The Tab

On Monday 6th July, 65,000 fans packed into Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for BTS’s first UK show in seven years – the biggest crowd ever for a concert at the venue. It sold out in minutes.

So how did one of the biggest acts on the planet go from headlining Wembley in 2019 to not setting foot in the UK for the better part of a decade? The answer isn’t simple – it involves a pandemic, seven separate military enlistments, and a lengthy hiatus that nobody really expected.

What stopped BTS from performing in the UK for seven years?

The short answer is: A global pandemic, followed by the mandatory South Korean military service. The long answer is a bit more complicated.

BTS last performed in the UK in 2019, when they became the first South Korean act to headline Wembley Stadium – selling it out in 90 minutes across two nights. Then COVID hit, wiping out their planned Map of the Soul world tour before it even began.

For BTS, this meant all seven members enlisting at staggered intervals between 2022 and 2024, effectively putting the group on hiatus for three years. In that time, their biggest hit, Dynamite, was released in 2020, catapulting them to another level of worldwide fame – they were inescapable.

They picked up Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers, Grammy nominations, and solo careers, all without ever performing together in the UK. A Netflix documentary also captured their nerves about coming back as a unit. RM summed it up from the stage on Monday: “There was COVID, there was military, and now we’re here in 2026, together. I’ve missed you so much.”

So what actually brought BTS back to London to perform?

In March 2026, BTS released Arirang, their first full group album since Proof in 2022. It charted at number one in 26 countries and has already appeared on multiple best-of-2026 lists. The album features production from Mike WiLL Made-It, Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker, and Ryan Tedder, a decisive celebration of Korean themes with international influence.

The Arirang World Tour has 88 dates across 23 countries and is predicted to rival Taylor Swift’s $2 billion Eras Tour at the box office.

What were the aesthetics and the vibe of the BTS comeback show like?

The production wove traditional Korean music, architecture and dance throughout. Before BTS even arrived on stage, the toll of the sacred bell of King Seongdeok – cast over 1,200 years ago – rang out over the PA, while hanji-inspired designs filled the screens. The 360-degree stage itself was inspired by the Gyeonghoeru Pavilion in Seoul’s Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Performances of Arirang songs also incorporated traditional Korean culture, from They Don’t Know ‘Bout Us screens based on masks known as tal, and the use of white fabrics to bring inspiration from the seungmu dance into the show. They opened with an explosion of pyrotechnics on Hooligan before moving through a setlist that bridged their 2016 and 2026 eras.

According to one reviewer, the highlight was a mashup of 2026’s FYA and 2016’s Fire, during which fans jumped with such ferocity that the stands could literally be felt bouncing. Jimin took out his earpiece during Swim just to hear the crowd sing it back.

Did fans think it was worth the seven-year wait for BTS to perform again?

For the fans who’d flown in from Korea, the US, and across Europe – apparently yes. “I started crying. I thought I wouldn’t see them ever again,” one fan told BBC Newsbeat. “After the hiatus, I thought they were going to disband, but they came back.”

Another fan, seeing them for the first time, said she was excited to “confirm they’re real people.” Two fans camped outside from 6am in 30 °C heat just to be near the front.

Suga put it simply from the stage: “I don’t think you guys have changed in that time. You’re still in a passionate country.”