You can share an article by clicking on the share icons at the top right of it.
The total or partial reproduction of an article, without the prior written authorization of Le Monde, is strictly forbidden.
For more information, see our Terms and Conditions.
“Annyeong Seoul. We’re back.” These are the words millions of BTS fans had longed to hear ever since the seven idols from the world’s most popular K-pop group returned from their mandatory military service a few months earlier. On Saturday, March 21, RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook looked out at the vast crowd of Korean and international fans packed onto Gwanghwamun Square, in front of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul.
A historic venue for a historic comeback: 18.4 million viewers also tuned in to the concert remotely on Netflix. The event kicked off a massive world tour, which includes a stop at the Stade de France in the Paris suburbs on Friday, July 17, and Saturday, July 18. The seven artists are then scheduled to perform on July 19 alongside Madonna and Shakira during the World Cup football final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Do they have time for a fleeting thought about the journey they have taken over the past 13 years as the first notes of their new song, “Body to Body,” which blends hip-hop rhythms with traditional sounds, ring out? Do they remember being recruited by BigHit Entertainment (now known as BigHit Music), which was then a modest label, but became Hybe – a giant in the music industry –