BTS plays Rogers Stadium next week, and members have already been spotted in Toronto. Here’s what you need to know

BTS Army, it’s almost time to get in formation.

With just over a week to go before BTS arrives at Rogers Stadium for two sold-out nights, the anticipation is rising for the return of the K-pop superstars, nearly a decade after they last played nearby Hamilton.

The members of the group make their Toronto debut with concerts on Aug. 22 and 23, but the festivities begin well before a single note is performed.

J-Hope and RM spotted in Toronto

More than a week before BTS takes the Rogers Stadium stage, members J-Hope and RM attended an Usher and Chris Brown concert at the same venue on Wednesday night.

J-Hope posted videos on his Instagram account showing the pair watching from the VIP seats, and dancing along to Chris Brown’s song “Look at Me.”

Brown posted a photo with the BTS singers, while Usher dropped an entire photo carousel on his Instagram of them hanging out backstage.

Some BTS fans expressed their disappointment with the K-pop idols’ decision to mingle with Brown, citing his history of assault charges, including a 2023 brawl at a London nightclub that he will be sentenced for in October.

The BTS members may have also been scoping out the venue in advance. The construction of their massive Arirang World Tour stage will begin in the coming days and reshape the look of Rogers Stadium, since it’s situated in the centre of the space.

The band heads to Arlington, Va. for two performances this Saturday and Sunday, before their Canadian shows get underway next weekend.

How the city is welcoming BTS

Toronto City Council is leaning into the K-pop fandom ahead of the concerts. Last week, the city approved a plan to temporarily rename a stretch of Yonge Street from North York Boulevard to Finch Avenue as “BTS Boulevard” for a month, from roughly Aug. 21 to Sept. 23. The street signs will be auctioned off with proceeds going to local food bank 415 Food Hub.

Meanwhile, city council also approved a plan to light the Toronto sign at City Hall in purple for both nights of the BTS concerts. Purple is the BTS Army’s unofficial colour, signifying loyalty and unity.

In an amendment, the council has also requested Mayor Olivia Chow proclaim Aug. 22 and 23 as “BTS Weekend” in Toronto and invite BTS fans to wear purple in celebration of their arrival.

Coun. Lily Cheng, who introduced the motion, said the city is now looking at design options in cooperation with South Korean entertainment company BigHit Music Co., which owns the BTS intellectual property.

How to buy BTS tour merch

An official BTS popup store operated by Hybe Music Group will open at 144 Bloor St. W. in Yorkville this week. The cashless “BTS Pop-Up: Arirang in Toronto” store begins selling items on Friday at 8 a.m. and closes daily at 10 p.m. Operating hours will be reduced from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. starting Aug. 31 until its final day on Sept. 13.

Live Nation says fans will also have the chance to shop for hoodies, shirts and other tour merchandise during a special pre-show shopping day on Aug 21.

The concert promoter has yet to provide further details, but says opening merchandise sales a day before the first show is intended to give fans a chance to stock up before the concerts and help ease long lineups at the on-site booths.

When BTS fans can arrive at Rogers Stadium

Fans hoping to camp overnight outside the 50,000-capacity venue will have to make other plans. Rogers Stadium says its longstanding ban on overnight camping and lineups will remain in place, although the grounds will open early on both concert days.

Additional details, including gate opening times, will be shared through the Rogers Stadium app and emailed to ticket-holders in the weeks leading up to the shows.

What the BTS show will look like

Rogers Stadium itself will look a little different. Its usual concert configuration will be transformed to accommodate BTS’s signature 360-degree stage, which has travelled with the group throughout its Arirang World Tour.

Organizers said the stadium will include expanded merchandise areas, themed photo opportunities and other fan experiences throughout the venue.

In the past few months, Live Nation has been addressing complaints about the stadium, which include some residents saying concert noise was travelling as far away as Thornhill. Other improvements have been made, including adding more shaded areas around the facilities and shortening the amount of time it takes for concertgoers to exit the property.

How Toronto fans are preparing

For 21-year-old BTS fan Gabriella Graham, the countdown to the upcoming concerts has been years in the making.

“It’s one of those things that I’ve been waiting for since I was a kid,” she told the Star.

Graham had tickets to see BTS in Toronto six years ago, before the pandemic forced those concerts to be cancelled. Since then, she’s waited for the group’s members to complete their mandatory military service and return to touring.

She bought tickets for the second Toronto show at about $500 each.

This time, she’s bringing her sister along, partly, she joked, as emotional support.

“I know from the moment that concert starts, I’ll cry,” Graham said. “That’s why I didn’t want to make a crazy outfit, because I know my makeup isn’t going to last.”