BTS Festa opens as fans await members’ return from military service

An annual festival marking K-pop supergroup BTS’ debut anniversary has begun, as many fans await the return of the five remaining band members currently serving in the military.

The 2025 BTS Festa kicked off Sunday for a two-week run both online and offline, celebrating the 12th anniversary of the group’s debut on June 13, 2013.

This year, BigHit Music, the group’s agency, will run around 20 booths where fans can relive fond memories of the band and its music at the KINTEX exhibition center in Goyang, northwest of Seoul, on June 13-14.

The venue will feature themed areas, such as the “Voice Zone,” where fans can listen to audio messages from the members; the “BTS Locker,” which displays cherished personal items belonging to the members; and a “Spotify Playlist” section where fans can listen to songs curated by the members themselves.

At Goyang Stadium near KINTEX during the same period, BTS member J-Hope will hold a two-night concert wrapping up his first world tour, titled “Hope on the Stage.”

The agency will gradually unveil photos and videos of the group online leading up to June 13.

“We sincerely thank ARMY, our fans, for their unwavering love and support for BTS,” the agency said in a statement. “To enhance the experience for visitors, we’ve significantly expanded the scale of the event in terms of space, content and operations compared to last year.”

The K-pop septet is expected to reunite as a full group later this year. The band’s oldest and second-oldest members, Jin and J-Hope, respectively, were discharged from military service at the end of last year. RM and V are scheduled to be discharged June 10, followed by Jimin and Jungkook on June 11 and Suga on June 21.

In South Korea, all able-bodied men are required to serve between 18 and 21 months in the military.