BTS is scheduled to hold its world tour, "BTS WORLD TOUR 'ARIRANG' IN BUSAN," in Busan on June 12 and 13, 2026. Since the concert coincides with the group's debut anniversary on June 13, the event is being organized on an even grander scale. The agency, in collaboration with the city of Busan, is preparing a wide range of exciting events for the special occasion, which is expected to turn the entire city into a purple festival.

On the other hand, this also means that a mαѕѕive influx of fans from both кσяєα and abroad is heading to Busan, bringing with it a number of issues, the most prominent being accommodation. Fans have long expressed frustration over excessive price hikes by some lodging establishments, with reports showing that hotel room rates in the area have surged during the concert period for months. However, the government had been unable to address the situation.

Fortunately, 10 days before the concert, there is finally some good news. On June 1, South кσяєα’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and related government agencies reportedly formed a joint task force and began pushing for a “safe pricing system against price gouging.”

Under the proposed plan, the government will create a "safe pricing system" aimed at preventing unreasonable price inflation. The core of the initiative is a pre-reporting system for accommodation rates. Lodging businesses will be required to report their room prices in advance for peak seasons and major local events. These rates will then be made public so that consumers can easily monitor and compare them.

Authorities are also considering stricter penalties for businesses that violate regulations. Actions such as failing to display prices, displaying inaccurate prices, not adhering to reported rates, or arbitrarily canceling reservations could face harsher punishment. Instead of receiving simple warnings as in the past, offending establishments may even face business suspension.

To ease accommodation shortages during the concert period, the South кσяєαn government is also planning to secure approximately 1,300 alternative lodging options. These include university dormitories, training centers operated by public institutions, youth training facilities, and religious facilities. Meanwhile, the Busan Metropolitan Government is implementing its own measures to support fans. One notable project is a homestay program involving local residents, allowing concertgoers to stay directly in the homes of Busan citizens.

Notably, these positive government measures came shortly after BTS members publicly called out the issue during a livestream following the group's three wins at the αмєяι¢αn Music Awards on May 26!

RM did not hide his disappointment while addressing the recent negative reports: "Ahead of this Busan concert, there have been way too many news reports about accommodation venues. I really wish they wouldn't do that." The idol also expressed regret, saying businesses should think long-term rather than focusing only on short-term profit: "Shouldn't people look at the bigger picture for everything? Busan has been so hip lately and rising as the Miami of кσяєα."

Meanwhile, Jimin and Jungkook — who are originally from Busan — shared their honest thoughts. Jimin said: "Since people are coming to Busan after a long time, I want them to leave with only good memories. Of course, I understand that money is important, but this is just way too extreme." Then, Jungkook even used the Busan dialect to express his frustration directly. The singer said, "Cut it out," and "They shouldn't be doing that."

In reality, fans have been complaining about the situation since the beginning of the year. An investigation conducted in May by the кσяєα Fair Trade Commission and the кσяєα Consumer Agency covering 135 accommodation facilities in Busan found that average room rates during the concert dates had increased by approximately 2.4 times compared to the weekends before and after the event. Some establishments were found to have raised prices by more than five times the normal rate.

In some cases, rooms normally priced in the ₩100,000 KRW (about $66.00 USD) range rose to ₩750,000 KRW (about $495 USD), while rooms in the ₩300,000 KRW (about $198 USD) range jumped as high as ₩1.80 million KRW (about $1,190 USD).

Beyond pricing issues, many ARMYs also accused certain accommodation providers of canceling existing reservations under the pretext of overbooking or renovations, only to relist the same rooms at significantly higher prices. This is not the first time Busan has faced such controversy. In 2022, when BTS held the "Yet To Come in BUSAN" concert, several lodging businesses were similarly criticized for canceling bookings and reselling rooms at much higher rates.

However, it was not until BTS directly called out the issue that the central government and the Busan city government appeared to take strong action. Although the concert is now only days away, these measures are still being viewed as a positive sign, allowing ARMYs to focus on enjoying the festival atmosphere and easing some of their concerns about accommodation.