I've been an ARMY for years. When BTS announced the ARIRANG World Tour — their first full comeback tour after everyone completed military service — I had tickets within 20 minutes of the Weverse presale opening. Three dates at Goyang Stadium (고양스타디움), April 9, 11, and 12. I picked the April 12th show and built a 10-day Korea trip around it.
My rule going in: no checked bag. Not because I'm some hardcore minimalist, but because Korean Air charges $75 each way for a checked bag in economy, and I had better things to spend $150 on in Myeongdong.
고양스타디움 — BTS ARIRANG World Tour 개막 공연장 (2026년 4월)
The Flight: JFK → ICN, Korean Air Direct
Korean Air flies JFK to Incheon nonstop — about 13.5 hours. No Tokyo connection, no stopover drama. I checked the carry-on size limit on the TripPacked Carry-On Checker before packing: Korean Air allows 55×40×20cm, up to 12kg in economy. My Osprey Farpoint 40 fits under that limit.
Pro tip: Korean Air's overhead bin policy is enforced but reasonable. I've never had an issue with the Farpoint 40 on this route. Just make sure it's not stuffed to bursting at the seams.
What I Actually Packed
10 days: 4 in Seoul (Hongdae, Myeongdong, Bukchon), 3 nights near Goyang for the concert period, then back to Seoul for the remaining days. April weather in Seoul: 12–20°C, can be rainy, windy at night.
👕 Clothing
- 5 t-shirts (2 merino wool, 3 regular) — merino rewears without smelling, key for a 10-day trip
- 2 pairs of pants (1 jeans worn on the plane, 1 lightweight chinos)
- 1 concert outfit — I went with an all-black look. Goyang Stadium floor gets warm fast
- 5 pairs of socks + underwear
- 1 light rain jacket — April in Seoul is unpredictably rainy
- Walking shoes (worn on plane)
- 1 pair of compact evening shoes — Hongdae nights call for something nicer than sneakers
💄 Toiletries (TSA-compliant for the return)
- Solid shampoo bar — zero liquid allowance used
- Travel-size skincare in a clear quart bag
- Minimal makeup (bought full-size Korean products once there)
- Left behind: full-size anything — bought Korean sunscreen at Olive Young Day 2
🔌 Tech
- eSIM — activated before landing, no pocket WiFi rental needed
- MacBook Air + charger
- iPhone + 10,000mAh power bank (essential — ARMY Bomb app drains battery fast)
- Korean plug adapter (Type C/F) — cheap to buy there if you forget
Goyang Stadium: The Concert Itself
Goyang Stadium is about 30 minutes from central Seoul by subway — Line 3 to Daehwa station, then a short walk. The venue is massive. The ARIRANG tour uses a 360-degree stage setup, which means almost every seat has a decent view. I was in the standing floor section (GA) and got there 4 hours early to secure a good spot.
고양스타디움 공연장 내부 — 보라색 ARMY Bomb 물결 (2026년 4월 12일)
The ARMY Bomb lightstick syncs live with the stage lighting during the show. Make sure yours is fully charged and updated to the latest firmware via the Weverse app before you arrive. A dead lightstick in the middle of "Boy With Luv" is a tragedy.
The K-Beauty Problem (And How I Solved It)
Myeongdong happened. Olive Young happened. I bought toner pads, an essence, two lip products, face masks, and a sheet mask set as gifts. That's a lot of stuff that doesn't fit in a carry-on if you're not strategic.
Here's what I did:
- Wore the bulkiest clothes on the flight home (jeans + thick hoodie)
- Left behind 2 t-shirts I'd basically worn out
- Shipped 5 items via Korea Post from a branch near Hongdae (₩18,000 = about $13) — arrived home before me, which was surreal
- Any liquid over 100ml either got used up or shipped
10 Days, Zero Checked Bags: The Verdict
Landing at Incheon after 13.5 hours, walking straight past baggage claim, and being on the AREX train to Seoul within 25 minutes of wheels down — that alone is worth the entire effort of packing light.
The merino t-shirts were the MVP. Wore them every other day, hand-washed in the hotel sink, dried overnight. The concert outfit held up fine under GA floor conditions (it was sweaty — pack accordingly).
The one thing I'd change: I overpacked "just in case" items again. A backup outfit I never touched, an extra pair of shoes I wore once. The Packing List Builder had flagged these as redundant — next time I'm listening.
My Final Korea Packing List (The One I'd Repeat)
📋 10 Days in Seoul + Goyang, April
- Osprey Farpoint 40 — fits Korean Air carry-on limits
- 2 merino wool t-shirts + 3 regular tees
- 1 pair jeans (worn on plane) + 1 lightweight pants
- 1 all-black concert outfit (floor GA gets hot)
- Light rain jacket — mandatory for April Seoul
- Walking shoes (worn on plane) + 1 compact evening shoes
- Small crossbody pouch for concert day only
- ARMY Bomb + charger — updated firmware before leaving
- eSIM (activate at home, works instantly on arrival)
- Power bank — fully charged, concert will drain your phone
- Solid shampoo bar + travel toiletries
- Physical printout: flight info + hotel confirmations (immigration backup)
Have a packing story or a trip you tackled carry-on only? Share it with us — we'd love to feature it.