分类： entertainment

TOKYO — For Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, a leader grappling with stacked diplomatic tensions, domestic economic challenges and a grueling work schedule, Friday brought an unexpected, joyful interlude: hosting her lifelong favorite rock band, British legendary hard rock group Deep Purple, at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tokyo.

A self-proclaimed superfan with more than 50 years of devotion to the band, Takaichi entered the meeting room with open arms and a wide grin, unable to hide her excitement. “Welcome to Japan… Oh I can’t believe Deep Purple are here,” she said, greeting the assembled band members. “I have always admired Deep Purple.”

When she turned to drummer Ian Paice, her enthusiasm grew even more heartfelt. “You’re my god,” she told him, before gifting Paice a custom set of Japanese-manufactured TAMA drumsticks that she had personally signed. In a warm, casual exchange, Paice replied with a laugh, “You’re a drummer, we are friends.”

The meeting pulled back the curtain on a little-known personal side of Japan’s first female prime minister: Takaichi is a lifelong lover of hard rock and heavy metal, and she once performed as a musician herself. She shared that her fandom stretches back to her elementary school years, when she first fell in love with Deep Purple’s iconic 1972 album *Machine Head*, which features timeless hits including Highway Star and Smoke on the Water. By junior high, she was playing keyboard in a Deep Purple cover band, and she switched to drums when she entered university.

In a playful reveal of how she unwinds from political stress even today, Takaichi joked that when she argues with her husband, she plays along to Deep Purple’s track *Burn* on her drum kit to blow off steam. “Burn” has long been one of her go-to songs; she has previously said the track helps clear her mind after long days of policy work.

The courtesy visit from Deep Purple comes as Takaichi navigates a period of significant political pressure: strained bilateral relations with China, growing economic and security fallout from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, and persistent rising prices that have eroded public support at home. Even in this lighthearted meeting, however, Takaichi tied the encounter to her government’s policy agenda. She emphasized that supporting and promoting cultural and creative content is a core pillar of her administration’s economic growth strategy.

Before the band wrapped up their visit, Takaichi offered a formal message of respect for the group’s decades-long contribution to rock music. “I express my deepest respect for you for making rock history and continuing to take on new challenges and producing even more compelling music today,” she said, wishing the band a successful tour, which is set to kick off Saturday in Tokyo.

LONDON, May (AP) — When the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest kicks off in Vienna, one contestant will step onto the world’s biggest live music stage with unique ties to two of pop music’s most legendary names, and a decades-long connection to the contest itself: Australian singer-songwriter Delta Goodrem.

With a career spanning more than two decades, Goodrem is far from an unknown contender on the Eurovision roster. The multi-award-winning artist has racked up over nine million album sales worldwide and claimed the top spot on music charts across eight countries, making her one of the most commercially successful participants in this year’s event. While Australia sits thousands of miles outside of Europe, the country has received an official invitation to compete every year since 2015, extending the contest’s global reach beyond its traditional continental boundaries.

For Goodrem, Eurovision feels like a full-circle moment, rooted in the influences that shaped her into the artist she is today. Long before she was tapped to represent Australia, she had close ties to two former Eurovision participants. As a young artist rising to fame after her stint on the iconic Australian soap opera *Neighbours*, Goodrem penned the track *Eyes on Me* for Celine Dion — the Canadian icon who took home Eurovision’s top prize in 1988 while representing Switzerland. She was also mentored by the late, globally beloved Olivia Newton-John, who represented the United Kingdom at the 1974 Eurovision contest.

“Growing up, Olivia Newton-John and Celine Dion were two of my greatest loves in music,” Goodrem shared in an interview with the Associated Press in London. “I don’t think I would be the musician I am today without the influence from the two of them. And they have both been a part of that stage from different countries.”

Goodrem even has a friendly connection to another competing act this year: San Marino’s entry features British star Boy George, who previously worked alongside Goodrem as a fellow judge on Australia’s hit televised singing competition *The Voice*. The playful pre-existing rivalry between the two has followed them to the Eurovision stage.

“I’ve got my eyes on him. I’m watching him,” Goodrem joked. “I was so excited and couldn’t stop laughing … it’s so playful that Boy George was like, ‘I’m coming to Eurovision!’”

Goodrem will take the Vienna stage with her powerful original ballad *Eclipse*. When asked when she first became aware of Eurovision, she noted the contest has long been part of Australian pop culture consciousness, and that national interest grew exponentially after Australia joined the competition 11 years ago.

“It’s been a bit omnipresent where you sort of heard it in the air. And I guess obviously Australia’s been in for 11 years. So we became a lot more actively like Team Australia. But growing up, you always were, you know, enamored with this incredible iconic stage and it’d always find its way to us,” she said.

Goodrem, a self-described proud patriot, said representing Australia at Eurovision feels like a natural extension of the work she has done throughout her career. “I feel that as well and I’ve always been very patriotic and very true to the love I have for Australia and it feels like they’re all celebrating, we’re all sort of there together on this journey,” she added. When asked how competitive she is, the singer confirmed she is coming to the contest to give her performance everything she has.

The path to her Eurovision participation began unexpectedly the year prior, when Goodrem was living in London and experienced the contest’s electric energy firsthand. She said when asked if she would ever compete, she jumped at the open invitation. “(Last year) I was doing my couple of shows here (in London) and I had sort of got to experience the energy of Eurovision on the ground and I just thought it was palpable, it was incredible and I was watching all the programs and it was really exciting and somebody had asked me, ‘would you do Eurovision?’ And I said, ‘I’m always open’ … You never know where your path’s leading, just if it feels right.”

Addressing questions about political tensions that have followed the contest, including calls for boycott this year, Goodrem emphasized that music has always been a unifying force for her. “I really am a true believer that throughout my career, coming to my show, I’m about unifying — music for me is a moment where we’re all singing the same song. And I believe in that, and I have my whole life, that it’s very healing, music has a real power. So I sort of focus on the power of music being a unifying space and a place that can wrap around people’s lives and their soundtrack and that’s where it sits for me,” she explained.

She also welcomed plans to launch Eurovision Asia, scheduled for September later this year, saying “The more music the better. I think that’s so exciting. That means I get to immerse myself in the music in September for Eurovision Asia.”

When asked about her planned stage production for *Eclipse* — which features sand in the official music video — Goodrem teased a playful, patriotic twist, saying “Yes, you’re thinking I should bring Australian sand, you know, that’s very patriotic. I start a little beach on stage, look up at the moon for “Eclipse.” I definitely am really excited to bring it to life.”

If she takes home the top prize, Goodrem says she is fully open to hosting the next year’s contest in Australia, even entertaining the idea of a co-hosting arrangement if that proves more practical. “Sure. Yeah, yeah! Look, I don’t know those logistics yet but I’m open to the conversation … If you would like to vote for me then I’m happy to talk about if we could like have it here or if, you know, I’m happy to do a deal.”

In the heart of Tokyo, a centuries-old cultural ritual is unfolding that reaffirms the enduring legacy of Japan’s iconic traditional theatrical art, Kabuki. For generations, passing down revered stage names through family lines has stood as the cornerstone of Kabuki tradition, celebrated every few years at major theaters and special ceremonies across the country. This year, the iconic title of Kikugoro transfers to its eighth holder, 48-year-old Kazuyasu Terajima, who inherits the honor from his 83-year-old father, the seventh Kikugoro — continuing an unbroken line of succession that stretches back multiple generations.

For Terajima, accepting the legendary name means far more than adopting a new stage title. “Taking on the name is about taking on the spirit and responsibility that’s created and passed down over generations by those who came before us,” he told reporters recently. “The job of the Kabuki actor is to carry on and develop in the present what we have inherited from our predecessors, and make sure it gets passed on to those who come after us.” This is not an unfamiliar practice for Kabuki: just two years ago, in 2022, the field saw another major succession when the 13th holder of the other iconic Kabuki family name, Danjuro, formally took on his title.

Dating all the way back to the 1600s, Kabuki remains a vibrant, widely beloved art form in modern Japan, and recent cultural milestones underscore its ongoing popularity. The hit domestic film *Kokuho*, which earned an Oscar nomination this year for best makeup and hairstyling, became the highest-grossing live-action domestic film in Japanese cinema history — a clear sign that the centuries-old theater still resonates deeply with contemporary audiences.

What makes Kabuki unique is its distinct, stylized performance language that sets it apart from realistic Western theatrical traditions. All roles, including female parts, are played by male actors: those who specialize in women’s roles are called onnagata, while artists like the Kikugoro line perform both male and female roles. The art form blends sweeping dramatic narratives, live music, dance, and song, with stories ranging from tales of wronged samurai seeking vengeance to tragic romances and supernatural tales of maidens who transform into serpents. Actors wear elaborate, vibrant costumes and striking stylized makeup, and deliberately reject realism to emphasize emotional and thematic core. Key dramatic moments are punctuated by striking poses called mie, emphasized by the rhythmic clack of wooden claves that freeze the performance to highlight courage, fear, or other intense emotions. Lines are often delivered in a melodic, poetic cadence, while live music serves as an integral narrative tool: thundering large drums evoke stormy weather, soft drumbeats mimic falling snow, and tinkling bells can conjure the image of floating butterflies. Performances utilize dynamic revolving sets — for example, cherry blossom trees that shower audiences with pink paper petals — and even incorporate acrobatic elements, such as wire-work for supernatural character dance sequences. One of the form’s most celebrated theatrical tricks is on-stage costume and character transformation, where stagehands called kurogo, cloaked in unobtrusive black robes, help actors shift from a human character to a demon right in front of the audience’s eyes.

Surprisingly, Kabuki shares striking thematic parallels with William Shakespeare’s Elizabethan theater, despite developing completely independently. One of Kabuki’s most famous tragic works, *The Love Suicides at Sonezaki*, tells the story of young lovers who choose death together over a life apart — often described as the Kabuki equivalent of *Romeo and Juliet*. The parallel is entirely coincidental: the play’s writer, Chikamatsu Monzaemon, created the work for Japan’s Bunraku puppet theater in the 18th century during Japan’s isolationist Tokugawa period, and never had access to Shakespeare’s works, which were written decades earlier.

Like all Kikugoro titleholders before him, Terajima was born into this legacy and trained from childhood to carry the art form forward. Far from resenting the predetermined path, he speaks of it only with gratitude and dedication. “I totally adored and admired my predecessors,” he shared during an appearance at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club in Tokyo last month. “First of all, I am filled with gratitude to our predecessors who created great works that continue to be loved by generations that came after. So I am grateful to be born into the family of such ancestors.”

The chain of succession already extends to the next generation: Terajima’s 12-year-old son Kazufumi will one day inherit the previous family title Kikunosuke, a name passed to the younger generation of the Kikugoro line. Like his father, Kazufumi has already begun his training, which requires intense physical and mental discipline: daily morning running, strict dietary rules, and early bedtimes. Though he shares interests with other children his age — including video games and Japanese rock band Mrs. Green Apple — he has already developed a calm, disciplined bearing far beyond his years. “It’s not only hard physically. It’s also pretty hard mentally, and I sometimes took it out on my parents,” he admitted with a smile. The multi-year shumei (name succession) ceremony, which launched last year with a series of performances across Japan, will continue through 2024.

Renowned American Kabuki scholar James R. Brandon describes the art form as centered on a strict cultural code: “a theater in which the art of acting is central, and in which playwright and actor cooperate to achieve the unique style of performance found only in Kabuki.” Central to this tradition is kata, the established “correct way” of performing each role and scene that serves as a model for all future generations of actors.

While some cultural observers have raised concerns about Kabuki’s long-term survival in an era of modern digital entertainment, Terajima says he remains confident in the art form’s enduring relevance, arguing that its core traditions do not need radical change. “By using kata, what we want to truly communicate the most in the tradition of Kabuki is human compassion, that spirit of caring for others,” he explained. For the eighth Kikugoro, that timeless message ensures that Kabuki will continue to thrive for generations to come.

When global K-pop phenomenon BTS kicked off its long-awaited world tour this week after more than three years on hiatus, one of the group’s largest historical fan bases was notably absent from the 12-month schedule: mainland China. For industry analysts and K-pop fans alike, the exclusion comes as no surprise — it has been nearly a decade since China enacted an unofficial ban on most South Korean cultural content, ranging from music and television dramas to feature films, and the restrictions have remained largely in place ever since.

The origins of the ban stretch back to a 2016 geopolitical dispute. After South Korea approved the deployment of the U.S.-built Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system on its territory, China retaliated with sweeping informal trade and cultural restrictions. While China frames THAAD as a security threat, arguing its radar technology can be repurposed to monitor Chinese territory, experts say the longevity of the entertainment ban stems from deeper domestic concerns that go far beyond the THAAD dispute.

Unlike other temporary trade restrictions China has deployed during geopolitical standoffs, this ban has endured for eight years, driven in large part by Beijing’s growing concern over the overwhelming popularity of South Korean pop culture among Chinese youth. When the “Korean Wave” first swept into China, officials welcomed it as an alternative to Western popular cultural imports, according to a 2024 report from South Korea’s state-run Korea Creative Content Agency. But by the 2010s, the explosive growth of K-pop fandom and viewership for South Korean TV dramas pushed the Chinese government to frame the cultural influx as a threat to its domestic cultural sovereignty.

“The Chinese government had never experienced anything like that before,” explained Dong-ha Kim, a professor at Busan University of Foreign Studies. “While the dispute over THAAD happened to coincide with that period, Beijing’s fundamental concern goes deeper. It cannot allow foreign culture to shape the thinking of its young people, especially when its government has no control over the content.”

This concern has translated into concrete policy: in 2021, China banned “effeminate-looking” male entertainers from state television, a trend many observers trace to influence from South Korean and Japanese pop idols. Beijing has also made expanding its own domestic pop culture and soft power a top policy priority, from the global breakout of collectible Labubu dolls to the expansion of Chinese food and beverage brands worldwide. If the ban on South Korean entertainment were fully lifted, experts say a flood of K-pop content would directly undermine that goal by siphoning audience attention and revenue from domestic creators.

“China wants cultural governance — to grow its own music industry,” said Hyunji Lee, a financial analyst covering the global entertainment sector. “If K-pop floods back in, there’s a direct conflict.”

The ban is not an absolute prohibition, however. Non-Korean members of K-pop groups have been allowed to stage performances in mainland China, and pop-up stores selling official K-pop merchandise regularly draw hundreds of loyal fans who wait hours for entry. Diehard fans can access South Korean dramas via informal streaming, though most available content is at least four years old and often distributed through unlicensed pirated platforms. The restrictions also do not apply to China’s special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao, which are set to host BTS tour stops in 2027 — a development already greeted with relief by many mainland Chinese fans.

“I’m already really grateful that they can perform in places like Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan,” said Tian Xin, a fan who traveled to Seoul earlier this year for BTS’s free pre-tour comeback concert. “The rest is a matter of national policy. Of course I still hope they can come closer to us — fans always want that.”

For many mainland Chinese fans, the current arrangement means bearing the high cost and inconvenience of traveling abroad to see their favorite groups perform. Yu Sang, a Beijing-based K-pop fan and event organizer, traveled to Seoul five times last year to attend K-pop events, and says fandom in mainland China remains remarkably committed even amid the restrictions. “The fans in China are incredibly devoted,” she said. “If you go to the Arctic, I’ll go to the Arctic with you.”

Chinese officials have never publicly acknowledged the existence of the ban. In 2022, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian stated that China has “never imposed any so-called bans on the Republic of Korea,” and later officials have repeated that Beijing welcomes “healthy and beneficial” cultural exchange with South Korea. Still, hopes for a partial or full easing of restrictions have grown in recent months, after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (corrected from the original text’s misnomer Lee Jae Myung) met twice with Chinese leader Xi Jinping to discuss bilateral relations improvement. During Yoon’s January 2024 visit to Beijing, the two sides signed an agreement to expand cultural exchange, though the initial opening is limited only to soccer and the traditional board game go.

In comments carried by South Korean officials, Xi used two traditional Chinese idioms to frame the trajectory of cultural normalization: “Three feet of ice does not form in a single day” and “Fruit falls only when it ripens.” The remarks signal that any full lifting of restrictions will likely take years, and will only proceed when Beijing determines political and strategic conditions are right. On Chinese social media, public opinion remains divided: some users argue K-pop’s suggestive choreography and cultural influence are inappropriate for young people, while others warn a full return of South Korean entertainment would overwhelm the domestic industry. K-pop fans, meanwhile, have expressed hope that the ban will eventually be lifted, eliminating the need for costly overseas travel to see concerts.

For the South Korean entertainment industry, the eight-year ban has already permanently shifted global market strategy. Drama producers have been hit hardest, as pirated streaming of their content in China generates no revenue, unlike legitimate global distribution on platforms like Netflix and Disney+ — both of which are blocked in mainland China. For the K-pop sector, however, the industry has already restructured to reduce reliance on the mainland Chinese market. Japan has become the K-pop industry’s stable anchor market, while North America has emerged as the primary growth frontier, meaning companies no longer see the reopening of China as an existential need.

Seung-Youn Oh, a Bryn Mawr College professor who is currently writing a book on China’s use of informal economic sanctions, argues that the ban serves core strategic goals for Beijing beyond just cultural protection. “From China’s perspective, these actions go beyond symbolism,” she said in a written interview. “They are strategic tools to shape the international environment,” she added, noting that trade and cultural restrictions clarify what actions China deems unacceptable, reinforce domestic nationalism, and signal Beijing’s political resolve.

“China matters,” analyst Hyunji Lee said of the current market dynamic. “But it’s not something companies are desperately waiting on anymore.”

This reporting features contributions from journalists based in Seoul, Beijing and Washington, D.C.

A brand-new original dance drama rooted in Shandong’s profound cultural traditions is set to take center stage in Beijing, marking the start of a cross-country tour celebrating China’s regional cultural heritage.

Officials from Shandong’s cultural department formally introduced the production, titled *Dye House*, to audiences and industry insiders in Beijing during a press event held Thursday. Centered on the gripping life journey of a Chinese dyeing industry pioneer, the work traces the protagonist’s trajectory from humble, impoverished origins to building a thriving, nationally recognized business. More than a simple rags-to-riches narrative, the drama weaves in themes of national resilience and patriotic devotion, bringing the indomitable spirit of early Chinese entrepreneurs to vivid life through choreographed movement and immersive storytelling.

Following its official world premiere, which will run from April 16 to 18 at Beijing’s iconic National Centre for the Performing Arts, the production will kick off a nationwide tour, bringing Shandong’s unique cultural creativity to audiences across multiple regions of China. The project, backed by Shandong’s cultural administration, forms part of a broader push to showcase the province’s intangible cultural legacies and original artistic creations to audiences across the country, highlighting the depth of China’s regional cultural diversity.

After four years apart for mandatory military service, the world’s biggest K-pop act BTS made their long-awaited return to the global concert circuit on Thursday, launching their Arirang World Tour at Goyang Stadium outside Seoul against a torrential downpour that failed to stop 40,000 in-person fans and millions more online from celebrating their iconic comeback.

The open-air venue turned into a waterlogged performance space as nonstop heavy rain drenched every member of the septet and their audience from the first note to the last. Band member V joked about the extreme conditions as he splashed across the stage’s 360-degree rotating platform, noting “It’s raining like crazy,” while Suga quipped that the stadium felt more like a water park than a concert venue. Jimin admitted the messy, wet conditions left him “frustrated and stressed” early on, but quickly reframed the moment for the crowd: “But that’s not what’s important. What’s important is that you’re here with us.”

Even with the weather throwing off plans, the seven members delivered a relentless, high-energy 23-song set that leaned into their new artistic direction and highlighted the unshakable chemistry they’ve built over more than a decade together. When the rain dragged into the second hour, Jimin even paused to towel dry V’s soaked hair mid-performance, a small, warm moment that went viral with fans watching online. V leaned into the chaos, turning the persistent rain into a spontaneous bit of performance: he laid flat on the waterlogged stage to mimic doing the breast stroke while delivering an impromptu rendition of their new comeback single, *Swim*.

The show also marked a triumphant return to full performance for band leader RM, who tore a ligament in his ankle during rehearsal three weeks prior to the opening night. Though he performed from a stool during a promotional concert in Seoul last month, RM was back on his feet for the opening of the tour, which took place in his hometown. Still, to avoid straining his injury, he was carried around the stadium’s extended catwalks on a makeshift throne during a fan meet segment. Addressing the crowd’s concerns, he downplayed the injury: “It’s been three weeks [since the injury] so the doctor said I can perform. It’s not that big of a deal. We just wanted to give it our all today.”

The extreme weather didn’t dim fan enthusiasm in the slightest. Eager attendees began lining up outside the stadium as early as 6:30 a.m. to claim the best viewing spots, huddling under umbrellas and sharing snacks and stories as lines snaked for blocks around the venue. Hundreds of fans without tickets even braved the downpour to gather outside the stadium gates just to listen to the performance and feel part of the moment.

Musically, the opening night centered heavily on BTS’s new studio album *Arirang*, which weaves traditional Korean folk melody and mythology into the group’s signature experimental, high-energy pop sound. Almost every new track from the record made the setlist, opening with a dramatic entrance: a lone hooded figure ran onto the stage holding a red flare as 40,000 fans chanted “BTS” in unison, before the full band strode out to launch into *Hooligan*, an incendiary rap track that includes an ironic on-the-nose line from RM calling for “a bigger mop.”

The night leaned into the grittier, rap-focused side of BTS’s discography, prioritizing hard-hitting tracks like *Mic Drop*, *Run BTS* and *FYA* over the softer melodic pop hits that first catapulted them to global fame. This shift gave the show an unrelenting, propulsive energy, with the septet running up and down the four compass-point catwalks extending from the central stage, backed by explosive pyrotechnics, flame walls and thousands of coordinated LED lights. After an opening sequence of rap-forward tracks, *Swim* brought a moody, sultrier energy, with choreography that underscored its core message of pushing through adversity in uncertain, choppy waters.

A standout moment of the night was an unexpected performance of *Not Today*, the band’s anthemic track dedicated to “all the underdogs in the world.” As the group sang about fighting injustice and corruption, they were surrounded by dancers in hockey masks holding glowing fluorescent lights, creating an urgent, powerful tone that marked a clear shift from the carefree, high-production fun of their last world tour. Another noticeable change from previous tours was a reduction in tightly scripted, large-scale group choreography, with the band focusing more on interacting and energizing the crowd. While the wet stage likely played a role in this shift, it also gave the concert an raw, immediate intimacy that over-rehearsed, scripted shows often lack. The unplanned vibe culminated in an spontaneous moment toward the end of the night, when V and Jimin broke into an impromptu performance of the dance routine for their early hit *I Need U*, surprising and delighting their bandmates and capturing the easy, longstanding chemistry the group shares after all their years together.

The main set closed with an extended version of *Idol*, the 2018 hit from *Love Yourself: Answer*, which saw the band walk along the edge of the stadium to interact with fans in the upper tiers as the entire crowd chanted the chorus in unison. The encore leaned into joy and nostalgia, pairing the upbeat English-language hits *Dynamite* and *Butter* with the fan-favorite 2019 track *Mikrokosmos*. Each member took a moment to share their reflections on the long-awaited comeback, with Jin calling the night an “unforgettable moment” and Jungkook saying he’d “made a good memory today.” Jimin laughed as he told the crowd, “I’m soaked down to my underwear, but the most important thing was getting to see you all. For four years, I couldn’t see you and it was tough, but it’s an honour that I got to see again.” RM summed up the night’s core feeling: “More than anything, having all seven of us together is what matters most.”

The show wrapped with *Into The Sun*, a new track whose lyrical mantra “I’ll follow you into the sun” was written as a dedication to the band’s loyal global fanbase. The love between the group and their fans was fully mutual, with viewers of the official live stream sharing glowing reactions online. One viewer wrote, “Their voices are so strong now and they looked amazing, wet hair and all,” while others joked they should have bought a three-day pass to the stream, with one quipping “My wallet is crying” in reference to the pay-per-view fee.

BTS is scheduled to play two more sold-out nights at Goyang Stadium, with 40,000 in-person tickets sold for each show. All tour dates are being streamed live on WeVerse, the social media platform owned by the group’s label Hybe (formerly Big Hit). Opening night alone drew more than four million paying live stream viewers worldwide, generating an estimated $168 million in stream revenue on just the first night.

Industry analysts predict the Arirang World Tour will go down as one of the highest-grossing concert tours of all time, with some projections suggesting it could even surpass the $2 billion haul of Taylor Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour. Even before that milestone, it is already set to be the largest world tour ever mounted by a South Korean band, with 85 shows scheduled across 34 cities worldwide. The tour will hit London in July for two shows at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, marking BTS’s first UK concerts since 2019, when they made history as the first K-pop act to headline Wembley Stadium.

One of the biggest musical acts on the planet, global K-pop sensation BTS, has officially launched its extensive cross-continental world tour from its home country of South Korea, sending shockwaves of excitement across the entire global fan community. The opening leg of the ambitious tour, which fans have spent months eagerly awaiting, features a prominent spotlight on the group’s latest studio project, *Arirang*, blending new material with the chart-topping hits that turned the septet into a worldwide cultural phenomenon.

For loyal supporters of the group, known collectively as the ARMY, the launch of the tour marked an emotional milestone after years of limited live performances amid global event shutdowns. Countless fans took to social media immediately following the opening concert to share their overwhelming reactions, with many expressing that their excitement was so intense it felt like “my heart is about to explode.” The combination of dynamic stage production, the group’s signature high-energy choreography, and the debut of new tracks from *Arirang* has already set a high bar for upcoming stops across North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania.

Industry analysts note that this tour is expected to break multiple attendance and revenue records, cementing BTS’s status as one of the most successful touring acts in modern music. It also represents a major moment for the global live entertainment industry, demonstrating the enduring power of K-pop to draw massive, devoted audiences across every region of the world.