Fans flock to BTS Festa amid growing hopes for full-group comeback

As BTS’ 2019 hit single “Mikrokosmos” filled the air with soft beats for a brief lighting show around noon Friday, a wave of excitement swept through a big exhibition hall at KINTEX in Goyang, just northwest of Seoul.

Fans erupted in delight, quickly immersing themselves in the moment. Many raised their phones to capture photos of a massive screen on one wall, while simultaneously waving their signature light sticks, known as “Army Bombs,” with the other hand.

As the screen began to show the members’ faces one by one, the crowd responded with even louder cheers and emotional reactions.

The event is part of the annual BTS Festa — a hybrid celebration held both online and in person to commemorate the 12th anniversary of the K-pop supergroup’s debut on June 13.

The two-day in-person portion opened Friday, transforming the area around KINTEX into a sea of purple as fans dressed in violet T-shirts, carrying matching parasols or handmade accessories, lined up from the early morning.

Organizers say this year’s edition is the biggest yet, buoyed by the fact that six of the seven members have already completed their mandatory military service, with Suga scheduled for discharge later this month.

On Friday and Saturday, member J-Hope will hold a two-night anchor concert for his “Hope on the Stage” world tour at a nearby venue.

Fans roamed freely around the enormous space, exploring a curated BTS experience spread across more than 20 booths spanning two exhibition halls at KINTEX.

The entrance greeted visitors with a massive white-lit Army Bomb.

From there, fans flowed between interactive installations like the “Voice Zone,” where they could hear recordings made specially by the members, and the “Spotify Playlist” area, where each idol’s personal song picks played through NFC-enabled stations.

One of the busiest areas was the “BTS Locker” — a display of personal items from the members.

Patricia Repetti, who traveled from Miami, was busy taking photos of the displays, moving from one member’s section to the next.

“BTS came to my life in a hard time,” she said with her eyes glassy. “The only thing that I can say to them is that they saved my life, and I’m so excited that they are back.”

She, who identified herself as a member of the ARMY, the BTS fandom, motioned to a tattoo on her forearm etched with the Korean names of all seven members, along with song lyrics that once pulled her through.

Evdoxia Voulkidou, a student from Greece studying Korean at Hanyang University in Seoul, said she felt “very happy” watching the online live streaming of the scene of military discharge by four members last week.

“It’s been so long since they were in the army, but it feels like they’ve grown up, but at the same time, they’re still the same,” she said. “So I cannot wait what they’re going to put out for us. They always work so hard, so I’m sure they’re going to outdo themselves once again.”

Ko Ah-ra, a Korean fan who took the day off from work to attend, smiled as she snapped photos at the Trophy Zone, which showcased the group’s hard-earned awards.

“We’ve waited so long for this moment, so it’s hard to put my feelings into words,” she said. “I just want them to know that no matter what they do, we’re always on their side. I hope they trust us and that we can stay together, forever, until the very end.”