The mayor of Ñuñoa, Sebastián Sichel, confirmed on Tuesday night, October 13, that the three BTS concerts at the National Stadium will go ahead. The thunderstorm, heavy rain and hail that afternoon flooded streets in several municipalities in the Metropolitan Region.
"The BTS concert for all ARMY will go ahead. The venue is operating perfectly," Sichel said at a press briefing attended by Radio Bío Bío, according to BioBioChile.
BTS is the South Korean K-pop (Korean pop) group that turned South Korea into a global music powerhouse. Its fans identify as ARMY. The band has shows scheduled for Wednesday, October 14, Friday, October 16, and Saturday, October 17, and the first show will also be its debut in Chile. Some female fans traveled from various Latin American countries to see them.
Water did enter part of the sports complex. "Although rain got into the multisport facility, the report we have is that the stadium is fine and, therefore, the concerts will go ahead," the mayor explained. CNN Chile, citing La Tercera, reported flooding at the National Stadium's multisport facility.
Sichel told CNN Chile that he spoke with the production company during a security meeting. "Access to the stadium was not affected at all," he said, adding that the concert "is proceeding normally." On social media, female fans had been expressing concern about whether the first show would go ahead.
Ñuñoa was one of the municipalities hardest hit by the weather front. According to Meganoticias, flooding occurred in areas such as Irarrázaval and Ñuble. The Ñuble underpass, toward Vicuña Mackenna Avenue and next to the Metro, was underwater for several minutes.
During the day, the municipality removed female fans who were camping beside the stadium to secure a good place in line. "Thank goodness we were firm and insisted that camping around the National Stadium was not allowed; imagine the tragedy we would have had if people had been camping," Sichel said.
Municipal crews remain at the venue, removing debris and trees brought down by the rain. Sichel pledged that "everything will be ready for tomorrow," when ARMY fill the Ñuñoa stadium on the first of the three nights.
