BTS and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung have joined growing calls against sharply rising accommodation prices in Busan ahead of the K-pop supergroup’s highly anticipated June concerts.
The global K-pop supergroup is set to perform at Busan Asiad Main Stadium from June 12 to 13 as part of their Arirang world tour. Their June 13 performance carries added meaning as it coincides with the group’s 13th anniversary celebration, drawing fans from around the world to the South Korean city.
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On May 27, BTS addressed the controversy during a live broadcast on Weverse, where they expressed concern over reports of rising room prices and the difficulties faced by concertgoers traveling to Busan.
During the Weverse livestream, BTS leader RM openly acknowledged the controversy and appealed to businesses, speaking in Busan dialect as he urged them not to “overdo it.”
“There has been a lot of news about accommodation problems in Busan,” said RM as translated by The Straits Times.
“Even if we want to solve it ourselves, there’s only so much we can do. Of course, prices can change depending on peak seasons, but I hope we can keep things reasonable.”
Jimin, who was born and raised in Busan, also expressed concern for visitors making the trip to his hometown.
He said he hopes “fans leave Busan with only good memories when they visit.”
A joint investigation conducted by the Korea Consumer Agency and the Fair Trade Commission later revealed that the average one-night accommodation price during the BTS concert weekend reached 433,999 Korean won (around ₱17,746.54), approximately 2.4 times higher than rates during surrounding weekends. Motel rates average 325,801 Korean won (about ₱13,328.16), 3.3 times their usual prices.
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Beyond rising rates, many customers alleged that some accommodations pressured them to cancel existing bookings or demanded additional fees. Others claimed their reservations were canceled without warning.
As criticism intensified, President Lee Jae Myung warned on May 28 that overcharging surrounding major events could damage Busan’s image and weaken its long-term tourism appeal.
“Even in the case of Busan, people are talking about boycotting local businesses and refusing to spend money there because some tried to profit excessively from the BTS concert by sharply raising accommodation prices,” President Jae Myung said.
“It harms the entire community. It may even be necessary to publicly disclose the names of those businesses.”
Officials from Busan and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism previously told The Korea Herald that there is currently no legal framework allowing authorities to cap accommodation prices or compel businesses to maintain fixed rates, leaving them reliant on inspections, campaigns, and voluntary cooperation.
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Despite those limitations, several sectors including the city government, religious organizations, and universities opened facilities at low cost or free of charge to visitors. Meanwhile, some hotels joined campaigns pledging to preserve original room prices for canceled reservations rather than reselling them at significantly higher rates.
On May 29, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced three rounds of joint special on-site inspections on accommodation providers to be conducted on May 29 and June 8 to 9, alongside the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the National Tax Service, the Fair Trade Commission, and the National Police Agency.
Amid the controversy, excitement surrounding BTS’s concerts remains high.
The group’s June 13 show is set to be broadcast worldwide, including in the Philippines, with screenings available through participating cinemas such as SM Cinema, Ayala Malls Cinemas, Vista Cinemas, and Robinsons Movieworld, among others.
BTS will stage their Arirang Philippine leg at the Philippine Sports Stadium in Bulacan on March 13 to 14, 2027.