Lea Salonga Embraced Her Inner Fangirl at BTS' Concerts in South Korea
The international Broadway diva was spotted doing “normal people things,” including waiting in long lines and handing out giveaways.
by Kyla Villena
Published on Jun 17, 2026
Lea Salonga has cemented her place in the arts, pop culture, and music through a multitude of achievements—including her historic role as Kim in the original Broadway production of Miss Saigon, which made her the first Asian performer to win a Tony Award. To younger generations, she is perhaps best known as the singing voice of Disney princesses Jasmine and Mulan.
One would not expect someone of her stature to be waiting patiently in long lines or humbly sitting on the floor, but Lea proves to be full of surprises. She, too, is on the receiving end of music’s power, as seen in her recent experiences attending BTS concerts in South Korea.
Netizens React to Lea Salonga Doing “Normal People Things” at BTS’ Shows
Last June 12 and 13, Lea made her way to the Busan Asiad Main Stadium, where BTS held a two-night concert and celebrated their 13th anniversary. Her fellow supporters, endearingly called ARMY, saw the globally renowned star lining up by herself to get inside the venue. “The Broadway diva” graciously interacted with them as well.
Preparing freebies to distribute among fellow fans has become a staple of K-pop fan culture, and Lea made sure not to miss out. She went the extra mile by bringing button pins for fellow ARMYs, handing them out to fans both outside and inside the stadium.
While celebrities are often seen in carefully managed public appearances, netizens found it refreshing to see a star “behave like an ordinary fangirl.” Lea was also seen sitting on the ground while waiting for a taxi—something her own fans have likely done after watching her perform.
There were also netizens who shared stories of seeing the award-winning icon take the train after the shows wrapped up, even though she “could totally afford to hire a private car.”
Lea also made time to visit the old building where everything started for the boy group. It’s safe to say she experienced the tour much like any ARMY would.
When the shows wrapped up, Lea took to Threads to ask ARMYs “a massive favor”: to send videos in which her friend appeared onscreen and to share any photos they had taken with her. In a separate post, she wrote, “The collective joy from June 12 and 13, in spite of everything, was so obvious! I’m so happy to have been able to share in that!”
Lea Salonga on How BTS “Saved” Her Mental Health
Lea recently graced What A Life!, a podcast hosted by Thai personality Woody Milintachinda. He brought up an old post in which she said that BTS “saved [her] mental health,” a statement she affirmed. Lea hit rewind and recalled discovering the group in 2020.
“COVID, and everybody’s stuck at home. I don’t know, I was just going through quite a bit in my life—the isolation, even though my friends and I were making an effort to stay in touch with each other, and watching my kid navigate that kind of isolation from friends. That’s a big ask of somebody that young and impressionable and vulnerable.”
Come August that year, BTS’ hit song “Dynamite” “just appears out of nowhere.” She clicked on it out of curiosity, as it was already taking over social media. “The minute I saw V in that bottle-green Gucci waistcoat and flared trousers, pushing his hair back, I’m like, ‘And I’m done. This is it.’”
Lea continued, “It just pulled me out of this sad state of affairs that my brain found itself in.” She acknowledged that K-pop has “this reputation of being so manufactured,” but said there is something about BTS that feels “sincere and real.” “I have such great respect for them as songwriters, as performers, as musicians—just as artists.”
In 2021, Lea guested on Young At Art, a YouTube series by the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Karlos Miguelle Par, one of the young hosts, said to her, “I have a wish: Can you do your version of ‘Dynamite’?” The star immediately granted his wish.
Kyla Villena loves a good lip gloss and a trip to the art gallery. She is Preview's beauty girl, who doubles as a self-proclaimed motivational speaker.