BTS Shines a Light on Flaws in Busan's Event Management

BTS played two sold-out concerts at Busan Asiad Main Stadium on Friday and Saturday, drawing approximately 220,000 fans over two days as part of its ongoing "Arirang" world tour.

The concerts, while a huge success, brought long-standing issues surrounding major K-pop concerts into the fore.

The most immediate controversy emerged on opening night, when the concert began approximately 75 minutes late due to delays in audience entry.

Fans who attended the concert described long lines and difficulties navigating the venue.

The delays in entry occurred despite a safety operation involving 3,000 personnel, including event staff, local government officials, police officers, firefighters, and public agency employees.

Accommodation-related complaints also resurfaced ahead of the concerts.

A joint survey conducted earlier this year by the Korea Fair Trade Commission and the Korea Consumer Agency found that average accommodation prices near the concert venue during the concert weekend were 2.4 times higher than normal weekend rates, with some properties increasing prices by up to 7.5 times.

The issue was not entirely new. Similar complaints emerged during BTS's "Yet To Come in Busan" concert in 2022 and have periodically surfaced during other major events held in the city.