Fans of the group – who call themselves ARMY – gathered in the morning in front of the offices of their agency HYBE, whose facade displays a huge mural of the band, to take selfies or record TikTok videos of the event.
Many came from abroad for the occasion, and the Seoul City Hall organized a special program to welcome them.
“It’s exciting to be surrounded by other ARMYs,” Anne Micic, a 55-year-old scientist, told AFP. “It’s almost like having another family, it’s really cool,” added the Australian fan.
BTS “saved my life,” said Claudia Agustin, a 23-year-old Indonesian, who said their songs helped her get through difficult times.
She said she was “very, very proud” of the band’s 10th anniversary. “I know how much they have struggled since they started, and they have become really famous. Now the whole world knows them,” she added.
BTS, which debuted on June 13, 2013, has crossed borders, raking in billions as it built a global community of fans.
special tourist menu
The Seoul mayor’s office released a tourist map especially for the occasion, featuring 13 places to visit in the capital, including the HYBE agency office in Yongsan and the historic Gyeongbok Palace, where the septet filmed a special edition of The Tonight Show. with Jimmy Fallon.
Starting Monday, major tourist attractions in Seoul such as Namsan Tower and Dongdaemun Design Plaza will light up in purple, the color of the group’s fans.
Band leader RM will be attending the main event of the Seoul celebration at Han River Park on June 17.
A special set of stamps released by the Korean postal service quickly sold out online: the 120,000 sets available took only three hours to sell out, a surprised official told AFP.
The group, which is currently on hiatus because two of its members are serving mandatory military service in South Korea, released a new single last week.
“Take Two” heralds a second chapter for the band after a decade as musicians. “All seven members participated in ‘Take Two,’” their agency HYBE said. “The song conveys their appreciation for ARMY, for all the love they give them.”
Meanwhile, the other members are developing their solo careers, a carefully planned strategy, according to experts.
“All K-pop boy groups will have to take a break or transition due to conscription in South Korea,” said Jeff Benjamin, Billboard’s K-pop columnist.
“But not all groups have prepared properly like BTS, with pre-prepared music and meaningful content,” he told AFP.