BTS reunites after military hiatus with historic Seoul comeback performance

K-pop supergroup BTS made their long awaited return to the stage Saturday with a performance at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square, marking the band’s first appearance together in nearly four years.

SEOUL, South Korea — K-pop supergroup BTS made their long-awaited return to the stage Saturday with a performance at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square, marking the band’s first appearance together in nearly four years.

The seven-member boy group — Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jung Kook — reunited after completing mandatory South Korean military service and pursuing solo projects during their hiatus.

The comeback concert, staged at the historic plaza in central Seoul, comes ahead of an 80-plus-date global tour across the U.S., Europe and Asia.

The seven-member group performed together for the first time in nearly four years after completing mandatory South Korean military service.Kim Hong-Ji - Pool / Getty ImagesBTS were granted special permission by the Korean Heritage Service to perform at Gwanghwamun Square, the main gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace, a landmark dating back to the Joseon Dynasty. Organizers described it as the first major live performance held at the site, with the show also livestreamed globally.

Fans, known as the “BTS Army,” traveled from around the world to attend, while others were already in South Korea.