BTS Recap Launch Of Latin American Leg )f 'BTS WORLD TOUR 'ARIRANG'
(fcc) BTS officially opened the Latin American leg of 'BTS WORLD TOUR 'ARIRANG'' with two sold-out nights at Estadio El Campín in Bogota, drawing nearly 100,000 fans for the group's first-ever concerts in Colombia.
The Bogotá shows marked the beginning of a major new chapter of the tour, as BTS embarked on a 14-show run spanning Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Brazil. For ARMY in Colombia, the concerts brought a years-long wait to an end, with BTS taking the stage in the country for the first time since their debut.
At the center of the show is ARIRANG, BTS' chart-topping fifth studio album. The tour translates the album's exploration of identity, belonging and connection into a stadium-scale production, placing its new music alongside songs that have defined different chapters of the group's career.
The tour has garnered attention for blending the beauty of Korean heritage and modern sensibility. The members moved through flowing fabrics inspired by the fluid, rhythmic movements of seungmu, creating a more intimate moment that drew the audience in.
The theme comes into sharper focus during "they don't know 'bout us," a song about choosing to stand confidently in who you are rather than allowing outside perceptions to define you. Handheld screens modeled after tal, traditional Korean masks, surround the members before giving way to the members themselves. Paired with a stark black-and-white VCR, the staging turns the idea of concealing and revealing identity into one of the show's defining visual moments. Adding another layer to the visual experience, the members also debuted new stage outfits for the LATAM leg, further elevating the visual impact of the performances.
The connection between BTS and ARMY in Colombia extended beyond the performances themselves. Clips of the members speaking to fans in Spanish quickly circulated online following the shows. V, in particular, shared a heartfelt message in Spanish, saying "Estoy estudiando espa-ol, pero mi espa-ol todavía no es muy bueno." (I'm studying Spanish, but my Spanish still isn't very good.) He continued, "Entonces, ayúdenme, parce. Hoy fui muy muy muy feliz. Tenia muchas ganas de verlos y ahora que estoy aquí con ustedes, Bogota esta muy bacano. ¡Bogotá, que chimba! Así se dice, ves? La pr0xima vez que vuelva, voy a hablar mucho mejor espa-ol. Si que, nos vemos otra vez. Los quiero mucho, Bogotá. Nos vemos pronto." (So help me out, friends! Today I was very, very, very happy. I was dying to see you all, and now that I'm here with you. Bogotá, you guys are super cool. It's insane. That's how you say it, right! Next time I come back, I'm gonna speak much better Spanish. So, with that, see you again here. I love you so much, Bogotá. See you all soon.) Jimin also expressed his awe at the audience's passionate energy, remarking, "This is our first time coming here, and I think your voices were one of the biggest of all the tours we've had." The crowd playfully shouted "papacito" (handsome), before erupting into an even louder wave of cheers and screams.
During the concert, a PSA from nonprofit Fundación Ábaco was also shown on the stadium screens, featuring a call to action and QR code encouraging the audience to donate to food banks supporting earthquake-affected communities. In August, HYBE donated 1 billion Colombian pesos to Colombian nonprofit Fundación Ábaco to support earthquake relief and recovery efforts.
The PSA featured the following message (translated):
In Colombia, thousands of families have been affected by the earthquake.
Today, they still need something as basic as food.
Food Banks are there to bring help to those who need it most.
HYBE already decided to join.
And you can too.
From this concert, we can send a message that reaches much further:
Colombia, We stand with you.
(the donation QR code appears on screen here).
Because when we come together, we can help aid reach more families.
Bogota is the first of five Latin American markets on the current leg, with BTS set to continue to Lima, Santiago, Buenos Aires, and São Paulo. The group's arrival is already extending beyond the stadiums themselves. In La Plata, Argentina, the City Council named BTS "Huespedes de Honor" (Guests of Honor) ahead of the group's three October performances, an official distinction recognizing distinguished visitors and internationally recognized figures in culture and the arts.
Following Bogotá, BTS will continue its stadium tour across Peru, Chile, Argentina and Brazil, bringing 'BTS WORLD TOUR 'ARIRANG'' to fans across the region.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
[an error occurred while processing this directive]