“I am here for BTS,” 24-year-old Hassna Barry said, standing inside ARMY ‘MADANG’ at Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall, where she proudly held up her custom-designed BTS T-shirt before breaking into a smile.
“I love BTS because of V, Taehyung,” she said. “He is so handsome! BTS motivated me. But BTS also helped me grow. I’ve loved them since I was 10 years old.”
For Barry, the trip was more than a concert. It marked her first time seeing BTS and her first visit to New York City.
“I was in Africa, and this is my first time in New York to see BTS,” she said, jumping up and down, giddy just thinking about it.
Barry and her friend, 23-year-old Djeinabou Jallo, traveled from Guinea to experience BTS together. Beyond the two sold-out concerts at MetLife Stadium, the pair immersed themselves in BTS THE CITY ARIRANG NEW YORK, a citywide celebration that transformed New York into an extension of the group’s latest album.
BTS fans far and wide came to NYC for the ARIRANG CITY pop-ups.Photo by Amanda Moses 
A staff member presses a t-shirt at the ARMY ‘MADANG’ pop-up at Grand Central Terminal.Photo by Amanda Moses
Throughout the concert weekend, BTS THE CITY ARIRANG NEW YORK spread the world of ARIRANG across the metropolitan area through interactive exhibits, landmark collaborations and fan experiences. At Grand Central Terminal, visitors reserved time slots to customize BTS T-shirts, view the group’s iconic stage outfits from the LOVE YOURSELF: SPEAK YOURSELF Wembley Stadium concerts, and collect digital stamps as part of the citywide Stamp Rally. Just across Vanderbilt Hall, Grand Brasserie offered a limited-time menu of Korean-inspired dishes, cocktails and mocktails, giving fans another way to celebrate together.
For sisters Carola, 21, and Celine, 14, Pietri, the journey from Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, was worth every mile.
Although they lost the Ticketmaster race for seats, the sisters purchased resale tickets rather than miss the opportunity to see BTS on Aug. 1.
“I’m looking forward to the surprise songs and ‘Into the Sun,’” said Carola, whose favorite member is Jimin.
Celine, a V fan, had one song at the top of her wish list.
“I want to hear ‘Like Animals,’” she said.
At Grand Central Terminal, fans were able to customize their own BTS-themed t-shirts.Photo by Amanda Moses 
At Grand Central Terminal, fans were able to customize their own BTS-themed t-shirts.Photo by Amanda Moses 
Fans show off their custom BTS shirts.Photo by Amanda Moses
As they left Grand Central carrying their newly customized sweatshirts, both said decorating them became one of the highlights of their trip.
“BTS reminds me of my childhood friendships because they’re the ones who introduced me to the group,” Carola said. “I’ve been listening to BTS since I was a pre-teen.”
For Celine, the music has become inseparable from her relationship with her sister.
“They’re a little piece of my heart that I’ll always connect with my sister because she’s the one who got me into BTS,” she said.
Beyond Grand Central, ARIRANG CITY transformed Manhattan into a playground for ARMY. Fans gathered at the Korean Cultural Center New York for additional ARMY ‘MADANG’ experiences, joined Random Play Dance events in Times Square, visited the BTS takeover at the Top of the Rock Observation Deck and stepped inside the immersive world of Arte Museum New York.
Fans gathered at the Korean Cultural Center New York for additional ARMY ‘MADANG’ experiences.Photo by Amanda Moses 
Fans gathered at the Korean Cultural Center New York for additional ARMY ‘MADANG’ experiences.Photo by Amanda Moses 
Fans gathered at the Korean Cultural Center New York for additional ARMY ‘MADANG’ experiences.Photo by Amanda Moses
In addition to the citywide activations, fans could reserve a timed entry to the BTS POP-UP Store in Chelsea, where exclusive merchandise included member-specific pins, New York City exclusive BTS apparel and other limited-edition collectibles.
The celebration also encouraged fans to explore Manhattan through the ARIRANG Stamp Rally, which connected cultural landmarks and partner locations across the city. Each stop offered fans another way to experience the world of ARIRANG while discovering New York through the lens of BTS.
As part of the initiative, Bank of Hope partnered with BTS THE CITY ARIRANG through its Hope Delivered program, donating $1 for every Stamp Rally check-in at its Manhattan branch to support financial literacy education.
For thousands of fans who crossed oceans and continents, ARIRANG CITY was a love letter for fans who say that these activations made New York City feel like a global meeting place where fans from different cultures, languages, and backgrounds gathered for one shared purpose; to celebrate the seven artists who changed their lives.
Photo by Amanda Moses 
Photo by Amanda Moses 
Photo by Amanda Moses