BTS change venue of free concert for World Expo 2030 bid. Here’s why
BTS members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook will now be holding their free in-person concert for World Expo 2030 bid at Asiad Main Stadium in Busan.
BTS has changed the venue for a free in-person concert it will be holding in Busan next month to promote South Korea’s bid for World Expo 2030. The concert, named ‘BTS Yet To Come in BUSAN’ was supposed to take place at Busan Ilgwang special stage in Gijang-gun on October 15, but it will now be held at Asiad Main Stadium.
The decision to change the venue comes as several concerns were raised about holding a massive concert in Busan. The event is expected to have an audience capacity of 1,10,000, making it the biggest single concert ever held in the city. 1,00,000 people were to attend the concert at Gijang-gun while the rest 10,000 could see a real-time broadcast of the gig at the Busan Port International Passenger Terminal.
A large number of attendees led to concerns about the availability of accommodation in Busan, as almost all the rooms in Gijanh-gun and nearby areas got sold out instantly, as per reports in local media. Hoteliers raised the price of the remaining rooms and some even cancelled existing reservations to sell them at higher prices.
There was also the concern about the safety of the audience, and the management of traffic. Reports also emerged that the venue itself won’t be able to fit 100,000 people. In addition, there is only one gate going in and out of it.
Amid these concerns, BTS’ agency BIGHIT Music revealed on Friday that they have changed the venue of the concert to Asiad Main Stadium. An excerpt of the statement read, “Our decision to change the location of the concert was made in an effort to ensure that the focus remains on the performance’s main purpose, which is to promote the bid for the 2030 Busan World Expo.”
The statement added, “Our top priority is to preserve the main purpose of the concert and for the audience to have a smooth, enjoyable and accessible viewing experience.” It also noted that other events related to the concert will be held as planned.”
The seven-member band, consisting of RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, was appointed an official ambassador for South Korea’s bid for the World Expo 2030 in July. Expo 2030 is a proposed world fair to be held in 2030. Russia, South Korea, Italy, Ukraine, and Saudi Arabia have submitted bids to hold the event. BTS has been constantly engaging in promotional activities for their country’s bid.
