BTS is currently on their ARIRANG World Tour, which will run through 2027 with a record-breaking 88 shows – the largest tour in K-pop history. The mαѕѕive scale also comes with an incredibly packed schedule. From the opening show in Goyang on April 9 through August 10, the group has completed nearly 40 shows, averaging one show every 3.1 days, with hectic travel legs such as Tampa (April 28) to El Paso (May 2), or London (July 7) to Munich (July 11).
However, it is worth noting that an official press release from Chile’s National Sports Institute (IND) once mentioned that it takes around nine days to build the stage for a BTS concert. So how can a mαѕѕive stage keep up with BTS at such a pace? What has the crew done to maintain this incredible schedule? Fortunately, staff members working behind the scenes of the superstars’ concerts have generously shared the answer with fans.
During the discussion on the topic, a fan shared a story she heard while speaking with staff members working on BTS’s concert in Tampa. She recounted the process: “In the US there are two stages, stage A and stage B. Meaning whenever you’re seeing them live, there’s another stage actively being set up in the next city. Everything is replicated 1:1 except for cabling, lighting, and pyro. They have those parts disαѕѕembled before the sun comes up after the last show and loaded up for the next city.”
This is essentially the “leapfrogging” мєтнod – meaning that multiple stage sets continuously “leapfrog” one another. While the show is taking place in City A, the stage for City B has already been set up. This means the concert does not have to wait for the entire stage from the previous city to be dismantled, transported, and then installed at the next location.
The fan also gave a specific example: “The reason the stage in Tampa went up so early (not sure if you saw, they basically loaded in to that stadium nearly a month in advance) was to get everything nailed down and perfected for the remainder of the tour. They already were constructing the stage in El Paso before Tampa was over. They told us it would take less than 24 hours for the stage to be disαѕѕembled, loaded up, and on the road. It’s an incredible crew of tons of people who do this and I commend them!”
Then, another fan also shared a link to a video by BACKSTAGE WITH FEBE, a female YouTuber and Project Manager who specializes in behind-the-scenes projects. In the video, Febe analyzed how BTS’s concert is put together based on her years of professional experience and provided similar information about leapfrogging. In addition, Febe explained that before the main crew arrives, “advanced teams” go to the next venue ahead of time to survey and plan the power supply, rigging points, as well as truck access and traffic flow.
The BTS tour’s operational team is also enormous, including the Tour Manager, Production Manager, FOH and Monitor audio engineers, System Techs, and many other crew members. The team is also made up of a combination of BTS’s core crew from South кσяєα and international touring specialists. HYBE’s partnership with Live Nation is another advantage – Live Nation serves as HYBE’s global touring partner, helping handle venues, ticketing, marketing, permits, and local logistics in each market.
However, running a mαѕѕive event that attracts an average of 60,000–80,000 fans per night while continuously traveling across multiple cities and countries comes with numerous challenges. One of the biggest difficulties she emphasized was: “It's not just getting this right once, it's calling it perfectly on night 47 in a brand new city with a crew that's half new and with everyone currently running on empty. This is a tour in different cities that has to be consistent. And that consistency, that's the real deal, not the spectacle”.
There are also other challenges, such as the complex processes involved in customs, freight, and visas for the entire crew. That is why she praised BTS’s crew from the very beginning: “Big respect to the team who has been executing this”, adding, “They built this from the ground up. They built this whole thing, tear it down, and move it to another city…Doing it flawlessly over and over, that's the hard part”.
Several other fans later added details they had observed themselves. For example, one fan shared: “I took video of it after Munich. It was super cool and everyone had color-coded shirts depending on their role.” Another fan pointed out: “Remember that back stage video where even the electronic equipment had it's own security guard?!?! Their logistical crew is locked in! They are not playing around.” Another fan also added: “Keep in mind this is just for the USA. there are more stages for the different continents. the usa stages will likely not be the same for south america or SEA”
For BTS to keep appearing in cities thousands of kilometers apart, every successful show is backed by a mαѕѕive crew racing against the clock. Fans now have even more reason to admire and respect the professionalism and dedication of BTS’s crew!
