South Korean megastars BTS reunite Saturday for their first show in nearly four years, with an expected 260,000 fans taking over central Seoul for a K-pop extravaganza livestreamed to millions more worldwide. Keywords for this article Source link
Get the inside track from Roisin O’Connor with our free weekly music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This K-pop supergroup BTS returns Saturday after a four-year break with a massive, free comeback concert in Seoul, where thousands of police are locking down a central boulevard for the Netflix-exclusive spectacle expected to draw tens of thousands of fans. The performance at Gwanghwamun Square launches a months-long global tour spanning dozens of shows across the US, Europe and Asia. All seven members of the band – RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook – recently completed South Korea’s mandatory military service, and hope to reclaim their status as one of the world’s biggest pop acts. Fan of K-pop band BTS in front of a logo of BTS in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, March 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) The hour-long concert comes a day after the group released its fifth album, “ARIRANG”, which …
On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch South Korea has raised its terror alert level in the capital Seoul ahead of a BTS comeback concert that is expected to draw more than 260,000 fans. On Wednesday, prime minister Kim Min Seok’s office said the alert level in Seoul’s Jongno and Jung districts had been raised from the lowest “attention” level to “caution”, the second tier in a four-level system. The heightened level will apply Thursday through Saturday midnight, according to The Korea Times. “Given the uncertainties driven by international affairs, the government concluded that it is hard to rule out the possibility of a potential terror threat to the event like BTS concert where a large crowd would flock and will take a pre-emptive move to ensure the people’s safety as a priority,” the office said in a statement. open image in gallery People stand in front of billboards promoting a comeback concert of K-pop boy …
RESTRICTED ROOFTOP ACCESS Precautions are also being taken to prevent accidents from fans attempting to watch the concert from nearby buildings. Authorities are coordinating with building managers to restrict access to rooftops and upper floors at 25 buildings around the square. This aims to prevent situations such as overcrowding on rooftops, falls or objects being thrown into the crowd. Six buildings closest to the square have also been asked to close their front entrances on the day of the concert to prevent spectators from bypassing the official access gates. City officials have been inspecting the buildings and putting tailored safety arrangements in place with each property. TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS AND CROWD CONTROL Major roads around the square, including sections of Sejong-daero and nearby streets, will be closed during the duration of the concert. Officials said trains may be instructed to pass through nearby subway stations if crowd levels become too high. After the concert, authorities will guide spectators out in gradual stages to prevent overcrowding. Police are also preparing for the possibility that fans will gather …
If French girl chic met K-drama elegance, you’d get Loeuvre. Founded in 2019, the brand has quietly built a cult following thanks to its architectural minimalism and European sensibility. You may have already seen its bags in K-dramas like The Judge From Hell, Business Proposal and Record Of Youth. Korean celebrities including Girls’ Generation’s Choi Soo-young and actress Jung So-min are also fans. Loeuvre’s strength lies in its balance: gentle curves meet defined lines, supple leather meets structured silhouettes. The result? Bags that feel soft yet polished – the kind that look better with each wear. The Sac de Cle is a standout. A modern reinterpretation of a vintage box bag, it can be worn as a shoulder, tote or crossbody. It’s deceptively roomy, with three interior compartments that make organisation blissfully easy. While Loeuvre began with bags, it has since expanded into ready-to-wear that carries the same refined, architectural DNA. Where to buy: 29 Seoulsup 2-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul. Visit Maison Loeuvre for more details. 2. JEDREFEB 5 If your ideal bag doubles as an emotional …
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has suggested his country could “get along” with the United States but declared that South Korea – Washington’s security ally – remained its “most hostile” enemy, state media reported Thursday. Kim made the remarks at the end of a landmark party congress, urging Washington to respect Pyongyang’s status as a nuclear power. His words came as speculation grows that US President Donald Trump may seek some kind of meeting with Kim on the sidelines of a visit to China in April. If Washington “respects our country’s current status as stipulated in the Constitution … and withdraws its hostile policy … there is no reason why we cannot get along well with the United States”, Kim said, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. Accept Manage my choices One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site. …
It has been over a year since Ukrainian forces captured two North Korean soldiers in Russia’s Kursk, but the fate of the two men still hangs in the balance as activists accuse the South Korean government of dragging its feet. The men have asked to relocate to South Korea. In the North, they could face punishment for letting themselves be taken alive. “I won’t survive [going back]. Everyone else blew themselves up. I failed,” one of the soldiers told South Korean newspaper Hankook Ilbo. The United Nations has also weighed in on the issue. The UN special rapporteur on North Korea’s human rights record said in February that Ukraine should follow international protocol and not send POWs to a place where they face being tortured. “I would be grateful of they would take me. If they don’t there is nothing I can do,” a soldier was quoted as saying by the newspaper. POWs likely seen as traitors in North Korea Activists and North Korean defectors told DW that North Korean military doctrine outright prohibits surrender …
