Eager fans line up in Seoul for new BTS pop-up store, 'Monochrome'

K-pop

Published: 26 Apr. 2024, 17:12 Updated: 29 Apr. 2024, 10:36

Eager fans line up in Seoul for new BTS pop-up store, 'Monochrome'

Framed BTS photos from the boy band's pop-up store, ″Monochrome,″ held at the Ap Again event venue in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul from Friday to May 12. The pop-up store is themed around a logistics center containing ″memory clouds" in reference to memories that BTS and ARMY formed together. [CHO YONG-JUN]

Do you miss BTS? If so, the Monochrome pop-up might help.

The much anticipated BTS pop-up Monochrome opened Friday at Ap Again in seongdong District, eastern Seoul, but the venue and its surroundings remained fairly calm and controlled around 10 a.m., an hour before the pop-up's official opening. Just 50 to 100 fans waited outside the venue.

BTS pop-up store 'Monochrome' — in pictures

This was because fans had to register on site using its kiosk, rather than queuing for hours, in order to enter. In fact, more than 600 groups had registered at the kiosk as of 10 a.m., and the pop-up's daily quota was filled just a few hours after opening.

“I signed up at 7:14 a.m., but there were more than 100 teams that registered before me,” Valeria, an ARMY from Colombia, told the Korea JoongAng Daily. Valeria was only able to enter the store at noon, five hours after she'd first signed up.

BTS's pop-up store ″Monochrome,″ currently open at the Ap Again event venue in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul from Friday to May 12. [BIGHIT MUSIC]

All seven members of BTS — Jin, Suga, j-hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jungkook — are currently completing their mandatory military service. But the love and support from ARMY, the band's fans, remain unchanged as they wait for the band to reunite in 2025.

“We will be here for [BTS] no matter how long it takes. We will always stay loyal to BTS,” said Mahdiya, a 19-year-old ARMY from Uzbekistan who'd come to visit with her friend Jasmine to see and purchase new BTS merchandise.

The Monochrome pop-up is themed around “memory clouds,” referring to memories that BTS and ARMY have made together that the band first introduced in its 2018 fan meet and greet event. The store features sets reminiscent of a logistics center, including conveyor belts, adding to the concept of BTS “delivering” shared memories to the ARMY.

BTS's pop-up store ″Monochrome,″ currently being held at the Ap Again event venue in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul from Friday to May 12. [BIGHIT MUSIC]

The pop-up store also revealed a brand-new black-and-white photo shoot that the seven members of BTS took before beginning their service alongside new merchandise including canvas posters, photocards, t-shirts, rings, storage boxes and rolls of tape.

Following its appearance in Seoul, Monochrome will also open in Tokyo, Japan; Jakarta, Indonesia; Bangkok, Thailand; Los Angeles; and Manila, the Philippines starting May.

“I really enjoyed the pop-up store,” Valeria said. “The [logistics center] concept made me feel like I was about to travel with other ARMY, who all share the same love for BTS. It’s like an exclusive service only for ARMY.”

More good news is set to arrive for ARMY, as Jin will finish his mandatory military service on June 12. He will be the first member to finish.

“I’m very much excited for Jin’s return,” a Korean fan who went by the nickname Shoori told the Korea JoongAng Daily. After visiting the store herself, Shoori stayed around the venue to help international fans locate the sign-up kiosks.

“He only dropped a solo single before he joined the military, so maybe we can hope for a solo full-length album this year,”

“We are here supporting you and we will always be with you. Let’s stay together forever.”

To find out more about BTS, visit Celeb Confirmed!

BTS's pop-up store ″Monochrome,″ currently being held at the Ap Again event venue in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul from Friday to May 12. [BIGHIT MUSIC]

BY CHO YONG-JUN [cho.yongjun1@joongang.co.kr]