From National Gallery to Universal Studios and Changi Airport, Singapore Tourism Board plans citywide BTS festivities before and after group’s concerts
BTS will turn Singapore into a monthlong extension of its “Arirang” world tour in December, with themed installations, light shows, art programs and fan events stretching from Changi Airport to Sentosa and Marina Bay.
“BTS The City Arirang — Singapore” will run from Dec. 1 to 31 in collaboration with the Singapore Tourism Board, marking the first Southeast Asian edition and the final stop of its citywide project this year.
The program will coincide with four days of BTS concerts at Singapore’s National Stadium on Dec. 17, 19, 20 and 22.
International fans will be able to experience the city project as soon as they arrive at Jewel Changi Airport, where the Rain Vortex — billed as the world’s tallest indoor waterfall — will host a BTS-themed light and music showcase twice at night from Dec. 1 to 26.
Sentosa, Singapore’s resort island, will serve as another attraction, with a BTS- and Singapore-themed drone show to take place three nights from Dec. 18 to 20. The island will also host the “Arirang Run,” bringing together some 5,000 participants to take part in the marathon while Sentosa’s pedestrian route, Sensoryscape, will be decorated with “Arirang” themed installations and red lighting, the key color associated with the group’s fifth LP.
Universal Studios Singapore will also extend its operating hours late into the night on Dec. 21, with the theme park featuring a media facade, a dance party and fireworks choreographed to BTS songs, with fireworks scheduled to take place on 16 separate days throughout December.
The National Gallery Singapore will also host a BTS-themed exhibition, pairing works by artists David Hockney and Apinan Poshyananda with songs from the “Arirang” album. The museum’s indoor event space, Singapore Courtyard, will also be transformed into an after-hours dance floor on Dec. 18 and 19 featuring BTS songs, while a BTS pop-up store will run inside the museum from Dec. 4 to 31.
Across Singapore, 15 landmarks including the Merlion, Singapore Flyer, Fullerton Hotel and bridges along the Singapore River will be illuminated in red from Dec. 8 to 22.
The Singapore edition is the latest in BTS’ expanding “The City” series, which extends concerts beyond the venue by incorporating tourism, retail and cultural institutions into a broader fan experience.
BTS’ citywide project began in Seoul in March alongside the group’s comeback, with landmarks including Sungnyemun and N Seoul Tower incorporated. It later expanded to Las Vegas, Busan, London and New York before arriving in Singapore.
Singapore will be the longest-running edition so far, spanning the entire month of December. The four National Stadium concerts also mark the most shows BTS will stage in a single city during the Asian leg of the “Arirang” tour.
The group is set to begin the Asian leg in Kaohsiung, Taiwan on Nov. 19, before continuing through Bangkok; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Singapore and Jakarta, Indonesia.
lee.jungjoo@heraldcorp.com
