How BTS' Visit to Mexico Presidential Palace Draws 50,000 Fans

Members of mega K-pop group BTS greeted tens of thousands of fans crowding the public square in front of Mexico's National Palace on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. Alongside Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, BTS members RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook, stood on the balcony of the presidential headquarters, where about 50,000 fans stood below, according to Korea Joongang Daily and Billboard, citing figures from the capital's government. Just hours before, President Sheinbaum announced BTS' arrival during a morning press conference at the palace. Fans then flocked to the country's main public square, some in tears and the joyful atmosphere palpable. Yonhap news agency reported on Thursday that the seven BTS members accepted Sheinbaum's invitation and chatted with her for approximately 40 minutes at the presidential office before heading out to greet fans. The boygroup members spent just five minutes on the balcony, but they appeared impressed by the turnout in Constitution Plaza, even taking out their phones to try and capture the immense euphoria from fans with the cameras. RM, the group's leader, was the first to address their fans. “Muchas gracias for having us,” he said in a mix of Spanish and English. “We can’t wait for tomorrow’s concert on stage. Let’s have fun together! Te amo. Te quiero, Muchas gracias.” Later, V also took the microphone to deliver a message of gratitude in Spanish, which he read from his phone. BTS is scheduled to perform at the Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City on Thursday (May 7), Saturday (May 9), and Sunday (May 10) as part of their "ARIRANG" world concert tour, which kicked off last month in Goyang, South Korea. Billboard reported that three dates were all sold out in less than an hour, selling over 136,000 tickets, citing data from the concert promoter Ocesa. In response to the explosive enthusiasms, President Claudia Sheinbaum said back in January that she had penned a letter to her South Korean counterpart Lee Jae Myung for more "ARIRANG" dates in Mexico, which Lee responded positively a few weeks later. "He [Jae Myung] was very receptive to the request we made," the Mexican president said on March 17. But both Sheinbaum's letter to Lee Jae Myung and her invitation for the K-pop group to visit the National Palace have not been void of criticisms. Billboard reported that a section of ARMYs (BTS' official fandom) have taken to social media to ask the Mexican leader not to politicize the group's visit to the country. Meanwhile, the Mexican President lauded BTS for consistently conveying messages of friendship, peace, and love. Mexico ranks fifth among the world's largest K-pop markets and is the country with the most K-pop fans, according to Spotify data from 2025.