Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron surprised everyone on Friday by attending the first of two BTS concerts at the Stade de France. Seated in the stands, the presidential couple was quickly recognized by the spectators before appearing for a few seconds on the stadium's giant screens. The images triggered a wave of cheers from the 88,000 people in attendance.
The presidential couple spotted in the stands
The presence of Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron had not been announced before the concert. Spectators initially filmed them from the stands, and their videos and photographs quickly circulated on social media. The President of the Republic and his wife each held an "Army Bomb," the official light stick used by BTS fans. These accessories are synchronized during the show to change color according to the songs and visual effects. Emmanuel Macron was also seen filming part of the performance, notably during the song " Body to Body ."
Cheers erupted when the Macrons appeared on the screens.
During the evening, the concert cameras focused on the presidential couple. The faces of Emmanuel Macron and then Brigitte Macron were projected onto the giant screens above the stage. The audience immediately reacted with loud cheers. The appearance lasted only a few seconds, as it did for the other spectators filmed in the stands. The president and his wife remained in their seats and did not address the crowd.
BTS brings together 88,000 people at the Stade de France
This evening marked BTS's grand return to the Stade de France, seven years after the South Korean group's two concerts at the same venue in 2019. The July 17th show was the first of two Paris dates on their Arirang world tour . A second concert is scheduled for Saturday, July 18th. RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook performed for approximately two hours and fifteen minutes on a central, 360-degree stage in the shape of a cross. Twelve giant screens allowed the audience to follow the show from all sections of the stands. This setup positioned the seven artists in the middle of the pit and allowed them to regularly move closer to different parts of the stadium.
23 songs performed during the evening
BTS performed 23 songs during the concert. The setlist included "Run BTS ," "Fake Love ," "MIC Drop ," "Idol ," "Butter ," "Dynamite ," and "Boy With Luv ." The show combined music, pyrotechnics, video projections, and the members moving around the four extensions of the stage. The artists also frequently spoke in French. RM greeted the audience with "Bonjour Paris" before saying that the group had missed their French fans. V declared, "I love you more than yesterday and less than tomorrow ," while Jungkook concluded the evening with the words, "Be careful on your way home. I love you."
A world tour of 79 concerts
The Arirang tour marks BTS's collective return to major international stages. The announced schedule includes 79 concerts in 34 regions between 2026 and 2027. The seven members are slated to perform in North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Australia. The two dates at the Stade de France constitute the Paris leg of this tour. The first concert began Friday at 7:30 p.m. The second is scheduled to begin Saturday at 8:00 p.m., after doors open to the public at 5:00 p.m.
