BTS Draws 150,000 Fans to Stanford as ARMYs Queue for Hours Ahead of 3 Sold-Out Shows
Updated
Updated · NBC Bay Area · May 15
BTS Draws 150,000 Fans to Stanford as ARMYs Queue for Hours Ahead of 3 Sold-Out Shows
8 articles · Updated · NBC Bay Area · May 15
Fans began lining up Thursday night in Stanford, with many waiting hours Friday to buy BTS merchandise before the group's three sold-out Stanford Stadium concerts.
Three shows on Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday are expected to bring about 150,000 ARMYs, making the Bay Area stop the tour's only Northern California date.
Stanford marks BTS's first Bay Area performances since 2018 after the group paused in 2022 for solo projects and mandatory South Korean military service.
Palo Alto hotels are virtually full, a rare weekend pattern, and recent BTS tour stops in Los Angeles and Las Vegas generated more than $100 million for local economies.
Is BTS's comeback a triumphant artistic return or a calculated boost for South Korea's global soft power?
After a military hiatus and a darker album, what does BTS's return to rap reveal about their future artistic path?