K-pop supergroup BTS has publicly spoken out against the sharp rise in hotel prices in Busan ahead of their upcoming concerts next month. The group’s comments come after growing outrage among fans over alleged price gouging by accommodations in the South Korean port city.
BTS address the price hike of hotels in Busan
During a livestream on fan platform Weverse, BTS leader RM addressed the controversy and expressed disappointment over the soaring room rates being charged during the concert period. He acknowledged that hotel prices often fluctuate during busy seasons, but urged business owners not to take advantage of fans. Speaking in the Busan dialect, RM reportedly appealed to accommodation providers to “not overdo it.”
Fellow members Suga and Jimin echoed his concerns. Jimin, who hails from Busan, shared that even his own relatives were struggling to secure reasonably priced rooms in the city. The members questioned whether charging several times the normal rate was fair to concertgoers and tourists visiting the city for the shows.
The backlash intensified online after fans claimed some hotels and guesthouses either dramatically increased prices or allegedly cancelled existing reservations so they could relist rooms at much higher rates. Reports suggested that rooms usually priced around 60,000 won were being offered for as much as 760,000 won during the concert weekend. In some cases, accommodations reportedly charged hundreds of thousands and even millions of won per night.
All about their ARIRANG tour
BTS is scheduled to perform in Busan on June 12 and 13 as part of its “ARIRANG” world tour. The dates also coincide with the group’s debut anniversary on June 13, leading to an expected surge of domestic and international visitors traveling to the city.
Government agencies have also begun monitoring the situation. According to findings from the Korea Consumer Agency, hotel rates in Busan during the concert week increased by as much as 7.5 times compared to surrounding weeks. Authorities in Busan have reportedly launched inspections and warned accommodation providers against unfair pricing practices amid mounting complaints from fans.
This isn`t the first time the prices have hiked up during grand concerts around international cities.
