[On-Site] Inside BTS’s Emotional 13th Anniversary in Busan: 110,000 Fans, Tears, and a Birthday Magic

BUSAN — BTS marked its 13th debut anniversary in Busan, returning to the South Korean port city that is home to two of its members for the latest stop on its world tour. The group played the second of two nights at Busan Asiad Main Stadium on Saturday as part of "BTS WORLD TOUR 'ARIRANG' IN BUSAN."

It was the group's first Busan show in roughly three years and eight months, since the October 2022 "Yet to Come" in BUSAN concert held to support the city's bid for the 2030 World Expo. "I have so many good memories of Busan from 2019 and 2022," V said at the top of the show. "I'll make sure today becomes another happy memory."

The city is the hometown of members Jimin and Jungkook, and both leaned into that connection on stage. Jungkook greeted the crowd in Busan dialect, while Jimin looked visibly moved as he addressed the audience. "I'm so happy to be back in the city where I was born, singing and dancing with all of you on such a meaningful day," he said.

The second night, June 13, also marked the exact date of BTS's debut in 2013. Across the two shows, roughly 110,000 fans filled the stadium to celebrate the anniversary. "We're spending the 13th anniversary, a June 13 that will never come back, with everyone here," RM told the crowd. "I hope we sing and jump around together so today stays in our memory forever." Suga added, "So many ARMY have wished us a happy 13th birthday. I hope ARMY have a day as happy as ours." The members later led the audience in singing "Happy Birthday" together.

Fans arrived prepared for the celebration. Stadium cameras captured handmade signs reading "Happy Birthday BTS," lyric-inspired jokes and even one fan dressed as a birthday cake. Many of those featured on the giant screens were international visitors, reflecting the global reach BTS has built over the past 13 years.

The night also included the live debut of the Korean-language version of "NORMAL," a track from the group's fifth studio album, "ARIRANG." Despite hearing it for the first time, fans quickly joined in. The song explores the loneliness and fears hidden behind life in the spotlight, and its Korean-language performance in Busan added another layer of meaning to the anniversary concert.

To help fans through Busan's heat, parts of the staging used water as a production element. During "Dynamite," water cannons sprayed the floor section, and some fans had already pulled on rain ponchos in advance. "Water suddenly came out, so I think the people in the front rows were a little surprised," J-Hope said, laughing. V added, "A lot of people seem to enjoy getting hit by the water cannons too."

As at the earlier Goyang shows, the production folded the audience into the staging. For the title track "SWIM," the group's ARMY Bombs lit up in light blue and dark blue by section, turning the stands into a wide stretch of ocean. White fabric on stage created the effect of the members walking across waves, with the lighting rippling in time to mimic the sea.

BTS's "Body to Body" performance turned into a moment that crossed borders and languages, with fans from around the world joining together through music. ARMYs who filled the venue sang along in Korean during the section of the song that features the Korean folk tune "Arirang."

The sight of fans from different countries, speaking different languages, learning about Korean culture through BTS and singing "Arirang" with one voice pointed to the group's wider role. For years, BTS has helped carry pieces of Korean culture to audiences far outside South Korea, and the singalong was a clear example of that reach in action.

The surprise songs of the night included "Dimple" from the group's fifth mini-album, "Love Yourself 承 'Her,'" "Ddaeng," a 2018 FESTA unit track from the group's rap line, and "Magic Shop" from the third studio album. The full group performed the rap unit song together, giving it a different feel. The setlist changes by city and by show, part of the tour's live appeal.

Members' families and longtime friends were in the venue. "My mom came to see the show," Jungkook said. "I think she'll like it if I mention her at least once. Mom, are you watching?" Suga said his parents and aunts had come as well. "It had been a while, so it felt new." Jimin pointed out that the teachers who taught him as a child were also in the crowd. "Thanks to them, I didn't go off track and was able to grow up well," he said.

It was the group's first show in Korea after a long stretch of overseas dates. "All of us were looking forward to the Busan show," Jin said. "It was a time that brought us peace of mind, and having you here made us feel secure. We've spent 13 years together. We've been able to last this long because of you. I'm truly grateful to ARMY and to the members."

J-Hope also spoke about his affection for his home country. "When we went overseas, I was surprised by how many people loved us. It really made me realize how much support we're receiving," he said. "But all seven members of BTS are Korean. Performing in my country, on my own groud, in my own city is what I enjoy the most. I hope you'll continue to love us just as much. I love the ARMY who joined us today."

RM, the group's leader, said the night brought mixed emotions. "It feels like our debut was just yesterday, but so much time has passed. A lot has changed. We spend more time abroad now, there's more English in the lyrics, and there have been many shifts," he said. "The K-POP industry itself has gotten huge. Younger artists come up and ask how we've kept the team together for so long. Honestly, I don't really know. The other six members have made me look at myself again." He added, "It's an honor to be doing this together. Wherever we are and whatever we look like, we'll keep doing our best to show you who we really are."

The Busan dates also carried special significance as BTS returned to the stage where it last performed as a full group before its military-service hiatus. "Once the Busan concert was set, I was really looking forward to it, because the last show we did for ARMY was also in Busan," V said. "Thank you for coming to the 13th anniversary BTS concert. Today is a special day for us, and it's also the day all seven of us come together again for FESTA. I want to keep making music for ARMY for a long time. Thank you for coming to such a big event for us." He then formed a small finger heart and said, "Borahae."

The "ARIRANG" world tour spans 86 shows across 34 cities. Since opening in Goyang in April, BTS has performed in Tokyo and several North American cities, drawing approximately 1.08 million fans across 20 shows in seven cities. The tour's next stop is Madrid, where the group will perform on June 26 and 27.

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.