World-known boy band BTS reunited on Saturday, October 15 for a final concert in Busan in support of South Korea’s offer to host the World Expo 2030. The free concert – titled “BTS: Yet To Come in Busan ” – ended as a huge success with forty-nine million fans being able to watch for free online through the Weverse app that HYPE Entertainment had created on June 10, 2019 .

The seven members of BTS delivered a performance from old to new hits, leaving Army’s, BTS’s fanbase, feeling bittersweet and in tears — foreshadowing the news that would be announced later on that Monday. Hundreds of thousands of fans from around the world were expected to make the journey for the concert and different events made for after the concert around the city. The sold-out Busan Asiad Main Stadium has a fifty thousand person capacity, with an additional twelve thousand spots to see the show’s live stream on massive screens at Busan Port and Haeundae Beach. All were filled.

In The Washington Post, band member V speaks about the emotional roller coaster that the past couple of months have been for the group. “We were all crying when we announced that our activities as a group would stop, and solo pursuits were to follow. Yet we are here having a concert as a group again.”

BTS wrapped up their concert with an incredible performance of their 2016 ballad “Epilogue: Young Forever”. The seven members of BTS stood side by side, some hugging and some reminiscing, looking out at what was — for a few short hours on Saturday — an ocean of purple that they built with the years of hard work they put in, their life, their universe. 

The concert had come after the seven-member band’s announcement of wanting to pursue solo projects on their own while still being united as one, raising alarms about the band’s future. With BTS’ oldest member, Jin, who is turning 30 next year, fans have been on the edge of their seats on whether or not the members will be mandated to serve.

Under South Korean law, all physically healthy men are required to perform 18 to 21 months of military service. The law has provided special exemptions for athletes, classical musicians, and ballet or other dancers who have won top prizes in certain competitions that enhance national prestige; however, after waiting years for the Korean government to provide the exemption, BTS decided to announce on Monday that they have decided to fulfill their duties and serve instead. 

As a consequence of BTS’s halt in activity,, the Korean economy is projected to lose billions of dollars and a good amount of tourists with each member being gone for two years.

With many fans devastated to see them go for a little while, as quoted by J-Hope, the main rapper, Army’s have to go on to “Trust BTS ” and believe that one day, they will return better than ever. “If you trust us, whatever happens, we’ll overcome it all,” said leader RM. The band is expected to reunite in 2025 after all members have completed their military service and to come together to make music and break charts once again.Trust BTS, until 2025