BTS Paris concert draws 92,000, attended by French President Macron
K-pop supergroup BTS drew a record-setting crowd of 92,000 people to the first night of their "Arirang" concert at Stade de France in Paris on July 17, underscoring the group's continued global influence and drawing the attendance of French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron.
President Macron acknowledged the event by posting a video from the concert on Instagram with the message, "Welcome to Paris!"
The attendance marked the largest audience for a single BTS concert to date, highlighting the group's sustained international appeal following the members' return from military service. BTS staged a second sold-out show at the venue on July 18.
The Paris concerts concluded the European leg of BTS' "Arirang" world tour and marked the group's first performances in the French capital in seven years, after their "Love Yourself: Speak Yourself" concerts at Stade de France in 2019.
Addressing the audience, BTS members reflected on their return to Paris. Jin recalled participating in the 2024 Paris Olympic torch relay and thanked fans for their support, while RM greeted the crowd in French. V also attempted to address fans in French, drawing cheers from the audience.
BTS will next bring the "Arirang" tour to New York New Jersey Stadium in August. Before that, the group is scheduled to perform at the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show on July 19 alongside Madonna, Shakira and Justin Bieber.
Separately, BTS also released the music video for "Normal," a track from the "Arirang" album. According to the group's agency, it became the most-streamed K-pop music video on Spotify in a single day on July 17.