Despite the long wait and heavy rain, nothing could stop the passionate encounter between seven young men from South Korea and fans from the other side of the globe. As BTS finally set foot in Argentina, brimming with South American passion, the venue surged with massive cheers and waves of emotion.

On the 21st (local time) at the Unico Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in La Plata, south of Argentina's capital Buenos Aires, the scene was filled with excitement and heat ahead of BTS's historic first solo concert in Argentina.

Reaching the concert venue required a long period of patience. The long queue that formed from dawn barely moved, and to make matters worse, heavy rain accompanied by strong winds poured down. Though their clothes were soaked through in the cold, the fans held their ground.

Sustaining them through the queue, which lasted over four hours, was the warm affection they shared for one another. During the wait, they took pictures of each other and shared small gifts. Despite meeting for the first time, conversations quickly sparked.

Fans who gathered from all over South America—including Mexico, Peru, Paraguay, and Costa Rica—shared their anticipation in their respective Spanish accents.

Argentina is famous not only for soccer but also for passionate cheering in concert culture, a place where British band Coldplay successfully completed 10 shows locally in 2022, proving how enthusiastic the audience response is. For the Argentine ARMYs located on the exact opposite side of the world, this first solo concert was a dream moment they had waited 13 long years for since BTS's debut.

As the concert began, the stadium instantly filled with roaring cheers. When BTS opened the show with "Hooligan," the audience cheered at the top of their lungs, and every time the members' faces appeared on the large screen, explosive reactions burst out.

As "Aliens" and "Run BTS" played, the lightsticks known as "ARMY Bombs" dyed the audience seats white. True to the "OT7" culture (meaning One True 7—supporting and loving all seven members equally), no matter which member appeared, the volume of the cheers never decreased.

Jungkook said in Spanish, "This is our first time in Buenos Aires, let's make a special night," while V expressed his astonishment, saying, "If the first night is like this, I can't imagine what the other nights will be like."

During the 23-song set including "Fake Love," "Swim," "Butter," and "Dynamite," fans responded with sing-alongs and cheers. Notably, the "Body to Body" stage created a spectacular scene where the audience joined together to chant the Korean folk song "Arirang."

Soaked in the rain, they were unable to use the banners distributed by the fan club, but the Arirang echoing from the other side of the earth made the scene even more touching.

When the members came on stage wearing the Argentina national football team jerseys, the heat reached its peak. Since a video of Suga expressing awe while watching World Cup matches had become a hot topic locally, the fans' delight was immense. In the audience, a Korean placard reading "Jimin, we love you more than Messi" appeared.

It was also striking to see fans enjoying the stage in their own ways—ranging from an elderly fan wearing a custom-made denim jacket embroidered with the names of all seven members, to fans dressed in modern-style hanbok.

Amidst the fans' heated excitement, BTS did not forget to share messages urging safety. Concerned about safety accidents caused by Argentina's signature "pogo" (a culture where audience members jump and crash into each other), Jimin and J-Hope repeatedly asked everyone not to push and to enjoy the show safely.

Maria (56), who watched from the front of the stage, shared, "My back hurts so much because people were pushing so hard, but it was impressive to see Jimin caring for the fans from the stage."

RM said in Spanish, "I've come here after 13 years. Thank you for waiting with such passionate love." V shouted "Aguante ARMY" (Stay strong, ARMY), and Jin resonated with local fans by saying, "You guys are the best."

A local prominent media reporter who had been a fan since age 15 shed tears and immersed herself in the stage even while reporting. Rebeca (30), a customs broker who came from Paraguay, stated her plan to attend all three days of the concert.

Elina (51), a passionate fan who even went to the Madrid, Spain concert out of fear she wouldn't get tickets in Argentina, flashed a bright smile and asked, "Are you an ARMY now too?"

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]