As the world eagerly anticipates the massive comeback of BTS, a recent column by K-pop critic Leo Kang has brought to light a fascinating historical connection.
The article explores whether BTS’s upcoming performance of “ARIRANG” at Gwanghwamun Square on March 21, 2026, will finally prove a bold cultural prediction made 120 years ago.
This performance, which serves as the kickoff for their 34-city, 79-show world tour, is being framed not just as a musical event, but as a monumental moment of cultural vindication that connects modern K-pop to Korea’s historical “latent explosive power.”
The 120-Year-Old Prophecy: Homer B. Hulbert’s Vision
At the heart of the discussion is a quote from Homer B. Hulbert, an American missionary and historian who was a passionate advocate for Korean independence and culture.
Writing in The Korea Review in 1903, Hulbert observed the profound emotional depth of the Korean people and their folk music, predicting:
“Their horizon may now be pitifully circumscribed, but this latent explosive power of emotion will one day reach a broader world and astonish all of humanity.”
Leo Kang argues that this “latent explosive power” is exactly what BTS has tapped into on a global scale.
By choosing “ARIRANG”- Korea’s most iconic folk song- as the centerpiece of their comeback, BTS is effectively bridging a century-long gap.
The song’s structure of repetition and its ability to synchronize the “audience’s breath” makes it the perfect vehicle for a global emotional experience.
Kang suggests that while Korea’s cultural influence was once “pitifully circumscribed” by geopolitical struggles, BTS’s performance, broadcast live via Netflix to 190 countries, represents the ultimate fulfillment of Hulbert’s prophecy.
Choreographing Emotion: The Role of J-Hope and Rhythm
A key focus of the upcoming performance is how the traditional melodies of “ARIRANG” will be translated into a modern K-pop spectacle.
Critic Leo Kang points to the song’s inherent repetitive structure- the call-and-response and returning chorus- as a blueprint for the choreography.
He predicts that the dance will feature “easy-to-follow repetitive moves and circular group formations” designed to encourage global participation.
This “mirroring” effect, where a single move in Gwanghwamun is replicated by fans in squares from South America to Africa, is what will turn the performance into a shared international event.
Much of the anticipation surrounds J-Hope, the group’s main dancer and “heart of rhythm.” As a performer rooted in street dance, J-Hope is expected to guide the group’s energy through movements that are both intuitive and flow-driving.
Forbes and Rolling Stone have both previously lauded J-Hope for his commanding stage presence and refined sense of rhythm.
In this context, “ARIRANG” becomes a platform for J-Hope’s rhythm to serve as a bridge, making a distinctly Korean sound feel universally resonant.
As Kang notes, J-Hope’s ability to guide the collective choreography will be essential in transforming a local folk song into a “global emotional experience.”
Gwanghwamun: A Space for Healing and Unity
The choice of Gwanghwamun Square for the performance is deeply symbolic. Beyond its historical significance, the square is being reimagined as a space for collective emotional healing.
Depth psychologist Dr. Kim Hee Seon (pen name Yundam) suggests that the performance offers an “artful, transformative experience” that allows those gathered to expand their sense of self.
“If those gathered at Gwanghwamun connect through an artful, transformative experience… the square itself can become a space of healing,” she noted.
Following the conclusion of the Milan- Cortina Winter Olympics on February 23, BTS’s “ARIRANG” serves as a different kind of global assembly- one focused on emotional peace rather than athletic competition.
With over 4.06 million pre- orders already recorded for the ARIRANG album, the scale of this comeback is unprecedented.
As BTS prepares to embark on their world tour, the Gwanghwamun stage stands as the starting point for a journey that intends to prove that Korean emotion, once latent, has truly arrived to “astonish all of humanity,” just as Hulbert predicted over a century ago.
After the March 21 stage, the world will see exactly how this shared movement manifests across the global audience.
