BTS lit up the second night of its large-scale world tour — one that could signal a new beginning not only for the group but perhaps for K-pop itself — with a performance steeped in Korean aesthetics. The group is currently engaged in its “BTS WORLD TOUR ‘ARIRANG’” with three concerts, starting Thursday and continuing over the following weekend at Goyang Stadium, west of Seoul. The tour marks its return roughly four years after wrapping up “BTS PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE” tour in April 2022. The Saturday show signaled a deep infusion of Korean aesthetics even before the official kickoff. Melodies of gayageum, a traditional 12-stringed zither, filled the venue alongside VCR visuals evoking ink-wash paintings, prompting chants of the group’s name from fans in anticipation. Shortly after 7 p.m., all seven members stormed in from the edge of the stage alongside a black-clad mega crew, launching straight into the hip-hop openers “Hooligans” and “Aliens.” Pyrotechnics and fireworks ripped through the air from the very start, but it was the group’s sheer command of the st
