Koreans Outraged By Incessant “Emergency Alert” Text Messages About BTS

“This is the most over-the-top nonsense I’ve ever experienced in my life.”

Ahead of BTS’s upcoming Gwanghwamun Square performance, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has introduced English-language emergency text alerts for the first time.

BTS | @bts_bighit/X

On the morning of March 20, 2026 (KST), the city issued an emergency alert in Korean, stating that roads would be closed due to the BTS event. The same information was then sent again in English:

Sejongdaero will be closed from 9 PM on Mar 20 to 6 AM on Mar 22; Sajik-ro from 4 PM to 11 PM on Mar 21; Saemunan-ro from 7 PM to 11 PM on Mar 21.

— Seoul City

This marks the first time Seoul has sent alert messages separately in both Korean and English.  The city explained that in special situations, such as the BTS concert—when a large number of foreign visitors are expected—real-time text alerts would be far more effective, leading to the rollout of the English-language service.

Bomb Threat Reported At BTS Concert Venue

The city also noted that the bilingual alerts will continue through the day of the concert, including instructions for crowd dispersal after the event.

That said, Seoul residents are expressing frustration with the incessant text alerts.

| theqoo

• But what’s wrong with them being over-the-top about safety? LOL. It’s better than no alerts.
  • Well… If they had just held it at the concert venue, we wouldn’t have to deal with all this  over-the-top nonsense.
• Even during earthquakes we don’t get alerts like this, this is f***ing ridiculous.
• It sure is a disaster in so many ways.
• Sending it at 7 in the morning was way too much LOL.
• When it came in English I thought my phone settings got changed LOL.
• It is truly a state of emergency. Suddenly no deliveries, buses stopped, subways skipping stops, can’t even go to weddings?
• The government is promoting this in such an over-the-top way.
• I live on the outskirts of Seoul so it doesn’t even affect me, but getting English alerts early in the morning was so annoying LOL.

Some complained that the earliest message came at 7 in the morning, while others slammed the system for continuing to send notifications past 9 in the evening.

| theqoo

• Disaster sonyeondan.
• So this is what people meant when they said it’s getting ridiculous… Why are they  texting so many times?
• Are they treating this like a national disaster for citizens?
• Sending it again in English too? That is seriously the last straw.
• Getting it in English is insane.
• It started from like 6 in the morning.
• It really is a disaster.
• I mean, it sure feels like a state of emergency.
• This is a disaster.
• I literally said “F*ck off” out loud.

Viral online discussions, like ones on theqoo, had Koreans pointing out the entire situation surrounding the concert excessive and overblown.

| theqoo

• This is the most over-the-top nonsense I’ve ever experienced in my life.
• An actual emergency, IMO… like civilian terrorism.
• It’s a disaster.
• It’s literally a disaster.
• The texts are literally disastrous.
• I got that text and was like, what the hell LOL.

Meanwhile, the concert, titled “BTS Comeback Live: ARIRANG,” is set to take place on March 21 and be livestreamed to 190 countries worldwide. Authorities estimate that around 260,000 people will gather for the event.

Read more about the BTS concert here:

The Total Cost HYBE Paid To Seoul City For BTS’s “ARIRANG” Comeback Revealed

BTS