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BTS Takes Over Grand Central Terminal, Tries Pastrami Sandwiches At Katz's
By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 25, 2020
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Tonight Show
By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 25, 2020
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After devoted fans have camped out around Central Park and in Times Square for them, the wildly popular group BTS took a different approach for their first U.S. performance of 2020: In an empty Grand Central Terminal.
The Tonight Show brought the seven members—Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook—to the landmark to perform their new song, "On," to coincide with the release of their new album, Map of the Soul: 7. Fallon called it a "historic performance" because the MTA shut down the terminal for them:
And when it's BTS—a legitimate global phenomenon—you devote your entire Monday night show to the Korean sensations. Fallon also did his monologue from the subway, saying it was something he's "always wanted to do." He joked that if the show on the subway was successful, "NBC's gonna move the fifth hour of the Today Show down here."
Fallon wrote "Thank you" notes to Times Square characters, hot dog carts, and other NYC stand-bys, and also had The Roots freestyle from some pre-selected commuters:
The real highlight was introducing BTS to NYC Transit for the first time. The group answered some questions from their legion of fans, and also participated in the Subway Olympics:
Continuing on their tour of classic New York spots, they also ate their first pastrami sandwiches—at Katz's, of course—and learned how to slice pastrami, thanks to Katz's owner Jake Dell (who does not advise that you put ketchup on the sandwiches):
Fallon made sure to thank the MTA as he closed the show from Grand Central with a dance party:
You can next see BTS on Carpool Karaoke with James Corden on Tuesday night. Oh, and don't worry—they did visit "their" giant aluminum tube sculpture in Brooklyn Bridge Park:
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tonight show
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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