Asian BTS fans: "Studying Korean for 741 days... We're going to Bukchon Hanok Village" [BTS comeback]

\r\n
\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n
According to Financial News, overseas fans who came to Korea to see BTS's comeback concert said the show deepened their interest in Korean culture. After the "BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG" concert on the 21st, Lara, a BTS fan in her 40s from Taiwan whom we met near Gwanghwamun, described the performance as "a very fascinating stage." She added, "There were no Korean subtitles, so I couldn't understand everything, but the historic setting of the venue and the stage production were very impressive." She went on, "The first song had a structure that reminded me of traditional music, so it felt different from previous concerts," and said, "I could sense an intention to connect with Korean history by using traditional elements in a traditional space."
Speaking about the new songs, she said, "They have pop elements, but the style is a bit different from BTS's earlier music and not something you hear often," adding, "'Body to Body' in particular left the strongest impression on me."
The concert also became a "meeting place" for fans who had flown in from around the world. Attending with a friend, she explained, "I live in Japan and my friend lives in Taiwan, and this concert gave us the chance to meet up in Korea."
A fan for about five years, she said she has been self-studying Korean for 741 days. "My Korean is still not very good, but I keep learning," she said, adding, "Thanks to BTS, I wanted to learn more about Korea, and naturally my interest in the language and culture has grown."
She visited Korea five times just last year. "I love museums and art galleries, so I went around to Korea's history museums and exhibition spaces," she said. "There was so much to learn, and it was a very meaningful experience."
Lotus, a BTS fan in her 40s from Malaysia whom we met before the concert, also said, "Because of BTS, I became interested in Korean culture," and added, "After the show, I plan to visit the BTS pop-up store and Bukchon Hanok Village." She said her favorite track is the title song "SWIM." "During COVID-19, when the world had come to a standstill, BTS were the only ones holding online concerts, and their songs gave me comfort and hope," she recalled. "From that time on, I became a fan and have visited Korea several times." 
jashin@fnnews.com Shin Jin-a Reporter