For members of the BTS ARMY, as the k-pop phenomenon's fan base is known, the moment couldn't be happier.
Just 24 hours after Jin, the oldest member of the world's biggest boy band, was discharged from military service, the South Korean capital was overrun by BTS fans. Tens of thousands of people lined up to join the band's annual party.
Last year's BTS FESTA drew 400,000 fans.
This year's event, which will be held at a sprawling sports complex in southern Seoul, is expected to break the record. Jin will be handing out free hugs to a select group of 1,000 lucky "hug marathon" raffle winners.
Lines stretched up to three kilometers around the FESTA hall today, with fans showing up as early as 7:00am to make sure they could get their hands on the band's coveted merchandise and free photo cards of their idols.
As of 2022, BTS has been on a self-imposed "hiatus" with all seven members consecutively called up for military service.
Due to the "nuclear" tension between North and South Korea, all men in the South under the age of 30 to enlist.
After his dismissal, Jin stated on the South Korean app Weverse that the "hug" was his idea and that he "originally wanted to hug 3,000 fans" but had to settle for a smaller number due to safety concerns. | BGNES
