BTS to hold concert in Busan to promote 2030 World Expo bid

K-pop phenomenon BTS is set to perform in Busan in October to help the city‘s bid to host the 2030 World Expo.

The announcement came after entertainment company Hybe, with which the band’s label Big Hit Music is affiliated, held a meeting to discuss ways to promote the bid with Busan city on Thursday.

“The bidding committee will officially appoint BTS as the ambassadors of 2030 Busan World Expo, and in order to promote the city‘s bid to host the World Expo, BTS is set to hold a concert in October,” Big Hit Music said following the meeting on Thursday afternoon.

The meeting, which took place in the bidding committee’s Seoul office, was attended by the committee‘s Secretary-General Park Jung-wook, Hybe’s CEO Park Ji-won and other related officials.

“Based on the business agreement made with Busan city, Hybe will be rolling out various means to support Busan‘s bid for the 2030 World Expo and fully cooperate on the matter,” Hybe’s CEO Park Ji-won said during Thursday‘s meeting.

On June 24, Hybe signed a memorandum of understanding with the Busan city government to support the port city’s bid to host the expo and contribute to promoting the event and developing regional culture.

A few days before Hybe signed its partnership with Busan, on June 14, BTS members announced that all group projects will go on hiatus while the members focus on solo projects. The band has been on an indefinite break as a group since then.

By Choi Ji-won (jwc@heraldcorp.com)