The French presidential couple took in a K-pop show on Friday, light sticks and all
(via X)
When BTS performed in Paris, an unexpected duo graced the jumbotron: French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte, holding light sticks.BTS performed on Friday and Saturday at Stade de France, a stadium in the commune of Saint-Denis, north of Paris, wrapping up the European leg of its “Arirang” world tour.Stade de France is the biggest stadium in France, with a seating capacity of 80,000 people. The Friday concert drew 92,000 people (including those in standing zones) eager to see the blockbuster K-pop act — the biggest turnout in a single concert since BTS debuted back in 2013.The presidential couple’s appearance was one of the highlights of the night’s concert. When the screen showed the Macrons enjoying the show, the crowd roared. They were both holding BTS’ official light sticks, known as the Army Bomb.
(via X)
Snapshots of the couple were rapidly shared on X (formerly Twitter) and other social media websites.Following the concert, Emmanuel Macron posted personal photographs of the show to his Instagram account, writing “Bienvenue à Paris!” — meaning “Welcome to Paris!” Macron added the finger heart emoji commonly used in Korea.“We knew President Macron was fond of [French singer] Johnny Hallyday, but who knew he was a fan of BTS?” quipped French daily newspaper Le Figaro, interpreting his attendance at the concert as “a gesture of respect for Korea on the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.”Another local media outlet reported that “the Macrons’ surprise visit definitely got noticed.”After wrapping up its Paris itinerary, BTS was scheduled to perform in the half-time show in the final match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sunday alongside Justin Bieber, Madonna and Shakira.By Lee Yu-jin, staff reporterPlease direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]
