K-Event Review: Celebration of BTS Festa 2025 by Bangtan Shefs in Mumbai

Writer: Aishwarya Khale (Mumbai, Maharashtra, India)

Editor: Ankita Panda (Kolkata, West Bengal, India)

BangtanShef Lounge, a part of BangtanShef Restaurant in Mira Road, Mumbai, was fully packed with BTS fans, transforming into Purple Land for BTS Festa 2025. All of them excitedly gathered on June 13, 2025, for the occasion of BTS’s 12th Anniversary, which also marks the group’s official debut anniversary date, marking 12 years since their debut. 

The venue, from the entrance to the lounge, was completely decorated with memories related to BTS, aesthetic lighting, wall paintings, posters, and more. The excitement in the atmosphere doubled once the BTS Army – the fans started stepping into the venue. The chaos in the room was filled with self-introductions, bias discussions, and the members’ return from the military. 

The Beginning of a Heartwarming Celebration

The event finally began with the host, Riya, introducing herself while keeping the audience engaged with a recap of Bangtan’s journey so far. After the introductions, Future Ninja, a duo of performers, showcased their dance moves on BTS songs effortlessly on the platform. The audience vibed and cheered together for them, creating an energetic atmosphere. With that, a game of Bingo with questions related to BTS was shared with the fans.

During the food break, the audience enjoyed the buffet of delicious food, which included cucumber salad, fried rice, and cheesy corn dogs. After serving themselves, fans explored all the merch stalls and pop-up store set ups named CP1 BTS Art, Mishu Merch, Gumiho jewels, M & S (handmade pearl bracelets), Angel Crest and Eunso offered BTS-themed designed accessories, bracelets, art pieces, chocolates, candies, keychains, posters, photo cards, customized unofficial merch and many more unique items.

A stall filled with copies of the book dedicated to Bangtan, written by the Army, was set up inside the lounge. Every stall appeared to be unique and amazing. 

‘HOPE ON THE STAGE’ Concert Live Screening, Giveaways & Performances

_{Picture Credits: BTS_official on X (@bts_bighit)}

The most anticipated part of the event, ‘HOPE ON THE STAGE’ J-Hope’s Final D-1 in Seoul. The live concert on the big screen began with loud cheers, which echoed across the venue. The excitement during the VCR and the hype during J-Hope’s performances gradually soared, reaching a sky-high intensity. 

All his songs made the audience leave their seats and perform with him. Following the signature steps, they sang along with the lyrics of each song. The fans present in the venue were quite excited knowing that the other members were present in the stadium, enjoying J-hope’s performances alongside them.  

Under the bright red lighting, an unplanned Random Dance Play (RDP) by the BTS Army took place, when J-hope energetically performed ‘Arson’, ‘Trivia: Just Dance’, ‘Hangsang’, ‘Baepsae’, ‘Outro: Ego’, ‘Daydream’, ‘Chicken Noodle Soup’, ‘Mic Drop’, ‘Airplane pt.2’, ‘Killin’ It Girl’, ‘Mona Lisa’, ‘Sweet Dreams’, and ‘Neuron’. 

The sudden appearance of Jungkook (the youngest member of BTS) and Jin (the eldest member of BTS) during the song ‘I Wonder (Feat. Jungkook)’ and ‘Spring Day with Jin’ left the audience in tears. The performance of ‘Seven (Feat. J-Hope)’ had the whole venue scream and dance with them, while Jin’s solo album song ‘Don’t Say You Love Me’ turned into a loud sing-along. 

_{Picture Credits: Weverse}

The song ‘Jamais Vu’ by BTS, performed by the three members who took over the stage one after another, was a remedy for the day and the best surprise for the whole fandom. Though all the fans were watching on the big screen, it gave a real feeling of attending the concert in person, with the non-stop fan chants and the army bomb swaying in the air.  

One of the performers came from a faraway location and had to leave, so they took over the platform during one of the VCRs. The duo of ladies from Sirens, a girl group, performed various K-pop and BTS songs until J-hope’s performance resumed. The audience showed unwavering support, hyping the performers. After the screening came to an end, the giveaway winners were announced, followed by the winners of the Bingo game and a Lucky Draw from the stalls.

The event concluded after performances of the Solo units and groups, which were lined up. It began with Isha & Sakshi, a duo, followed by another duo of performers from Cygnus, who set the platform on fire. 

They enthusiastically performed varied BTS songs and other K-pop groups’ songs with their unique style. There were multiple astonishing solo performances. RUnit group members danced to K-pop and Indian Pop songs, a fusion that evoked deafening cheers among the audience. 

As soon as the performances came to an end, the host thanked everyone for being part of the event and sadly announced the cancellation of RPD due to the extended time at the venue. Though everyone was excited for RPD, understanding that the clock was ticking into late-night, they left with smiles that held beautiful memories. 

Most of the fans left the space while some explored items from the setup stalls, and others happily captured memories on their phone through pictures and videos. Outside the restaurant, the remaining ARMYs gathered for a group picture and the last fan chant for the day, in front of a wall, painted beautifully, that stated ‘Apobangpo’ above a large BTS and their ARMY’s logo. With that, the event came to an end, with an impression that will last forever.

Statement by the Fans

Some fans who had their Pop-Up store set up at the event, and the other attendees shared their experience. 

Siddhi (CP1_BTSart) described the day truly as one for the books:  

“This year’s day, 0613, itself was so important for all the ARMYs. Four of the seven members had just finished their mandatory Military service, and so, as fans, we were anticipating a get-together at the HOPE ON THE STAGE concert. The very concert itself, the reunion concert, was being screened live from South Korea at the Bangtan Lounge. 

The vibe of the entire event was so wholesome — like a mini BTS universe in Mumbai, filled with purple love, laughter, dance, food, and creativity and from all seven members being at the Live Event, as brothers and performers, to fellow ARMYs bonding over shared stories about BTS, to people discovering my BTS Digital Souvenir Art and connecting deeply with it. It all felt surreal.

It began when Riya from BangtanShef welcomed me to set up a CP1_BTSart stall at the event. I have known her since 2021, and she has always been a huge supporter of small creators and businesses. Her positivity encouraged me to be at BangtanShef and nowhere else, on the occasion of 0613. And I believe it was a great decision, because not only did I have a good business day, but also, to my surprise, ended up winning a giveaway as an ARMY! Overall, it felt like BTS was there with us in spirit.” 

For Misba, the event turned out to be a special memory for her; she shared —

“Being part of that BTS Festa environment — it felt like I was right in the middle of something magical. It all started with a random idea for a pop-up store, which just turned into a plan. I wasn’t sure how it would go, but the excitement of creating something for all the fans kept me going. And once the event started. Wow, the energy was unreal! 

The entire day had warm, chaotic, purple energy; it felt like everyone was there not just as individuals but as part of one big family. I left the event with a full heart and an unforgettable experience. So many people dropped by, showed love, and shared the beautiful vibe. Some even came back later to chat or appreciate the small details I added — I didn’t expect that, and it meant a lot.”

Eunso, another pop-up stall from the lineup, shared how she felt her dream to design products was fulfilled — 

“I attended the BTS Festa event with my best friend. Together, we came up with a pop-up booth idea for the attendees of the event under the name Eunso (@eunso127413). It was our first pop-up as an army team, and it was like a dream come true to design our products. We were the merchandise partner and provided attendees with freebies. It was a big and dreamy opportunity for us to design something related to Bangtan.

The event was well hosted, and the food was worth a full 10⭐. And the concert vibe was everything, giving us great and lasting memories. The event and the day are now specifically added to my most beautiful day in life. Thanks to BangtanShef and Riya Didi for giving us this opportunity and hosting such a wonderful event.” 

Kishori Raut, an attendee, stated the venue to be her forever comfort place, and claimed the day to be the best forever — 

“Every time, I go to the BangtanShef, it feels like it’s the same space and the same people that make it more comfortable. Also, Riya, the host, is the warmest person, who made the environment and the event possible by allowing us this opportunity to enjoy the live and the fan meet with fellow armies.

It’s been nine years, being a BTS army, and the best part I love is watching concerts together, as we all go crazy together instead of watching alone. I lived the best moment of my life with other armies. It truly gave the feel of a real concert because of the excitement that surged in from the start till the end.”

The Organizer’s Statement

Riya highlighted the expectations and the happiness that were served during the event:   

“Honestly, our expectations for BTS Festa 2025 were immense, but also filled with a hopeful kind of nervousness. We poured our hearts into every detail during the preparation, envisioning a space where fellow ARMYs could truly feel the warmth and joy that BTS brings into our lives. Seeing everyone’s faces light up as they experienced the event was truly an emotional moment for me – it was more incredible than we could have ever imagined. The stalls’ creativity just melted our hearts, and the performers’ energy was lit! Throughout the event, there was such a beautiful energy, a shared love for BTS that made all the hard work feel incredibly worthwhile. 

There were many heartwarming instances, like seeing strangers connect over a shared bias or witnessing the sheer delight in someone’s eyes when they tried a dish inspired by their favorite member. And of course, watching J-Hope perform live was incredible! But what truly blew our minds and was the absolute highlight was having all seven members together under one roof. We screamed, we danced, and we even gave away three albums to three lucky winners!

It felt like all the things we had wished for over the last two years came true in that single, magical moment. Those unexpected moments of pure, unadulterated happiness were the greatest reward and a testament to the incredible community we’re all a part of.”

An Unforgettable Experience

This fan-meet, held to celebrate the 12^th anniversary of Bangtan (BTS), created an enlightening space that was filled with fun surprises, laughter, screams, and sentimental tears. It felt like a family event — even if some of the individuals came alone or together with their friends, they were united as one; the underlying essence of the fandom. 

From the beginning of the event, the buzz of the BTS Army roared the loudest until the end. It was a special day for the group and their fans as 13^th June 2013 was the day BTS debuted. In 2022, they went on a hiatus to serve mandatory military service with the message “APOBANGPO”, which lasted for almost three years. And, finally, on 13^th June 2025, they appeared together at J-Hope’s Final Stage, enjoying the concert while the eldest and the youngest members of the group performed with J-Hope. It was an overwhelming moment for all the fans across the seas watching all seven members (OT7) together. 

Have you ever attended any similar events, or do you want to? Tell us in the comments!