This year marks the tenth anniversary of BTS‘s debut, and despite the absence of some of the members due to their mandatory military service, celebrations are in full swing.
For the past several years, BTS have been celebrating their debut anniversary with ARMYs through elaborate events, which are collectively called FESTA. Though the schedules differ year to year, it is usually a week-long affair, if not longer, during which fans are treated with exclusive content, including pictures, videos, songs, and sometimes full-fledged concerts.
Though 2023 is an important milestone for BTS as a group, they, unfortunately, can’t celebrate FESTA like the other years due to Jin and J-Hope currently serving in the military. So, fans were clueless about how this year’s anniversary will be celebrated, and when BIGHIT MUSIC dropped the FESTA calendar for this year, things didn’t get any clearer, thanks to its cryptic design.
On June 6, KST, the official YouTube channel of BTS, dropped a teaser for FESTA 2023, which was, once again, shrouded in mystery. The teaser didn’t reveal much except the location of Yeouido Hangang Park and the date of June 17.
The teaser confirmed earlier media reports which stated that the main event for BTS’s 10th anniversary would be at Yeouido Hangang Park. At the same time, a few other landmarks of Seoul will be lit up in the group’s signature purple color. Though the event’s details are still unknown, BIGHIT MUSIC described it as a “festival.
As much as this exciting announcement has fans looking forward to the day, it also brought up some nostalgic memories for those who remember BTS’s early days. Yeouido is a significant place for the group and their fans because it is the same place where BTS held their very first fan sign event. They debuted on June 13, 2013, and two weeks later, on June 28, they had their first fan meeting at the IFC Mall in Yeouido.
ARMYs feel that the venue selection for this year’s event was intentional because the group never fails to honor their roots despite their exponential growth.
the reason why their 10th anniversary Festa is in Yeouido. They NEVER forget their roots. https://t.co/onTpv6QFOg
— 떡볶이⁷ | FESTA¹⁰ (@tteokpokki) June 6, 2023
a thing about bts, they never forget where they came from. https://t.co/BoHoeq0uIJ
— tay(tae)⁷ 아포방포10
(@kimgayism) June 7, 2023
holy shit i love them look how happy they were. its so beautiful that they chose yeouido as the location for festa activities. https://t.co/mW1NIHaq43 pic.twitter.com/IWA6nvlLIS
— lauren⁷ bts lockdown (@worldwidshouldr) June 7, 2023
so that’s why the festa event will be in yeouido
https://t.co/J4cBPhr2Xh
— nat⁷
FESTA¹⁰ (@natyourwhalien) June 7, 2023
Coincidental or strategical, the fact that BTS, in some way, are returning to their roots for such a milestone event of their career shows that their sincerity has not changed in these long ten years.
