Today, BTS released the official music video for their song “Merry Go Round” from their 2026 reunion album ARIRANG. The visually arresting MV is available only to Premium users on Spotify’s K-Pop ON! Hub.
The 3:49 ballad is serious, lamenting the cyclical nature of life with lines such as “I can’t get off this merry-go-round. It is about pain, resilience, burnout and brotherhood, mirroring BTS’s experience with fame and military service.
Music Video Features The MV is set in a dark, abandoned amusement park, and each member has their own powerful solo scenes (Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, Jungkook), with swirling papers, shadows chasing after, carousel symbolism. It ends with a reunion that is emotional, about healing and unbreakable bonds. Fans have lauded the series’ cinematic and artistic depth and emotional resonance, comparing it to classics like “Spring Day.”
ARMY have taken to social media to share their love for the video’s horror-tinged but hopeful vibe, calling it one of the most introspective BTS releases to date.
Watch now: Streaming on Spotify (search BTS or K-Pop ON! Hub) . Audio available on all major platforms.
A beautiful reminder that the ride never ends but connection makes it bearable,
The time is now, ARMY! Get ready to see the brightest stars in your universe, because Araneta City’s B★VERSE “BTS, Singing the Stars” Immersive Exhibition General Sale has begun!
Fans of the beloved supergroup BTS will be treated to an immersive virtual reality experience, which includes vivid recreations of BTS’ iconic The Fact Music Awards performances, a Seven Planets showcase that feature each member in unique and personal themed rooms, a dazzling mapping show, and more.
With B★VERSE Manila’s general ticket selling under way, ARMYs can choose between two types of passes for the exhibit. Regular passes, which will allow entry only during their chosen date and time, are priced at Php1,500.
For ARMYs with schedules as crazy as the boys, a Flexi-Pass is also available. At Php1,900, fans with the Flexi-Pass can come in at any time during their chosen date. Don’t waste time, though – slots for the Flexi-Pass are limited!
B★VERSE Manila is set to run starting May 17 to August 15, at Level 4 of the New Gateway Mall 2.
Shine, dream and smile with other ARMYs at B★VERSE Manila by booking your tickets on Ticketnet Online now! Check B★VERSE Manila’s official social media pages on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, and TikTok for more information.
To know more about the latest promos, activities, and happenings at Araneta City, please visit www.aranetacity.com. You may also like and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok.
Beloved global superstars BTS will do whatever they can to show how much they love their fans. From song tributes during Festa season to cartoon companions like TinyTan, the group is serving yet another memorable fan experience – this time, on the virtual reality stage.
Together with The Fact Music Awards and YiZ Entertainment, Araneta City is entering the BTS Universe with the B★VERSE “BTS, Singing the Stars” Exhibition – the first in Manila and only in the City of Firsts!
B★VERSE is an exhibit that will allow ARMYs to witness the evolution of BTS as a group and as individual stars in a totally enchanting exhibit. The exhibit, which had been launched previously in Malaysia, Japan, and Thailand, is now set to be held in the Philippines starting May 17 to August 15, at Level 4 of the New Gateway Mall 2.
PH ARMYs will be treated to an immersive exhibit experience, starting with a VR Room that vividly recreates BTS’ iconic TMA stages from 2020 to 2022. ARMYs who enjoyed BTS’ individual concepts for their album BE or their Photo-Folio projects can look forward to the Seven Planets section, which feature themed rooms personalized for each member showcasing their photos and videos.
Additionally, ARMYs will experience dazzling moments symbolizing the unique connection between BTS and their fans through a mapping show and have the chance to explore the past winners of The Fact Music Awards from 2020 to 2022.
Set your hearts on fire with love for BTS and catch the official teaser for the exhibit on January 29, which will be played on LEDs all around Araneta City. ARMYs can also check B★VERSE Manila’s official social media pages on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, and TikTok for both the teaser and more information. Tickets will be available soon on Ticketnet Online.
To know more about the latest promos, activities, and happenings at Araneta City, please visit www.aranetacity.com. You may also like and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok.
On October 15, BTS held their wildly successful show attended by over 50,000 fans at the Busan Asiad Stadium. A concurrent Live Play event or livestream was held for 10,000 people at Busan Port and 2,000 people at Haeundae Beach. For the millions who watched from their homes, several free streaming sites such as Weverse, JTBC and Naver were available.
In July, BTS became the ambassadors for Busan’s bid for the World Expo 2030 and their October concert was announced. Even without a complete map of details, fans from different parts of the globe immediately took a heightened interest in the upcoming event, in the prospect of seeing the band live one more time. By the time the raffle ticket winners were announced early September, the clamor for concert tickets, accommodation, and flight tickets were so intense that booking the trip became a very hectic activity.
“Yet to Come in Busan” was not only a concert; it was a massive festival for ARMY. During the concert weekend, Busan, the second largest city in Seoul, reportedly garnered around 100,000 tourists from all over the world. The city glowed purple from Busan Tower to Busan Port. As a city known for its magnificent beaches, Busan’s Haeundae and Gwangalli Beach also held their own special events for the concert. Commercial establishments from luxury hotels to simple cafes even offered BTS-themed packages for ARMY.
The Concert Highlights
Fireworks bloomed in the night sky of the Busan Asiad Stadium. The gargantuan screens shaped like BTS’ logo flashed a countdown, signaling the beginning of the show. On instinct, the crowds waved their ARMY Bombs (lightsticks) in the air. The standing area, packed as it was, was a united wave, pushing forward and jumping along to every beat of the song.
The stage was richly decorated by BTS references from their near-decade-long career. You could see the school bus in “No More Dream”, the bare tree with the hanging white sneakers, the You Never Walk Alone carousel and the train from “Spring Day”, the 20219 train container in “I NEED U”, the towering angel statue from “Blood, Sweat and Tears” and the red piano from “Yet to Come”.
We’ve compiled 7 of the most important moments in the concert (or at least, tried to). Read on below!
1. RUN BTS!
Of course, the electrifying “MIC Drop” was an instant party starter, but the energy was even more palpable as BTS unleashed the new stage for the fierce “Run BTS” from their recently released anthology album PROOF. For the first time, the audience got to see the sharp and hard-hitting choreography that only Bangtan could deliver.
2. Vocal line’s and rap line’s sets
YTC in Busan’s setlist featured a balanced mix of their older and newer tracks, as well as a seamless transition in between. The vocal line’s and rap line’s contrasting performances were interesting. BTS’ vocalists – Jin, Jimin, V and Jungkook – serenaded the audience with a stirring rendition of “Zero O’Clock” followed by “Butterfly (Prologue Mix)”. Afterwards, RM, SUGA and j-hope delivered their gut-punching rap during “UGH!” and “Cypher Pt. 3: Killer”.
Side note: The flying blue butterflies were beautiful in real life.
3. Singing along: smooth like butter~
The dawn of the pandemic has given us a few BTS pop English tracks which also got their time to shine during the show. “Dynamite” and “Butter” were songs we had seen many, many times virtually, but seeing and singing along to them live was a new, fun experience.
4. “Welcome to my city! Let’s go!”
“Since we’re in Busan, we have to perform this song. You know what I’m talking about, right? Welcome to my city! Let’s go,” Jimin excitedly shouted before performing the song many people were expecting: “Ma City”. Jimin and Jungkook came from Busan. Seeing the group perform the song felt like a homecoming.
5. The crowd’s burning energy
“FIRE” and “IDOL” are classic BTS hype songs, and they always get the job done. With literal fire bursts and fireworks from the stage, every soul in the stadium was jumping and dancing like there was no tomorrow. It was the middle of autumn, but everything was hot, hot, hot, hotter.
6. “Epilogue: Young Forever” & “For Youth”
Hearing the crowd sing “Epilogue: Young Forever” back-to-back with “For Youth” was golden.
As old snippets of the band flashed across the screen, the crowd sang along to the chorus of “Epilogue: Young Forever”. You could just feel that distinct hint of nostalgia and longing in the air.
7. What BTS had to say
Everyone was anticipating their ending speeches. As BTS announced during their Festa in June, the group is technically on hiatus, fueling concerns about their future.There’s also the looming mandatory military enlistment announcement. BTS, however, had nothing but reassurance and gratitude for their fans.
J-Hope cleared the air by simply saying, “Have faith in us”. As the first member to release a solo album, he successfully performed his headlining set at Lollapalooza in July. He said that he missed performing with the group so much and that he has more energy when he’s with them.
The crowd sang “Happy Birthday” for Jimin who celebrated his birthday two days before the concert. He then thanked everyone for celebrating with him. “I’m now curious what we’ll look like in ten years. I’m looking forward to it a lot. I’m not scared at all. We should keep going – thirty, forty… seventy years old,” he said jokingly.
The group’s leader, RM, mentioned that they haven’t done a proper concert since the Speak Yourself Tour and 5th Muster: Magic Shop in 2019. He thanked the crowd for waiting for three years. He also reaffirmed what J-Hope said. “Whatever comes our way in the future, the seven members of Bangtan are united in our thoughts. If you believe in us, we will be able to get through anything that comes our way. We’ll be happy and we’ll keep making music.”
Jungkook took his time to thank his fellow BTS members. “In the ten years of my life as a trainee up to where I am now, I’d like to thank them. It’s amazing that I got to perform for ARMYs in my hometown. (…) There were times when I had hardship and when I wanted to quit, but the members were there to hold onto me, and because of that I think I’m able to stand here. Let’s continue to run, moving forward.”
Jin, the group’s oldest member, sounded a bit sentimental when he spoke. “I kept thinking this is our last concert and when our next concert will be. Everyone, I don’t know when we’ll have a tour again, but you’ll come, right?” To break the ice, he announced that he would be releasing a new single soon. He said it is a collaboration with an artist he likes. (As it turned out, his new single titled “The Astronaut” is a collaboration with Coldplay, a band he’s known to be a fan of for a long time. It’s set to be released on October 28.)
SUGA had a calm yet confident aura around him when he addressed the audience. “I feel refreshed. We came all the way to Busan and we got to be with you. Some people will say ‘BTS is old’ and so and so. It has been over six years since we received our first Daesang (grand award in Korea), but I think we will continue to be in this place for ten, twenty, thirty years. Let’s grow old together!”
The last to speak was V. “I missed ARMY so much.” He recalled the time during their Festa wherein they said they would be on a hiatus as a group and they would pursue solo careers, but they’re still here, doing a concert. “Though this concert is a one-time event, we prepared a lot, and the choreography for “Run BTS” is really hard! I hope you liked it.” Just when he looked like he had something more to say, he abruptly ended with “thank you” followed by the trademark ARMY greeting “borahae!”
For the final song, “Yet to Come” reverberated throughout the stadium, drawing the curtains to another memorable BTS concert.
The Aftermath
Was it honestly the best? Because my best is what comes next.
To echo the opening line of “Yet to Come”, I came out of BTS’ explosive concert in Busan, thinking it was the band’s best performance yet. I stood there, dazed, every inch of my body thrumming in excitement. In my mind, I was already looking forward to their next show — whenever that may be.
Two days after the concert, Bighit Music announced that the group is set to enlist for their mandatory military service soon. It was a decision that has been hanging for quite some time now, and it was good to finally hear the resolution. According to the announcement, the earliest they will reconvene as a group is on 2025. It seems like a long wait from now, but hey, life goes on for all of us.
As an ARMY who has followed their growth from 2014 until now, I’ve witnessed firsthand how they’ve grown as musicians and performers. I’ve seen the fanbase grow from my select group of friends to every other passerby who knows nothing about K-pop. I’ve experienced how their concert tickets got more and more difficult to obtain as each tour went by. Most importantly, I’ve seen BTS earn the love, respect and admiration of people from all walks of life. For all that and more, in the past eight years, I’m grateful that they have become indelible parts of my life.
From this concert, I’ll forever remember the butterflies flying in the air, the floating whale on top of a sea of people, the fireworks igniting a splendid evening – bits and pieces I’ll take with me for the next few years until the next time I see them live again.
iHeart Radio Music Festival on September 19 and 20, 2020 at 9:19pm to 12:19am with live performances by Bon Jovi, BTS, Coldplay, Alicia Keys, Kane Brown, Keith Urban, Migos, Miley Cyrus, Thomas Rhett, Usher and many more presented by Smart Communications.
#SmartGigaFest brings you the Philippine Exclusive Stream of the biggest music festival of the year.
The closing VCR of the concert quoted Bob Dylan:”How many roads must a man walk down before you call him a man?” Given the story of BTS’ success, the quote resonated with me to mean the one thing the group shed blood, sweat, and tears for—recognition. They have conquered hearts, charts, and major music awards since their beginnings in 2013 under a small label with a humble background. It’s only been three years since their debut and they’re already at the top of their game. The Wings Tour in Manila, held for two days at the MOA Arena, was testament that they deserve the recognition.
The night began with a bang with the hard-hitting Not Today, followed by high-energy performances of Am I Wrong, Baepsae, and Dope before individual stages took over.
Youngest member Jungkook kicked off the solo performances with Begin. The song called for demanding footwork, but he showed no exhaustion as he paced flawlessly through every note. Jimin followed suit with Lie, mesmerizing the audience with dulcet tones matched by the fluid yet defined movements of a contemporary dancer. Suga continued the streak with First Love, his fiery bars complimented by a strings section. The harmony of his raspy voice and the weeping instruments was soothing to the senses.
The first unit of the evening—BTS’ vocal line consisting of Jungkook, Jimin, V, and Jin—took to the stage for Lost. The rest of the members joined in for Save Me and I Need You, the latter being the body roll-inducing track that landed them their first music show win back in 2015.
Leader Rap Monster returned on stage for the rest of the solo performances. His song, Reflection, highlighted both his charisma as a rapper and his skills as an emotional songwriter. The fans’ fondness of the leader shone through when they responded to Rapmon’s “I wish I could love myself” line with “saranghae” (I love you).
After a theatrical transition in which Rapmon walks into an on-stage telephone booth, the lights flicker back on to reveal V inside the booth, kicking off his solo stage with Stigma. Vshowcased his range as a vocalist by hitting both the lower notes and belting, as well as sustaining the higher ones.
Up next was the group’s main dancer J-Hope who lived up to his reputation as BTS’ resident mood-maker with Mama. His solo, though as light and as jovial as his personality, underscored his skill as a dancer and a rapper. Wrapping up the solos was oldest member Jin who delivered a heartfelt performance with Awake. Leaning towards a more ballad-like tone, Awake was Jin’s time to shine as a singer in his own right.
All their songs were catchy, but the one track that had us pumped up was the rapper line’s Cypher Pt. 4. In true boss fashion, Rapmon, Suga and J-Hope donned thick faux fur coats for the fourth installment of the Cypher series which is fueled by doubters and haters.
The boys then came back together as a group for their viral hit Fire before taking fans a trip down memory lane with a medley of their previous title tracks N.O., Boy in Luv, Danger, Run, and their debut single No More Dream.After their energetic performance of 21st Century Girls, during which the audience flashed their banners as part of a fan project, J-Hope switched to a more serious mood with his Boy Meets Evil dance solo. This was then followed Blood, Sweat, and Tears and Outro: Wings before they said their goodbyes.
The fans sang along to 2!3! , a song about looking forward to better days, as if to say they’ll be there as BTS reaches for their goals. Spring Day capped off the night, a fitting finish with its lifting background instrumentals and the message of never forgetting as a new season begins.
It was a memorable night, and we witnessed a lot of people in tears and overcome with emotion.
BTS is a shining example of growth through hard work, grit, and passion. It’s amazing how much they’ve grown individually and collectively since the last we saw them.Their voices were clearer and more stable; their choreography sharper and better synchronized.
With the Wings album, BTS proved their talent not just as performers but also as producers. Each member penned their solo tracks,save for youngest member Jungkook whose solo track Begin was composed by Rapmon, although the sentiments behind it were entirely Jungkook’s. They also took charge of conceptualizing the album’s theme. The group continues to sing about growing pains and emotional dilemmas,dissing the government and fighting back at haters—not your regular K-pop fare.They’ve consciously written about subjects that the youth face, from teenage angst and uncontrollable hormones to the impending weight of adulthood.
Their effort and dedication to speak Filipino is admirable. They barely spoke a line in Korean or English through the night. As my friends would ask, sinong mag-aadjust? They did.
The fanservice is also appreciated. It was absolutely impossible for the group to get close to all the fans, so they walked to every corner of the stage and tried to stay within arm’s reach. They talked directly into the cameras, which were as close as some people could get.
Two things were highly regrettable, though. There were issues with the audio, with the microphone drowning the vocals or being completely cut off for brief moments. Still, for an event of this scale, organizer Pulp Live World was efficient in communicating with fans online, managing entrance queues, setting up the stage, and recruiting bouncers to keep fan behavior in check. The other was reported stolen items from Korean fansite masters. One lost her phone while another lost her money during a gathering of fansites. Nonetheless, it was a splendid evening. For some, it was the most beautiful moment in their lives.
Written by Marijo Endriga and Erianne Du
Photos courtesy of Mall of Asia Arena
Special thanks to Pulp Live World
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