As BTS completes 12 years, fans gear up for return
BTS has been on a self-described hiatus since 2022. Photo: File
Dressed in purple, thousands of BTS fans marked the K-pop supergroup's 12th anniversary Friday, with all but one member now finished with their military service and a return to performance likely imminent, reported AFP.
The septuplet BTS, South Korea's most lucrative musical act, has been on a self-described hiatus since 2022 while its members separately completed their military service, which is mandatory in the South for all men under 30.
This week, four members of the band wrapped up their army duties and reentered civilian life, with the final member SUGA, who was doing alternative service for health reasons, due to be released next week.
Thousands of fans, many wearing purple outfits and carrying light sticks, started gathering Friday for the group's annual FESTA celebration, which marks the anniversary of their debut.
The main event is being held in a massive event space in Goyang, just outside of Seoul, with local authorities saying they had set up "photo spots" across the entire city, "turning the whole city into an extended festival stage".
"We warmly welcome ARMY fans from around the world who will be visiting the city," said mayor Lee Dong-hwan.
Last year's FESTA, held outdoors in scorching heat with midday temperatures reaching 32 degrees Celsius, drew criticism from fans after dozens reportedly suffered from heat-related illnesses.
"I'm so glad this time the FESTA is held indoors," Maria Wojcik, a 28-year-old fan from Poland, told AFP.
Fans have also been gathering in Seoul outside the group's agency HYBE's headquarters, which has been wrapped with the slogan "WE ARE BACK".
With the fan frenzy in full swing, a Chinese woman was briefly detained, police said Thursday, for a possible attempted break-in at BTS singer Jungkook's luxury apartment in Seoul, just hours after he was released from military service.
HYBE happy
BTS member J-Hope is set to hold a concert at a nearby venue on the day of the FESTA celebration, and many fans are hoping the recently discharged members will join him on stage for a special performance.
The fans may be excited for a reunion, but no one is more thrilled by the pending return to performance of BTS than their agency, HYBE, which stands to see a sharp rebound in earnings.
Before their military service, HYBE's CEO Lee Jae-sang said that the band's contribution to the company's revenue was exactly 95 per cent, adding that "as of 2024, it is estimated to be under 20 per cent".
But analysts are predicting a surge in profits with the group's return.
"HYBE recorded its first earnings decline during BTS's military service period, but with the group's full return, profits are expected to grow by around 150 per cent over the next two years through 2026," said Lee Ki-hoon, an analyst at Hana Securities.
"With BTS resuming a large-scale world tour, HYBE's operating profit is projected to rise 71 per cent on-year to 462 billion won ($340 million) next year," Hwang Ji-won from IM Securities told AFP.
The comeback also coincides with signs that China's unofficial ban on Korean pop culture — imposed in retaliation after Seoul allowed deployment of a US-made THAAD missile defence system — may be easing under South Korea's new administration.
South Korea's new President Lee Jae-myung took office after a snap election last week, promising a more pragmatic diplomacy than his hawkish predecessor.
If so, experts say concert attendance is expected to soar, with China being a key market for K-pop.
"Considering the scale of the tour that was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19 and the pent-up demand, the group (BTS) is expected to draw at least 3 million concertgoers," added Hwang.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
10 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Sir David Beckham achieves ultimate goal
The royal family were quick to embrace David Beckham, inviting him to the weddings of Prince William and Kate Middleton and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. PHOTO: AFP David Beckham's knighthood is the culmination of years of tireless efforts to transcend football and turn himself into a global icon at the "intersection of sport, fashion and business." He had long dreamed of becoming a sir and King Charles III made it a reality when he announced his birthday's honours list on Friday, marking the end of a decades-long journey travelled with his Spice Girl wife Victoria, creator of the eponymous fashion brand. The honour, one of the highest bestowed by the UK state, "is a powerful symbolic marker", Marie Agnes Parmentier, professor of marketing at the University of Montreal and author of several papers on "Posh and Becks", explained to AFP. It "reinforces his image as a respectable, committed, and, first and foremost, British man," she added. The knighthood could present new opportunities for the 50-year-old former Manchester United and Real Madrid player, "particularly in diplomatic, charitable or political spheres", said Parmentier. The former free-kick ace, from a modest East London background, diversified his career after retiring from football in 2013, but success was the result of planning long before he hung up his boots. "I knew my career was going to end at some point and I wanted to have a career after football," he said in the documentary series "Beckham", which aired on Netflix in 2023. Pioneer At the height of his football career, Beckham was signing deals with top clothing and beauty brands, building an audience that cut across gender, age and nationality — becoming the first England player to crack the US market. The successful brand was built on his always immaculate appearance and nearly-always exemplary off-field behaviour, coupled with an unwavering drive to become a pioneer. This required a certain amount of courage, given that English football in the 1990s was generally the preserve of no-nonsense lads more interested in the pub than the catwalk. His appearance in a sarong during the 1998 World Cup, revelations that he used make-up, and his eccentric hairstyles were all feverishly gobbled up by the UK's tabloid press. Beckham is still capitalising on the fascination, almost 30 years later. He unveiled his first collection for Hugo Boss in April, is the founder of the Inter Miami football club and the "Studio 99" production company, and has been a UNICEF ambassador for 20 years. He is now best known not for football, "but for being Beckham, the brand", said sociologist Ellis Cashmore. It is a brand worth £500 million ($676 million), according to The Times newspaper's 2025 ranking. From Outcast to Hero The Netflix show exposed the couple to an emerging younger audience, cementing their fame for the foreseeable future. Beckham "embodies a celebrity at the intersection of sport, fashion, entertainment and business," explained Parmentier. The couple's enduring visibility "is based on a sophisticated media strategy and an ability to embody universal values such as work, family and style," she added. But it has been a long and bumpy road, Cashmore pointed out. In 1998, Beckham was called the most hated man in England after he petulantly kicked out at Argentina's Diego Simeone during their World Cup round of 16 game. Beckham was harshly sent off and England lost to their bitter rivals in a penalty shoot-out. Those who had bitten their tongue about his off-field flamboyance gave full vent to their feelings. National headlines the next day included "10 Heroic Lions, One Stupid Boy" (Daily Mirror) and "You're Just A Joke Becks" (Daily Mail). Months of "hell" followed, with death threats, spitting and boos accompanying Beckham wherever he went. "Wherever I went I got abused, every single day," he said. "I find it hard to talk through what I went through because it was so extreme. The whole country hated me." But the ordeal only sharpened Beckham's focus. A year later, he finished second in the Ballon d'Or as he helped Manchester United claim an unprecedented treble, winning the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup. It was often said that Beckham's career seemed to be scripted by a movie writer, never more so than when the fallen idol took his revenge by scoring the winning goal against perennial rivals Argentina in the 2002 World Cup, redeeming his national hero status.
Express Tribune
10 hours ago
- Express Tribune
As BTS completes 12 years, fans gear up for return
BTS has been on a self-described hiatus since 2022. Photo: File Dressed in purple, thousands of BTS fans marked the K-pop supergroup's 12th anniversary Friday, with all but one member now finished with their military service and a return to performance likely imminent, reported AFP. The septuplet BTS, South Korea's most lucrative musical act, has been on a self-described hiatus since 2022 while its members separately completed their military service, which is mandatory in the South for all men under 30. This week, four members of the band wrapped up their army duties and reentered civilian life, with the final member SUGA, who was doing alternative service for health reasons, due to be released next week. Thousands of fans, many wearing purple outfits and carrying light sticks, started gathering Friday for the group's annual FESTA celebration, which marks the anniversary of their debut. The main event is being held in a massive event space in Goyang, just outside of Seoul, with local authorities saying they had set up "photo spots" across the entire city, "turning the whole city into an extended festival stage". "We warmly welcome ARMY fans from around the world who will be visiting the city," said mayor Lee Dong-hwan. Last year's FESTA, held outdoors in scorching heat with midday temperatures reaching 32 degrees Celsius, drew criticism from fans after dozens reportedly suffered from heat-related illnesses. "I'm so glad this time the FESTA is held indoors," Maria Wojcik, a 28-year-old fan from Poland, told AFP. Fans have also been gathering in Seoul outside the group's agency HYBE's headquarters, which has been wrapped with the slogan "WE ARE BACK". With the fan frenzy in full swing, a Chinese woman was briefly detained, police said Thursday, for a possible attempted break-in at BTS singer Jungkook's luxury apartment in Seoul, just hours after he was released from military service. HYBE happy BTS member J-Hope is set to hold a concert at a nearby venue on the day of the FESTA celebration, and many fans are hoping the recently discharged members will join him on stage for a special performance. The fans may be excited for a reunion, but no one is more thrilled by the pending return to performance of BTS than their agency, HYBE, which stands to see a sharp rebound in earnings. Before their military service, HYBE's CEO Lee Jae-sang said that the band's contribution to the company's revenue was exactly 95 per cent, adding that "as of 2024, it is estimated to be under 20 per cent". But analysts are predicting a surge in profits with the group's return. "HYBE recorded its first earnings decline during BTS's military service period, but with the group's full return, profits are expected to grow by around 150 per cent over the next two years through 2026," said Lee Ki-hoon, an analyst at Hana Securities. "With BTS resuming a large-scale world tour, HYBE's operating profit is projected to rise 71 per cent on-year to 462 billion won ($340 million) next year," Hwang Ji-won from IM Securities told AFP. The comeback also coincides with signs that China's unofficial ban on Korean pop culture — imposed in retaliation after Seoul allowed deployment of a US-made THAAD missile defence system — may be easing under South Korea's new administration. South Korea's new President Lee Jae-myung took office after a snap election last week, promising a more pragmatic diplomacy than his hawkish predecessor. If so, experts say concert attendance is expected to soar, with China being a key market for K-pop. "Considering the scale of the tour that was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19 and the pent-up demand, the group (BTS) is expected to draw at least 3 million concertgoers," added Hwang.
Express Tribune
18 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Blake Lively seeks to block Taylor Swift involvement in Justin Baldoni legal case
Blake Lively has requested a protective order to block Justin Baldoni's legal team from pursuing her communications with former friend Taylor Swift, as tensions escalate in their ongoing legal battle. According to court documents obtained by Daily Mail, Lively's attorneys argue that Baldoni's team is using Swift and her fanbase as a media tool in the dispute. Lively, 37, is entangled in a sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni, 41, and has claimed that his legal team is employing aggressive tactics, including attempts to involve Swift unnecessarily. Her legal counsel, Esra Hudson, contends that Baldoni and his associates previously claimed to have secured communications from Swift's team in exchange for withdrawing subpoenas, yet have refused to produce the materials. 'This is a tactic to draw attention and weaponize Taylor Swift's name in the public eye,' Hudson wrote. Lively's lawyers say Swift was targeted as early as August 2024 by Baldoni's crisis PR firm, led by Melissa Nathan, which cited Swift's fanbase in a 'Scenario Planning' document as a public relations factor to 'take extremely seriously.' The protective order filing came after social media rumors claimed Swift had recently deleted Instagram posts featuring Lively, sparking speculation about their relationship. Swift's fans quickly refuted the claim, noting the posts were removed years ago during a marketing campaign for her 2017 Reputation album. Additionally, Lively has subpoenaed Scooter Braun and his company HYBE, seeking records related to Nathan's PR work for Baldoni. Braun, who famously clashed with Swift after acquiring her master recordings, was included as part of Lively's broader legal strategy. While Swift recently regained ownership of her early recordings and announced plans to release her debut album's rerecorded version, she admitted in a fan letter that rerecording Reputation has been delayed. She explained that the album was deeply tied to a specific period in her life, making it difficult to revisit creatively. Representatives for Swift and Baldoni have not publicly commented on the latest developments.
