HYBE has issued a formal apology after the opening night of BTS’ WORLD TOUR ‘ARIRANG’ IN BUSAN was delayed on 12 June, citing a series of operational issues that affected concertgoers.

In a statement released following the event, the entertainment company expressed regret to fans who experienced long waits before the show began.

“We deeply apologize to all the audience members who came to watch the BTS WORLD TOUR ‘ARIRANG’ IN BUSAN performance on 12 June for the significant inconvenience caused by the delay in the start of the show,” HYBE said.

According to the company, several factors contributed to the late start, including crowd management concerns and logistical bottlenecks at the venue.

“In order to provide our audience with a meaningful experience, we prepared as thoroughly as possible to ensure no lapses in operations. However, due to a combination of factors including confusion in onsite guidance, bottlenecks in the waiting lines during fan gift distribution, and delays in merchandise pickup, the main performance started late,” the statement read.

HYBE acknowledged the frustration felt by attendees who had waited for hours to see the group perform.

“We once again sincerely apologize for the great disappointment and inconvenience caused to our audience members who waited a long time to enjoy the performance,” the company added.

The agency also assured fans that immediate steps would be taken to avoid a repeat of the situation during subsequent tour dates.

“For the performance the following day, we will thoroughly review and improve all aspects of onsite operations, including entry and gift distribution, to prevent the same congestion issues from occurring,” HYBE stated.

A second version of the apology reiterated the company’s commitment to improving venue operations.