Maryland's Governor Welcomed BTS to Baltimore by Calling Out All 7 Members by Name

Maryland Governor Wes Moore posted a 30-second welcome video for BTS ahead of their Baltimore concerts this weekend, naming all seven members one by one and telling ARMY to "make some noise." The video, shared on social media with Korean subtitles, landed warmly in fan communities almost immediately.

In the message, Moore described BTS's mission in terms that felt less like a political soundbite and more like someone who had genuinely done their homework: "Seven people, one goal, to unite the world beyond the barriers of different cultures, regions, and languages. That is truly remarkable." He then worked through the full roster, RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, before closing with a direct address to ARMY.

The decision to include Korean subtitles is a small detail worth noting. Maryland has one of the largest Korean-American communities in the United States, particularly in the suburbs of the DC metro area, and the choice to subtitle the video in Korean reads as a deliberate gesture toward that audience rather than an afterthought.

The governor's framing also arrives at a pointed moment in BTS's public story. The group recently announced they would not participate in the Grammy Awards after the Recording Academy confirmed plans to introduce a "Best Asian Pop Music Performance" category starting next year. BTS, along with members of their management, have been vocal about viewing genre categories divided along racial lines as a step backward rather than forward, which makes Moore's language about music crossing cultural barriers feel quietly resonant.

BTS plays M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on August 10 and 11 as part of their ongoing Arirang world tour. Each night is expected to draw around 70,000 fans, putting total attendance for the two-show run at approximately 140,000 people, a figure that makes it one of the largest concert events the city has seen in years.