1 in 4 fans at BTS comeback concert from abroad: data

Approximately 1 in 4 people in attendance at BTS’ comeback concert in Gwanghwamun Square on March 21 were foreign nationals, with those from Thailand accounting for the largest share, according to Seoul demographic data released Friday.

The metropolitan government's “living population” data indicated that 75,927 people gathered Saturday in areas around Gwanghwamun Square, Deoksugung and City Hall Station.

The estimate was based on the population counted across what was informally dubbed the “BTS zone,” stretching from Gwanghwamun to City Hall Station, Deoksugung and the area around the Sogong-dong Community Service Center.

Foreign nationals accounted for 19,170 of the total, or about 25 percent. Of those, the majority, at 13,889, were long-term foreign residents who had stayed in Korea for more than 91 days, compared to 5,281 short-term foreign visitors.

The city said the figures suggest that foreign residents, such as international students, made up a larger share of attendees than tourists.

By nationality, Thai visitors made up the largest group of foreign attendees at 1,740, followed by Vietnamese at 1,184, Indians at 1,126 and Japanese at 1,098.

Seoul’s living population data estimates the number of people present at a specific place and time based on mobile carrier base-station data and other mobility information. It also estimates the nationalities of foreigners in a given place and time based on immigration statistics, including tourists who are not registered as foreign residents.

Earlier, Seoul’s real-time city data had estimated as of 8:30 p.m. on Saturday that 46,000 to 48,000 people had gathered near Gwanghwamun and Deoksugung, including Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul Plaza and the area in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Council building.

A city official explained there was discrepancy between the two data sets in part because the real-time data did not include foreigners not using roaming services, adding that Friday's living population data is more accurate. The event organizer's Hybe estimated the concert crowd at 104,000.