Centuries on stage: The heritage setting behind BTS’s 'Arirang' show in Gwanghwamun

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Centuries on stage: The heritage setting behind BTS’s 'Arirang' show in Gwanghwamun

Published: 23 Feb. 2026, 18:08 Updated: 23 Feb. 2026, 19:32

JIN EUN-SOO
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

BTS performed "Butter" in front of Sungnyemun in 2021. [KOREA HERITAGE SERVICE]

BTS, for its much-anticipated comeback album, has chosen to go backward — not in sound or ambition, but in spirit.

The septet, which is making a full-group comeback in nearly four years, wants to talk about "the team's root, starting point and internal stories," in its upcoming album, according to its agency HYBE.

Route expected to be taken by BTS on March 21 when the group holds a comeback performance in Gwanghwamun in central Seoul. [YONHAP]

That intention is reflected in the album’s title, “Arirang,” a centuries-old Korean folk song that's often regarded as the nation's unofficial anthem.

Music is not the only medium the group is using to convey that message.

Its deliberate choice of Gwanghwamun Square as the stage of its comeback performance on March 21 underscores the same message, helping to draw a connection between the past and the present.

Since the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), Gwanghwamnun Square has long served as both a political barometer and a public gathering ground for Koreans. Multiple candlelight vigils have been held there, helping shape Korea’s modern democracy. The square is also known to hold festivals and leisure activities throughout the year.

The heritage thread emphasizing BTS's identity doesn't stop there.

The opening sequence of the roughly hourlong event will spotlight Gyeongbok Palace, Seoul’s main royal palace, along with nearby historic landmarks. A partnership with Netflix, which will livestream the show to some 190 countries, will bring Seoul's cultural treasures to tens of thousands of fans around the globe.

According to a document HYBE submitted to the Korea Heritage Service for approval of heritage site usage, BTS is expected to begin its march at Geunjeongjeon, the main hall of Gyeongbok Palace, and walk down what's called the "King's Road" to arrive at woldae, a traditional platform outside of the palace. The seven members will then proceed to Gwanghwamun Square, where the main stage will be set up. At the same time, a media facade will be projected onto the walls of Gyeongbok Palace and the adjacent Sungnyemun, among other sites.

Professor Sim Hee-chul at Dong-ah Institute of Media and Art likened the event to "a cultural olympic that will elevate the Korea's national brand."

With less than a month until the landmark performance, the Korea JoongAng Daily examines the historical meaning of the heritage sites set to feature in the show.

The performance is scheduled to take place on March 21 at 8 p.m.

Gwanghwamun Square in 2017 [YONHAP]

Gyeongbok Palace and Geunjeongjeon

Gyeongbok Palace holds primacy among the five royal palaces in Seoul as the beopgung, or main palace where the king conducted state affairs, resided and rested. It was built with the founding of the Joseon Dynasty. The palace was destroyed twice — during the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592-1598) and later during the Japanese colonial period (1910-1945). Restoration is still underway, with authorities aiming to complete 40 percent of the complex by 2045.

Geunjeongjeon, the main hall of Gyeongbok Palace. [YONHAP]

BTS is expected to begin its procession in front of Geunjeongjeon, the palace’s main hall and central building, which historically was dedicated to carrying out state affairs. The hall, including its jojeong, or courtyard, hosted major events, including royal coronations, morning court assemblies, receptions for foreign envoys and the state civil service examination, known as gwageo.

Access to this area was strictly limited at the time. Only high-ranking officials were permitted to enter.

The hall’s authority is underscored by surrounding symbolic motifs. It is decorated with statues of four guardian deities and the 12 zodiac animals. Geunjeongjeon is the only case among the five royal palaces of the Joseon Dynasty where both sets have survived intact.

The guardian statues represent the four cardinal directions and are believed to protect the cosmic order. Their placement was intended to shield the hall from external evil forces and to reinforce the idea of the king, seated at the center of the building, as the axis of the universe and ruler of all creation.

The roof of Geunjeongjeon is adorned with terracotta ornaments depicting characters from Chinese fairy tales, installed to protect the king. Such decorations could only be used for buildings directly associated with the monarch.

In its spacious courtyard stand 24 rank marking stones, 12 on each side of the central king's road. Government officials had to line up according to their ranks and the higher the rank, the closer the official could get to the king.

The symbolic significance of the hall has made it a venue for multiple global cultural events. Italian fashion brand Gucci staged a runway show along Geunjeongjeon’s colonnaded corridors. BTS previously performed “IDOL” and “Dynamite” in the courtyard with Geunjeongjeon as the background in 2020.

King's Road

A slightly elevated pathway crossing the center of Gyeongbok Palace was exclusively dedicated to the king and is often called the king's road. [GETTY IMAGES BANK]

At Gyeongbok Palace, three parallel pathways run side by side through the main courtyard, dividing the space along a central axis. Of the three, the central passage, slightly wider and elevated, was reserved for the king and is often referred to as eodo or the "King's Road." Even high-ranking officials were forbidden from stepping on it.

BTS is expected to walk on this road starting from Geunjeongjeon towards Gwanghwamun Squre. They will pass through three gates — Geunjeongmun, Heungnyemnun and Gwanghwamnun — along the way. All three gates feature three adjacent arched entrances, with the central arch reserved for the king. The eastern entrance was designated for civil officials and the western entrance for military officials.

Even today, the central arch remains largely off-limits to pedestrians, with barricades restricting access except during special occasions.

The three gates that must be passed to reach Geunjeongjeon underscore the hierarchical and authoritarian nature of the monarchy. They also served a practical security function to keep the king's office and other residual buildings far away from the main entrance.

Gwanghwamun, the palace’s main and the largest gate, served as the primary point of contact between the palace and the outside world and was therefore heavily guarded. The area between Gwanghwamun and Heungnyemun was reserved for soldiers stationed to protect the palace.

Heungnyemun, the palace’s second gate, was primarily used by officials attending state events. It was demolished during the Japanese colonial period to make way for a Japanese government building and was rebuilt in 2001.

The space between Heungnyemun and Geunjeongmun, the entrance to Geunjeongjeon, was used for assemblies or as a waiting area. A stream named geumcheon runs across the courtyard with a bridge known as Yeongjegyo. It is believed that only high-ranking officials were permitted to cross the bridge to enter Geunjeongjeon and participate in assemblies presided over by the king.

What is woldae?

Woldae, a stone platform in front of Gwanghwamun, was restored and opened to the public in 2023. [YONHAP]

Woldae is a stone platform typically built in front of major palace buildings or gates. The woldae in front of Gwanghwamnun was recently restored and BTS is slated to come out of Gwanghwamun and proceed to this site.

Historically, this woldae served as a point of contact between the people of Joseon and the king. King Gojong (1864-1907), who constructed it, conducted several royal rituals and once had the crown price distribute batches of rice to the public there, according to historical records. It was likely the only space where those inside the palace and those outside could gather and communicate.

The structure, however, was demolished during the colonial era to make way for tram tracks and was later buried beneath an asphalt road. Restoration started in 2006 and it was unveiled to the public in 2023.

The restoration of the woldae was meaningful in that it brought Gwanghwamun closer to its original appearance. The donation of two stone statues depicting the mythical, auspicious animal known as seosu by Samsung’s late chairman Lee Kun Hee further enhanced the completeness of the restoration. The statues were installed at both front ends of the platform.

The project was also significant in symbolic terms. The revival of a Joseon-era space once used for communication between the palace and the public has made Gwanghwamun Square — a symbol of modern Korean democracy — more accessible, linking past forms of cohesion with those of today.

BTS will make its way up to the platform before crossing the street to Gwanghwamun Square, where their main stage is expected to be installed.

Gwanghwamun Square and Korea

Koreans rally at Gwanghwamun Square in 2016 against then-president Park Geun-hye. [GETTY IMAGES BANK]

Gwanghwamun Square, a sprawling plaza located in front of Gwanghwamun, embodies the complexity of Korea's past and present.

The open area was developed soon after the founding of the Joseon Dynasty in 1395 under the name Yukjo Street, home to the kingdom's key government offices. It, too, faced a similar fate during the Japanese colonial era when the buildings were demolished to widen the road.

Even after liberalization, the space had some turbulent years. It was often used by the country's presidents to leave their marks for political purposes. President Park Chung Hee erected the statue of Admiral Yi Sun-shin (1545-1598) in the center of what had become a road spanning 20 lanes. The idea of restoring Yukjo Street was then proposed by You Hong-june, then head of the Cultural Heritage Administration, during Roh Moo-hyun's presidency. The form of today's Gwanghwamun Square was introduced in 2009 under the Lee Myung-bak administration. A statue of King Sejong (1397-1450) was installed during this period with strong backing from then Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who now serves again as mayor.

Gwanghwamun Square may have acted as a symbol of authority for past leaders, but it was never perceived that way by the public. For many Koreans, the space served as a venue for celebration and festivals, like when the area was filled with cheering Red Devils during the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup. It has also been a site of rallies and candlelight protests, where citizens gathered to voice their demands and call for accountability.

BTS is expected to set up the main stage at the northern end of Gwanghwamun Square, facing south, to perform their comeback for some 200,000 people expected to gather around the area.

Sungnyemun

Sungnyemun [YONHAP]

Sungnyemun, also known as Namdaemun, is located some distance away from the main performance venue, roughly a 10-minute walk south from the Gwanghwamun Square.

The HYBE document submitted to the Korea Heritage Service indicates that a media facade will be projected onto the walls of Sungnyemun as well as the walls of Gyeongbok Palace.

Sungnyemun, designated as Korea’s National Treasure No. 1, is the oldest surviving wooden structure in Seoul. Built in 1398, it was one of the four main gates of the fortress constructed during the Joseon era to protect the capital.

Although Seoul now spans a far larger area, the space within the four gates was once regarded as the heart of the city, where yangban — the ruling class of Joseon — resided.

The gate suffered major damage in 2008 when an elderly man set it on fire, leaving the two-story wooden pavilion atop the stone base nearly destroyed. It was restored in 2013.