BTS World Tour has not yet started, HYBE has made the fan community "angry"

The excitement about BTS's global tour was quickly overshadowed by a wave of criticism directed at HYBE. The decision to only support synchronization for the latest version of the lightstick (Ver. 4) is causing the international fan community to "wake up".

"Super music festival" on a global scale

On April 9, 2026, BTS will officially return to the stage with a world tour called "BTS WORLD TOUR ARIRANG". The starting point of this journey is Goyang (South Korea), which opens a series of 82 nights in 34 major cities across continents.

With a schedule that lasts until March 2027, experts say that this is not just a tour but a "global cultural festival". However, in the context of fans counting down the days, an announcement from BigHit Music and HYBE has created a heated debate about the business and the rights of the audience.

ARMY Bomb Ver. 4 unveiled and "ultimatum" from HYBE

On February 5, BigHit Music suddenly confirmed the launch of ARMY Bomb Ver. 4. Details will be announced on the Weverse Shop at 11:00 (KST) on February 6, 2026. This is the next upgrade after the 2015, 2017, 2018 versions and the special edition MAP OF THE SOUL (MOTS) released in 2020.

Worth mentioning, accompanying the new product is an unprecedented regulation. Specifically: Transition period: Older versions (Ver. 3, MOTS version) are still supported for lighting synchronization until the night in Las Vegas (May 28, 2026). Exclusive Phase: Since the concert in Busan on June 12, 2026, only Ver. 4 will be able to connect wirelessly and change colors according to the stage's control system.

HYBE explained that this conversion aims to bring more advanced visual effects, increase interactivity and perfect synchronization for the huge stage scale of this tour.

Wave of outrage: "Profits are crushing emotions"

Immediately, a "total attack" with comments broke out on social media platforms. This is the first time in BTS history that the old lightstick versions have been completely removed from the sync system.

The peak of the frustration came from the owners of the special edition MAP OF THE SOUL (MOTS). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic causing the cancellation of the 2020 tour, many fans have never had the opportunity to use this lightstick once in reality. Now, that expensive souvenir is suddenly considered "outdated" in terms of technology.

Under the posts, it's not hard to come across harsh responses: "They're too greedy to force fans to buy the new one while the old one is still very good." "I'm going to bring in the old lightstick and ruin the color scheme of the whole stadium to protest this arbitrariness." "Many fans just bought the SE version a few months ago, and now it's a useless flashlight at concerts?"

The problem between technology and cohesion

Upgrading the equipment to serve the visual experience is essential for a world-leading music group like BTS. However, the way HYBE implements the roadmap to "kill" old models is considered to be unsophisticated and too commercial. In the eyes of many ARMY, the lightstick is not only a device that emits light, but also a symbol of long-term cohesion. Forcing fans to spend more money on a new device to get the full experience is setting a bad precedent for customer care.

Currently, HYBE has not yet had any further response to the wave of protests. Will the company make adjustments to appease public opinion, or will it resolutely uphold the "Ver. 4 only" rule for the upcoming ARIRANG journey?

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