BTS’ October concert to only be held virtually: agency

September 25, 2020

K-pop supergroup BTS’ upcoming Seoul concert in October will be held virtually only, according to the band’s management agency Friday, canceling the in-person element that was planned together.

The Oct. 10-11 Seoul concert, “BTS Map Of The Soul ON:E,” was announced in August as an in-person show with government-mandated seat distancing measures for COVID-19 prevention. Big Hit also planned to livestream the two-day event online as paid content.

Big Hit Entertainment announced on its online platform Weverse that the concert “will be held online without an (in-person) component.”

This photo provided by Big Hit Entertainment shows a scene from the 90-minute online concert "Bang Bang Con: The Live" hosted by BTS on June 14, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
This image provided by Big Hit Entertainment shows a promotional image for "BTS Map Of The Soul: ON:E," a BTS concert scheduled for Oct. 10-11, 2020. The concert was planned to held both in-person and streamed live but will be held virtually only. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

This photo provided by Big Hit Entertainment shows a scene from the 90-minute online concert “Bang Bang Con: The Live” hosted by BTS on June 14, 2020. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

“With tightened social distancing regulations, restrictions continue to be placed on public gatherings and events. Under these circumstances and the lack of specific guidelines that apply to these events, it remains extremely difficult to hold an in-person performance at this time,” the company explained.

Bit Hit said it apologizes to all the fans who had been looking forward to an in-person concert.

Earlier this year, the Korean septet was forced to cancel an announced world tour due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To connect with fans across the world, BTS hosted a paid online concert, “Bang Bang Con: The Live,” in June, which set a new Guinness World record for “most viewers for a music concert livestream,” attracting 756,000 viewers in 107 countries and regions across the world.

BTS made history by becoming the first South Korean artist to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart last month with its disco-pop single “Dynamite.”