bts ‘arirang’ world tour in los angeles — day 1 concert vlog ༘˚ 𝟕 ₊˙

basically my entire bts concert — from purchasing presale tickets, getting ready, heading to SoFi, ARMY chaos outside, waiting around, finally getting inside, and the actual concert + post-concert madness. i also wanted to include the little things i wish someone had told me before going. a few things to know before your future concert/s: ✦ get there earlier than you think — seriously. sofi is huge, and traffic, parking, security, walking to your gate, merch lines, and just figuring out where you’re supposed to go can take way longer than expected. if you get there early, you're not just avoiding the stress of rushing in. you actually have more time to take pictures, grab snacks and drinks, look around, talk to other people, check out the atmosphere, and just let yourself be there. you can sit down for a bit, save your energy, fix your makeup, charge your phone, and mentally prepare instead of already being exhausted before the concert even starts and honestly, give yourself time to just sink it all in. those few hours before the show are part of the experience too. don't spend the whole time stressing about getting inside as fast as possible. get there early, take it slow, and enjoy the fact that you're surrounded by thousands of people who are just as excited as you are. ✦ check the bag policy before leaving. seriously. don't be that person who gets all the way to security and finds out your bag isn't allowed. sofi's rules can be strict, and concert-specific policies can be different, so check the official event page before you go. ✦ know where you're actually going. before the concert, figure out which entrance you're supposed to use, where your section is, and where the important booths/areas are. don't wait until you're already at the venue to start figuring everything out. always read the email and official concert information carefully before the show. there can be last-minute instructions about entrances, merch, vip, check-in, bag policies, parking, wristbands, or other things you would've never known if you just showed up. also, do your research on the fan community. army will usually post about things happening around the venue — freebie meetups, fan projects, banners, trading, and sometimes even little events happening before the concert. check instagram, tiktok, x, facebook groups, or whatever platform your fandom is using. ✦ beware of scammers. seriously. if you are buying a ticket, resale item, merch, photocard, vip package, or anything from another person, slow down even if they say “i'm an army too.” being nice, having mutuals, showing an old ticket, sending a screenshot of an id, or having an account that looks real does not prove anything. never send money through a method that gives you no protection just because someone says they're holding the ticket for you. don't let someone pressure you with “someone else is interested” or “you have to pay right now.” and especially don't post your full ticket barcode, qr code, confirmation number, or personal information online. people can use screenshots in ways you might not expect. if something feels rushed, complicated, or way too good to be true… pause. losing a ticket sucks. losing hundreds of dollars right before seeing bts is a whole different level of pain. i've been to a lot of concerts at this point, so i've slowly developed my own little concert survival techniques. some worked, some were questionable, and some were basically me praying and testing my luck lol. ✦ my parking gamble i already knew i did NOT want to pre-pay for parking at sofi because the prices can hurt 😭 especially when you're still going to have to walk a good distance after parking anyway. my usual technique is: don't pre-pay and pray. i put the concert venue into my maps, but before going directly to the venue, i scout the surrounding streets and neighborhoods first. sometimes you'll find people renting out their private parking spaces for the day, and i've found some that were around half the price of official event parking. depending on where you find one, it can also mean a shorter walk to the stadium. but — this is NOT guaranteed and please do this at your own risk. don't just park in someone's driveway because they have a handwritten “parking $20” sign 😭 actually look around the area, check where you're leaving your car, make sure the person you're paying is trustworthy, and use your own judgment. if something feels weird, don't do it. i'd rather pay more somewhere legitimate than save $30 and spend the entire concert wondering if my car is still going to be there. basically: scout first, compare the walking distance + price, and trust your gut.