SEOUL – South Korean boy band BTS’ month-long citywide project, launched to mark the release of their fifth full album, Arirang, had a strong turnout from international visitors, highlighting the group’s impact on tourism in the capital, said music label Big Hit Music.
BTS The City: Arirang Seoul, which took place from March 20 to April 19 and also marked the start of the band’s world tour, transformed major landmarks across the city into immersive fan experiences inspired by the group’s music and message.
According to Big Hit Music, which is run by BTS’ agency HYBE, around 73 per cent of visitors to the media facade installation at Sungnyemun, a 14th-century gate in Seoul, were foreign nationals.
At Army Madang, an interactive space set up at Dongdaemun Design Plaza, more than 86 per cent of visitors were foreigners. The space at the cultural centre in Seoul featured a range of participatory programmes that highlighted Korean culture, including designing fan merchandise and creating a large-scale logo installation using lyric-inscribed balls.
The citywide project also helped to drive visitors to tourist sites.
Ridership with Seoul City Tour Tiger Bus rose by about 20 per cent during the month-long festivities, when a special BTS-themed city bus tour operated.
The bus connected key locations across the city, including Gwanghwamun, Namdaemun Market, Hybe Headquarters in Yongsan, Dongdaemun Design Plaza and Gyeongbokgung.
Large-scale digital billboards, interactive installations and drone and music-themed light shows were also set up across the city as part of the project.
Interactive installations set up at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, inspired by lyrics from the maintrack, Swim.
PHOTO: THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
The project is set to be rolled out in other cities, with upcoming editions planned for Las Vegas in the US from May 20 to May 31 and Busan in South Korea from June 5 to June 21. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
