BTS Turns 12: ARMYs Gather In Goyang To Celebrate The Annual Festa
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BTS have organised a two-day offline event called Festa in Goyang, just outside Seoul, to celebrate their 12th anniversary.
ARMYs around the world are in full celebration mode, it's June 13, and BTS is marking another milestone. The K-pop sensation, who debuted in 2013, is celebrating their 12th anniversary in 2025. To commemorate the occasion, the group has organised a two-day offline event called Festa, taking place in Goyang, just outside Seoul.
Wearing purple from head to toe, thousands of ARMYs gathered to celebrate their favourite artist's special milestone. This year's event came at a special time, as six members of BTS, RM, Jin, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook, have already completed their mandatory military service, with just Suga remaining. He is scheduled to be discharged from the military on June 21. With this, expectations of a full group reunion on the stage are running high among the fans.
While the celebrations for the 12th anniversary began on May 31, the main event, 2025 BTS FESTA, is taking place on June 13 and 14 at the KINTEX Exhibition Centre II in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. Local officials have transformed the entire city based on this year's theme, which is Twelve O'Clock, inspired by BTS's heartfelt song 00:00 (Zero O'Clock), a song about starting fresh. The authorities have put up photo zones and decorations to celebrate the occasion.
Goyang City's mayor, Lee Dong Hwan, shared that he is thankful that BTS chose Goyang for their Festa celebrations and added, 'We warmly welcome ARMY fans from around the world to our city." Last year's Festa was held outdoors in scorching heat, which led some to suffer heat exhaustion. This year, fans were relieved that the event was happening indoors.
ARMYs have also gathered outside HYBE's headquarters in Yongsan, displaying the sign 'WE ARE BACK," displaying BTS and ARMY logos.
BTS' fans are all the more excited because J-Hope will perform the last two shows of his Hope on the Stage tour at the Goyang Sports Complex Main Stadium on June 13 and 14. ARMYs are hoping that the six members, who are back to civilian life, will be seen on stage together for the first time in nearly three years.
While fans are on cloud nine with the group's return, BTS's parent company, HYBE, is thrilled to have the septet back as well. The multinational entertainment company has heavily relied on BTS for their revenue. Before their hiatus in 2022, BTS made up 95 per cent of its earnings. The numbers dropped significantly during their break, and analysts are now expecting the profits to bounce back. Experts predict that HYBE's profit could increase by 150 per cent because BTS might embark on their highly anticipated world tour. With China also easing their unofficial ban on K-pop, concert audiences are expected to increase manifold.
First Published:
June 13, 2025, 10:32 IST
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