Photos: K-pop’s BTS on stage for first Seoul gig since pandemic

South Korean supergroup BTS on Thursday returned to the stage in Seoul for the first time since 2019, with an adoring home-grown crowd offering only applause as Covid rules barred all screaming, chanting or singing.

The show is the first of three concerts for the chart-topping septet titled “Permission to Dance on Stage - Seoul” at the capital’s Olympic Stadium.

Since BTS’ last performance for domestic fans in 2019, the band have gone from strength to strength despite the pandemic, with three Billboard-topping singles and two Grammy nominations.

Fans waved purple LED wands — the official colour of BTS fandom — in sync when the band appeared on stage, with rhythmic clapping filling the 60,000-capacity stadium, which was only a quarter full due to social distancing measures.

Band leader RM, whose real name is Kim Nam-joon, said they were thrilled to be performing in front of a live audience again. “The fact that you are all seated in the stands shows a lot has changed,” he said, referring to a livestream-only concert they performed to empty seats a few months ago. “When would we get a concert where we get this much clapping? This is a concert to be remembered in history.”

Bandmate Kim Tae-hyung, stage name V, added: “I’m so touched and thrilled that our ARMY are here.”

Tickets for the three concerts — 45,000 in all — sold out within minutes, despite stringent social-distancing requirements for the BTS fans, known as ARMY.

Chanting, singing, screaming or even standing up were all banned, as South Korea battles an Omicron spike, with more than 300,000 cases reported Thursday.

But fans including Heo Min-hee, a 25-year-old office worker, said being at the concert was a “dream” despite the restrictions. “I still can’t believe that this is my seat whenever I look at my ticket,” Heo told AFP before the concert.

Han Aeng-hee, a 53-year-old fan from Gyeonggi province, added: “I prayed every morning to secure a ticket and miraculously, I got tickets to the first and last concerts.” “I’m very grateful,” she said.