BTS’ Suga in Singapore: A ‘baby’ ARMY’s account of the K-pop star's Agust D concert

When BTS announced that they would be going on hiatus in the middle of 2022, I was heartbroken like every other member of the K-pop group's ARMY. 

With Jin and J-Hope doing their military service in South Korea – and V, Jungkook, RM, Jimin and Suga to follow suit – I knew that the next BTS concert as a full septet was going to take a while.

They'd been to Singapore twice – way back in 2014 for the Red Bullet tour and in 2019, where they performed to a sold out crowd at the National Stadium for their Love Yourself world tour. 

But as a self-professed 27-year-old "baby ARMY" who only relatively recently joined the fandom (the uplifting messages of their music was a comfort during the pandemic), I wanted to experience what it was like – even if it wasn't the full band for now.

Needless to say, I was beyond thrilled when it was announced that Suga (and as his non-BTS rapping alter-ego Agust D) was performing at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Jun 17 and 18, with a later added show on the 16th.

This being my first BTS-related show, I had little to no idea what was to come  – from the mad rush for tickets (where my ARMY friends and I eventually managed to secure tickets for the Friday show) to the exciting sights and vibes both inside and outside the venue. 

FANS, MERCH AND WELFARE PACKS

I thought I was early when I arrived outside the Indoor Stadium grounds at three in the afternoon, but apparently not. 

Some had already been patiently queueing up from as early as 4am that day to get their hands on official tour merchandise, enduring the scorching heat with their umbrellas and portable fans.

Elsewhere, fans had also gathered since 8am around Kallang Wave Mall to distribute free BTS- and Suga-themed goodies such as photo cards, keychains and pins, and lanyards. I befriended two of them, Rahidah Rashid, 28, and Justine J, 27, who had dozens of photo cards to share with any fan who wanted them.

“We just love to share our love for the boys,” said Rahidah. “I want to embody the messages that BTS shares – looking out for one another and positivity.”

There were also those who shared welfare packs that included tissues (for not blood but sweat and tears), lozenges (for the hoarse throats because of screaming), sweets (to keep one busy while waiting in the queue), and even earplugs (also for the screaming). 

Though the performance was held in Singapore, the crowd was notably international. I got to make friends with fellow ARMYs who flew from places such as Hong Kong, the Philippines and Indonesia. 

“I tried the Jakarta and Bangkok show, but could only make it for Singapore,” said Camille Fernandez, a 37-year-old fan from Manila who came with two others. “I’m very happy to be here, and though I’ve been a fan since 2016, it’ll be my first time seeing one of the boys live.”

NO SUCH THING AS A BAD SEAT?

I wasn't able to score standing tickets but my friends and I were perfectly happy with our seats somewhere in Section 208, with a side view of the whole show.

Despite the angle and distance from the stage, I was still able to enjoy myself a lot, thanks to the large screens on either side, which gave us pretty clear views of our beloved Min Yoon-gi. And since the Indoor Stadium is smaller than, say the National Stadium, it was still a cosy and relatively intimate show.

For the next two hours, Suga dished out around 19 songs, a mix of hip-hop and rap and some R&B thrown in. He performed renditions of BTS tracks such as Life Goes On, Trivia: Seesaw, and the mash-up of his parts from classic BTS rap songs such as Ddaeng and UGH!.

This being primarily an Agust D concert, his setlist comprised mainly his songs as a solo artiste, such as Haegum, Daechwita, AMYGDALA, Give It To Me and his self-titled track. 

The K-pop star, who was supported by an able live band and a host of backup dancers, appeared to be under the weather on Friday night – coughing occasionally and sipping from a cup in-between songs and banter – but he never forgot to interact with the audience throughout the night. 

Speaking in both English and Korean, he mentioned how he had “missed Singapore” since the last time BTS was here four years ago. 

At one point, he playfully borrowed the phones of some very lucky fans to capture a video selfie of himself singing. He also gamely acknowledged a pair of male ARMYs who fervently sought his attention throughout the entire show.

Being seated in my section not only allowed me to see the artiste from different angles, it also allowed me to see the whole stadium lit up with ARMY "bombs" – the official lightstick name for BTS concerts – and phone flashlights as everyone belted and bopped along to the K-pop star.

Which reminded me that part of the appeal of watching a concert isn't just how physically close you are to the artiste you admire (although that's always a treat) but the whole environment and sharing that love for the same music with many others.

After all that, two hours just wasn't enough for this baby ARMY but of course, sadly, Suga had to bid farewell.

The boys are set to return as a full group in 2025 once all members have finished their military service. When you think about it, two years doesn't sound that bad. Until then, ARMYs old and new will have to wait for what's yet to come – and if one of them does decide to also go on a solo tour, we'll be there.