July 8, 2026
SEOUL – BTS launched the London leg of its “Arirang” world tour on Monday, drawing tens of thousands of fans to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as the British capital welcomed the group with citywide celebrations and cultural events.
The seven-member group played the first of two sold-out concerts in London before continuing the European leg of the tour with stops in Munich and Paris.
Opening the show with their latest single “Hooligan,” BTS performed tracks from their new album “Arirang,” including “Swim,” alongside global hits such as “Butter” and “Dynamite.”
Fans from around the world gathered outside the stadium hours before the concert, dressed in BTS merchandise and shades of purple — the color closely associated with the group and its fandom, Army.
“BTS’ music transcends language and everything else,” one fan from Scotland told YTN. “They come to us whenever we’re going through difficult times.”
Another fan from Munich said she admired “the love and respect they show each other and their fans.”
Coinciding with the concerts, London landmarks and cultural institutions joined in the celebrations welcoming BTS’ return to the UK.
As part of “The City Arirang,” a fan festival accompanying the world tour, the Korean Cultural Centre UK opened a special exhibition featuring BTS music videos, stage costumes, official merchandise and Korean cultural experiences. The festival also expanded to the British Museum’s Korea Gallery, where visitors can explore displays inspired by the themes of BTS’ latest album. Fans can also participate in an eight-stop stamp rally across London.
The city also illuminated the London Eye in red, while an “Arirang”-themed boat carrying the tour’s logo sailed along the River Thames.
Separately, London’s National Gallery welcomed BTS fans by highlighting RM’s longtime admiration for British painter J. M. W. Turner on social media.
The museum shared a photo of RM outside the gallery and recalled his remarks from a 2021 interview in which he described Turner as his favorite artist and said seeing the painter’s works in person had been “like a dream come true.”
The London concerts mark the latest stop on BTS’ European tour following performances in Madrid and Brussels. The “Arirang” world tour spans 88 concerts across 34 cities, making it the largest world tour ever mounted by a K-pop act.