Home > National > Social Affairs

Busan to launch on-site inspections, reporting system against suspected price gouging ahead of BTS concerts

Published: 17 Jan. 2026, 10:10 Updated: 19 Jan. 2026, 13:57

Boy band BTS [BIG HIT MUSIC]

Busan, where boy band BTS will host two concerts in June as part of its upcoming world tour, is launching on-site inspections and a reporting system for accommodation providers, following President Lee Jae Myung's orders for strong countermeasures against alleged price gouging.

The Busan Metropolitan Government said on Saturday that it would begin on-site inspections and operate a QR code-based reporting system to curb unfair pricing practices until the concert dates.

Visitors will be able to scan a QR code at accommodation sites to report instances of suspected price gouging. Their complaints are immediately relayed to the relevant district offices via the Korea Tourism Organization.

The city has already distributed promotional stickers and posters to lodging providers and is providing further guidance through its website and social media channels.

Starting next week, Busan also plans to form joint inspection teams with district offices to inspect reported businesses. Accommodation providers found engaging in unfair practices, such as unjustified price hikes or unilateral reservation cancellations, may face penalties.

Once the concert venue is finalized, the city will promote lodging alternatives with easy access to public transportation to prevent bookings from concentrating near the site.

Busan Mayor Park Hyung-joon said the city would mobilize all available administrative resources to prevent unfair trade practices and ensure that fans visiting the city can enjoy the concerts without disruption.

The measurements follow comments by President Lee, who shared a media report in a post on X on Friday, writing that predatory practices that disrupt market order and cause widespread harm “must be eradicated,” with penalties severe enough to outweigh any unjust gains.

The controversy erupted after reports said lodging prices that typically hovered around 100,000 won ($67.80) surged to as high as 900,000 won following news of the concerts of the K-pop boy band.

BTS is set to launch its world tour on April 9. Seventy-nine concerts across 34 cities in North America, Europe, South America and Asia are currently scheduled.

The group will perform in Busan on June 12 and 13. The venue has yet to be announced.

The Busan concerts have drawn heightened attention since June 13 marks the group's debut anniversary, and the city is also the hometown of members Jimin and Jungkook.

Following the announcement, multiple accommodation providers in Busan quickly sold out all their spaces.

On major online travel platforms, the price of a deluxe double room at a luxury hotel in Busan on the concert dates was listed at 785,000 won ($532) compared to 298,000 won the previous week and 390,000 won two weeks before, prompting criticism that lodging prices were being excessively inflated in response to the concerts.

Update, Jan. 17: Added information about the Busan city government's preventive measures.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

BY CHO MUN-GYU, KO SEONG-PYO [[email protected]]