K-pop’s BTS comeback tour rallies South Korea’s global ‘soft power’ drive
Seoul – Shekinah Yawra had no other option but to spend the night at a South Korean jjimjilbang, a 24-hour bathhouse, after every hotel near central Seoul sold out in late March. But sleep was secondary for the 32-year-old Filipino who had made her way to Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square at 7am to secure a spot in a crowd that city officials estimated would grow to hundreds of thousands. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list All this was for a glimpse at the seven-member K-pop supergroup BTS, who returned to the stage on March 21 after almost four years away from the limelight for their staggered, mandatory military service. Though she failed to secure one of 22,000 free tickets for BTS’s first return concert in the square, Yawra was still ecstatic to stand on the sidelines and watch the concert live on a big screen set up for the occasion. “We all came just for this,” she told Al Jazeera, recounting how friends had flown in from the Philippines for a single night to catch the concert. Worldwide, more than 18.4 million viewers tuned in for the Netflix livestream of the concert. Kpop group BTS perform during ‘BTS The Comeback Live Arirang’ concert in central Seoul, South Korea, March 21, 2026 [Kim Hong-ji/Pool/Reuters] With an estimated 30 million fans worldwide – who refer to themselves as the BTS ARMY – the K-pop group is the most visible symbol of “Hallyu”, or the “Korean Wave”, and the global surge of interest in South Korean popular culture and the financial revenues being generated as a result. In late March, BTS’s 10th studio album, Arirang, topped the charts in the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom, the world’s three largest music markets. The group’s upcoming world tour is expected to generate more than $1.4bn in revenue across more than 80 shows in 23 countries. Advertisement Domestically, inbound tourist numbers for the first 18 days of March rose 32.7 percent from the previous month, according to Ministry of Justice data, as the return concert approached and hotel prices surged across central Seoul amid the demand for rooms. In the week leading up to the concert, sales of BTS merchandise – from BTS glow sticks to blankets – surged 430 percent at the Shinsegae Duty Free retail outlet in central Seoul, the company said. Over the concert weekend, revenues also rose 30 percent at the city’s Lotte Department Store and 48 percent at Shinsegae overall, compared with the same March weekend a year earlier, in 2025. Fans cheer before the BTS The Comeback Live Arirang concert as they wait near the concert venue, in central Seoul, South Korea, on March 21, 2026 [Kim Hong-ji/Reuters] As far back as 2022, the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute (KCTI) – a government-sponsored think tank and research organisation – estimated that a single BTS concert in Seoul could generate up to 1.2 trillion won ($798m) in overall economic impact. KCTI researcher Yang Ji-hoon told Al Jazeera that a sample study of the crowd at the BTS comeback event at Gwanghwamun Square highlighted the uniqueness of fandom-driven tourism. More than half of those at the concert were foreign visitors and many required long-haul travel to attend. “In Europe and the United States, travel tends to be concentrated within its own regions,” Yang said. “So, for people to overcome such travel barriers and come to South Korea, it usually requires more than just ordinary motivation or typical spending – it’s not something that happens easily,” he said. K-pop’s transition to the global mainstream The scale of BTS’s return to the entertainment world reflects a broader state-backed strategy. When music promoter Hybe requested Seoul city support for the Gwanghwamun square comeback concert, authorities approved it on public-interest grounds, treating the event as a showcase of national cultural influence. Almost befitting an official event, more than 10,000 state personnel were deployed for security, logistics and crowd control. According to data retrieved by South Korean publication Sisain, through a public information disclosure request to the Seoul government, close to 130 million won ($87,400) of city funds were spent as part of logistics for the comeback concert. South Korean government support for BTS has a precedent. As members of the boyband approached South Korea’s mandatory military service age, policymakers debated special exemptions for members of BTS, which was estimated to have generated $4.65bn annually to the country’s economy. After BTS’s forthcoming concerts in Mexico City sold out in just 37 minutes, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum urged South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung to “bring the acclaimed K-pop artists more often”, noting nearly one million fans in Mexico had attempted to secure 150,000 tickets. Advertisement South Korea’s cultural influence is also extending beyond music. South Korea’s cosmetics exports surpassed $11bn last year, according to global accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), overtaking France in cosmetics shipments to the US, while South Korean food and agricultural exports reached a record $13.6bn, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. KCTI researcher Yang described the growing interest as a phase of “transition to the global mainstream”, where South Korean products are internationally recognised and content output is measured against worldwide benchmarks such as the Billboard charts and the Academy Awards. He also warned that structural reform is now essential to keep pace with the wave of interest in South Korea. “As the industries expand in scale, they must also evolve in its underlying systems, infrastructure, and workforce,” he said. “Rather than focusing solely on direct financial support, future governmental policies should move toward strengthening foundational conditions – such as improving labour environments, addressing unfair practices, building relevant infrastructure, and establishing more robust statistical and data systems,” he said. Politicians appear to be paying attention. During his election campaign last year, President Lee framed the next phase of cultural expansion as “Hallyu (Korean Wave) 4.0”, with promises to grow the sector into a 300 trillion won ($203bn) industry with 50 trillion won ($34bn) in exports.
Peru probes trafficking of citizens to fight for Russia in Ukraine
Peru’s public prosecutor says many of their citizens are victims of deception, lured by the promise of jobs but ended up in Ukraine. Published On 2 May 20262 May 2026 Peru has launched an investigation into an alleged human trafficking network that lured citizens with false promises of employment in Russia, only for them to end up fighting in Russia’s war against Ukraine, the public prosecutor’s office has said. Individuals were “recruited through deceptive job offers to work as security agents and other roles” in Russia, “with the promise of financial compensation”, the prosecutor’s office said in a statement on Friday. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list The investigation will focus on the alleged crimes of “human trafficking” and “aggravated human trafficking”, the office said. Percy Salinas, a lawyer representing families of people who ended up on the front lines in Ukraine, told the local TV channel N that 13 Peruvians have died in the war in Ukraine so far, according to the AFP news agency. Salinas said individuals were reportedly offered monthly salaries of between $2,000 and $3,000, and that an estimated 600 Peruvians have been lured since last October to fight for Russia. In a statement released on Thursday, Moscow’s embassy in Lima acknowledged that Peruvians had signed contracts to join the Russian armed forces. The Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had asked the Russian embassy to clarify the situation and obtain information about the location and wellbeing of citizens serving in the Russian military. The ministry noted that Peruvian citizens are required to seek permission from the Foreign Ministry before serving in a foreign military. The families of some of the victims who claimed they were recruited under false pretences to fight in Ukraine protested outside the ministry in Lima on Thursday, demanding their loved ones be repatriated. Advertisement Peru is the latest country to raise complaints against Russia over the deceptive recruitment of foreign nationals to fight in Ukraine. More than 1,780 citizens from 36 African countries are believed to be fighting alongside Russian forces, according to Ukrainian estimates from February. Russia has also previously acknowledged enlisting soldiers from North Korea, thousands of whom are estimated to have been killed or wounded in battle, as part of a military pact agreed between Moscow and Pyongyang. Relatives of Peruvians who claim they were recruited by Russia to the front lines of the war in Ukraine protest in Lima, Peru, on April 29, 2026 [Mikhail Huacan/EPA] Adblock test (Why?)
Trump considering option to ‘blast the hell out of’ Iran
NewsFeed US President Donald Trump said he is “not happy” with the latest peace proposal from Iran and warned that the alternative to talks is to “blast the hell out of” the country. Published On 1 May 20261 May 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
US said to be withdrawing 5,000 troops from Germany over Iran war spat
President Donald Trump has feuded with European allies over their reluctance to step up support for war on Iran. Published On 1 May 20261 May 2026 The United States military has said that it will pull 5,000 troops out of Germany amid ongoing tensions with the key European ally concerning the US war against Iran, according to media reports. Reuters reported that the Pentagon made the decision on Friday, several days after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that Iran was humiliating the US during negotiations over the end of the war. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list “The president is rightly reacting to these counterproductive remarks,” the report cites an anonymous official as saying. The news service reported that the withdrawal is expected to take place over the next six to 12 months. The decision was also reported by CBS News, citing senior defence officials. President Donald Trump has lashed out at European allies for not doing more to assist the US-Israel war on Iran, and had stated on Wednesday that he was thinking of pulling troops out of European countries deemed insufficiently supportive. The US outlet Politico reported earlier this week that Trump’s threats to pull troops out of European countries caught the military by surprise, citing several anonymous defence officials and a congressional aide. Trump attacked his German counterpart in another social media post on Thursday, stating that Merz should spend more time trying to end the war between Russia and Ukraine and less time “interfering with those that are getting rid of the Iran Nuclear threat, thereby making the World, including Germany, a safer place”. While European countries have been hesitant to commit their own forces to the US war on Iran, leaders such as Merz were initially hesitant to offer criticism of the US attacks, widely considered illegal under international law. Advertisement But criticism has mounted as the war sends shocks across the global economy due to serious disruptions to regional energy supply. Earlier this week, Merz compared the war to previous military quagmires such as the US invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. “It is, at the moment, a pretty tangled situation,” he said. “And it is costing us a great deal of money. This conflict, this war against Iran, has a direct impact on our economic output.” Adblock test (Why?)
Iran war live: Trump says no ‘early’ end to war, unhappy with Tehran offer
blinking-dotLive updatesLive updates, White House officially tells Congress that hostilities with Iran have ‘terminated’ despite continued presence of US troops in Middle East. Published On 2 May 20262 May 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Italian firefighters respond to Tuscany wildfires
NewsFeed Wildfires have ravaged over 810 hectares (2,000 acres) of forest in Tuscany and Italian authorities evacuated around 3500 people from the surrounding area. Published On 1 May 20261 May 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Cricket club bans social media comments to protect players’ mental health
English basement county, Kent, are led by former international Adam Hollioake, who is concerned for players’ well being. Published On 1 May 20261 May 2026 The English cricket club Kent has suspended comments on their official social media accounts, with head coach Adam Hollioake suggesting players’ mental health could be damaged by stinging criticism. Kent have made a bad start to the season and are currently at the foot of the second and bottom division of the County Championship following three matches. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Their form has led to some cutting online comments from frustrated Kent fans. Hollioake, in a statement released before Kent’s latest game against Derbyshire, which began at Canterbury on Friday, accepted the team’s performances had not been “anywhere near the standards we expect of ourselves”. But Hollioake, a close friend of former Surrey and England teammate Graham Thorpe, who took his own life in 2024, said he had a “duty of care” to protect the Kent squad. “Throughout my career in cricket as a player and a coach, I have had to deal with a lot, that’s no secret,” said Hollioake, whose younger brother Ben, also an England all-rounder, was killed in a car crash back in 2002. Hollioake was also close to former England batsman Robin Smith, who struggled with alcoholism before his death late last year. “I’ve seen in recent times, two players and friends that I played alongside for England, go down a bad path in terms of mental health, and I’ve lost both of them,” the 54-year-old added. “It’s part of my job, and my duty of care, to make sure that we don’t see that again. “As a professional cricket department, alongside our media team, we’ve decided as one that we will be suspending commenting on our official Kent Cricket social media accounts for the time being. Advertisement “This has not been a decision that we’ve taken lightly, and we are in no means stopping people voicing their opinions, but to align with our short-term strategy to allow players and staff to think and play with freedom and clarity, we feel it is a necessary one.” Adblock test (Why?)
Turkish police fire tear gas, arrest hundreds at May Day rally
NewsFeed Turkish authorities violently crackdown on May Day demonstrations at Istanbul’s Taksim Square, firing tear gas from riot-control vehicles into the crowd. A Turkish legal organisation says at least 370 people were arrested on Friday. Published On 1 May 20261 May 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Iran war live: Tehran says US ports siege ‘intolerable’; Trump mulls action
blinking-dotLive updatesLive updates, Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed at least 2,586 people and wounded more than 8,000 since March 2, local media report. Published On 1 May 20261 May 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Arsenal vs Fulham: Premier League – teams, start, lineups, title race
Who: Arsenal vs FulhamWhat: English Premier LeagueWhere: Emirates Stadium, London, United KingdomWhen: Saturday, May 2, at 5:30pm (16:30 GMT)How to follow: We’ll have all the buildup on Al Jazeera Sport from 13:30 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream. For all the talk of Arsenal having blown their Premier League title hopes after being reeled in by Manchester City, the truth is that come Saturday, they could have re-established a six-point lead to pile the pressure on Pep Guardiola’s side. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list City’s 2-1 victory over Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on April 29 meant that, having trailed by 10 points a few weeks earlier, they were able to knock Mikel Arteta’s side off the summit for the first time since October. Momentum appeared to have shifted completely, but the fixture schedule may have come to Arsenal’s rescue as they try to clinch a first English crown since 2004. How can Arsenal re-establish their Premier League lead so quickly? With City otherwise engaged in FA Cup semifinal action last weekend, Arsenal ground out a 1-0 home win over Newcastle United to end a four-match losing streak in domestic competitions. On Saturday, they host London rivals Fulham while City do not play again in the league until Monday, when they face a tough-looking trip to European-chasing Everton. While City would have two games in hand before they kick off at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, the prospect of again having to make up a six-point gap with absolutely no margin for error would be a serious test of their resolve. Advertisement How do Arsenal and Fulham shape up for Premier League clash? According to data analysts Opta, Arsenal are still favourites to end the season on top – but that could all change if they stumble against Marco Silva’s Fulham. Sitting in 10th place with four games, Fulham are still very much in the hunt for European qualification and will be looking to exploit any Arsenal fatigue after Arteta’s side’s 1-1 draw at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semis on Wednesday. “We will go there with no fear, and play for the badge,” Fulham midfielder Josh King said. Stat attack – Fulham at Arsenal History will be a considerable comfort, however, to Arsenal fans struggling to cope with the title-race tension. Fulham have played 32 times away to Arsenal in all competitions and never won. City’s record at Everton is equally impressive, though, losing none of their last 18 in all competitions and winning 15 of them and drawing three. Whatever the outcome of Arsenal’s derby with Fulham, a City win at Everton would then give them the chance to crank up the pressure as their next league game at home to Brentford comes the day before Arsenal’s trip to West Ham United, a fixture being described as Arsenal’s toughest in the run-in. What happened the last time Arsenal played Fulham? Arsenal beat Fulham 1-0 in the reverse fixture between the sides earlier this season at Craven Cottage. Leandro Trossard scored the only goal of the game on October 18, in the 58th minute. The home side failed to register a shot on target, while Arsenal managed five and had a 63 percent share of possession. When did Fulham last beat Arsenal? The west London club secured a 2-1 home win in the Premier League two seasons ago. Raul Jimenez and Bobby De Cordova-Reid scored the goals to turn the game around following Bukayo Saka’s fifth-minute opener. Head-to-head This will be the 67th meeting between the sides, with Arsenal winning 44 of the encounters and Fulham claiming the spoils nine times. The first match between the sides came in 1904 in an FA Cup tie that Arsenal won 3-2. The next game came 10 years later when the sides met in the league for the first time, with Fulham exacting revenge with a 6-1 home win in the old Division Two. Arsenal team news Both the German and fellow forward Eze were injured in the Premier League win against Newcastle last week, but the latter shrugged off his knock to appear as a substitute against Atletico. Jurrien Timber and Mikel Merino are both definite absentees through injury, but Riccardo Calafiori returned to the bench for the Champions League game in midweek and could be in line for a start. Advertisement Arsenal predicted starting lineup Raya; Mosquera, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Eze Fulham team news Former Tottenham winger Ryan Sessegnon could return from a knock sustained in Fulham’s last outing, but Alex Iwobi’s thigh problem means he will not face his former club. Kenny Tete and Kevin remain confirmed absentees. Fulham predicted starting lineup Leno; Castagne, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Lukic; Wilson, Smith Rowe, Chukwueze; Jimenez Adblock test (Why?)