Felixnews.com – The massive comeback concert of South Korea’s famous idol group Bang Tan Sonyeo (BTS), scheduled for Saturday (March 21, 2026) in the Gwanghwamun area, will result in the temporary closure and restricted access to Gyeongbokgung Palace, a cultural heritage site. The closure was announced by the Cultural Heritage Administration to ensure the safety of visitors and national heritage.
Previously, on Sunday (March 1, 2026), local authorities held a meeting at the National Palace Museum of Korea to discuss security measures related to the use of the Gyeongbokgung Palace area.
The meeting was attended by officials from the Palace Heritage and Tombs Division, along with representatives from the four main royal palaces: Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Deoksugung, and Changgyeonggung, as well as Jongmyo Shrine and the National Palace Museum.
The meeting discussed crowd management strategies for large-scale events, preventing damage to cultural heritage, and emergency response plans. The management plan is being implemented in stages to anticipate the surge in visitors, dominated by BTS fans, at the four palaces, Jongmyo Shrine, and the National Palace Museum.
Citing a report from Allkpop on Wednesday (April 3, 2026), as the palace closest to the concert venue, Gyeongbokgung will implement a three-phase security plan. In the first phase, up to one week before the event, the palace will coordinate with relevant agencies such as the Jongno Police Station, strengthen perimeter patrols, update emergency contact networks, and inspect palace walls and roof tiles around the Gwanghwamun area.
Furthermore, in the second phase, for one week leading up to the concert, staff will conduct non-stop patrols and ensure visitors leave all buildings and facilities, including palace halls and restrooms.
Finally, on the day of the concert, Gyeongbokgung Palace will be completely closed to the public. The palace’s parking lot will be closed, access to the venue will be restricted, and all staff will be on duty under an emergency response system.
The National Palace Museum of Korea will also be temporarily closed on the day of the concert. The museum will deploy an emergency response team to monitor critical areas around Yeongchumun, Gwanghwamun, and Geonchunmun, and will work with the police and relevant agencies to strengthen vehicle control and CCTV monitoring.