As K-pop supergroup BTS prepares to stage a free comeback concert at Seoul's iconic Gwanghwamun Square on Saturday, the event is drawing attention not only for its scale but also for what it signals about the evolving spatial strategy of K-pop performances. The show, linked to the group's upcoming full-length album "Arirang," is expected to bring hundreds of thousands of visitors into central Seoul. While a limited number of fans will be admitted to designated viewing areas near the main stage, significantly larger crowds are likely to gather along surrounding avenues stretching toward the Sungnye Gate and Cheonggye Stream, turning the entire district into an open-air concert setting. The event reflects a broader shift in which major K-pop performances are increasingly being staged in prominent urban locations — often as free or publicly accessible spectacles — rather than remaining confined to indoor arenas and domes. Entertainment agencies and local governments alike have begun using such events to expand the genre's engagement beyond the core fan base, attract city visitors and b