Boy band BTS’s management HYBE will host “The City” project to celebrate “BTS 〈Yet To Come〉 in Busan,” an upcoming free concert set for Oct. 15 to promote the city’s bid to host World Expo 2030.
According to the agency on Monday, “The City” aims to transform the entire city where BTS performs into a “concert play park,” offering various entertainment events throughout Busan before and after the boy band’s performance. HYBE first held the project during BTS’s Las Vegas concert in April, hosting numerous pop-up booths and events throughout Las Vegas.
“The City Busan” will similarly include a myriad of experiences on top of the concert, ranging from shopping, entertainment, food and beverage to hotel packages.
The project will be kick started on Oct. 5 with the “2022 BTS Exhibition : Proof,” which will highlight nine years of BTS’s career at Haeundae LCT, a seaside skyscraper complex in Busan.
Stores selling merchandise for the free Busan concert, including limited-edition goods themed after the city, will open at the Lotte Department Store Busan Branch and Seoul’s Lotte World Mall on Oct. 7.
The project will also include an amusement park. From Oct. 14 to 31, Lotte World Adventure Busan will be lit up in BTS’s signature color purple and play the boy band’s music set to laser and firework shows. Purple-themed limited edition food and beverage menus will also be available inside the amusement park. Outdoor after parties will be held on the nights of Oct. 15, after the concert, and 16.
Five hotels in Busan — Paradise Hotel Busan, Grand Josun Busan, Park Hyatt Busan, Lotte Hotel Busan and Fairfield by Marriott Busan Songdo Beach — will offer BTS-themed accommodation packages including souvenirs, photo-op zones within the hotels and menus inspired by the boy band.
On the night of Oct. 15, large screens will be installed at the Busan Port International Passenger Terminal’s outdoor parking lot and Haeundae beach to livestream the concert.
Fan community platform Weverse will offer real-time information during the duration of “The City” project regarding the location of all events, waiting time and crowdedness through the “Map & Wait Times” service.
BY HALEY YANG [yang.hyunjoo@joongang.co.kr]
