Samsung asks BTS fans to put down their phones

The modern concert experience is often viewed through a six-inch screen, as fans prioritize capturing a digital souvenir over witnessing the live event. Now, in an unexpected twist, the world’s largest smartphone maker is asking K-pop fans to put their devices away. Samsung Electronics said Friday that it will launch an interactive "Immersive Concert Culture Movement" at BTS’s highly anticipated June 12 stadium show in Busan. The program, part of a global partnership with the K-pop boy band's management agency, HYBE, encourages the audience to remain present during the performance while Samsung’s own photographers capture the crowd using the new Galaxy S26 Ultra. The concert at the 53,000-seat Busan Asiad Main Stadium is part of BTS’ "ARIRANG" world tour, its first full-scale global outing since all seven members completed Korea’s mandatory military service. To entice fans to look up, Samsung is leveraging the artificial intelligence (AI) built into its latest hardware. At an on-site experience booth open until 6 p.m. on concert day, international fans can type supportive mess