‘The wait is over’

BTS reunion brings fans back to where they left off

“Annyeong, Seoul! We’re back!”

Four words—it just took four words to end those four long years of waiting. These were the opening words of RM, leader of K-pop group BTS, as the septet finally reunited on stage for their comeback concert at Gwanghwamun Square on March 21—an event streamed globally on Netflix.

Seeing the concert from a watch party hosted in partnership with PLDT and Manila-based BTS fan club Borahae From Manila, the moment didn’t feel distant. So close yet so far. It felt almost unreal. After years of solo projects, enlistments, and uncertainty, seeing all seven members together again carried a weight that was hard to put into words.

It had been nearly four years since BTS last performed as a complete group, when they held a free concert in Busan in 2022 before entering military service. That memory lingered for many fans—a pause that stretched longer than expected.

The reunion concert picked up from where they left off—only this time, the anticipation had built into something heavier. It’s kind of funny that they left us, fans, with a free concert and now returned to us again with a free concert.

“Thank you for waiting for us,” j-hope said. People were screaming and cheering behind me, but that line landed quietly and stayed with me for a while.

Across the broadcast, the group acknowledged the time that had passed. RM described the return as “a long journey,” while V admitted that he himself couldn’t believe it was finally happening. I wanted to answer him, “Paano pa kaya kami?” Who would’ve thought we’d finally be here?

There was no attempt to overstate the moment. If anything, the members spoke with a kind of restraint, choosing to sit with the reality of being back rather than dramatize it too much.

Jungkook reflected on the pressure that came with the comeback.

“It really has been a long time. I don’t think I’ll ever forget tonight. Honestly, I definitely felt some pressure about the comeback, but being here in front of you all, it feels great,” he said.

The concert doubled as the launch of BTS’ new album, which Suga described as their most honest yet.

“We worked hard to show a more mature and evolved BTS,” he shared, adding that the group aimed to present a clearer picture of who they have become.

I got that. To be honest, the only time I got to listen to their new songs was at the concert. The only song that stood out to me was “Like Animals.” But when I listened to the whole album and sat with it, I got to understand what they really meant in “Normal.” They wanted us to know what they really feel. They shared what it felt like to have this fame and the things that come with it.

That evolution came with uncertainty. j-hope shared that while working on the album, the group questioned whether fans would still be there.

“We’ve had anxieties about whether people would keep waiting for us, or if we’d be forgotten,” he said.

For fans watching the stream, that doubt felt distant from what unfolded on screen. The performance drew fans from across the world attending the event live, with many gathering in homes, cafés, and organized watch parties.

Jimin, speaking to the crowd, framed the group’s return in simpler terms.

“As you all know, we’re really not that special or extraordinary. Just like you, we get scared and worried all the time… But despite that, we want to accept those feelings and keep swimming together,” he said.

The night didn’t try to resolve everything. It didn’t need to. What it offered instead was presence—the group on stage, complete again, and fans watching from wherever they were.

“ARMY, I’m so happy to be back. All of these moments are thanks to you. BTS 2.0 is just getting started,” j-hope stated.

Jin echoed that promise, saying the group would continue to show different sides of themselves and make sure to come see us often. I will take that.

For a comeback that took years to arrive, the concert moved quickly. But some parts lingered—the opening line, the pauses between songs, the quiet acknowledgments of time lost and regained.

And for those who waited, those were enough.