They Came for BTS, but Stayed for More: Foreign Fans Spent 3 Million Won Each Over a Week in Korea

Korea Culture and Tourism Institute Releases BTS Gwanghwamun and Goyang Concert Survey Results
Foreign Visitors Account for 44.7% at Gwanghwamun, 59.8% at Goyang
Hallyu Concerts Drive Growth in Accommodation, Shopping, and Urban Tourism
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The BTS concert has demonstrated the effects of “stay-type Hallyu tourism,” where foreign tourists visit Korea specifically for performances and contribute to extended stays and urban consumption, including accommodation and city spending. Attending a concert was not just a one-day event; it translated into nearly a week-long stay and individual expenditures amounting to several million won.

The group BTS held the opening of their new world tour "Arirang" on the 9th at the main stadium of Goyang Sports Complex in Gyeonggi Province. The photo shows the BTS members during the performance that day. Photo by Big Hit Music

According to a field survey of BTS concerts in Gwanghwamun and Goyang released by the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute on April 29, 44.7% of the 1,871 visitors to the Gwanghwamun concert venue were foreign short-term visitors, while the figure was 59.8% among the 2,328 attendees at the Goyang concert. The average length of stay in Korea for foreign visitors was 8.7 days in Gwanghwamun and 7.4 days in Goyang. The per capita average expenditure was approximately 3.53 million won in Gwanghwamun and about 2.91 million won in Goyang.

The concert itself served as a direct motivation for visiting Korea. Among foreign visitors to the Gwanghwamun concert, 73.6% stated that the BTS performance was their primary reason for coming to Korea. Meanwhile, 17.4% visited the concert venue while in Korea for other purposes, and 9.0% happened to visit coincidentally. At the Goyang concert, 95.4% of foreign visitors actually attended the concert.

The duration of stay was also considerable. Foreign visitors to the Gwanghwamun concert stayed in Seoul for an average of 7.5 days and in Korea for an average of 8.7 days. Foreign visitors to the Goyang concert also stayed for an average of 7.4 days. In the case of the Goyang concert, 96.0% of foreign visitors were overnight guests. This indicates that a significant number of foreign concert attendees acted as tourists, combining accommodation, transportation, and food and beverage consumption.

Breakdown of expenditures reveals the consumption structure of concert tourism. Foreign visitors to the Gwanghwamun concert spent an average of about 3.53 million won per person. The largest portion was accommodation costs at about 1.35 million won, followed by transportation at approximately 1.14 million won, shopping at around 580,000 won, and food and beverages at about 470,000 won. For the Goyang concert, the average per capita expenditure was about 2.91 million won, with airfare at roughly 863,000 won, accommodation at about 662,000 won, concert tickets at around 467,000 won, and BTS-related shopping at about 303,000 won as the main spending categories.

On March 21, fans watched the comeback concert of the group BTS through a large screen in Gwanghwamun, Seoul. Photo by AFP News Agency

Consumption continued after the concert. Among foreign visitors to the Gwanghwamun concert, 45.8% planned to visit restaurants for nighttime activities, followed by late-night shopping at 26.1%, visiting cafes and bakeries at 24.1%, and 20.7% planned to purchase and eat food from convenience stores or supermarkets. This shows that spending on food, beverages, and shopping continued within the city even after the concert had ended.

The Goyang concert also demonstrated connections with urban tourism programs in Seoul. Prior to the concert, foreign visitors experienced the “BTS THE CITY ARIRANG SEOUL” program, with the BTS pop-up being the most popular at 45.3%. This was followed by the DDP Music Light Show at 29.9%, the DDP Army Yard at 21.2%, Shinsegae Square Media Facade at 17.8%, and F&B brand collaborations at 13.1%. After the concert, visitors also planned to visit BTS pop-ups, city tour buses, the DDP Army Yard, and the DDP Music Light Show.

Hwang Gyo-ik, President of the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute, stated, “Through this survey, we have seen that Hallyu concerts, especially these two events, attracted a high proportion of foreign visitors, demonstrating that Hallyu performances are an important driving force in revitalizing tourism in Korea. As they are a key driver for attracting foreign visitors, promoting stay-type consumption, and linking with urban tourism, it is necessary to systematically design the connection between Hallyu performances and city tourism to further maximize the tourism effect.”

The Korea Culture and Tourism Institute plans to separately release detailed survey results and an analysis of the economic impact of the “BTS THE CITY ARIRANG SEOUL” program in the future.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.