BTS Members Call Out Price Gouging in Busan — Here’s How to Stay Free

Daniel Kim 2026.05.28 Views

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방탄소년단/사진=빅히트 BTS is bringing the world to Busan on June 12 and 13 for the BTS World Tour Arirang IN Busan, and the city is rolling out the welcome mat for both domestic and international visitors. After reports of sharp price hikes at some lodgings, local leaders and groups launched the Fair Accommodation Challenge to fight price-gouging, encourage responsible tourism, and protect Busan’s reputation as a global destination. What began as a grassroots effort has quickly expanded into a public–private partnership.

As lodging rates spiked ahead of the concerts, BTS leader RM spoke up. On a Weverse live broadcast on the 26th he said, “I’ve been seeing a lot of news about lodging in Busan. Even if we wanted to fix it, we can’t. Of course prices change between high and low season, but let’s be reasonable.” He even mixed in Busan dialect as a pointed rebuke to some operators.

Fellow Busan native Jimin added, “I want people to have a great experience in Busan, so this makes me upset. Raising prices by multiples is just too much.” Jungkook, also using Busan dialect, chimed in with a blunt “Cut it out.”

In response to the controversy, Busan city moved to ease visitors’ lodging concerns by promoting the Fair Accommodation Challenge. The Buddhist community kicked off the effort: major local temples, including Beomeosa, volunteered free temple-stay rooms and helped lead the campaign. Beomeosa offered 10 rooms (20 people), Seonamsa offered 10 rooms (15 people), and Hongbeopsa plans to operate 16 rooms (48 people) on June 12–13 and 7 rooms (21 people) on June 13–14 at no charge.

Churches also stepped up. Suyeongro Church and Bujeon Church will open 12 rooms for 50 people, Vineyard Church will offer 5 rooms for 10 people, and Geoje Church will provide 2 rooms for 20 people. Many others, including Gimhae Central Church, Segyero Church, and Moria Church, are joining the effort. The Catholic community will open the Pureun Namu Education Center, offering 4 rooms with capacity for up to 60 visitors.

Local universities are pitching in too. Pusan National University will offer 6 rooms at Sangnam International Hall (12 people) at a fair rate of 47,000 KRW (about $35.25) per person, per night. National Pukyong University (8 rooms, 16 people) and Kosin University (10 rooms, 40 people) will also open campus spaces as temporary lodging. Other public institutions—including the Railway Human Resources Training Center in Yangsan, Gyeongnam (19 rooms, 80 people) and Busan Urban Corporation’s Arpina (4 rooms, 32 people)—are offering low-cost paid rooms. The private Jabang Hae-Su-Tang in Busanjin District plans to open for free to 90 people during nighttime hours on June 11 and 12.

The Fair Accommodation Challenge will accept applications for free facilities (temples, churches, cathedrals, etc.) via a Google Form managed by an operations contractor. Busan’s official tourism site, Visit Busan, will post details and run the lottery selection process. Some paid options—such as university and public institution rooms—can be booked directly through the contact information provided.