Fans Swarm Hill in Munich, Claiming a High Perch for Watching Taylor Swift Concert for Free 

Thousands of Swift fans gather near concert venue to listen to her performance at the Olympiaberg in the Olympiapark in Munich, Germany, July 28, 2024. (Reuters)
Thousands of Swift fans gather near concert venue to listen to her performance at the Olympiaberg in the Olympiapark in Munich, Germany, July 28, 2024. (Reuters)
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Fans Swarm Hill in Munich, Claiming a High Perch for Watching Taylor Swift Concert for Free 

Thousands of Swift fans gather near concert venue to listen to her performance at the Olympiaberg in the Olympiapark in Munich, Germany, July 28, 2024. (Reuters)
Thousands of Swift fans gather near concert venue to listen to her performance at the Olympiaberg in the Olympiapark in Munich, Germany, July 28, 2024. (Reuters)

Thousands of Taylor Swift fans have gotten free seats to her concerts in Munich on a grassy hill near the concert venue.

The Swifties packed the Olympic Hill, or Olympiaberg, one of the highest elevations in the southern German city, for the second straight day Sunday. That gave them a high perch for watching the singer’s sold-out concert in the nearby Olympic Stadium.

On Saturday, they braved the heat, which reached 31 Celsius (88 Fahrenheit) and claimed their spots hours before the concert began.

Police estimated that about 25,000 gathered on the hill on Saturday, according to the dpa news agency.

On Sunday, fans returned, once again packing the grassy hill with so many people that from a distance the scene looked like an anthill.

Rather than discourage the free viewings, the concert organizer handed out water and emergency blankets to those waiting to protect themselves from the sun, dpa reported.

Sunday’s concert is Swift’s last in Germany as part of her Eras tour. She heads next to the Polish capital, Warsaw, for three concerts this coming week, from Thursday through Saturday.



International K-Pop Fans Thrill to Prospect of BTS Reunion 

Fans of K-pop band BTS wait for photos near an ARMY Bomb during the annual 2025 BTS Festa celebrating the BTS' debut anniversary in Goyang, South Korea, Friday, June 13, 2025. (AP)
Fans of K-pop band BTS wait for photos near an ARMY Bomb during the annual 2025 BTS Festa celebrating the BTS' debut anniversary in Goyang, South Korea, Friday, June 13, 2025. (AP)
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International K-Pop Fans Thrill to Prospect of BTS Reunion 

Fans of K-pop band BTS wait for photos near an ARMY Bomb during the annual 2025 BTS Festa celebrating the BTS' debut anniversary in Goyang, South Korea, Friday, June 13, 2025. (AP)
Fans of K-pop band BTS wait for photos near an ARMY Bomb during the annual 2025 BTS Festa celebrating the BTS' debut anniversary in Goyang, South Korea, Friday, June 13, 2025. (AP)

Thousands of international fans of K-pop megastars BTS gathered on Friday in the suburbs of Seoul amid mounting excitement over an expected reunion of the group after its members complete mandatory service in the South Korean military.

This year's BTS Festa marks the 12th anniversary of the group, which last performed together in 2022 and has not toured since 2019 because of the global pandemic and subsequent military service obligations of its members.

It was unclear if any of the recently discharged performers would appear at the festival organized by the group's management agency, HYBE.

But that did not dampen the enthusiasm of fans, some of whom flew in from around the world hoping to spot some of the superstars at the gathering or at a pair of solo concerts by BTS rapper J-Hope as he wraps up his "Hope on the Stage" world tour.

"I want to enjoy everything because there are many things to do here and ... I hope to see the guys maybe," said Karla Linan Saucede, 33, who travelled from Mexico with her sister and friends.

"It's gone past excitement and into almost being numb," said Ayla O'Ryan, 45, from Scotland, adding that she planned a visit this month to practice Korean in the capital so that she could attend.

BTS' members Jimin and Jungkook discharged from the South Korean military on Wednesday, become the fifth and sixth to complete their service. Members RM and V were discharged on Tuesday and the last to finish will be Suga on June 21.

While details of a reunion have not been released, the group is expected to hold its largest ever world tour in 2026, says NH Securities, one of South Korea's largest investment firms.

Shares in HYBE jumped 11.3% in June as brokerages raised their sales estimates and target price for the agency ahead of the group's comeback.