Broadway legend Lea Salonga praised by BTS fans for her down-to-earth nature at Busan concert

K-pop group BTS staged the Busan leg of their ongoing Arirang world tour on Jun 12 and 13, thrilling thousands of fans in the process. One of those lucky ARMYs was Broadway royalty Lea Salonga, 55, who has always been open about her adoration and respect for the septet. 

Many concertgoers who attended the Busan shows have since gone online to share their positive interactions with Salonga, who is best known for her roles in Miss Saigon, Aladdin and Mulan.

X user @_yooncheolhan uploaded a group photo of herself and her friends with Lea Salonga, saying that the Filipina superstar had given them freebies and was "so nice".

Another X user shared a video of Salonga recording a shoutout for the user’s friend, while another posted footage of her patiently queuing alongside fellow fans to enter the venue, rather than relying on her celebrity status to gain access through a special entrance.

Over on Threads, user sj.bees recounted her meeting with Salonga, saying that the actress attended the concert alone while carrying her bag of freebies, and even took the “very crowded subway” home afterwards.

"If someone like Lea Salonga can go through the proper ticketing process, wait under the sun while queuing and even be turned away by staff because of the chaotic entry process, then why can't others?" wrote the user.

The first night of BTS’ Busan concert faced several issues, including delays at entry points and a shortage of complimentary gifts, resulting in the show starting more than an hour late.

Following the concert, South Korean entertainment giant Hybe, BTS’ management company, issued an apology on fan platform Weverse and stated that they would "thoroughly review and improve all aspects of [their] on-site operations".

Posting a photo of her holding her BTS lightstick, Lea Salonga said on Sunday (Jun 14) that there was "plenty to unpack" with regards to the Busan concert.

In a previous interview with CNA Lifestyle, Salonga spoke at length about her love for BTS, revealing that she had timed her work schedule to not clash with the group's comeback livestream, which aired on Netflix.