K-pop group BTS will perform three shows in Tampa for its ARIRANG World Tour starting Saturday. ORACLE GRAPHIC/ISABELLA CRUZ

After a nearly four-year hiatus, boy band BTS has returned to the stage through their ARIRANG World Tour, which will land at Raymond James Stadium on April 25, 26 and 28.

For some USF students, this means having the opportunity to see the K-pop group up close and personal.

For Olivia Pinilla, a senior biology major, attending the band’s concert on Saturday is a chance to experience a “bucket list” performance before graduation.

Pinilla said she became a fan about four years ago, drawn to the group’s public mission of spreading love through music — and is excited to see what the band will bring to Tampa.

“I am looking forward to just the culture and the environment, but also just seeing their songs live,” she said. “Their setlist in South Korea right now is basically their whole new album.”

BTS is a seven-member South Korean group that started in 2013 and consists of artists RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook. 

The K-pop band originally debuted with a hip-hop style sound, but has since evolved to call its members “21st Century Pop Icons,” according to BTS’s website.

The tour is named for the group’s fifth studio album, ARIRANG, which was released in March and features rap and R&B influences — reminiscent of the group’s debut style, according to NPR.

BTS’s ARIRANG World Tour started in South Korea on April 9 and marks the group’s first full-member performances in North America since its Permission to Dance on Stage tour in 2022. 

It is also the group’s first tour since the members began their mandatory military service in South Korea in 2022, and finally all returned in mid 2025.

Their stop in Tampa is also the first time all seven members perform together in Florida.

While BTS was set to perform in Florida at Orlando’s Camping World Stadium in 2021, COVID-19 restrictions ultimately canceled the concert, according to Billboard.

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Pinilla said she is attending the BTS concert with her boyfriend and his sister, and said securing a seat at Raymond James Stadium was a collaborative effort.

“My boyfriend’s sister is a huge fan, and she actually got [the tickets] for us,” Pinilla said. “It was a surprise. I didn’t even know we were going until she told me she managed to get them during the presale.”

She also said producers on ARIRANG’s album caught her attention, particularly through the track “Merry Go Round,” which was produced with Tame Impala — one of her favorite artists.

“Seeing how it’s an homage to their original sound or style is really cool, because I didn’t start listening to them early on,” Pinilla said. “Comparing it and seeing it from a new perspective, now versus then, is really interesting.”

Beyond the music, Pinilla is looking forward to the physical experience of a stadium show. 

“There are ways to connect with people that you might not be able to connect with outside of just the concert,” Pinilla said. “I’m also excited to see people’s outfits. People get so creative with a favorite song, era or style.”

She also said that she already bought a light stick at Target — a handheld lamp used in K-pop concerts to support artists — and is excited for the visual experience.

“I’m super excited for the light sticks — I’ve never had one before,” Pinilla said.

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Rachel Dang, a freshman cell and molecular biology major, has been a BTS fan since 2017, when she was in the fifth grade.

“I like their diversity,” Dang said. “I like how they stay true to themselves, especially early on. They have all these different sounds — they do rap, R&B and contemporary. They really are diverse.”

Dang is attending the final Tampa performance on April 28, and said the opportunity was a last-minute surprise rather than a planned event.

“My friend got tickets right when they dropped, and I was like, ‘No, it’s too expensive, I’ll just watch it on YouTube,’” Dang said. “Then my parents were like, ‘[You’re] going to that concert.’ They literally booked it at the end of spring break.”

Dang said that despite going with a friend, the high demand for tickets means they will be sitting in separate sections. 

“We’re across the stadium, but we’re going to drive together and figure it out,” she said.

Since Dang is attending the final Tampa concert, she said she is trying to stay off social media to avoid any setlist or surprise spoilers.

“I’m so excited to see what they’re going to bring, especially after coming back from the military,” Dang said. “They are very experimental, but they also stay consistent. They have a sound, and you can recognize it.”