In case you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard by now that our favorite septet, BTS, is holding a free concert in Busan on October 15. The 90-minute BTS Yet to Come concert will be held simultaneously at the Busan Ilgwang Special Stage (the venue was changed from Busan Asiad Main Stadium after consultations with Busan authorities regarding the convenience and safety of fans) and online.
So what might confuse some is that first, free concerts by world-class acts at this scale are hard to come by, and second, didn't they announce a hiatus a while back? The short of it is that while the group is still definitely on hiatus and off pursuing their individual projects, they are reuniting for a series of endorsements, this concert included. And the bigger picture is South Korea's, specifically Busan's, bid to host the 2030 World Expo.
What is a World Expo, and what does a BTS concert have to do with it?
The 2030 World Expo is a six-month-long exhibition that will bring together countries and organizations worldwide. Think of it as a massive platform for international dialogue, public diplomacy, and national branding. Aside from that, it'll also be an excellent avenue for new cultural experiences and increased tourism activity. In other words, a microcosm of the world's best and finest on display in one location. Hosting an expo of this magnitude would mean increased economic activity and visibility for the host country, which is why a lot of nations want to do it.
But, it isn't as easy raising your hand and volunteering to be the host. Prospective host countries for world expos have to prove that they have the facilities, the global traction, and the capabilities to hold such a massive gathering. Aside from that, they must also provide a good pitch on the theme around which all the exhibits will work. It sounds like a big feat, and it is, but it has high rewards for the host country and its people.
Last year, South Korea nominated Busan as a prospective host for the 2030 World Expo. While many people would've expected Seoul to be the host city, Busan is ripe for the opportunity.
The port city of Busan is the second largest city in South Korea and is also one of the largest business tourism cities in the world, with lots of existing infrastructure and expertise for holding world summits and exhibits. Busan is also a gateway to the rest of the world, with many transportation options available by sea, land, or air. This bid is supported not only by the national government but also by the private sector.
The local committee for the bid is composed of members of the local and national government as well as representatives from top Korean companies such as Samsung and Hyundai. With over 100 billion Korean Won in funding (which, after some math, is around 4 billion pesos) from public and private sources, a lot of support is pouring in for this bid.
Now back to BTS. The K-pop boy group has been granted the title of honorary ambassador for the 2030 Busan World Expo. The Korean government has tapped them to help endorse and boost Busan's visibility on the global stage to increase their chances of getting selected to host the international summit.
With the worldwide pull BTS has, the Korean government is looking to the ARMY for its support. But if you're thinking, how did the government get HYBE and the boys to agree to such an extensive engagement despite being on hiatus? Several sources *claim* that the answer is simple: They spoke to their dads, specifically Jimin and Jungkook's. Jimin and Jungkook are both from Busan, and their families are still there. It's been said that the mayor of Busan spoke with their fathers and got them to talk to the boys and have them agree to be the ambassadors for the bid. The boys reportedly agreed wholeheartedly to support their motherland.
Other K-celebrities are currently in talks to become endorsers for the bid but the 2030 Busan World Expo Committee is decidedly being hush-hush about it for now. So we should keep our eyes and ears ready for any news about possible new ambassadors which could mean more free concerts or fan meets for us.
Aside from Busan, other cities bidding to host the 2030 World Expo are Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Rome, Italy, and Odesa, Ukraine. The final decision on the 2030 World Expo host country will be announced in late 2023.
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This article originally appeared on Spot.ph. Minor edits have been made by Cosmo.ph editors.
