[Econ & Biz] Economic impact of BTS’s upcoming World Tour 'Arirang'

Описание: 방탄소년단의 컴백이 가져올 "BTS노믹스" 효과는?

As BTS prepares to make its comeback in March with the album 'ARIRANG,' following a three-year-and-nine-month break, the group is already posting strong signs of popularity with massive sales of albums, merchandise, and concerts.
Fore more, our business correspondent Park Jun-han is here in the studio to walk us through the economic impact that the upcoming BTS world tour is expected to have, not only here in South Korea but globally.

Welcome back Jun-han.
It's good to see you again Dami.

So Jun-han, while many global fans are waiting for the BTS comeback, could you briefly explain to me the economic impact of their return, in terms of numbers-wise?

Sure Dami.
I am pretty sure many of our viewers have somewhat heard about "Swiftnomics" or "Taylornomics."
The term was coined in reference to American solo artist Taylor Swift, whose tours have boosted local economies through sharp increases in tourism, hospitality, and consumer spending.
So, borrowing the term from "Swiftnomics," the global economy is now bracing for "BTSnomics."
As the K-pop icons officialized their return this March, experts project a staggering revenue of over 1 billion U.S. dollars for the company and a multi-billion dollar economic impact expected throughout a year-long comeback stages.
The BTS World Tour 'Arirang' is already breaking records with massive sales and arenas selling out.
As of now, BTS will perform a total of 82 shows across 34 cities worldwide, spanning North America, Europe, South America, Asia, and more — marking the largest single tour by any K-pop act.
The agency reported that all tickets on sale sold out completely, with major global stadiums selling out within minutes or hours.
In Mexico City alone, the three scheduled shows at GNP Seguros Stadium sold 150-thousand tickets in just 37 minutes, drawing over a million fans trying to get in — from Mexico and neighboring countries like Peru, Colombia and Chile.
Demand was so intense that Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum even sent a rare diplomatic letter to Korea's President Lee Jae Myung, requesting additional tour schedules.
Even before its official release on March 20, BTS's upcoming full-length album ARIRANG's Pre-orders have surpassed 4-point-06 million copies in just the first week, topping their own previous record.
This guarantees massive sales and solidifies the album's role in driving overall revenue for the group and the industry.
And of course, the real thrill of concerts is seeing fans waving their lightsticks together in stadiums.
And it translates directly into huge merchandise sales.
Official lightsticks, apparel, photo cards, and other merchandise are flying off shelves, with pop-up stores and venue merch booths generating massive revenue on-site.

2. Okay Jun-han.
What impact does the BTS world tour have on local economies around the world, beyond the music industry?

Absolutely, Dami.
Let's take a look at South Korea's second-largest city, Busan, as an example.
BTS is scheduled to perform there in June, and the announcement alone caused hotel and travel searches to explode.
According to Hotels.com, overseas travel searches for Busan surged by a massive 2-thousand-3-hundred-75 percent in just 48 hours, while domestic searches jumped an astonishing 3-thousand-8-hundred-55 percent.
Fans from Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and beyond are expected to flood into Korea, making it very hard to find rooms, much like past tours where accommodations sold out quickly, and prices skyrocketed.
The overflowing travel demand isn't limited to Korea alone.
Even in Paris, France, local report indicates a 5-hundred-90 percent increase in travel demand, cited by Hotels.com data.
A professor of hotel and convention management said that the BTS comeback will have a strong ripple effect on local economies as it attracts a global fan base.
Let's take a listen.
"When an international event is held in a specific city or region, it naturally draws more people who are interested, and they tend to stay longer. As a result, the ripple effects across the local economy, including tourism, dining, shopping, and accommodation, become quite significant."

In Busan, the authorities held an inter-agency meeting last week to prevent unfair practices in accommodation and are in the process of requesting hotels and motels to participate in good prices in their accommodation listings.
Alright, thanks for the coverage Jun-han.

No worries Dami.

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2026-01-29, 20:00 (KST)