BTS concerts spur tourism across South Korea

As concerts by K-pop supergroup BTS approach in Seoul, Goyang and Busan, overseas fans traveling to South Korea are increasingly planning trips beyond the capital to visit regional sites connected to the group. Local governments and travel companies have begun promoting “BTS pilgrimage” tours and related travel packages to encourage members of the fan club ARMY to extend their visits before and after the concerts.

A five-day travel map titled “ARMY Seoul Guide” has recently appeared on Reddit, one of the largest English-language online communities. The guide highlights locations across Seoul linked to BTS members, including the headquarters of Hybe, the National Museum of Korea, Hongdae, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gwangjang Market, Seosulla-gil and Seoul Forest.

Interest in visiting South Korea has also grown on social media among international ARMY members under the hashtag “BTS Pilgrimage,” as fans increasingly share travel experiences and recommendations for locations associated with the group.

According to travel booking platform Klook, traffic for BTS-related travel products rose 61 percent in January and February 2026 compared with November and December 2025. The platform offers several BTS-themed tours, including a Pyeongchang tour to the filming site of the group’s reality content “In the SOOP,” a tour of Gangneung’s Jumunjin, where BTS shot the cover of its 2017 second album, and a Seoul ARMY walking tour.

Accommodation bookings have also surged in Gangneung, widely regarded as one of the group’s pilgrimage destinations during the concert period. According to travel and lodging platform Yeogi Eottae, reservation rates in the Gangneung area between April 7 and 14, surrounding the Goyang concerts scheduled for April 9 through 12, rose 53 percent from a year earlier. Bookings between June 10 and 15, around the Busan concerts set for June 12 and 13, climbed 329 percent. A company official said domestic travel in South Korea is rarely booked two to three months in advance, suggesting that many of the reservations were made with specific events such as BTS concerts in mind.

Local governments have also stepped up efforts to attract visitors. The city of Gangneung recently announced its recommended travel destination for March, highlighting the Sodold Breakwater and Jumunjin, filming locations for the internationally popular dramas "The Glory" and "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God." The promotion is widely seen as an attempt to strengthen the city’s reputation as a K-content tourism destination among foreign visitors seeking the well-known “BTS bus stop.”

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is also preparing events for international visitors, including ARMY members, during the Spring Festa beginning April 10 at 11 zones along Hangang Park, including Yeouido, Ttukseom, Banpo and Nanji. The program will feature street performances, random dance festivals and participatory events designed for BTS fans from around the world at major locations across the city.

Retail and hospitality businesses are also preparing for the influx of fans. JW Marriott Hotel Seoul will introduce a “JW in the City” room package and special cocktails in collaboration with Hybe to mark BTS’s full-group activities. Meanwhile, Starbucks will launch Seoul-themed drinks aimed at international tourists. Starting on March 16, 100 stores in major tourist districts including Myeongdong, Gwanghwamun and Gangnam will sell the “Seoul Sunset Omija Fizzio” and the “Seoul Makgeolli-Inspired Cold Brew.” The Seoul Sunset Omija Fizzio is designed to turn purple, the color widely associated with BTS, when stirred.


이소정 sojee@donga.com