BTS held its world tour "ARIRANG" at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on the 6th and 7th, drawing approximately 130,000 fans over the two nights, Big Hit Music said on the 9th.
The concerts sold out all shows the moment tickets went on sale. According to concert organizer Live Nation, the shows drew the largest per-show audience of any concert held at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since it opened in April 2019.
BTS has set meaningful records with every visit to London. In June 2019, the group made history in the concert industry by becoming the first Korean act to hold a solo concert at Wembley Stadium. Returning to London after about seven years, the group demonstrated its overwhelming presence by setting a new record, this time at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Even before the concerts, London was heating up with excitement for BTS. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium also spotlighted the group's concerts through its official channels. The stadium introduced BTS as "Pop Royalty," and Tottenham Hotspur's official Korean-language account posted a video ahead of the shows featuring "SWIM," the title track of the group's fifth studio album "ARIRANG," echoing through the stadium.
Over the two days, BTS maximized audience immersion with flawless live vocals and performances. The group opened with "Hooligan," a track from "ARIRANG," and drove the atmosphere to its peak with a string of new songs including "NORMAL" and "Body to Body" as well as hit tracks such as "IDOL" and "FIRE." "We are leaving having felt once again the emotion of Wembley Stadium seven years ago," the group said. "Thanks to your passion, we truly had a great time today." They added, "Many memories of our past concerts came back to us, and we were surprised once again to realize just how passionate a city London is."
Praise from foreign media followed. Rolling Stone UK and The Guardian both awarded the concerts a perfect five-star rating. Rolling Stone UK likened the concert to a coronation, raving that "BTS has reclaimed the throne as the biggest band in the world." The outlet added that the group delivered a masterclass of a performance to fans who had waited a long time for their return to the stage. The Guardian compared the show to a film, praising it as "an unbelievably enjoyable spectacle" combining fireworks and colorful staging. The outlet added, "The power BTS holds is formidable."
The Times, a leading British daily, gave the concert four stars, noting that the large-scale stadium show delivered abundant spectacle and energy. The paper cited the massive performances, special effects, and staging that utilized the entire stadium, and said of the music that it "possesses both intensity and addictiveness." It vividly conveyed the atmosphere on site, writing, "The audience's fervent response during 'MIC Drop' and 'FYA' seemed to shake the stadium."
Meanwhile, BTS will continue its European tour at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, on the 11th and 12th. BTS is the first Korean act to perform at the venue.
