BTS draws 853,000 fans across 14 sold-out Latin American shows
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BTS performs at Estadio do Morumbi in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Saturday. Courtesy of HYBE
BTS drew about 853,000 fans to 14 sold-out concerts in five South American cities, its agency said Monday.
The seven-member group wrapped up the South American leg of its “BTS World Tour ‘Arirang’” with three shows at Estadio do Morumbi in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Oct. 28, 30 and 31, according to BigHit Music, a label under HYBE. The leg began Oct. 2 in Bogota, Colombia, and went on to Lima, Santiago and Buenos Aires.
The tour takes its name from the group’s fifth studio album, “Arirang,” which is named after Korea’s best-known traditional folk song. The setlist mixed new tracks with hits such as “Fake Love,” “Idol,” “Butter” and “Dynamite.” Members also spoke to the crowds in local languages.
“South America was one of the schedules we looked forward to most, since we rarely get to see fans here,” BTS said. “We were so moved that we feel we should come back soon to repay you.”
The tour marked BTS’ first concerts as a full group in Colombia and Argentina, and its first visit to Peru since its 2013 debut. The group returned to Chile after nine years and to Brazil after seven.
Argentine daily La Nacion called BTS “a global phenomenon.” Brazilian outlet Bandwagon pointed to stage designs inspired by traditional Korean pavilions, Gyeonghoeru Pavilion at Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul and the Korean national flag.
The concerts also gave local economies a lift. In La Plata, about 60 kilometers from Buenos Aires, where the Argentine shows were held, 96 percent of concertgoers came from outside the city. More than 48,000 stayed at least one night, for an average of 3.5 nights. Not counting tickets, they spent an estimated 53 billion Argentine pesos (46 billion won) on lodging, food, transportation and leisure.
Flight bookings to Bogota rose 46.6 percent on-year during the concert period. In Lima, ride-hailing requests reached up to 48 times the usual level after the first show.
BTS will open the Asia-Australia leg in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on Nov. 19. The leg continues to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Jakarta, Melbourne and Sydney.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
