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Saturday's forecast for BTS's big comeback: A clear 'Spring Day'

Published: 19 Mar. 2026, 13:32

Tourists walk around Gwanghwamun wearing "hanbok" (traditional Korean dress) in central Seoul on March 19. [YONHAP]

Clear spring weather is forecast for Saturday, when BTS is set to hold a performance in central Seoul's Gwanghwamun. Fine dust levels, which have remained high in recent days, are also expected to improve.

There is, however, a large gap between the high and low forecasts for the day, meaning that temperatures may drastically drop at night.

Nationwide temperatures are expected to range from minus 4 to 18 degrees Celsius (25 to 64 degrees Fahrenheit) from Thursday to Sunday, showing a typical spring pattern with large daily fluctuations, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).

Aside from less than 0.1 millimeter (0.004 inches) of rain along the southeastern coast of Gangwon on Thursday morning, no precipitation is forecast during this period as the country will remain under the influence of high pressure.

On Saturday, when BTS will hold a full-group comeback performance for the first time in three years and nine months, temperatures around Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul are expected to range from 2 to 15 degrees Celsius. As of Thursday morning, the probability of precipitation for that day was forecast at zero percent.

The temperature at 8 p.m., when the concert begins, is expected to be 8 degrees Celsius.

Tourists walk around Gwanghwamun wearing "hanbok" (traditional Korean dress) in central Seoul on March 19. A stage is installed for the comeback performance of BTS, set for March 21. [YONHAP]

A stage is installed on March 19 for the comeback performance of BTS. The performance is scheduled for March 21. [YONHAP]

“Temperatures may drop rapidly after sunset,” a KMA official said. “It would be advisable to bring extra outerwear or blankets.”

The Sejong-daero area around Gwanghwamun Square will be fully closed to traffic from 9 p.m. on Friday to 6 a.m. on Sunday, and additional road closures are scheduled for nearby roads such as Sajik-ro and Saemunan-ro on Saturday afternoon.

On Saturday afternoon, subway trains will pass Gwanghwamun, City Hall and Gyeongbok Palace stations without stopping, and more than 60 bus routes passing through Sejong-daero and Jongno will be diverted during the event.

Fine dust levels in Korea, which worsened due to wildfires in northeastern China, have also been gradually declining since Thursday. Satellite imagery from the National Institute of Environmental Research showed that high concentrations of ultrafine dust, previously visible as red across wide areas of China on Tuesday, had mostly shifted to blue, indicating low levels, by Wednesday afternoon.

Satellite imagery from the National Institute of Environmental Research shows clearer skies around the Korean peninsula on March 19. [NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH]

“Clean northwesterly winds flowing in from early morning on Thursday led to a gradual decrease in fine dust levels, starting in the midwestern coastal regions,” the Korea Environment Corporation said.

As a result, nationwide fine dust and ultrafine dust levels are expected to improve to “moderate” or “good” on Thursday and Friday, and drop to “low” across the country, except for southern Gyeonggi, on Saturday. However, from Sunday, ultrafine dust levels in Seoul, Incheon, southern Gyeonggi, Sejong, South Chungcheong and North Jeolla are expected to rise again to “high” due to inflows of foreign pollutants, requiring caution from Saturday night.

From Monday to March 29, morning lows are forecast to range from 1 to 10 degrees Celsius and daytime highs from 12 to 19 degrees Celsius, similar to or slightly warmer than average. The probability of precipitation nationwide during this period is expected to be 10 to 30 percent, but Jeju Island is likely to see rain on Tuesday due to a low-pressure system moving in from the south.

“Depending on the development, location and movement speed of the pressure trough, rainfall areas may expand beyond Jeju Island on Monday,” said a KMA official. “For the time being, weak winds and subzero early morning temperatures could lead to frost and fog, so precautions are needed."

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HEO JEONG-WON [[email protected]]