Cultural heritage mobilizes as BTS return draws global attention

Major cultural institutions are preparing for a surge of visitors ahead of the highly anticipated comeback concert of BTS, rolling out new lines of merchandise and adjusting exhibit layouts for the estimated 260,000 people expected to gather in central Seoul.

The March 21 performance to take place in front of Gwanghwamun will mark the group’s first full concert together in nearly four years, following the respective completion of mandatory military service by all seven members.

In the lead-up, the Korea Heritage Service released a map pinpointing where BTS filmed teaser scenes inside Geunjeongjeon, the throne hall of Gyeongbokgung and a designated national treasure. The footage appeared in a trailer released by Netflix two weeks ahead of the concert’s live broadcast.

The teaser alternates between daytime and nighttime scenes, placing the performers against the palace’s sweeping tiled roofs and layered courtyards. Gyeongbokgung, the main palace of the Joseon era (1392-1910), drew approximately 6.89 million visitors last year, underscoring its status as one of the country’s most visited cultural landmarks.

The upcoming show will also mark BTS’ first use of the historic site as a performance backdrop since a 2020 appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," when segments were filmed at both Geunjeongjeon and the nearby pavilion Gyeonghoeru.

The National Museum of Korean Contemporary History in Jongno has moved a BTS-related exhibit from its fifth-floor gallery to a higher-traffic multipurpose hall on the third floor ahead of the concert.

The exhibit centers on a purple box — BTS' signature color — that the group presented to then-President Moon Jae-in at the National Youth Day ceremony at Cheong Wa Dae in September 2020. The capsule, which reportedly contains objects representing the group's music, Korean youth and their fan base, is to remain sealed until National Youth Day 2039.

The museum said it relocated the display to accommodate the higher visitor volume expected this week.

The Korea Heritage Promotion Service is selling merchandise themed on Arirang — a traditional Korean folk song inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2012 and the title of BTS' new album — at K-Heritage Stores inside Gyeongbokgung and the National Palace Museum of Korea through April 24.

Items include handkerchiefs featuring Arirang motifs and a key ring depicting the seosusang — mythical guardian animals that flank the restored woldae platform in front of Gwanghwamun.

Separately, the National Museum Cultural Foundation announced a collaboration with Hybe through its MU:DS merchandise brand, born out of a national museum initiative to make heritage feel relevant and desirable to younger audiences.

The collection, available from Friday, features designs based on the Divine Bell of King Seongdeok, a Unified Silla-era (668-935) National Treasure and one of the finest examples of bronze casting in East Asian history. Its distinctive lotus and celestial musician motifs now appear on bags, skirts and wearable accessories.

"We hope the beautiful craft of Silla artisans will reach people around the world who love BTS," National Museum Cultural Foundation President Jeong Yong-seok said in a statement.

On the day of the concert, the surrounding area will largely fall quiet, as authorities move to control crowds expected to swell to 260,000. Police plan to restrict vehicle traffic around Gwanghwamun starting at 9 p.m. on March 20.

Several major cultural sites will close for the day, including Gyeongbokgung, Deoksugung, the National Palace Museum of Korea, the National Folk Museum of Korea and the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History. The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts will also suspend operations.