Seoul celebrates 10th anniversary of BTS debut in festive mood

Seoul is sprucing itself up to host a two-week celebration of the 10th anniversary of the global sensation BTS.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the boy band’s company HYBE Co. will celebrate BTS’ anniversary with various events, along with decorations of some landmark buildings in the capital city of South Korea to spread the festive mood.

BTS released its debut single “2 COOL 4 SKOOL” on June 13, 2013. Since then, HYBE has celebrated the seven-member group's anniversary annually with videos of their choreography practices and photos of the group together.

This year, the entertainment company is doing something even more special by preparing a pilgrimage tour in Seoul, where BTS fans can follow in the boy band's footsteps across the city.

Seoul has organized a two-week event to capture the excitement and momentum of BTS’ 10th anniversary to promote the city as a tourist attraction.

Some landmark towers, cultural centers and bridges such as Namsan Seoul Tower, Lotte World Tower, Seojong Center, Dongdaemun Design Plaza and Seoul City Hall will be illuminated in purple after sunset.

The Seoul city government and the Seoul Tourism Organization have prepared BTS pilgrimage tour maps and employees decked out in BTS goods will greet visitors at tourist information centers.

BTS fans will be guided to the park in southern Seoul frequented by its members during their years as trainees and enjoy videos featuring the site where the seven members shot their performance aired on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. During the pilgrimage tour, they can listen to BTS songs by scanning QR codes on the map.

The highlight of the two-week celebration will be a festival at Yeouido Hangang Park on June 17, where BTS leader RM is scheduled to appear at 5 p.m. local time.

Then 30-minute fireworks will follow at 8:30 p.m., with a medley of BTS hits and narrations by its members.

The road in Yeouido to the festival venue will be transformed into a wall of history, looking back on BTS’ 10 years as the world’s top idol group. During the festival, some traffic will be blocked around the area.

Some of the band's stage costumes and group photographs will be on display and anniversary stamps and tattoo stickers will be available during the festival.

Write to Hae-Ryon Choi at haeryon@hankyung.com

Yeonhee Kim edited this article.