A pair of giant panthers with glowing eyes emerged from the back of the stage. The deep vocals of members V and J-Hope were hardly audible over the chanting and screaming of BTS’ fans, ARMYs.

The past few years have been great for the K-Pop industry with its influence visible around the globe. Seoul-based boy band sensation BTS kicked off their “Love Yourself: Speak Yourself” tour at the Rose Bowl on May 4 selling out stadiums like the Staples Center, an achievement no other K-pop group can boast. The group sold out the stadium with a crowd of 60,000 ARMYs.

BTS’ latest album, “Map Of The Soul: Persona,” was released on April 12 and many of its songs, along with songs from their “Love Yourself” albums, were performed. The tight, on-point choreography fits perfectly with the sets. BTS’ seven members all wore custom outfits from Dior.

The concert itself began around 7:40 p.m. and almost everyone in the crowd waved BTS lightsticks whose colors were controlled by the stadium. As the first song began, the multi-colored sticks all turned red, further illuminating the already bright set.

A jolt of adrenaline ran through everyone as the three-hour performance took place. Attendees could be seen dancing and singing along with BTS and at one point there were recurring crowd waves that seemed as if it was a wave of stars because of the white light ARMY bombs (BTS lightstick).

During the encore performance, BTS changed into more casual clothes to perform an additional four songs. During “Anpanman,” BTS brought out an inflatable slide. They then deflated the slide and moved onto energetic “So What.” The entire crowd could be seen jumping and shouting along to the track. The energy from the crowd seemed to be shared with BTS as members bounced around the stage and interacted with fans. After this song, they went on to conclude the set with heartfelt “Make It Right” and “Mikrokosmos.”

It would be an understatement to refer to the concert as a surreal, unforgettable experience. Although tiring at the end, it was most definitely worth it for the $68 to almost $2000 fees that attendees paid. Unlike other concerts, this one left audience members feeling like they shared an intimate connection with each member of the group. It didn’t feel like they were just there to perform and collect a check, it felt like they truly cared that everyone had an enjoyable time.