On the 9th, ARMY from all over the world were happily taking commemorative photos in front of the venue—the Goyang Sports Complex—despite the rainy weather. Although the concert was set to begin at 7 p.m. that same day, the Goyang Sports Complex and the Daehwa-dong area in Ilsan had already been bustling since early morning, with crowds steadily pouring in. An air of excitement spread everywhere as fans captured memorable moments together ahead of the big show.

The city of Goyang, hometown of RM and the opening stop of BTS’s world tour this year, had been lively for weeks with a “purple festival” coloring the entire city—from musical fountains to flowers lining the streets. More than 200 local businesses also actively welcomed visitors with special promotions, while Mayor Lee Dong-hwan personally visited and inspected preparations starting from the 7th.

The city of Goyang estimates that 120,000 people—equivalent to the population of a mid-sized city—will visit to attend BTS’s concert this time.

Facing fans’ expectations after more than four years, BTS has, of course, prepared on a mαѕѕive scale. Based on audio echoing outside the stadium during several rehearsals, fans compiled a list of nearly 30 songs, centered on the ARIRANG album, alongside standout solo tracks from the members and legendary нιтs such as Fake Love, Butter, Dynamite, Spring Day, and even Cypher.

Through aerial photos and videos taken after the stage setup was completed, fans were also left in αωє of the mαѕѕive LED screens and the sheer scale of the main stage. However, one detail drew even more attention: the end of the extended stage was designed to be lowered all the way down to the ground area.

This discovery quickly became a hot topic on social media. Many believe this could be a way for BTS to interact more closely with the au∂ιєnce. Some ARMY speculate that during certain performances, BTS might move down toward the stadium boundary through this section, or that it could serve as an entry point for the members to ascend onto the main stage. Meanwhile, other bold ideas have also surfaced, with fans joking that Jungkook might ride a motorbike around the stadium, or that the group could even bring a car onto the stage for their performance.

Some of the fans’ amusing comments include: "This feels like jungkook is riding a bike onto stage", "The edge of the B-stage can be lowered to the ground level!!! My heart is racing!", "They’ll probably enter through there, taking turns at each end of the catwalk", "I’m literally dying of jealousy! People at the barricade are going to get crushed, istg...", " I think there’ll be those PTD-style carts going around the floor area", "BTS, PLEASE don't do this, in the name of Jesus Christ! I'm fainting",...

Right before the official concert begins, BTS has already left fans unable to sit still with anticipation!

Meanwhile, BTS expressed their determination ahead of the first show of the “ARIRANG” World Tour on the 9th, stating: “We will show you a stage that is completely different from anything before.” V emphasized that the entire production—from the songs and setlist to the staging—has been meticulously prepared, making it a show the group feels “confident and proud” to present.

Regarding the 360-degree stage, Jin shared that it is a rare return to this format since their 2019 fan meeting, where every direction becomes the “front,” promising to enhance the visual experience. SUGA added: “The concert involves a lot of show-like production, so there will be plenty of visual enjoyment as well.”

RM expressed his desire to turn the entire stadium into a “giant club” where everyone can immerse themselves in the music, saying: “I’m most looking forward to the moment when we all jump together on stage. I hope the entire stadium feels like one giant club. We have a song made with that vibe in mind, and I would be truly happy to see that scene unfold in reality.”

Finally, through their agency Big Hit Music, BTS promised: “Since it’s been a long time since our last tour, we were worried that we might have ℓσѕт our touch, so we prepared several times harder. We want to show you everything we have prepared. Please look forward to it.”