the public from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. without any need for reservations. To support international attendees, staff fluent in English, Japanese and Chinese were stationed throughout the venue. Event materials, including the official website and printed guides, were made available in four languages.

“I’ve been Army since 2017 and I’m a fan of RM. Of course I love BTS and all their festivals — that’s why I’m here,” said Jennie, a fan from Indonesia.

“It’s my first time attending BTS Festa. This event is so cool,” added Rini, another Indonesian fan. “I’ve been a BTS fan for two years. It feels amazing that my favorite member, Jimin, got discharged.”

To help thousands of fans navigate the venue more comfortably, real-time crowd density updates for each exhibition zone are posted every 30 minutes on the official website.

A paid shuttle bus service also operates between Kintex GTX Station and Goyang Sports Complex, where J-Hope’s solo encore concert “J-Hope Tour ‘Hope on The Stage’ Final” is being held Friday.

A fan photographs a balloon-shaped light installation at "Army Bomb Photo Spot" while holding a 2025 BTS Festa ticket at Kintex in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Friday. (Big Hit Music)

The venue featured a wide range of interactive installations and photo spots, including the Army Bomb Photo Spot and Whale Photo Spot. Starting at noon, a coordinated light show using fans’ “Army Bomb” light sticks lit up the hall every hour on the hour, creating a striking visual spectacle.

Fans also explored exhibition spaces such as the "Voice Zone," where they could hear BTS members’ recorded messages, and the "Spotify Playlist Zone" offering member-recommended tracks via NFC. The “BTS Locker” display offered a glimpse into each member’s unique style and preferences.

Hands-on sections such as the “DIY Zone,” “Game Zone” and “Coloring Wall” added interactive fun to the experience, while the “Trophy Zone” showcased BTS’ major awards, allowing fans to reflect on the group’s accomplishments and shared journey with Army.

“My favorite spot was the capsule. But I also liked the Coloring Wall,” said Malani, a fan visiting from Boston.

Kyla, who came from New York, agreed: “I loved the Coloring Wall where we could draw and write messages to BTS. I also liked the AI thing — it was super cool.”