BTS' Busan Concert Shows Improvement After Crowd Management Criticism

BUSAN — One day after widespread criticism over crowd management and entry delays at BTS's "BTS WORLD TOUR 'ARIRANG' IN BUSAN," the second concert at Busan Asiad Main Stadium ran more smoothly Saturday, though some of the issues that frustrated fans on opening night persisted.

The concerts hold special significance for fans as BTS returned to Busan for the first time in four years since the group's 2022 "Yet To Come" concert. The shows also coincide with "2026 BTS FESTA," the annual celebration marking the group's 13th debut anniversary. Busan is also the hometown of members Jimin and Jungkook.

Friday's opening concert was marred by severe entry delays, causing the show to begin approximately one hour and 15 minutes later than scheduled. Fans reported unclear directions, shortages of admission bracelets and gift packages, crowded entry gates and confusion over Face Pass verification. Some also reported difficulties leaving the venue after the concert, with the delayed ending raising concerns among those trying to catch late-night transportation home.

Crissy Bulligan, a 41-year-old project manager from the Philippines who attended Friday's opening concert, said the venue operations, rather than the concert itself, became the night's biggest issue.

"The perfect line to say is that they lost control of the crowd," Bulligan told K-POPIT. "There's nothing wrong with the show. Everything was perfect. The only nightmare was going in and getting out."

According to Bulligan, entry lines near the South Gate came to a standstill before the concert as attendees waited to receive admission bracelets and complete Face Pass verification.

"It was already 7 p.m. and they still weren't letting people in through any of the gates," she said. "People got upset because the show was about to start."

Saturday began with some of the same frustrations seen the previous day. Large crowds gathered near the entry gates as attendees attempted to access their Face Pass credentials, with many raising their phones above their heads amid network congestion. Visible guidance from staff appeared limited during the early stages of entry.

Social media posts from fans suggested that some lines once again slowed around the scheduled concert start time. Several claimed that gift packages had yet to arrive at certain gates, temporarily halting parts of the identity verification and Face Pass process while additional supplies were brought in. One fan wrote that hundreds of people were still waiting behind them as lines remained stalled.

Communication also remained a source of frustration. One fan wrote that "no one knows what the lines are," describing crowds gathered near the entry gates with limited guidance from staff. The fan said opening additional barriers helped ease congestion by allowing attendees to form more organized lines to enter.

Several attendees said fans often stepped in to help manage the situation themselves. One fan wrote that "ARMYs were the ones reminding each other to stay safe," while others translated instructions for international visitors and encouraged people not to push as crowds gathered near the gates.

However, the situation improved as the afternoon progressed. From the scene, staff gradually separated attendees into designated lines and controlled entry in smaller groups rather than allowing large crowds to move forward at once. Temporary crowd-control barriers created more structured pathways, helping reduce congestion around the gates.

Even so, some limitations remained. Finding staff members for assistance was not always easy, and announcements were often difficult to hear. Some fans also said additional megaphones and larger directional signs could have helped guide attendees through the entry process.

While Saturday's operations did not fully eliminate the issues raised after opening night, the overall situation appeared more controlled than the previous day. For many attendees, the improvements helped shift attention back to BTS's long-awaited return to Busan and the group's 13th anniversary celebration.

Still, some fans expressed disappointment that concerns similar to those raised during BTS's 2022 Busan concert resurfaced this year. As large-scale events continue to draw tens of thousands of attendees, they said clearer communication and more effective crowd management will be essential to ensuring a safer experience in the future.

K-POPIT reporters are following BTS's World Tour from Busan to major destinations around the globe. Discover on-the-ground stories you won't find anywhere else, hear from ARMYs around the world, and read in-depth concert reviews along the tour. K-POPIT will be there every step of the way with BTS and ARMY. See you soon in Madrid, London and Paris.