Estimated crowd for BTS performance in Gwanghwamun

At 8 PM on the 21st, the full group comeback performance by BTS began at Gwanghwamun Square. Fans from around the world, of various nationalities and ages, cheered as the BTS members appeared. Gwanghwamun, illuminated by purple light sticks, resembled a massive concert venue, and even spectators far from the stage watched the performance on large screens or their smartphones.

According to Seoul City's estimate as of 8 PM, 40,000 to 42,000 people had gathered in the vicinity of Gwanghwamun and Deoksugung Palace, with the population density categorized as "crowded." HYBE, the organizer, estimated that up to 104,000 people were present, including mobile carrier users, foreigners, and users of budget mobile plans. The official seating capacity was 22,000, with the remainder watching the performance from around the plaza.

The police had initially anticipated a crowd of up to 260,000 people, but the actual turnout was lower than expected. As the performance time approached and crowd density increased, the police planned to divide the venue into four zones: 'core,' 'hot,' 'warm,' and 'cold,' and to control entry once the 'hot zone' reached its capacity of 100,000 people.

Due to concerns about potential terrorism, approximately 15,000 personnel, including police, fire authorities, and public officials, were deployed for safety management. Access to Gwanghwamun Square was restricted to 31 gates, and metal detectors were installed to prevent the entry of dangerous items. Many gates were subsequently closed to further entry as crowds surged.

Citizens who failed to secure tickets waited in their own ways, bringing newspapers or fishing chairs to claim prime viewing spots. There were instances of competition for benches and situations where police asked seated spectators on sidewalks to exercise restraint.