BTS Busan Hotel Scandal & Global Price Outrage!
- lewishooper1
- 3 minutes ago
- 2 min read
From fan dreams to budget nightmares, how $6,000-a-night hotel rates are leaving ARMYs and locals questioning the ethics of event tourism.
Ever since BTS announced their upcoming world tour schedule, Busan hotels have decided to increase their hotel prices significantly during their concert dates in the city, triggering massive outrage.
This "BTS boom" has led to extreme cost hikes, drawing international criticism from fans and government officials alike, especially from ARMY.
Skyrocketing Ticket Prices
Hotel prices are not the only contender here. HYBE’s 2026 world tour announcement has sparked a big debate due to ticket prices reaching up to 264,000 won (approx. $180) for soundcheck seats alone!
ARMY has argued that these ticket costs are unaffordable for some, despite there promising to be a high-quality production during the tour.
Extreme Hotel Price
Hotels in Busan typically range from around 70,000 won (USD 48.00) per night according to Agoda; however, hotel rates in Busan around the world tour dates have surged to some crazy numbers, even for the most basic room.
Lewis Hooper decided to check some of the hotels himself and was shocked at what he had discovered! This was not all; shockingly, many hotels have even been accused of cancelling existing bookings to resell rooms at these higher "concert rates". Should this be allowed?
Government Intervention
With this being the latest scandal in K-pop, even the Korean President Lee Jae-myung has gotten involved. He denounced the price hikes as "malicious exploitation" that harms the country's tourism image, and the Dojeon team agrees.
Following the presidential intervention, Busan city has since launched a QR-code reporting system to investigate and penalize businesses for unfair pricing, though, will this be enough? Since this announcement, some of the hotel prices have come down, though Lewis Hooper checked on Agoda on January 18th, post announcement, and hotel prices for this time of year are still massively overpriced.
ARMY OUTRAGE
ARMY have rightfully been outraged by this news and have taken to social media. Some fans have even shared "blacklists" of overcharging hotels while helping others find fair alternatives. Many have expressed disappointment and sadness, as this tour was supposed to be a happy time for ARMY to come together, not having to put up with the greed of local businesses.
Final Thoughts
The Dojeon team firmly believe that while the "BTSnomics" effect provides a massive economic boost to Busan, the repeated pattern of overpricing sadly threatens the tourism in Busan further down the line. The "make cash now" idea, sadly, could have longer-lasting consequences for Busan hotels following their money-grabbing move. The success of the June events will likely depend on how effectively the city can regulate these costs.
Would you pay this much for a Busan hotel over the BTS comeback tour? Comment below and let us know your reasons!
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