BTS expressed concern over the recent controversy about "price gouging" by lodging businesses in Busan. With the Busan concert next month approaching and criticism mounting that some accommodations have hiked room rates excessively, the members directly said, "Let's keep it reasonable."
RM said on a Weverse live broadcast on the 26th, "There's something I've been wanting to say in this setting," adding, "There are too many news reports about accommodation prices. Honestly, it doesn't feel good."
He went on, "I understand that prices fluctuate depending on peak and off-peak seasons," but also said, "Let's keep it reasonable, everyone." Jimin and Suga, who are from Busan, also reacted by saying, "Relatives are trying to come to see the concert, but I heard there are no rooms," and "Isn't it too much to raise prices by several times?"
Recently, posts have been appearing on online communities and social media saying that during the "BTS World Tour Arirang IN Busan" concert period on the 12th–13th next month, some lodging rates in Busan surged to hundreds of thousands to millions of won per night. There were also allegations that existing reservations were canceled and the same rooms were resold at higher prices.
According to a survey by the Korea Consumer Agency (KCA) in February this year, accommodation rates in Busan during the BTS concert week rose by up to 7.5 times compared with the periods before and after.