[GIVE IT A GO]

I knew that BTS’s upcoming “Arirang” comeback performance would be anything but small, obviously. But as a Seoulite who passes through Gwanghwamun every week, I’ve had a few thoughts as I’ve watched the preparations unfold over the past month.

First: Well, this escalated quickly.

Second: What a time to be an ARMY — and what a place to be one.

And third: Fans flying in for the concert probably need a game plan. A good one because there’s just so much to absorb and see in a limited amount of time.

For those who don’t know where to start, I spent a day traveling across the city and doing my best to see it through the eyes of a visiting fan, hopping between BTS-related landmarks that have turned the capital into a treasure hunt for ARMY.

Let’s gear up: Insa-dong

At the start of the journey, I decided that I needed to gear up — and maybe have some hands-on fun while doing it.

With an ARMY Bomb and a dream, I made my first stop at Insa-dong in Jongno District, central Seoul, a neighborhood known for its traditional clothing boutiques and antique shops.

I left with a handmade norigae, a traditional Korean tassel, attached to my ARMY Bomb, as well as a small piece of wisdom.

“Life is about stories,” said Seo Yoon-deok, who manages the modern hanbok (traditional Korean attire) brand Leesle’s Insa-dong branch. “A life without stories would be no fun, right?”

She told me this while recommending that I add a cute heart-shaped charm to the silver turtle ornament that I had chosen for my norigae.

A DIY norigae at Leesle consists of three components: a head, a body and a tail. Customers can choose from an assortment of knots, beads and charms to create their own design.

Once the pieces are selected, the real work begins, as you need to sit down with pliers and carefully attach everything through tiny metal rings, which is much easier said than done. Still, the process is fun and requires just enough effort that you’re satisfied and proud of yourself for the result, not exhausted.

According to Leesle, there has been a noticeable increase in ARMY customers as they visit the store ahead of the Gwanghwamun performance. Many gravitate toward purple charms — BTS’s signature color — such as bell-shaped flowers and butterflies.

I ended up with two tassels: a purple norigae for my ARMY Bomb and another featuring traditional Korean motifs, inspired by the upcoming album “Arirang,” which shares the same name as the centuries-old Korean folk song. Together, the two norigae cost about 80,000 won ($53), though a simpler version would typically range between 15,000 and 30,000 won, starting with a basic 5,000 won knotted body.

A reconnaissance: Gwanghwamun

Even if you’re not one of the lucky ARMYs who secured a ticket to Saturday’s performance, it’s still worth visiting Gwanghwamun Square before or after the show.

About a 15-minute walk from Insa-dong, the area surrounding Gwanghwamun and Gyeongbok Palace — Seoul’s main royal palace — is where BTS will stage its monumental return.

When I visited the square, it appeared more than ready to greet the world’s biggest boy band, even though its comeback was still days away.

Media facades, alongside fan-funded displays for each member, surround the digital advertisement board for the Netflix livestream of the show. At a nearby Kyobo Book Centre branch — this one known for featuring literary quotes on its exterior — a massive banner reads, “Until the story that started with me resonates around the world,” accompanied by the red “Arirang” logo.

International fans were already gathered at the spot, filming videos and snapping photos of the displays.

“It’s amazing. BTS has such a massive impact,” said Selena, a lucky ARMY from Miami who managed to secure a ticket for the show. “I think it’s more than the music. You can see the impact they’ve made on the country and on the world. It’s beautiful.”

Obviously: HYBE, Yongsan District

And of course, no BTS pilgrimage is complete without a visit to the agency’s headquarters.

HYBE’s headquarters in Yongsan District is about a 20-minute bus ride from Gwanghwamun. Along the way, fans can stop by a pop-up — a collaboration between the band and the National Museum Foundation of Korea — at the Shinsegae Department Store’s main branch. The pop-up runs from Friday through April 12 and takes place both at Shinsegae’s The Heritage branch and HYBE’s headquarters.

If you’ve worked up an appetite at this point in your journey, there’s also a fitting lunch stop nearby. Just beside the headquarters sits Superstar Tteokbokki, a cozy tteokbokki (spicy rice cake) restaurant run by a devoted ARMY.

The shop is decorated floor to ceiling with BTS posters and merchandise. The group’s songs play constantly, and videos of their performances are projected onto a wall.

Most importantly, the food is good.

My friend Young, a longtime ARMY who joined me for lunch, enjoyed the meal but mentioned after returning from the restroom, “I’m not sure that I needed to see BTS’s faces in the bathroom too.”


On your way: Han River and festivities

The rest of the city will join the celebration starting on Friday. N Seoul Tower, which is visible on your way from Gwanghwamun to HYBE’s headquarters, will display a media facade of the septet beginning on Friday evening.

Additionally, light displays are scheduled throughout the weekend, including at Banpo Bridge, which connects Yongsan to Seocho District in southern Seoul, and at Sebitseom along the Han River.

Nostalgia and full belly: Gangnam District

If you still have energy left, head south toward Gangnam District to add another fun stop to your pilgrimage.

The Nonhyeon-dong area of Gangnam is where the BTS members spent their early days at the company’s former headquarters. The neighborhood makes an appearance in the group’s 2022 track, “Run BTS”: “100 meters [328 feet] from Nonhyeon, our spot / The company’s calling right after school / Yeah, I’ll be on my way right now — just please don’t send me back home.”

Hakdong Park, near BTS’s former dorm, is another place fans often visit. About 10 minutes away sits Yoojung Sikdang, a Korean restaurant that the members frequented during their trainee days.

Unsurprisingly, Yoojung Sikdang, much like Superstar Tteokbokki, is filled with BTS posters and memorabilia from floor to ceiling.

I recruited two friends to join me for dinner since the signature ssambap (leaf wraps) can only be served, unfortunately, to parties with two or more people. By the time we arrived around 7 p.m., several tables were already occupied by what appeared to be groups of international ARMYs.

With the objectivity expected of a journalist, I can report that ssambap was excellent: I highly recommend the dish. If you want something extra, the boiled tofu with kimchi is also a good choice.

Or, as my friend Hayong, a former K-pop fan who had been dragged along for dinner, summed it up more simply: “Well,” she said after a few bites, “BTS clearly has good taste.”

BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]