BTS talks emotional return to US stage, beginning of a ‘new chapter’

Members of Korean pop sensation BTS say their return to live concerts has been emotional and feels like the start of a new chapter.

"Seeing the stadium filled with all the fans yesterday got me really emotional beyond words," said member RM at a news conference on Sunday, when the band was set to take the stage again at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, just south of Los Angeles.

The boys were so nervous before they took the stage Saturday, member Jin said that during the band’s ritual pre-concert huddle, they all kept saying, "I think I’m going to cry.

"This is the first time that we are performing in front of an audience after two years … That’s what everybody was saying. So we were very nervous. And because we have been away from live performances, we were really afraid to make a mistake. I think that also made us practice that much harder and that much longer to make sure that we don’t. But again, we were very nervous before we got onstage."

After his comment, made in Korean, was translated to English, he made an important distinction: "Everybody said that they were going to cry, but nobody actually did."

Well, "I almost cried," J-Hope admitted.

"I had some tears but they came out of my nose," V joked.

RM continued to say that the band’s recognition as artist of the year at the American Music Awards _ and getting a Grammy nomination _ "really did mean something for us."

"As artists we started out in Korea, the limitations of our identity, language genre and the invisible walls, we felt like they truly existed. But every moment we tried to give our best to every show, every performance and every music with all of our hearts," he said. "I think those small moments truly made today’s miracle for us. So going back on tour, going back on track and seeing all the fans, seeing other people finally in two years, is really make us feel like this really is the beginning of our new chapter."

In addition to performances Saturday and Sunday, the band is set to perform on Wednesday and Thursday at the stadium. The shows are the first since their 2019 tour, and their devoted fans (known as the Army) lined up around the stadium more than a full day before Saturday’s concert.