BTS’ long-awaited full-group comeback is set to bring central Seoul to a standstill, with the city confirming that around 3,400 safety personnel will be deployed for the March 21 performance at Gwanghwamun Square. Officials expect roughly 260,000 people to descend on the area for the group’s first show together in nearly four years, prompting one of the largest crowd-control operations the capital has ever staged.
The plans, reported by Korea JoongAng Daily, were finalised during a high-level safety meeting led by Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who urged agencies to prepare for an event of “unprecedented scale.”
Police will begin patrolling the square and surrounding streets the day before the concert to prevent overnight camping and keep illegal vendors from blocking key routes. Fire and disaster teams will position 99 fire trucks and 765 personnel across three major zones around the venue to respond instantly to any emergency.
Transport restrictions will be extensive. Entrances at Gwanghwamun, City Hall and Gyeongbokgung subway stations will be closed, with trains passing through without stopping for most of the afternoon and evening. Bus routes through the area will be diverted, and 12 additional subway services will run later at night to help disperse the post-concert crowds.
With tens of thousands of international fans expected, the city is expanding multilingual support. Emergency alerts and transport updates will be issued in Korean and English, while digital guides and real-time maps — available in up to four languages — will help visitors navigate the area, locate toilets and find information centres. Around 70 tour guides and 600 volunteers will be stationed throughout the district, and the city’s multilingual call centre will boost staffing on March 20 and 21.
Mayor Oh said the city’s responsibility “only ends when the very last citizen has returned home safely.”
He hopes global visitors leave believing Seoul’s safety standards are “on a different level”.
