BTS to celebrate New Year with first live show since Covid-19 shut-down

BTS had to call off its tour of nearly 40 concerts in Asia, Europe and the United States, which had been due to begin in April, as the coronavirus spread around the world. Photo: Reuters

South Korean boyband sensation BTS will welcome in the New Year with its first live concert since it was forced to call off a world tour because of the novel coronavirus, Bit Hit Entertainment, said on Thursday (Nov 12).

The concert - 2021 New Year's Eve Live - will be on Dec 31 just outside the South Korean capital, Seoul, and will include other groups on the Big Hit label including NU'EST, GFriend and ENHYPEN.

Limited seating will be available, in line with government coronavirus safety guidelines, though Big Hit did not specify numbers. The show will be streamed online.

"It will be the first concert to feature Big Hit artistes in one grand event, capped with the countdown to welcome in the New Year," Big Hit said.

The seven-member BTS had to call off its tour of nearly 40 concerts in Asia, Europe and the United States, which had been due to begin in April, as the coronavirus spread around the world.

It played a virtual concert last month, drawing more than 990,000 viewers from 191 countries, and fetching some 50 billion won (RM186mil) in ticket sales.

Since its 2013 debut, the band has ridden a global K-Pop wave with catchy, upbeat music along with lyrics and social campaigns aimed at empowering young people.

BTS' latest hit Dynamite, its first song entirely in English, topped the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in September. – Reuters

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