Getting back in front of a live audience was an emotional experience for BTS.
On Saturday night, the K-pop band took the stage at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, their first big in-person concert since the start of the pandemic, in 2019.
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“Before a concert we always talk amongst ourselves and do a huddle in the green room. Before [the first song] ‘On’, everyone said, ‘I think I’m gonna cry.’ Everyone was very nervous,” member Jin told People. “We were afraid to make a mistake but that made us practise that much harder.” He noted, “Everyone said they were going to cry but no one actually did.”
Jimin added, “I was very nervous. I was scared. Today, I will take it easy.”
The show is the first of four the group will play at the stadium, which marks a real return to live shows after cancelling their 2020 tour due to the COVID pandemic.
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BTS also recently performed live at the AMAs; they took home three awards, including Artist of the Year.
“It didn’t seem real until the AMAs. [They] gave us all of that energy for yesterday,” Jungkook said.
“It got me really emotional beyond words, the beginning of our new chapter,” RM said of their four-night “Permission to Dance on Stage” concert.
Talking about how they felt during the pandemic, Jimin said, “We felt powerless and felt depressed. We wanted to bring healing to everyone. We’re back where we belong.”