South Korea Expands AI-Powered Mobile Networks for BTS Comeback Crowd in Seoul
Three of South Korea’s largest mobile operators are boosting network capacity around Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square ahead of BTS’s comeback concert on the 21st, deploying AI-powered traffic management and temporary base stations to handle a crowd expected to reach up to 260,000 people.
SK Telecom says it will activate its AI-based network operation system, called A-One, to design an optimized communications environment. On the day of the event, the company will monitor on-site traffic in real time and respond to increases in connections, shifts in network quality, and equipment faults. In addition to expanding the existing network, SKT will install temporary facilities and additional equipment in high-traffic roaming areas.
KT has network engineers inspecting base stations in the 광화문 area of Jongno District, 서울. The carrier will operate emergency-style operations from its Gwacheon Network Operation Center and deploy its AI-based traffic auto-control solution, W-SDN. Around Gwanghwamun and City Hall squares, KT will place six mobile base stations and add 79 wireless base stations along with 14 Wi-Fi units to boost capacity.
LG Uplus will employ autonomous network technology to forecast traffic before the event and to manage quality during it. The operator plans to link on-site operations with its central command room and has added mobile base stations and temporary repeaters in roughly 10 nearby locations, alongside pre-event capacity checks and optimization of existing sites.
Photos accompanying the report show SKT staff checking telecom equipment near Gwanghwamun, KT engineers inspecting the area, and LG Uplus teams at a control center in Magok. Officials note that the BTS event is drawing global attention, making this a test case for Korea’s AI-driven, high-density network capabilities.
“Because this is a globally watched event, it’s an opportunity to demonstrate Korea’s AI-based, world-class network competitiveness,” an SKT official said. He added that the carrier would ensure stable service even in ultra-dense traffic environments through autonomous network management.
Beyond Korea, the arrangements illustrate how major-scale cultural events drive rapid, AI-enabled improvements in wireless networks, including real-time traffic shaping, temporary capacity expansion, and on-site collaboration among operators. For U.S. readers, the episode underscores trends in 5G and edge-network readiness, the use of AI to manage crowd-related demand, and the ongoing importance of reliable communications for large gatherings, security, and live-spectacle experiences.