“I missed them so much,” Stephanie Prado, a dye-hard BTS fan, is a strict waiting for the group reunion after a two-and-a-half-year gap.

Her love for the Boy Band inspired her to go from Brazil to South Korea – so it was no surprise that she was for “BTS Festa” last Friday, which was a major party held every year near Seoul on the group’s anniversary.

Stephanie said that the time he waited, he has moved forward “slowly and really quickly”, Stephanie says, waving an army bomb, official lightsticks used by BTS fans, which call themselves army.

There is a large sculpture of lightstick behind him, one should be one in the K-Pop world.

The incident of this year is special because a reunion is finally around the corner. The countdown was at the peak last week, when four of the seven members, RM, V, Jimin and Jung Kook completed their military service. And on Saturday, the waiting ends when the last of them, Suga is discharged.

“I hope they will rest now,” Stephanie says, “but of course I want albums, concerts, everything”.

All South Korean men essentially forced the world’s most successful boy band in recent years to stay in the army in 2022. Now they say something for a ke-pap industry, some of which they knew that they knew that with the sale of the Stald album, shook from scandals and excessive pressure on the stars was scrutinized.

The absence of a major band, who monitors the industry, says it was deeply felt.

“Without BTS, a main column was missing,” says Kim Young-Day, Music Critic and Author of BTS: The Review.

“Recently worried that K-Pop is losing speed. BTS may change that perception or not.”

There is no plan yet to appear together with all seven members, but it did not stop the army from early assembled in Goyang in the morning.

For BTS Festa, a long, restless queue was spread to the metro station one hour before the opening of Gates. Snipages of English, Chinese, Japanese and Spanish threw a local running past with Korean, who asked, “Why are there so many foreigners here?”

There were more queues inside – some people were staying with enthusiasm and other were absorbed after entering the “voice zone”, a phone booth where you could hear the messages of BTS members. Nearly half of the fans talked about how much they missed the BTS and tore it.

“It seemed that 18 months went away forever,” South African, who was visiting BTS-theme places in Seoul like his favorite restaurant, said Wuyo Mativen. “I was crying at every place – it was very emotional.”

And then he saw the creatures discharged by them, which was “heavy”.

Being surrounded by all things, BTS halved a trip around the world, which travels from the Netherlands Fara Ala: “Breathe in the same air, drinking the same water, eating the same food for BTS – it is enough for the army. If you ask another army, they will say the same.”

South Korean military service is a major examination for male celebrities, many of which have to reach the peak of their success. In the past, it has proved fatal to some career.

It is believed that BTS has shaken it so that all seven members were missing from action for more than six months. J-Hop, which was discharged last October, has since wrapped a single world tour. But it can be difficult to break the so -called curse.

For one, fans’ loyalty can begin almost every week as new groups, competing for their attention. Returning sculptures also face a tough infection because a touch of military tenure and maturity can reduce the essence of the pep appeal: Youth Energy.

But if anyone can break the curse, it is BTS, says Mr. Kim.

Each of them announced single projects in the last two and a half years, he explains, without hurting its popularity as a group: “It seems that their military interval has naturally passed. His return seems to be smooth.”

Nevertheless, the industry can challenge beyond the army.

While the BTS was on a break, the other K-Pop sensation, Blackpink has not dropped an album since September 2022, which has been chosen instead of the Solo release. He was the third generation leader of the K-Pop.

But they have been successful for the fourth and fifth generations, who have brought fresh style in style. The Neur Acts – which began after 2018 – is a lack of a standout like BTS because K -Pop has become more diverse than ever. The result is a limit to very popular and experimental groups.

“Most people are like a fourth generation idols these days at my age,” says a 13 -year -old fan of girl group IVE.

“Some still prefer a third generation groups, but for adolescents, BTS feels such that they are of an older generation. A lot of new sculptures started, while BTS was away, and they have become popular.”

But the biggest challenge for BTS superstar position is that some see as a recession in the K-pap.

Revenue from the concert remains strong, but album sales – a major market metric – has been declining since a peak in 2023. BTS and Blackpink were not releasing albums.

The South Korean pop culture critic Park itself agrees that the K-Pop passed through “some difficult times”, while BTS was away.

There have also been several controversies such as headline-making disputes between the hit girl Group New Tygies and their agency, allegations of misconduct by all-powerful agencies and allegations of harassment of stars by fans and trolls.

“The sale of the album began, and some problems – such as the right working companies – came up,” said Ms. Park. Because of all this, she says, “We saw” deep problems in the K-Pop industry “.

This is why many people are ready to return BTS, hopefully it will bring energy afresh – and perhaps a way forward for the industry.

“His return will help people focus on Korea’s music scene again,” Ms. Park says that BTS Reunion is great not only for their fans but also for Korean soft power.

Everyone’s eyes are now on the next song of the band.

Group leader RM said, “I will quickly create an album and return to stage.”

But a new group album cannot come until the beginning of next year because J-Hop still has domestic concerts scheduled, and is ready to organize concerts for fans worldwide in the next few months. It is also possible that Suga, who got into dispute after driving a scooter drunk last year, may want to lie less for a while.

However, for millions of fans such as Stephanie, it is enough to return to BTS together – for now.

“It would seem that nothing has ever changed. Kings are back.”