On Jan. 13, Korean-pop sensation BTS formally announced their comeback with a new album and a highly anticipated tour. The group is set to uphold their title as the world’s biggest boy band, and for the first time in their career, their world tour will include a stop in the Sun City.
In 2022, millions of fans were devastated to learn that each member of BTS would have to complete the 18-month mandatory military service required of South Korean men, resulting in a nearly four-year band hiatus. Last year, Jimin, RM, Jungkook, V and Suga were discharged, following Jin and J-Hope in 2024.
The members pursued solo projects during the hiatus, but nothing compares to witnessing all seven together, according to senior Arielle Alonzo who has followed the group since 2015.
“As someone who has been able to experience both a BTS concert and the members’ solo concerts, I could say that while it’s amazing to see how each individual shines, seeing them all together is just a different type of energy,” Alonzo said. “All the members are like pieces of a puzzle, and not one is complete without the other.”
Alonzo said she initially assumed it was a prank when she heard that the band would be performing at UTEP’s Sun Bowl stadium on May 2 and 3.
“I was completely shocked, and I thought that it was fake because, ‘What do you mean the BTS is coming here?’” Alonzo said. “It wasn’t until FitFam had posted the news that it really clicked that they were truly coming here.”
Due to financial constraints, academic obligations and other commitments, many students knew traveling to see the band would not be possible. However, when the El Paso concert dates were announced, the opportunity became a reality for students like junior Adriana Arenas.
“I was ecstatic to see that among the tour dates was El Paso,” Arenas said. ”I screamed and ran to tell my partner that BTS was coming here for not one date but two. I immediately began to make plans with my best friends to secure tickets as a group.”
Online, El Paso has been viewed as the unexpected stop on the tour schedule, given that larger Texas cities such as Houston and San Antonio are not currently listed. While this contradicts the saying “nothing happens in El Paso,” hosting the concert in the border region is seen as a strategic marketing move, attracting a binational audience from both the United States and Mexico.
Moreover, a rise in visitors, hospitality and sales during the week of the event is anticipated to boost El Paso’s economy. In June of last year, a record-breaking attendance of two Coldplay shows at the Sun Bowl stadium brought in $6 million for the city.
Sophomore Annapaula Lopez, who has waited years to see BTS perform live, said the concert will be especially memorable because it is being held at UTEP.
“I feel so proud that BTS is coming to my school,” Lopez said. “They are people who have worked very hard to achieve what they have; they have helped so many people in so many ways, and the fact that they are coming to the place where I study is something very special and important to me, and I know it is for many [miners] too.”
Tickets for the BTS 2026 World Tour went on sale to the general public on Jan. 24. While securing seats before they sold out was a challenge, the news of their debut appearance on El Paso grounds has already delivered an unexpected flash of joy to students across campus.
The band’s arrival further establishes El Paso as an emerging destination for major artists on tours.
Brisa Silva is a contributor and may be reached at [email protected].