PARIS, July 18 – BTS made a triumphant return to France after seven years as the K-pop supergroup kicked off the Paris stop of its ARIRANG world tour on July 17. The concert featured an unexpected VIP appearance from French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron, sending fans into a frenzy.
According to French media, around 88,000 fans attended the first Paris concert. During the show, the venue's giant screen captured the presidential couple seated in the VIP section, smiling as they watched the performance and waving BTS light sticks along with the crowd.
Videos of the moment quickly spread across social media, with many fans joking that "Macron is an ARMY too."
French media noted that this year marks the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and South Korea. The presidential couple's attendance was widely interpreted as a gesture highlighting the strong cultural ties and friendship between the two countries.
BTS will wrap up the European leg of the ARIRANG tour with a second concert in Paris on July 18 before heading to the United States, where the group is scheduled to perform at the halftime show of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final and continue its North American tour in August.
The group is also set to reunite with Malaysian fans on Dec. 12 when it returns to Malaysia for another concert.
