BTS Concert in Busan Marked by Accommodation Price Gouging Up to 7.5 Times Normal Rates
Leading up to BTS’s Arirang world concert on 12 and 13 June, fans (ARMY) in Busan, South Korea, face extreme accommodation price surges. Price gouging has reportedly pushed rates up to an average of 7.5 times normal, deeply frustrating both domestic and international tourists.
According to The Korea Times, citing data from the Korea Consumer Agency, many accommodation providers are exploiting the 13th anniversary of BTS’s debut to inflate prices unnaturally.
Some operators have allegedly cancelled existing reservations under false pretences such as ‘overbooking’ or ‘renovation’ to resell rooms at significantly higher rates.
Verena Thiel, a German student based in Korea, said she had to pay six times the usual price for an Airbnb room.
‘This isn’t just about Busan—I understand price hikes for big events, but an extra 400,000 won? That’s excessive,’ she said.
The surge has forced some fans to seek alternatives outside the city. Eunice, a Filipino teacher, chose to stay in neighbouring Ulsan after seeing Airbnb prices spike tenfold, expressing disappointment that the practice tarnishes Busan’s tourism reputation.
Busan City authorities are now conducting surprise inspections to check for possible breaches of the Public Health Control Act. Emergency measures include free or affordable accommodation offers from religious groups, universities, and public institutions, though supplies remain scarce compared to demand.
The concert is expected to be one of the year’s largest events, marking the group’s first full performance since their historic March comeback. However, concerns over price exploitation risk leaving a negative impression on global fans visiting the port city.
Key Facts:
BTS will officially host the Arirang world tour concert at Jakarta’s Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (SUGBK) on 26-27 December 2026.
The Busan concert will be broadcast live in 3,800 cinemas across 80 countries this June.
The new album Arirang has maintained a top-five position on the Billboard 200 for six consecutive weeks.
The Arirang concert conceptually explores returning to Korean cultural roots while celebrating a new chapter for RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook.
Korean celebrities, from actors to idols, attended BTS’s D2 concert in Goyang Stadium, reinforcing their standing in the Korean entertainment industry.