VI
EN
The return of the "legendary" BTS after nearly four years of absence caused a sensation online. In early 2026, the global group announced their world tour schedule, immediately triggering a boom in South Korea's tourism industry. However, along with the joy of the global ARMY fanbase came a surge in hotel prices in Busan that spiraled out of control, forcing the South Korean President to personally intervene.
According to leading online booking platforms, immediately after the concert schedule in Goyang and Busan was confirmed for June, accommodation in the surrounding areas was fully booked within hours. Searches for keywords like "Busan concert hotels" skyrocketed, leading to a fierce price war. In the bustling Haeundae Beach area, the price of a one-night stay at some 4-star hotels jumped from 300,000 won to over 650,000 won. Even more outrageous, some budget accommodations that normally cost only 99,000 won brazenly inflated prices to 1,489,000 won, more than 15 times the usual price.
Many hotels simultaneously raised their prices by 10-15 times immediately after BTS's concert schedule was announced, causing public outrage.
The chaos reached its peak when many hotels began implementing "mass cancellation" campaigns for customers who had booked rooms in advance at discounted rates. The reasons given were often vague, such as "system error" or "too many bookings at once," but in reality, it was to reclaim the rooms and resell them at exorbitant prices to later customers. On major forums like Theqoo and Instinz, netizens were shocked to see luxury rooms being priced at an unbelievable 18 million won (approximately 321 million VND) for a single night.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung issued a stern warning on social media, asserting that he would impose strict penalties on those who exploit and overcharge tourists during the peak concert season.
Faced with intense criticism from both domestic and international public opinion, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung took an unprecedented and decisive action on social media. He asserted that profiteering, market disruption, and public harm must be completely eradicated, and demanded that authorities impose significantly higher penalties than the illicit profits gained. If this price gouging is not controlled, South Korea's reputation as a transparent and hospitable tourism industry will be severely damaged in the eyes of the international community.
However, from a positive perspective, the hype surrounding the BTS 2026 concert is creating golden opportunities for the tourism industry to recover after the pandemic and periods of stagnation. The influx of tens of thousands of tourists to Busan not only generates huge revenue for accommodation services but also boosts the transportation, food, and shopping sectors. To mitigate the conflict between high demand and room shortages, many tourism experts suggest that tourists can choose nearby areas or experience homestay accommodations, contributing to a more even distribution instead of concentrating solely on the overpriced central areas.
An estimated hundreds of thousands of global fans have planned to travel to Busan and Seoul, creating a huge boost for the aviation and travel industries early in 2026.
Simultaneously, HYBE Group is striving to turn this comeback into a true cultural extravaganza with plans to hold a large-scale, completely free concert in Seoul. According to sources, BTS is expected to perform in front of 18,000 spectators at Gwanghwamun Square on March 21, 2026. This is considered an "exception" in history because Gwanghwamun, a symbolic national heritage site, has never been licensed for a mainstream artist to hold a concert.
Global fans are focusing their attention on March 20, 2026, the date BTS is scheduled to release their studio album, "Arirang." Six years after "Map of the Soul: 7," this will be the first time the members perform together as a complete group after completing their military service. The album "Arirang" is expected to be deeply rooted in national identity, reflecting on the brilliant yet challenging journey of these Koreans who have brought Korean music to the world stage.
Each large-scale concert is not only a musical feast but also seen as a strategic economic lever, contributing to strong recovery and growth.
With meticulous preparation from their management company and government support, 2026 is sure to be a breakout year, setting new milestones for the South Korean entertainment and tourism industries, fueled by the immense popularity of the K-pop group BTS.
