The Moments of the BTS Ticket War: ARMY Crowds Jakarta Internet Cafes
A distinct atmosphere was observed in several gaming internet cafes across Jakarta on Tuesday (9/6/2026), ahead of the ticket sales for the BTS World Tour ‘ARIRANG’ in Jakarta. Hours before the sale commenced at 12:00 WIB, BTS fans, or ARMY, had already crowded the rooms, preparing devices, opening ticketing websites, and devising strategies to secure seats for the concert scheduled for this coming December.
At the Sentinel Gaming Internet Cafe in Jakarta, visitors were greeted by banners reading ‘Hello ARMY’ and ‘Good Luck ARMY’, complete with photos of all seven BTS members. BTS songs, ranging from the latest ‘ARIRANG’ album to older hits, played throughout the venue, while dozens of fans remained focused on their computer screens.
“The preparations are thorough, but I am still nervous. I chose a gaming internet cafe because the internet is very fast. I have prepared both the funds and the mental strength because this is truly a ‘bloody’ battle,” said Ika, a fan from Jakarta.
She admitted her goal was to secure Platinum category tickets and hoped to obtain two tickets for the Jakarta concert. Beyond financial considerations, some fans noted that mental fortitude is a crucial factor in the anticipated fierce ticket war.
“Many things must be prepared besides money, especially mental strength. If you want high categories like VIP, you must be ready. You have to believe you can win the war yourself, rather than buying from scalpers at much higher prices,” said another fan, Gaining.
Gaby, another attendee, explained that she chose to hunt for tickets at an internet cafe to access a more stable internet connection compared to standard home networks.
“In an internet cafe, the internet speed is high and stable. So, I want to try to find the best opportunity. However, the possibility of not getting a ticket still exists,” she said.
This phenomenon of ARMY hunting for BTS tickets in internet cafes appears to have been planned well in advance. The Market Leader of Sentinel, Isma, stated that they had even opened special reservations for the BTS ticket war since January 2026, shortly after the concert announcement.
“At Sentinel, we opened bookings in January. As soon as the promoter announced the BTS ticket war, many people booked immediately. We have been full since January,” said Isma.
Sentinel offers special packages for 10 hours, with prices ranging from Rp100,000 to Rp300,000, depending on the chosen computer specifications. These packages include food and beverages.
According to Isma, all facilities in the internet cafe were occupied by fans on the day of the ticket sale.
“Today is full. All three floors are filled with ARMY. There are approximately 400 PCs occupied,” he noted.
He explained that the reason many fans choose gaming internet cafes is the use of LAN networks, which are considered more stable than general WiFi connections.
“Here, they use a direct LAN connection to each computer. Therefore, the internet is not shared like general WiFi, which can sometimes cause unstable connections,” Isma explained.
Nevertheless, Isma reminded that success in obtaining tickets cannot be guaranteed.
“As for whether they get the tickets or not, no one knows. We only help by providing the best facilities,” he said.
As 12:00 WIB approached, the atmosphere inside the internet cafe grew increasingly tense. Some fans were seen opening multiple devices simultaneously, while others were busy monitoring virtual queues on the ticketing websites. Amidst the continuous playing of BTS songs, the fans shared a single hope: to successfully secure tickets for the reunion concert of their idols after waiting for many years.