[NEW YORK] Inside BTS' ARMY MADANG: How New York Brought Korean Fan Culture to Life

As part of BTS THE CITY ARIRANG NEW YORK, the Korean Cultural Center New York transformed into ARMY 'MADANG,' a three-day fan hub that blended BTS-themed experiences with Korean culture. Running from August 1–3 in order to commemorate BTS' sold-out MetLife Stadium concerts, the free activation invited fans to explore everything from K-beauty and food to interactive experiences designed specifically for concert weekend.

Unlike many BTS pop-up events that primarily revolve around merchandise, ARMY MADANG felt more like a community gathering space. Deriving from the Korean word "madang" which refers to a traditional courtyard where people come together, the idea for the event carried the same meaning as visitors moved between booths interacting with each other and staff.

All entries to the event are timed at 50-minutes per visit and fans had to have made a reservation beforehand through Weverse. However, they had implemented a walk-in system based on fans who had come from the furthest distance, allowing fans who had eventually travelled the longest to have access to the event as well.

After checking in at the entrance, attendees entered the first floor where several sponsor activations immediately greeted guests with loud cheers, whistles and BTS chants. This made the experience feel more tied into that whole concert-going experience rather than just feeling like separate advertisements.

One of the busiest areas belonged to Samsung Galaxy, where fans could test the latest devices while participating in the Stamp Rally as well. Attendees would get three pictures taken which later on could be customized with various gemstones and stick on-stars as a keepsake from the event. Speaking to staff, many said that this was one of the most popular booths as they could also receive a customized sticker sheet. Not just that, after various missions alongside the booth including a post, fans could spin the record in order to win a personalized THE CITY NEW YORK pin or to win the entire collection which includes cities such as Goyang, Tokyo, Tampa, El Paso, Mexico City and Stanford.

Just a couple steps away is TIRTIR's "Concert Proof Bar" which was fully focused on helping fans prepare for any concert day. Visitors would have the opportunity to test the brand's bestselling products alongside an unreleased cushion foundation. Same as the previous booth by completing some online missions attendees would receive a scratch off card which would reveal a price such as a freebie or a miniature sample. While regular products were not available for purchase, the special "Perfect Setting Duo" set created for the event was available for purchase through the Weverse Platform.

With V serving as TIRTIR ambassador, this was also a very popular booth as combining K-POP and K-Beauty has become the ultimate marketing weapon. Furthermore, speaking with fans on-site and staff, a lot of them said that aside from the ambassadorship, they all enjoyed the product, especially the wide shade range that TIRTIR has been able to provide not just in their red cushion but soon in their unreleased cushion as well.

Food also played a very important role in the experience and so Korean bakery chain Tous les Jours invited visitors to sample several of its signature baked goods. This offered many international fans the opportunity to try something different as after receiving a complimentary lemonade, they had the choice of trying out a red bean paste bread known as danpatbbang. Staff told K-POPIT how the bread had been an absolute hit with attendees as they found it the perfect balance of sweetness in a type of pastry.

Perhaps one of the most sought-after experiences was the ARMY Bomb customization station. Fans were given the opportunity to personalize the lightsticks they would later bring into MetLife Stadium. Fans were allowed to choose one commemorative ribbon alongside two New York themed stickers. Once they were done choosing, fans could take a postcard with the lyrics off of their favorite song. Since the group's Grammys decision, it seemed "they don’t know 'bout us" and "Aliens" had become fan favorites.

Nearby, Photoism proved to be one of the busiest zones as fines lined up to take a commemorative photo strip. This was one of the zones where the line unfortunately had to be cut off early as the machines needed time to reset. This meant that attendees needed to plan their route around the venue as efficiently as possible as once their 50 minute time slot was up, guests had to vacate the premises.

As fans waited to enter experiences they never shied away from talking to each other, reinforcing that bond that ARMY has always prided on having. Many fans came dressed and ready to go for the concert, while others were wearing the merch they had purchased on the previous day. Speaking to K-POPIT, Marissa, a local ARMY, had come to the event before heading to the venue with a Jimin, inspired outfit. She shared how making the reservation wasn't hard and had so far enjoyed all of the booths that they were offering.

Furthermore we also met with Yuli who had traveled all the way from Mexico to attend the concert on August 1st. She had previously seen BTS during their sold-out Mexico City shows but New York offered a whole different experience for her especially with activities such as the ARMY Madang, where you could get a different range of freebies. Yuli shared how coming to New York had not just given her the chance to see BTS once more but also to finally meet friends she had made thanks to the group.

Beyond the reservation-only first floor, the lower-level ARIRANG Theater remained open to all visitors. The theater continuously screened BTS dance practice videos spanning the group's career alongside KEEP SWIMMING, giving fans a chance to revisit the group's growth in a quieter setting away from the crowds upstairs.

Ultimately its community driven approach and various abilities to replicate the ARMY experience, usually received in South Korea during BTS events became what set ARMY MADANG apart from the other BTS THE CITY activations across New York. The Korean Cultural Center focused on creating a space where fans could spend time together while naturally discovering different parts of Korean culture and also meeting each other. Whether visitors arrived for a photo booth, a bakery sample or simply to meet fellow ARMY before the concerts, the experience succeeded in making the venue feel like a gathering place, living up to the meaning behind its name.