BTS captivates French fans in special concert for Moon’s visit

PARIS, Oct. 15 (Yonhap) — K-pop superstars BTS have fascinated French fans with a special performance during a Korea-France friendship concert in Paris on Sunday.

President Moon Jae-in and First Lady Kim Jung-sook attended the “Concert de l’amitie Franco-Coreenne” held at the Le 13eme Art theater to celebrate the Korean president’s state visit to France.

BTS went onstage at the end of the one-and-a-half-hour evening show to perform two of their megahit songs, “DNA” and “Idol,” for the finale. Korean traditional vocal and traditional music and original soundtracks from famous Korean TV dramas were performed ahead of BTS.

Thunderous applause and cheers greeted the septet as they came onstage. The band held the 400 seat-auditorium mesmerized with its performance.

BTS opened their performance with “DNA,” a 2017 hit that has a record 500 million views on YouTube.

The presidential couple also erupted in excitement, clapping their hands as the Korean boy band brought the concert to its climax.

Some older French audience members appeared bemused at the sight of BTS’ dance performance and the fans’ wild response.

The friendship concert was also attended by a number of former and sitting French government officials and those with special ties with South Korea, including former culture ministers Jack Lang and Fleur Pellerin, as well as the sitting French Amb. to Seoul Fabien Penone.

“Bonjour,” team leader RM addressed the audience following the first song.

“We are very honored to take part in this meaningful event in Paris,” the boy band told the spectators. “We hope that Korean artists of various genres would be introduced widely through their cultural exchanges with France.”

The audience again went into ecstatic mode as BTS sang “Idol,” the main track from their latest album, “Love Yourself: Answer.”

Despite having injured his heel, Jungkook took part in the performance. It took place ahead of their official Paris concerts scheduled from Friday to Saturday as part of their ongoing world concert tour. He sang his parts from a chair placed on the stage for him.

As the concert drew hundreds of BTS fans several hours ahead of its opening, French police were dispatched to the theater area, and heavy traffic congestion added to the scene.

French fans were ecstatic about the BTS performance.

Lea, a 18-year old girl who watched the concert, said “BTS is a band who opened the door between South Korea and the rest of the world wide.”

“I became interested in what is happening in Korea because of BTS,” she said.

Another fan, Lorin, 18, extolled the social messages BTS puts in their songs. “I like their songs and choreography, but, above all, BTS with their exemplary characters are becoming models for us adolescents.”

BTS fans cheer as the K-pop boy band takes the stage during a South Korea-France friendship concert in Paris on Oct. 14, 2018. (Yonhap)

BTS fans wait for the appearance of the K-pop band at a South Korea-France friendship concert in Paris on Oct. 14, 2018. (Yonhap)