KUALA LUMPUR: For BTS ARMY, as the K-Pop kings' fans are known, the timing of Jin's discharge from South Korean military service has been spot on.
Koreaboo reported yesterday that barely 24 hours after the oldest member of the boyband was discharged from duty, the South Korean capital Seoul was overtaken by BTS fans.
These fans were out to join the group's annual party which happens today.
Organised by HYBE, the band's agency, the BTS Festa is expected to be bigger than last year's which was attended by 400,000 people.
This year's event, held at a sprawling sports complex in southern Seoul, will see Jin give free hugs to 1,000 lucky raffle winners.
With lines stretching up to three kilometres around the venue, fans showed up as early as 7am.
BTS has been on a "hiatus" since 2022, with all seven members conscripted for military service.
After his discharge last Wednesday, Jin said on South Korean application Weverse that the "huggathon" was his idea.
Jin had initially wanted to hug 3,000 fans but reduced it due to safety concerns.
A fan Lisa Pavelchack said that she was proud of Jin "for doing what he needed to do".
The 48-year-old American said that she had flown to Seoul just to meet her idol and had earlier attended a BTS concert in the United States.
