The number is way lower than previously reported.
1 hour ago
Conflicting reports about attendance at BTS’s Gwanghwamun concert have sparked debate about over-inflation well past the original performance date. Almost a week later, it is still a major hot topic on social media. The Seoul city government has finally spoken up with official numbers.
According to official Seoul city data released on March 26, approximately 76,000 people were present in the Gwanghwamun and City Hall area during the event on March 21. The data, which combines mobile carrier signals and public transportation usage, recorded 75,927 people between 8 and 9pm, offering what officials describe as the closest estimate to the actual number of attendees.
Notably, around 25% of the crowd, about 19,000 people, were foreigners, highlighting BTS’s global draw. Interestingly, long-term foreign residents outnumbered short-term tourists, suggesting many attendees were already based in Korea.
Tracking location map provided.
The breakdown by nationality showed Thailand with the highest number of visitors, followed by Vietnam, India, and Japan, alongside thousands from other countries.
So why the huge gap in reported numbers? Previously, HYBE estimated 104,000 attendees, reportedly including nearby commercial areas and general foot traffic. Meanwhile, Seoul’s real-time city data initially estimated only 48,000, though this figure excluded short-term foreign visitors and had limitations due to signal overlap. Media outlets reported an estimated 260,000 in attendance, but this number had many debating over its accuracy.
BTS’s Gwanghwamun Performance Sparks “Over-Inflation” Backlash With Empty Seats
With the latest data now revealed, netizens are pointing out just how wide the discrepancy was, fueling further discussion about how crowd sizes are reported for major K-pop events.