Goyang City Captivates 130,000 ARMY as BTS World Tour ‘Arirang in Goyang’ Concludes Successfully

Goyang Special City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Lee Donghwan) has solidified its status as a “mecca of K-performance culture,” having successfully hosted the opening show of the global group BTS’s world tour.

130,000 ARMY Gathered in Goyang City... 'BTS World Tour 'Arirang' in Goyang' Successfully Concluded. Provided by Big Hit Music

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Goyang Special City announced on April 16 that the “BTS World Tour Arirang in Goyang,” held over three days at Goyang Sports Complex on April 9, 11, and 12, concluded with enthusiastic support from 132,000 domestic and international fans.

This concert drew international attention, as it was broadcast live in 194 countries around the world. The city prepared for the large crowds by operating an integrated administrative support system in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Gyeonggi Province, police, and fire departments.

The city established a comprehensive response system by holding an administrative support planning briefing chaired by the mayor, and built a unified communication channel among the city, concert organizers, police, and fire authorities to ensure that critical information could be quickly shared and immediate responses provided in case of emergencies. Mayor Lee Donghwan personally monitored the overall situation from the safety control room prior to the concert to ensure that final decisions could be made promptly if an emergency occurred.

To support the event, the city implemented integrated administrative measures across all areas, including safety, traffic, crowd management, and hospitality marketing. In particular, to prevent potential safety accidents when approximately 40,000 attendees exited simultaneously, the city guided orderly exits by section, resulting in a smooth sequential departure of concertgoers with not a single safety incident reported.

130,000 ARMY Gathered in Goyang City... 'BTS World Tour "Arirang" in Goyang' Successfully Concluded. Provided by Goyang City

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Additionally, to ease crowd congestion at Daehwa Station on Subway Line 3, the city encouraged the use of GTX-A Kintex Station and operated shuttle buses between Kintex Station and Goyang Sports Complex. Major entrances were monitored in real time using a crowd detection sensor system to track the flow of people.

In terms of city landscape, the Goyang Sports Complex was illuminated in BTS’s signature color, purple. The musical fountain at Ilsan Lake Park opened early to present a purple fountain show featuring BTS’s hit songs, allowing citizens and visitors to feel the excitement of the event throughout the city.

Notably, the city also launched new consumption, cultural, and tourism policies linked to the BTS concert, such as “Goyang Contrip” and the “Big Sale to Revitalize the Local Economy.” Businesses in various sectors, including accommodation, K-food, and K-beauty, actively participated, and the city guided concertgoers toward local commercial districts, presenting a new paradigm that connected the benefits of a global concert to local economic booms.

130,000 ARMY Gathered in Goyang City... ‘BTS World Tour ‘Arirang’ in Goyang’ Successfully Concluded. Provided by Goyang City

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The excitement of the concert was reflected in the local economy, as most accommodations in Goyang were fully booked before and after the event. Hotel reservation rates reached 80-100% not only near the venue but also in Ilsandong-gu and Deogyang-gu.

Nearby restaurants, cafes, and retailers also saw increased sales. During the “Big Sale to Revitalize the Local Economy” week, which was planned by the city, 156 businesses, including restaurants and large supermarkets, voluntarily participated, attracting concertgoers. Through “Goyang Contrip,” spending naturally expanded to major commercial areas such as Bamridan-gil and Anigol.

The number of visitors to the Goyang Tourism Information Center, which hosted a special BTS handprinting exhibition, surged by 183% compared to the same period last year, and sales at the city’s souvenir shop within the center also increased.

130,000 ARMY Gathered in Goyang City... ‘BTS World Tour ‘Arirang’ in Goyang’ Successfully Concluded. Provided by Big Hit Music

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Mayor Lee Donghwan stated, “This concert concluded safely thanks to government-wide support, the dedicated on-site response by police and fire departments, thorough preparation by the organizers, and the order maintained by 130,000 ARMY. Based on the experience and capabilities proven by successfully hosting the first stage of the BTS World Tour, we will continue to create a safe and comfortable concert environment for both audiences and citizens at future large-scale events.”

Meanwhile, the number of domestic and international visitors to Goyang Sports Complex - which hosts about 20 large concerts every year - is steadily increasing. The city hopes to further solidify its position as a hub of Hallyu and a leading performance city through ongoing change and growth driven by such events.

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