Following the BTS comeback performance at Gwanghwamun Square on March 21, 2026, a heated debate has emerged regarding the mobilization of over 10,000 public officials.
While police and Seoul city officials initially forecasted a massive crowd of up to 260,000, actual attendance was significantly lower.
HYBE estimated the crowd at 104,000, while the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s (MOIS) digital tracking system recorded only 62,000—a major deviation from the original predictions.
The safety operation involved 6,700 police officers and 2,600 Seoul city staff, totaling over 10,000 public sector workers. In contrast, HYBE, the private organizer, deployed only 4,800 private security personnel. Critics argue that relying on inaccurate forecasts led to an excessive deployment of public resources for a private commercial event on a weekend. With estimated overtime pay for these officials expected to exceed 400 million KRW (approx. $300,000), accusations of tax waste have begun to circulate.
Experts suggest this “over-deployment” is a direct result of heightened sensitivity following the 2022 Itaewon tragedy. However, there is growing concern that such massive mobilizations could lead to a “safety vacuum” in emergency response capabilities in other districts.
The incident has prompted urgent calls for more sophisticated, data-driven crowd-prediction models and a clear legal standard for the level of public intervention required for private-sector cultural events.
[ONLINE-KOREA: Letter from Korea]
The highly publicized BTS special performance has finally come to an end 🙂
While news reports are buzzing with claims that about 100,000 people attended, the actual turnout seems to be around 40,000—or roughly 30,000 when you exclude the government personnel on-site 😮💦
Previously, I stressed the critical importance of safety to you all, as cramming 260,000 people (the government’s initial projection) into the cramped space of Gwanghwamun Square would have been incredibly dangerous. Seeing that it wasn’t nearly that crowded and hearing that everything concluded without any trouble, I truly breathed a sigh of relief 😮💨
Setting aside the government’s sheer incompetence, I am just so glad that the event ended safely without any major accidents 😄
ONLINEKOREANEWS.COM 