Global K-pop icons BTS and Blackpink are tapping into national heritage for their major new projects, collaborating with historic landmarks and national institutions. This effort spotlights traditional Korean culture on the global stage. Blackpink will team up with the National Museum of Korea for the February 27 release of its new EP 'Deadline,' while BTS plans a free concert at Gwanghwamun Square on March 21.
Blackpink will team up with the National Museum of Korea in central Seoul to mark the February 27 release of its new EP, 'Deadline.' According to YG Entertainment, the 'National Museum of Korea X Blackpink' project will begin on February 26 for an 11-day run in partnership with Spotify. This marks the band's first full-group project in three years and five months since 'Born Pink' in September 2022.
The group will provide voice commentary on eight of the museum's signature artifacts, allowing visitors to hear descriptions in the members' voices. The museum's exterior will be illuminated in the group's signature color of pink. A listening session featuring all songs from the new album will be held on February 26 in front of the digital reproduction of the Gwanggaeto the Great Stele. Reservations on Naver are required, with some time slots allocated exclusively for Spotify Premium users. After the album's release, anyone can freely participate during regular hours.
BTS has chosen Gwanghwamun Square, an iconic landmark in the heart of Seoul, as the venue for a free concert on March 21 to mark the release of its fifth full-length album, 'Arirang,' named after Korea's most famous folk song. BigHit Music stated that the landmark matches the symbolic weight of the title. The performance is expected to fuse Korean traditional heritage with state-of-the-art stage production. According to industry sources, the concert will begin inside Gyeongbok Palace, moving through the Gwanghwamun gate and 'woldae,' a traditional ceremonial stage, before reaching the stage at the northern end of the square. It remains undecided whether the procession will be performed live or prerecorded.
BTS previously performed using the Geunjeongjeon Hall and the Gyeonghoeru Pavilion of Gyeongbok Palace as backdrops for a special segment on NBC's 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' in 2020. Police estimate as many as 260,000 fans could gather, although the venue will accommodate only about 15,000 ticket holders. The concert will also be streamed live on Netflix to more than 190 countries.
Cultural critic Jung Duk-hyun said, 'If traditional culture is presented purely through promotional materials, people might resist it. But when beloved artists introduce it naturally, the effect can be far greater. Every move these artists make now forms part of K-culture.'
