BTS drew tens of thousands of fans to Mexico City's Zócalo as the global superstars met President Claudia Sheinbaum ahead of their highly anticipated run of concerts in the Mexican capital.
The K-Pop superstars met Sheinbaum at the National Palace on Wednesday (May 6) before greeting fans from one of the building's balconies overlooking the city's main public square.
Around 50,000 people gathered outside the palace to catch a glimpse of the group ahead of the band's three sold out ARIRANG Tour concerts in Mexico City.
According to Diario de Mexico, their legion of fans, known as ARMY, began arriving at the Zócalo hours before the scheduled appearance around 5 p.m. local time. Thousands filled much of the square carrying signs, photographs, and BTS merchandise while waiting for the group to appear.
Due to the intense heat in Mexico City, authorities sprayed water over parts of the crowd and advised attendees to stay hydrated, while security and public assistance personnel were deployed throughout the area.
BTS addressed fans in both Spanish and English during their brief appearance on the balcony.
“Muchas gracias for having us,” RM said. “We can’t wait for tomorrow’s concert stage. Let’s have fun tomorrow! Te amo, te quiero, muchas gracias.”
“I don’t speak Spanish very well, but I’m going to make an attempt,” said V in Spanish. “We’ve missed you all. We have missed Mexico even more. The energy here is incredible. Thank you so much for admiring us. We’ll see you next time, goodbye!”
Through her official X account, Sheinbaum wrote in Spanish: “With a beautiful simplicity, BTS greeted their ‘A.R.M.Y’ and nearly 50,000 people who gathered in the zócalo to welcome them. It brings me great joy to have been able to give them this moment of jubilation. The group conveys positive messages in their songs that foster a culture of peace and inclusion.”
In a separate tweet, she wrote, “I am delighted to welcome one of the groups most beloved by the youth of Mexico: BTS. Music and values unite Mexico and South Korea.”
BTS will perform three concerts at Estadio GNP Seguros on May 7, 9, and 10, with more than 136,000 tickets sold for the shows.
According to Billboard, Sheinbaum had publicly supported efforts to bring more BTS concerts to Mexico after tickets for the current run sold out in less than an hour.
