By Danielle Broadway
LOS ANGELES, April 11 (Reuters) – When Sandra Martinez couldn’t make it to Kpop supergroup BTS’s concert in Goyang, South Korea, she and her friends found a workaround. On Saturday, they gathered at an AMC theater in Los Angeles to experience the South Korean performers’ “ARIRANG” tour on the big screen.
“We couldn’t go to the concert, so it’s fun to gather with friends and fellow BTS ARMY,” Martinez, a self‑employed fan, told Reuters at the AMC theater at The Grove outdoor mall.
ARMY is the name of the band’s global fanbase.
BTS consists of seven members: RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, who are managed under Big Hit Music, an independent label under Hybe Corporation.
The global screenings feature two full-length concerts from BTS’s world tour—one filmed live in Goyang on Saturday and another set in Tokyo on April 18—allowing fans worldwide to share in the experience.
Martinez said BTS stands apart from other Kpop groups because of their broad appeal. “It’s not just for younger people. It’s for any age, without limits on race or gender,” she said. “Music comes from the heart.”
She met fellow fan Millie B, a pharmacy technician and BTS content creator, through Instagram, bonding over their shared love for the group. “I didn’t meet my friends until I became ARMY,” Martinez said.
Holding her BTS glow stick, Millie B said the entire group’s return after a more than five‑year hiatus has energized fans. “They went to the military and now they’re finally back with a big tour,” she said. “It’s a big deal.”
BTS went on hiatus in 2022 and all seven members completed South Korea’s mandatory military service by mid-2025, before getting together to record their fifth studio album “ARIRANG.”
BTS’s world tour launched Thursday in Goyang. Released in March, the album topped the Billboard 200 for two weeks, a first for a K‑pop act, while lead single “Swim” debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100.
The tour is expected to generate blockbuster revenues, with 34 stops across the globe—including Los Angeles in September—setting a new record for the most dates by a Kpop artist.
Fan Nicole Lee, who already has tickets to the Los Angeles show, said she couldn’t wait. “I wanted to see their performance a little bit early,” she said.
“I’m just happy that they’re finally back together again,” Lee added.
For her, the group’s global appeal comes from the communication and care that the members offer fans.
“I think people really resonate with that,” she added.
(Reporting by Danielle Broadway; Editing by Alistair Bell)
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